Well, good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to Aecon's 55th Annual General Meeting. Given that the number five is my favorite number, I think this is a very special occasion for a whole bunch of reasons. [Non-English content ] My name is Scott Thon, I am the Lead Director of Aecon Group Corp. Joining me this morning is Jean-Louis Servranckx, our President and Chief Executive Officer of Aecon, Jerome Julier, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Martina Doyle, our General Counsel, Public Company, and Corporate Secretary, and Gordana Terkalas, our Senior Vice President and Chief People Officer. All right here. I think they were waving as I was talking.
In addition to our company officers at the head table, a number of Aecon's officers and senior leaders are here today, as well as many of our team members. Also attending this morning's meeting are all of our director nominees. We also have Sal Bianco. Where's Sal? There he is. Thank you, Sal. Archer Marenco. He is not here, but Sal is here on behalf of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, the corporation's auditors are in attendance. All of us here today are shareholders, and collectively, we can be proud to support and contribute to Aecon's role as an innovative partner in delivering critical infrastructure. These are projects that we call Building what matters, and they are enabling future generations to thrive. Driven by a focus on delivering long-term shareholder value, this past year has been very transformative for Aecon.
Later in the meeting, Jean-Louis will present some of the key highlights of an exceptional year during his presentation after the formal board agenda. This meeting offers registered shareholders and duly appointed proxy holders, including those joining us online via the live webcast, an equal opportunity to participate, ask questions, and vote at the meeting. For shareholders attending the meeting here in person, if you have a question or a comment related to an item of business, please raise your hand when you're prompted. For those that are attending online, questions may be submitted through the webcast portal by any registered shareholder or duly appointed proxy holder. When you're asking a question, please indicate your name, which entity you represent, if any, and confirm that you're a registered shareholder or a duly appointed proxy holder.
To help us address items proposed for a vote efficiently, we encourage online participants with questions about a formal item of business, including procedural matters, to submit them in writing now and clearly identify the relevant item. During the course of this meeting, at the appropriate time, such questions will be addressed prior to voting on the applicable motions. Questions which do not relate to any formal item of the business will be addressed during a Q&A, question and answer period, session at the end. Just to be clear on Q&As, I'm going to say that a few times, we're going to have a Q&A at the end about the business meeting, any procedural questions that have come up. After we close the formal business meeting, then I will turn it over to Jean-Louis, and he'll talk about our business operations.
If you have business operational questions, just save them for Jean-Louis. As in past years, we expect that the vast majority of all of our votes have been cast in advance of this meeting and typically by proxy. That said, registered shareholders and duly appointed proxy holders can vote at this meeting in accordance with the instructions given during the course of this meeting. Those joining online will be able to vote through the webcast portal. Once the formal business of the meeting has been completed, as I said, we'll have a Q&A, and then we'll have management available. We'll also have our chair of our Corporate Governance, Nominating and Compensation Committee, who's also here available to help answer questions about anything procedurally or about the business documents.
To keep things very efficient, we ask that if you do have a question, please limit it to a maximum of two minutes. I was going to strike that and put one minute, we'll give you two. I would first like to acknowledge the land that we are on and this traditional territory of many nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishinaabe, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, and the Wendat peoples. It's now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. We also acknowledge that Toronto is covered by Treaty 13 of the Mississaugas of the Credit. The acknowledgement that I just made, and the awareness of the lands that we gather on extends to how Aecon approaches all of our work as we work to build infrastructure in collaboration with local communities that provide the lasting benefits for generations to come.
Finally, before we head into today's agenda, and in alignment with our safety always culture, let's go over a quick safety moment. Whether we're on site or in an office location like we are today, nothing is more important in our work than safety. Today, in the unlikely event that there is a fire or any other kind of emergency here at Carlson Court, please exit through your closest doors, whether that's back through the hallway door in the lunchroom, or whether it's out the patio doors right here. Once you're outside, then we will gather and assemble in the parking lot that's behind us. Outside, and then gather in the parking lot. All right. Let me briefly explain the format for today's meeting.
