Yellowquill Trail Relocation
Heavy winds, rain and hail accompanied a tornado that touched down in Long Plain First Nation in 2016, causing riverbank movement that damaged Yellowquill Trail, the main roadway through the community.
KGS Group provided engineering services for the permanent re-establishment of the roadway, completing an extensive drilling and monitoring program, slope stability analysis and assessment of potential options for remedial riverbank works versus roadway and utility relocations. We also acted as the project contract administrators responsible for all environmental approvals, geotechnical investigations, riverbank stabilization as well as the municipal design of the new road alignments.
The result was a reliable roadway that will protect the community from future erosion and potential future encroachment on community infrastructure.
Project Highlights
- 500 metres of riprap erosion protection, riverbank regrading and drainage swale construction to protect the community from the long-term effects of erosion of the lower shoreline and potential future encroachment of community infrastructure
- Realignment of 1,600 metres of asphalt roadway for the new alignment of the Yellowquill Trail
- Installation of new water main, sewer, service connections and raw water along the relocated road
- Extensive revegetation design at the site, including revegetation with native grasses, trees, shrubs, and willows
PR 304 to Berens River All Season Road
Lake Winnipeg’s east side is a provincial jewel, with vast stands of boreal forest, an abundance of wildlife and a vibrant traditional culture. Despite these assets, the lack of permanent road connectivity resulted in detrimental societal and economic impacts.
Recognizing the benefits of reliable access, KGS Group teamed with other firms to oversee the construction of a new 158-km all-season roadway including nine individual river crossings connecting to both Bloodvein and Berens River First Nations.
Over a six-year duration, KGS Group met numerous challenges including wide-ranging terrain, seasonal-access restrictions, limited accommodations, rigorous safety requirements, complex assignment sequencing, robust environmental protection measures and timely public liaison.
Project Highlights
- Construction of Manitoba’s first open-bottom, multi-plate arch culvert with MSE wall structure to protect fish habitat
- Coordination of external Community Benefit Agreements (CBA) for road aggregate production and tree clearing
- Application of ground-penetrating radar (GPR) studies to determine subsurface conditions
- Application of sonar mapping to determine and qualify bridge pier and abutment locations
- Application of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) studies to optimize final roadway alignments
Caribou Falls Block Dam 2 Reconstruction
Block Dam 2 is one of four embankment dams that contain the Caribou Falls Generating Station reservoir in northwestern Ontario. After 60 years of operation, the dam sustained unexpected slope movements. With KGS Group retained to carryout detailed design and construction supervision, Ontario Power Generation awarded the construction contract to Peter Kiewit Sons Ltd. Together, OPG, KGS and Kiewit reconstructed the dam through most of 2019 and finalized the work in late 2020.
The team applied advanced investigation and laboratory testing techniques, innovative materials, sound engineering judgement and progressive construction methodologies to design and build a new zoned rockfill dam with a cement-bentonite wall (CB wall) core. The design integrated constructability, risk mitigation and schedule saving strategies at the planning level.
Despite unforeseen challenges, all parties persevered using a “One Team” approach. As a result, the project was successfully completed, restoring the dam to modern standards and the station’s generating capacity while preserving the natural surroundings in this wild and beautiful project setting.
Project Highlights
- Detailed design, materials and lab testing, constructability planning, risk management assessments and construction supervision
- Full reconstruction of a 60-year-old structure
- New rockfill dam with cement‑bentonite cutoff wall core
- Progressive construction methodologies and schedule‑saving strategies embedded at planning
- Restored generating capacity and dam service, compliance with modern standards and improved stability and performance
Central Manitoba Mine Remediation
The Central Manitoba Mine, an abandoned mine site in Nopiming Provincial Park, was a top remediation priority for the Province of Manitoba because of the presence of major hazards to the public and environment. The site contained acid-generating tailings, waste rock, abandoned infrastructure and unsafe mine openings that lead to a network of underground mine development.
KGS Group spearheaded the site’s transformation. This project involved the development of comprehensive closure plans, the design of innovative remediation solutions, and construction administration.
The result: public safety was ensured, health hazards eliminated, and the site was restored to satisfactory conditions, mitigating extensive contamination and environmental risks.
Project Highlights
- Site assessment, risk evaluation and closure planning
- Containment and treatment of acid‑generating tailings and waste rock
- Securing unsafe mine openings, decommissioning abandoned infrastructure and debris removal
- Construction administration, contractor oversight and regulatory coordination
RAS Piping Refurbishment at the North End Water Pollution Control Centre
KGS Group led the renewal of almost 2,000 feet of aging Return Activated Sludge (RAS) piping at the City of Winnipeg’s North End Water Pollution Control Centre. This is the city’s oldest and largest wastewater facility, constructed in 1937. The work addressed leaks and structural risk in a critical system that supports treatment for 70% of Winnipeg’s wastewater.
