Companies shortlisted for Iqaluit airport construction

Three teams of companies have been shortlisted for the Iqaluit International Airport Improvement Project.

It is the largest capital project ever for the Nunavut Government — a new terminal, lighting, runway upgrades and other fixes are expected to cost between $250 million and $300 million.

The Nunavut Government has hired Partnerships BC, a Crown corporation, to help award the contract.

Recently, a group of 12 people involved with the airport rebuild went to Vancouver to evaluate eight pitches.

"There were significant differences between the top two or three and then there was a fairly even distribution in between, but the top three were the best," said John Hawkins, the Iqaluit Airport manager.

Hawkins said the Nunavut Government is taking every precaution in how it awards the contract — they have even hired a B.C. lawyer to act as a fairness adviser.

If all goes to plan, the upgrades will be done in 2017.