We'll first deal with administrative items and then continue our meeting with formal business, which is to receive the financial statements, to elect the directors, to hold an advisory vote on Aecon's approach to executive compensation, and to reappoint the auditors. Once the formal portion of the meeting is complete, we will hold the first Q&A session that I mentioned earlier with respect to the business conducted at this meeting. Following which, Jean-Louis, our CEO, will share some remarks, and we'll open it up to questions about the company and operations more generally. If there are questions, I'll want to steer them depending on what they're focused on. I now call the annual meeting of shareholders to order. I will act as the chair of the meeting, and Martina Doyle will act as the secretary of this meeting.
To expedite the formal portion of the meeting, Mr. Jean-Louis Servranckx will second all of the motions. Unless there is an objection, Arlene Agnew of Odyssey Trust Company, Aecon's registrar and transfer agent, will act as the scrutineer for this meeting. Arlene, there you are. Thank you. All right, let's get going. I would ask Martina Doyle to briefly address certain administrative and legal aspects of the meeting. Martina?
Mr. Chair, I would like to report that proper notice of this meeting, together with a form of proxy and the Management Information Circular dated April 29th, 2026, have been sent to each registered shareholder of record as of April 9th, 2026, the record date for this meeting, and have also been sent to all other persons entitled thereto. The mailing of materials has been certified by Odyssey Trust Company. Additional copies of these materials are also available on our website and under our profile on SEDAR+. Unless there's an objection, I will dispense with the reading of the notice of meeting. A copy of the notice of meeting and proof of service shall be annexed to the minutes of the meeting.
The scrutineer has provided a report on attendance. It shows that there are 418 shareholders or proxy holders presently holding 39,987,703 common shares, or 58.4% of the issued and outstanding shares eligible to vote represented at this meeting. Accordingly, I declare that the requisite number of shareholders is present in person and through live webcast or represented by proxy, and therefore the meeting is properly constituted for the transaction of business. The scrutineer's report on attendance will be annexed to the minutes of the meeting.
Before moving forward with the transaction of business and any subsequent discussion of Aecon's future, and in light of the regulatory environment that all Canadian public companies currently face, as General Counsel to the Public Company and Corporate Secretary of the Corporation, I would like to remind everyone that certain information discussed here today, whether as part of remarks or in response to questions, may constitute forward-looking information and is therefore subject to important risks, assumptions, and uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially from the conclusions, forecasts, and projections discussed during this meeting as certain material factors and assumptions were applied in drawing conclusions, forecasts, and projections set out in the forward-looking information.
Additional information about these and other important risks and uncertainties and material factors and assumptions that could cause results to materially differ from any forward-looking information can be found in the Management Information Circular for this meeting and in Aecon's public disclosure record, particularly in our annual and quarterly MD&A filed under our profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking information discussed at the meeting today speaks only as of today, and Aecon undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. For the purposes of this meeting, voting on all items of business will be conducted by ballot, both online and in person.
If you have already submitted a completed proxy, it is not necessary to also vote online or cast a separate ballot, since your vote will be recorded in accordance with your proxy instructions. Registered shareholders and duly appointed proxy holders who have not already voted or who would like to change their vote may vote on each business item at any time while the polls are open for voting. The polls will be open until the end of the formal portion of this meeting. For those joining us through live webcast, when you are asked to vote, the business items will be voted and your available voting options will be visible on the voting panel. To submit a vote, please click on one of the voting choices displayed on your screen. You will only have a certain amount of time to vote once the polls are open.
In order to keep this meeting moving efficiently, we have arranged for certain shareholders to move the resolutions to be considered at this meeting and to be seconded. Of course, any registered shareholder or duly appointed proxyholder may comment on any resolution prior to the vote, but should hold any comments on general matters until following the formal portion of the meeting. I have the minutes of the last meeting of shareholders of the corporation. Unless there is an objection, I will dispense with the reading of the minutes of such meeting. Scott Thon will now transact the business of this meeting.