The KGS team did a condition assessment and determined the best solution was a Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer external repair system. This solution had not been used on many large-scale, industrial/wastewater applications prior to this project.
After coordinating the design, KGS Group oversaw construction within one year, successfully refurbishing the RAS system for another 25+ years of operation. The plant remained in operation throughout construction to prevent wastewater overflow into the Red River.
Project Highlights
- Renewal of almost 2,000 feet of over 30-year-old, leaking Return Activated Sludge (RAS) piping using Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer external repair system
- Plant remained operational throughout construction
- More than 25 years of added service life to the North End Water Pollution Control Centre, which treats 70% of Winnipeg’s wastewater (approximately 187.5 million litres daily)
- Reduced the risk of wastewater overflow into the Red River
Water Security Agency Owner’s Engineer
KGS Group served as owner’s engineer to help the Water Security Agency (WSA) reduce their project backlog and bring consistency to their capital delivery services. Acting as project managers, our team scoped, managed and executed over 20 project procurements on behalf of the WSA.
Our project managers also assisted the WSA with oversight of their larger portfolio of owner’s engineer projects. Our role covered portfolio oversight, procurement leadership and risk and schedule control across multiple projects.
At the start of the contract, KGS mostly worked on process definition, engineering standards development and project engineering. In the later years, KGS was able to progress the work through engineering to construction. Because of this, the WSA spent its full capital allocation, with KGS-managed projects accounting for the majority of the spend, with this trend continuing to this day.
The KGS team accelerated project delivery and budget utilization while establishing a repeatable framework for future projects, enabling continued success for WSA.
Project Highlights
- Managed and executed over 20 project procurements
- Managed over 45 engineering, long‑lead procurement and construction contracts
- $53 million in capital construction delivered (November 2020 – March 2024)
- Helped create a framework enabling consistent, sustainable asset maintenance
- Clearer engagement model for ACEC‑SK members
Fort Severn First Nation Winter Road Relocation Study
Winter roads have been lifelines for remote northern communities for decades. Inaccessible by permanent or all-season road networks, these communities rely on winter roads as a cost-effective means of ground transportation for goods and services such as the delivery of fuel, food, construction materials and equipment.
Fort Severn First Nation is the most northern community in Ontario, located at the mouth of the Severn River on the coast of Hudson Bay. Situated on the coastline with no permanent all-season road access, the remote community relies on their winter road network to transport supplies. Climate change has severely reduced the serviceability and sustainability of the Fort Severn winter road that was constructed through organic terrain and lakes.
KGS Group collaborated with the community, Keewaytinook Okimakanak, and environmental scientists to examine the feasibility of the relocation and redesign of the existing winter road. Alternative options were developed by using climate sensitive routing and construction strategies optimized through geotechnical investigations and a helicopter reconnaissance program. The team prioritized options that were adaptive to climate warming and minimized overall environmental impact while keeping cost in mind. Preliminary environmental studies were also completed to initiate some of the environmental work that would be required as part of an environmental assessment process.
The final result of the study includes a plan for a climate-resilient winter road that will enable vital access to the community despite the challenges of climate change. This new approach to re-routing winter roads considers environmentally and culturally sensitive areas while setting the community up for future all-season access.
Project Highlights
- A plan for the relocation and redesign of the existing winter road across organic terrain and lake crossings with climate-sensitive route planning to look at alternative options
- Preliminary environmental studies were completed to initiate the work required as part of the assessment process
Davis Diversion Coanda Fish Exclusion Screen
The Davis Diversion was built in 1939 near the town of Maple Creek. The main purpose of this canal is to divert unregulated flow to Cypress Lake, the main source of drinking water and irrigation projects in Southwestern Saskatchewan. Operation of the original diversion has, in the past, resulted in stranding of at risk fish species.
The Water Security Agency (WSA) ceased operation of the diversion system while contemplating solutions. KGS Group developed a solution consisting of the design and construction of a new concrete weir with a Coanda fish exclusion screen, combined with a new rock ramp fishway. This structure provides a novel solution for WSA to achieve its water management objectives, while protecting the area’s sensitive aquatic environment and bringing infrastructure into regulatory compliance.
Project Highlights
- Conceptual and detailed design of fish exclusion at diversion intake
- Replacement and modernization of aging water control structures
- Upstream fish passage integrated around the control structure
- Final product was in complete compliance with Fisheries Act and SARA
- Enables resumption of diversion operations to Cypress Lake
Great-West Life Daycare
KGS Group was retained by Prairie Architects to help turn the historic Milner House into a new childcare facility. To address the need for childcare within both the company and the community, Great-West Life initiated the adaptive re-use of the vacant 2-1/2 storey house.