All right, thank you, Martina. Well done. First item of business is the presentation of the consolidated financial statements of the corporation and the report of PricewaterhouseCoopers, the auditors of the corporation. These include the consolidated balance sheets, the consolidated statement of income, the consolidated statement of comprehensive income, the consolidated statement of changes in equity, and the consolidated statement of cash flows, all for the year ended December 31st, 2025, and the report of the auditors thereof. These financial statements were publicly available and are publicly available and were mailed out to shareholders earlier this year. Our financial statements are available on our website or under our profile on SEDAR+ for anyone who does not receive a copy. I would ask the secretary to formally place the financial statements, including the report of the auditors, before the meeting. Thank you.
The next item of business is the election of directors. Before we move on with the election process, though, I want to pause and recognize a very defining moment in Aecon's history. Aecon's Chairman, Founder, former CEO, and Executive Chairman, John M. Beck, will not stand for re-election to the Board of Directors. John has overseen Aecon's strategic direction and operations for over six decades. In fact, 63 years. His vision has delivered some of the most remarkable landmark projects of this generation. Through his award-winning career, John has established Aecon as a world-class company. John's legacy will forever be linked to Aecon's success. Both personally and on behalf of the entire Board of Directors and our management team, I want to thank John for his vast contributions to our customers, to our employees, and to our shareholders.
In recognition of this dedicated service and his contribution to Aecon's success over the 63 years, the board will confer upon John the title of Chairman Emeritus. John, I was thinking this morning, actually, at breakfast, about great team captains, which you have been. In my lifetime, I've seen Jean Béliveau, Montreal, strong, skilled, but a real captain. My favorite on the Leafs is from Saskatchewan. Oh.
Wendel. Wendel.
Wendel Clark. I grew up like an hour from the guy. A man of big heart, tough. Wayne Gretzky, a man who could see where the puck was going, and all of those, I think you have been our captain, and you have done it well. John, let's have a little fun. In recognition of being our captain and continuing to be connected, I'd love to make a presentation to you, John, right now. Let's just see if we can bring it up.
Oh, wow.
Here we are, Team Aecon. There we go. John, say a few words to your shareholders.
What a record. Well, it's an emotional moment. Everybody's been talking about the 55 years. It feels like just a moment in time. Remember that, all of you, things really move quickly. Yeah, this is my 55th AGM. My first one was in 1971. As I reflect on these annual meetings with my fellow shareholders, what has touched me the most during all this time has been the patience and the loyalty of all of you, my dear shareholders. Thank you for sharing what has been a wonderful run. Now to the future. With this amazing executive team and this powerful board, the best is yet to come. Onwards and upwards, my dear Aecon.
Where's my feather?
Oh, we have it.
Okay.
John, Aecon is a little bit like Hotel California, you can check out but you'll never leave.
That's right.
Thank you for your commitment and service. Formally, as part of the transition after serving as the lead director since 2024, I have been put forward by the board of directors to step into the role of independent chair of the board, assuming my re-election to the board by the shareholders. John, I can say that this is a big step for me because I could never fill your shoes. What I will commit to you is that we, as the board, will live by the principles and the values that you have so established as the cornerstone of Aecon's success. Thank you for that.
Thank you.
Jean-Louis will have more to say about John a little bit later. I'll leave the rest. Let's now proceed to completing the voting on the items of business of the meeting. As we mentioned, voting today will be conducted by ballot, both in person and online. Please open the online ballot to registered holders and duly appointed proxy holders. All right. If you have already submitted a proxy, it's not necessary to complete and submit a ballot. If you are a registered shareholder or proxy holder joining in person, you should have been provided a ballot when you arrived at the meeting. If you did not and you would like a ballot, please raise your hand now and the scrutineer will provide you one. The scrutineer will collect the ballots after all our matters to be conducted by ballot have been dealt with.
Now for those joining online, the polls are now open, and at this point, all the registered shareholders and duly appointed proxy holders who have properly logged in to this meeting with their control number or username and wish to vote will be able to see all of the business items to be voted on at the meeting on the voting panel of your screen. Okay. The number of directors to be elected at this meeting has been fixed by a resolution of the board at 10.
The corporation's nominees, namely myself, Susan Wolburgh Jenah, Leslie Kass, Stuart Lee, Jeff Lyash, Rod Phillips, Eric Rosenfeld, Jean-Louis Servranckx, Deborah Stein, and Scott Stewart, are each to be elected to hold office until the close of the 2027 annual meeting of shareholders of the corporation, or until their successors are duly elected or appointed in accordance with the articles and the bylaws of the corporation. I would ask Gordana Terkalas to nominate each of the previously named individuals. For your information, proxies submitted prior to this meeting, representing approximately 58.35% of the shares of the corporation were voted, with each of the nominees receiving votes in favor, ranging from approximately 87%, thank you, to 99%. Thank you.
Mr. Chair, my name is Gordana Terkalas, I'm a shareholder of Aecon, and I'm pleased to nominate each of the aforementioned 10 individuals as directors of the corporation for the term previously stated.
Thank you, Gordana. As the corporation did not previously receive timely notice of any further nominations of persons for election as directors of the corporation, as required by By-law No. 2 of the corporation, I now declare the nominations closed. May I have a motion that each of the 10 persons nominated as directors of the corporation be so elected?
Mr. Chair, I so move.
I will second the motion.
Thank you. Martina, are there any questions on the motion from the registered shareholders or proxy holders present?
Mr. Chair, we have not received any questions on this motion. If any questions on this motion are subsequently received, they will be addressed at the end of the meeting.
Okay. On the online. Thank you. Thank you, Martina. Are there no questions? We will continue with the next item of business. The next item of business is the approval on an advisory basis of the resolution relating to Aecon's approach to executive compensation, disclosed in the Management Information Circular dated April the 29th 2026. I believe that Gordana has a motion on this regard.
Mr. Chair, I move that the corporation's shareholders approve on an advisory basis and not to diminish the role and responsibilities of the board, the approach to executive compensation disclosed in the Management Information Circular dated April 29th 2026.
I will second the motion.
Thank you. Martina, are there any questions on this motion from the registered shareholders or proxy holders present?
Mr. Chair, we have not received any questions on this motion. If any questions on this motion are subsequently received, they will be addressed at the end of the meeting.
It looks like we're clear online as well. Thank you, Martina. As there are no further questions, we'll now continue with the next item of business. Next item of business is the reappointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the auditors of the corporation, and I believe that Gordana has a motion regarding this item.
I do. Mr. Chair, I move that PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Chartered Accountants of the City of Toronto in the Province of Ontario, be reappointed as auditors of the corporation until close of the 2027 annual general meeting of shareholders of the corporation or until a successor is appointed at the remuneration to be fixed by the board, and that the board be authorized to fix such remuneration.
I will second the motion.
Martina, any questions on this motion from the registered shareholders or proxy holders present?
Mr. Chair, we have not received any questions on this motion. If any questions are subsequently received, they will be addressed at the end of the meeting.
Take your face out. Okay, if you've not already done so, we invite you to submit your vote on all the items on the agenda. We will provide the registered shareholder and duly appointed proxy holders approximately one more minute to complete their ballots. For those that are with us here today in person, please provide your completed ballots to the scrutineer now, if you've not already done so. For those joining online, once the online voting closes, the voting page will disappear on your screen, and your votes will automatically be submitted. The scrutineer will now proceed to collect any ballots from the registered shareholders and duly appointed proxies present in the room. Polls are now closed. That concludes voting at today's meeting.
I call on Martina to report on the proxies deposited prior to the meeting and the preliminary results based on the ballots cast at the meeting.