KGS provided geotechnical, mechanical and electrical consulting services for the design, construction, and commissioning of the new daycare building which was designed with a highly sustainable approach. In fact, the facility achieved LEED platinum, the highest level of LEED certification possible. LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the most widely used green building rating system in the world. Key sustainable features integrated into the facility’s design include: energy efficient geothermal heating and cooling, LED lighting, water use reduction, displacement ventilation and low to zero emitting materials for healthy indoor air quality.
The result is a safe, resilient and welcoming environment that demonstrates how heritage renewal can serve the community.
Project Highlights
- Adaptive reuse of the two and a half‑storey Milner House
- LEED Platinum certification
- Geothermal heating/cooling, LED lighting and displacement ventilation
- Water use reduction, low/zero‑emitting materials and healthier indoor air
- First heritage building in Manitoba converted to a childcare facility
- Second heritage building to achieve LEED certification
- Great‑West Life’s first LEED‑certified building in Manitoba
- Among Winnipeg’s largest daycare facilities
Provincial Trunk Highway 23 Reconstruction
KGS Group was retained by Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure to administer the bituminous reconstruction of 27.6 kilometres of Provincial Trunk Highway 23, from the west junction of Provincial Trunk Highways 18 to 5. Connecting the province to the Town of Ninette and Pelican Lake, this renewal fulfills the Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure’s mission to ensure safe, reliable and sustainable infrastructure and services for Manitoba and its communities.
Throughout the project we monitored traffic management and contractor operations, tracked quantities, handled change requests, performed density testing, surveyed for quantity calculations and design geometry and coordinated material sampling for laboratory testing. The result is a durable, smoother roadway with improved safety and drainage that will connect the communities for years to come.
Project Highlights
- Reconstruction of 27.6 km of Provincial Trunk Highway 23
- Culvert extensions to improve drainage and accommodate new roadway sections
- Pulverization of existing pavement and base course to prepare for reconstruction
- Placement of additional base course to restore structural capacity
- Guardrail installation at priority locations for enhanced roadside safety
Calabogie Generating Station Redevelopment
KGS Group served as owner’s engineer to redevelop Calabogie Generating Station, extending its life and increasing its output to 11 MW. We guided the project through feasibility, design and execution phases. The project included constructing a new powerhouse, expanding intake and tailrace channels, rebuilding the forebay dam and adding a new substation and fish habitat compensation features.
In 2006, KGS Group completed a feasibility study to explore options for the site’s refurbishment and redevelopment and was consequently awarded the role of owner’s engineer in 2017. We presented the client with a list of new turbine vendors, developed user requirements and preliminary specifications, supported environmental assessments and assisted with stakeholder consultations, including engagement with Indigenous groups.
Our team then assisted in procuring the contractor for the project who completed the final optimization, design and construction. Key design refinements included a more compact powerhouse, a redesigned forebay dam and a reworked intake channel supported by hydraulic modelling and a physical model. The project also included measures to make the site ready for eel passage and to facilitate future downstream passage.
KGS Group provided oversight, in collaboration with the resident engineer, throughout the project including full-time inspection services, ensuring quality and regulatory compliance, while mitigating risks and following safety standards. We helped complete commissioning and turnover of the project providing consistency and project knowledge from feasibility design to close out.
Project Highlights
- New powerhouse with expanded intake and tailrace channels and a rebuilt forebay dam
- New substation with fish habitat compensation features and a site ready for eel passage and future downstream passage
- Environmental assessments and stakeholder consultations
- Supported contractor procurement, optimized hydraulic and physical modelling
- 3D digital design for multi‑discipline coordination and field execution
- 11 MW output, extended asset life, improved reliability and operability
Pauingassi First Nation Landfill Expansion
Pauingassi First Nation is located in eastern Manitoba, approximately 275 km northeast of Winnipeg, on a peninsula of land that extends southward into Fishing Lake. At the time, the community had a total registered population of 668 and did not have an airport or an all-season road for access and uses winter roads, float planes or helicopters depending on the time of year.
Because access is primarily by winter road, numerous challenges must be overcome for solid waste management and in general for any construction projects in the community. Some of these challenges include heavy equipment access, difficulty removing divertible wastes from the community to proper disposal depots, dependency (and variability) of ice thickness, and overall higher construction costs compared to other, more easily accessible communities.
KGS Group created a new integrated resource management centre for this remote community. Success was achieved even though the COVID-19 pandemic and 2021 forest fires impacted the schedule. An innovative design overcame challenging site conditions, integrated community requests, preserved local heritage resources and Traditional Land Use Areas, and mitigated existing environmental impacts.
The result is a practical, environmentally sound, sustainable and aesthetically pleasing waste management facility that also addresses waste diversion. This project is a model for successful collaboration between Indigenous communities, contractors, consulting companies and government agencies.
Project Highlights
- Community‑informed planning, design and construction oversight
- Remote delivery adapted to winter road logistics
- Engineered facility to centralize waste handling and address diversion
- Design aligned with site constraints while preserving heritage and Traditional Land Use Areas
- A cleaner, safer community environment