Based on the preliminary report from the scrutineer, based on proxies received in advance of the meeting and the preliminary results of the ballots cast at the meeting, all director nominees have been elected and the reappointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers as the auditors of the corporation has been approved and the board has been authorized to fix their remuneration. The final report of voting will be included in the minutes of the meeting and filed on SEDAR+. Accordingly, I declare that each of the 10 nominees have been elected as directors of the corporation to serve until the 2027 Annual Meeting of Shareholders of the Corporation or until their successors are appointed. I declare that the reappointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers as the auditors of the corporation has been approved and the board has been authorized to fix their remuneration.
The advisory vote resolution on the corporation's approach to executive compensation received a majority of votes cast in support of the resolution based on proxies received in advance of this meeting. While the resolution is an advisory resolution, the board of directors of Aecon will nevertheless take the results of the vote into account as appropriate when considering future compensation policies, procedures, and decisions, and in determining whether there is a need to increase Aecon's engagement with shareholders on compensation and related matters. The final results of individual votes for each director, the advisory resolution on executive compensation, and reappointment of the auditors will be reported in a press release and as part of the voting results filed in accordance with applicable securities legislation.
Thank you. Is there any further business that may be properly brought before this meeting? Thank you, Martina. On behalf of the board, I would like to express our appreciation for our shareholders' partnership, your support, and involvement. Thank you. Encourage your continued participation in your AGM. As there's no further business, that concludes the formal business brought before this meeting, and I now declare the formal portion of the meeting terminated. Now, before we provide a brief opportunity for the registered shareholders and proxy holders to ask questions, and then I'll turn it over to our CEO, Jean-Louis . I'd like to take an opportunity following the election of directors to welcome Jeff Lyash to the board. Jeff, can you stand up, please?
Jeff's extensive experience in nuclear and power sectors in both Canada, right here in Ontario, and across the United States directly aligns with Aecon's growth strategy and will augment the board's collective expertise as we continue to deliver shareholder value. Thank you, Jeff. Now, if you do have any questions on the actual formal part of the meeting, feel free to put up your hand and we'll have a brief Q&A. Well, I think we'll call it there, and as the question period, we'll wrap it up. I'll now pass it over to Jean-Louis, and you can take the podium and tell us a little bit about the company and its operations of the last year. Jean-Louis, over to you.
The video now.
[Presentation]
[Presentation]
I've been trying for the last eight years to have a quieter music, but rock and roll is. At this place, I could see 80% of the audience didn't like it. Right. Good morning, everyone. [Non-English content ] Thank you, Scott, for leading the first portion of today's meeting. Congratulations on your reelection to the board of director and your appointment as independent chair of the board. I'm personally extremely happy for this appointment. We have been working extremely well and efficiently during the last few years, especially when you were the chair of the risk committee. I'm looking forward for the next moments to come together. Thank you. I'm pleased to be here this morning with all of you, my fellow shareholders, members of the board of directors, Aecon executive management team, and employees.
[Foreign language] What a year has been 2025. What a year. Seeing Aecon's transformative roster of projects spanning all our operating sectors across North America and beyond underscores Aecon's strength, diversity, and high resiliency. Reflecting on where we are today, a diverse North American infrastructure leader with global expertise, I truly believe that Aecon is stronger than ever before. Every strong company has a story, and for Aecon, our story is rooted in the dedication and vision of John Beck. Building on what Scott Thon said earlier, John is a true trailblazer in our industry.
From growing his family's Prefac Concrete business to all the mergers, acquisition, and organic growth along the way to evolve Aecon and its predecessor companies, John ensured Aecon was built to last. John didn't just build pivotal landmarks, he led project teams with integrity, nurtured career, pioneered innovative project models, form successful joint venture, champion safety, and help people and community flourish. John's mentorship, counsel, and deep expertise have been invaluable to me. After growing Aecon together for nearly a decade, continuing to lead this exceptional company is an honor. John, moving forward with you as Chairman Emeritus, our experienced board and leadership team are focused on continuing to execute our growth strategy to advance Aecon's evolution and make all of you Aecon proud. On behalf of Aecon's executive management team, thank you, and congratulations on your storied career.
John has been at every AGM for Aecon, and today marks his 55th AGM. I'm pleased to introduce this tribute to you, John.
Every great company has a beginning, but every lasting company is defined by something deeper, a foundation strong enough to hold and steady, yet agile enough to guide change, challenge, and growth. For Aecon, our foundation is John M. Beck. John's story begins not in a boardroom, but with a family journey. In 1952, John arrived in Canada with his family, carrying with him what every newcomer needs to succeed: courage, resilience, and an unshakable belief in the promise of opportunity. Trained as a civil engineer, John joined his family's small pre-cast concrete business in Montreal. Even then, you could see it. John had a drive to build the company. His approach would set a standard that would define his career. Build it right, build it better, build a legacy. In the 1970s, John grew his family's pre-cast business, expanding its scale, geography, and market reach.
He took the company public, increasing access to capital, and opening the door to what would become Aecon. Then came a test. Political and social unrest gripped Quebec.
There is a highly organized, well-armed guerrilla movement operating in this country, and it has changed the ground rules in Canadian politics.
Construction slowed, work stalled, uncertainty arose. This is when vision and steady hands matter most. They don't stop change and adversity, they navigate through it. John made a decisive move. John likes to call these big moves. Bold, courageous, but measured. He relocated the company to Calgary, turning challenge into opportunity and opportunity into momentum. When the economic winds shifted again and Canada faced a national energy crisis, John made one of the biggest moves of his career. He expanded into Ontario through the acquisition of the province's predominant road builder, Armbro, in 1999. A strategic step that helped shape the Aecon brand we know today. But John was never chasing growth for growth's sake. He was engineering a company built to last.
In 2001, Armbro became Aecon, ushering in a new era. Under the Aecon banner, John continued to forge ahead, expanding through acquisitions, securing notable contracts, and proving Aecon could deliver formidable nation-building projects, backed by an incredible team from the many predecessor companies now woven together. Aecon built Canada's first all-electronic toll highway, the 407, a success that became a blueprint carried across borders, making possible a series of landmark projects such as the Cross Israel Highway, the Quito International Airport, and later, the Bermuda International Airport project. At home, John led key partnerships and marquee projects that touch everyday lives, from the transportation infrastructure that keeps people and goods moving, to the energy systems that power the economy and society, the industrial facilities that provide critical products and services, and the utility and communication networks that sustain and connect us all.
For over 130 years, Aecon has been building Canada's landmarks, transportation networks, energy infrastructure, and most of Canada's airports.
For John, what matters goes beyond infrastructure. Personally and through Aecon, John has always been a celebrated community builder, supporting healthcare, environmental stewardship, culture, the arts, and education. If you ask all the people who worked alongside him, they will tell you, John truly believes everyone's voice matters.
Leadership for me is about relationships, whether it be with an employee, whether it be with a partner, whether it be with a shareholder, whether it be with a client. In all cases, it starts with the relationship.
Relationships are the foundation to success, particularly during challenging times. The work the Aecon team does every day is meaningful. It has a positive, enduring impact on communities and on people's lives.
If you have the right culture and the right enthusiasm and the right sense of belonging and the right vision, everybody shares in the benefits of what the success of that company will be.
Today, Aecon stands as a diverse North American infrastructure leader with global expertise. That success is rooted in John's vision to build not just critical projects, but a company grounded in integrity, resilience, and a spirit of partnership.
It's more important than ever that we don't become complacent to rise to that challenge of building the best, most sustainable infrastructure we can for generations to come.
John M. Beck is more than Aecon's founder. He is Aecon's foundation. There through every pivot, every expansion, every new horizon. We celebrate the remarkable company we have been privileged to build alongside you. A company you have safeguarded with a steady hand and steadfast leadership, successfully passing the baton to Jean-Louis Servranckx, who much like you, has led Aecon with equal measures of humility and strength, ensuring Aecon has the durability to succeed in the years to come. A company backed by an experienced board, now helmed by our newly appointed chairman, Scott Thon, and backed by a trusted leadership team with many members mentored by you. John, on behalf of everyone you've impacted across Aecon and the countless communities that stand taller, stronger, and better because of your leadership, thank you. Congratulations on a lifetime of extraordinary achievements. With gratitude, your Aecon team.
Thank you very much. As we say at Aecon, let's build better together.
Thanks.
I'll make a motion.
I'd like to just say one thing. Everything that was said about me had to do with all of you. As employees, as executives, as the board, and as shareholders, all of you. It's a team effort.
We move forward delivering for our clients, driven by our purpose, building what matters to enable future generations to thrive. The most important pillar of this growth remains our safety performance. During the first week of May, we marked our 22nd annual Safety Week in support of Aecon's number one core value, safety always. As I used to say, in addition to being a human duty, safety is a precursor of performance. We cannot speak about performance of our company if we are not able to handle safety properly and better than anybody else. Guided by the theme of "Safety Starts with Me", the Safety Week was a time to reflect and reaffirm personal ownership of safety across the company. Here are a few words from Thomas Clochard, Executive Vice President, and now from September 2025, Chief Operating Officer.
This year's theme, "Safety Starts with Me", is a powerful reminder that safety begins with individual ownership. It starts with the choices we make before work begins. It starts with speaking up when something does not look right. It starts with stopping, reassessing, and doing the job the right way every time. It starts with looking out for the people beside us, because safety is never just personal, it is shared. As Chief Operating Officer, "Safety Starts with Me" by making sure that safety remains built into how we plan, lead, and execute our projects. It means setting clear expectations, supporting our teams, and creating an environment where people feel empowered to raise concerns and take action.
Thanks, Thomas. Great job. In 2025, we were pleased to see, again, a decrease in our incident frequency, 4.50 total recordable injury frequency, through an increased focus on further integrating safety into our work plans, continually improving our safety program, and building our people's capacity and day-to-day diligence. Supporting this, we also follow the Aecon Project Execution Framework, known as APEX, a safety excellence program to standardize and improve our way of working, ensuring safety is always built in with constant evaluation for improvement.
On an industry scale, we advance key initiatives as a founding company of the Canadian Construction Safety Council to elevate safety performance. In April, we joined CCSC members in following through on our commitment of adopting Type 2 hard hats, probably remember last year I gave you one, that was here, with integrated chin straps for all subcontractors. All subcontractors, not only Aecon. Effective July 1st, 2026.
What a battle that we are very proud of completing. This transition represents a collective step forward to protect workers, reduce serious injuries and establish innovative new industry benchmarks. At Aecon, safety is not just a process, a program, or a requirement. It's a commitment we make to ourselves and one another every day. No success is more important at Aecon than ensuring every person goes back home safe every day. With an unwavering focus on delivering long-term shareholder value, this past year, Aecon continued to grow as a power company. With the completion of key strategic acquisitions, steady growth into U.S. and international markets, record new contract awards. Aecon's activities are now intentionally comprised of more than 70% collaborative or variable contract arrangements.
With a revenue that went, during the last eight years, from CAD 3 billion to CAD 5.4 billion, we now have 55% of this revenue tied to power projects. This is extremely important. It is our strategy, and it is also extremely important the shift between lump sum and collaborative, as collaborative models provide benefits for all parties to optimize projects for Aecon, our clients, and our community.
Turning to our 2025 year-end financial results, the year was highlighted by record full-year revenue of CAD 5.4 billion. It's a growth of 28% from last year, 85% being organic. Robust year-end backlog of CAD 10.7 billion, diversified across all our operating sectors. Growth in our U.S. and international operation of 87% over 2024. Significant new contract awards executed under more collaborative models. Strong record in revenue program in new geographies and new markets.
Just over a month ago, Aecon reported results for the first quarter of 2026 with a backlog of CAD 10.9 billion, another record level. In 2025 and early 2026, Aecon completed four strategic acquisitions with a focus on expanding core industrial and utilities capability and capacity across North America. Aecon acquired Bodell Construction Company, an industrial construction contractor headquartered in Utah, augmenting our presence across the Western and Southern U.S. Aecon acquired Trinity Industrial Services, an industrial services company headquartered in Texas, expanding our footprint in the U.S. Gulf Coast region, one of the most significant industrial hubs in the U.S. Aecon Utilities acquired K.P.C. Power Electrical Ltd and K.P.C. Energy Metering Solutions Ltd, collectively known as KPC, a high voltage testing, commissioning and metering solutions contractor in Ontario.
Aecon Utilities also acquired Arc American and C.A. Advanced, Duna Services, and a 49% interest in KNX Utility Services, strengthening our underground and overhead electrical distribution, transmission, substation maintenance, and emergency restoration construction services across the Midwest and Eastern U.S. Those strategic acquisitions strengthen our self-perform solutions across diverse sectors, creating opportunities for collaboration and cross-selling. The famous One Aecon strategy. We are pleased to welcome these teams to Aecon, enhancing Aecon's position to harvest significant opportunities across North America in alignment with our Forward Together 2024-2027 Strategic Plan. Now, projects. Over the past year, Aecon has successfully secured new contract awards directly in line with our strategic plan and have celebrated remarkable project achievements across all our sectors, demonstrating the strength of Aecon and our multidisciplinary team. Let's begin with the Darlington Nuclear Refurbishment project.
Our expert teams completed all four units, delivering the world's largest nuclear refurbishment under budget and four months ahead of schedule. This is an incredible success for the nuclear industry and for Aecon. Over 23 million hours of work during the past decade was completed without a single lost time incident. Remember, safety is the best precursor of performance. We also celebrated the delivery of the first two modern light rail transit systems in Toronto. The Finch West LRT reached substantial completion and opened to the public in the fourth quarter, and the Eglinton Crosstown LRT reached substantial completion before the end of the year and opened to the public in February. After years of talking about this project, it never ends. Operation is just ongoing, and we are part of the operation and maintenance. Those LRT lines will connect communities for generations to come.
Our world-class project team maintained a very fast commitment, grit, and tenacity to deliver this project, and we are pleased to be playing a critical role in the respective 30-year maintenance terms. As we also continue our work advancing the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension Elevated Guideway project, we proudly reached completion on the ECWE Advance Tunnel project in Eglinton West again, delivering the two 6.3-kilometer tunnels long, on time and on budget for the future expansion of the Eglinton Crosstown network. The Réseau express métropolitain, or REM, Montreal's automated metro, opened two key segments in 2025, the Deux-Montagnes branch in the north, and just two weeks ago, the Anse-à-l'Orme branch in Montreal's West Island. These two segments combined have delivered 18 new stations and over 60 kilometers of new metro connecting Greater Montreal.
Commercial operations commenced on the Oneida Energy Storage Project in Ontario, one of the largest battery energy storage projects in Canada, 250 MW. This was a success story for Aecon, with our utilities and industrial teams working in collaboration to deliver the project, once again, on time and on budget, alongside our Aecon-Six Nations Indigenous-led joint venture. The new stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge or Riverview Bridge opened to the public on the Pattullo Bridge Replacement Project in British Columbia, providing a modernized connection between Surrey and New Westminster. Finishing activities are ongoing, including the removal of the existing Pattullo Bridge. On the Gordie Howe International Bridge project, we look forward to celebrating the delivery of the first Canada-U.S. land border crossing in four years, with the bridge's historic opening in the near future. Aecon also completed key international projects and achieved key milestones.
The Kingstown Port Modernisation Project in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines reached completion in October 2025. The new world-class terminal at the Clayton J. Lloyd International Airport in Anguilla opened to the public in December, delivering a vital gateway for Anguilla and the Caribbean. The main runway was resurfaced and reopened to its full length on the V.C. Bird International Airport project in Antigua and Barbuda. Substantial completion is expected in the third quarter of this year, 2026. The last piece of structural steel was placed, also known as topping off, on the Pendry Hotel and Residences project in Barbados, with completion on track for 2027. We further diversified our portfolio of work in growing international regions with the commencement of the Santa Rosa Bridge project in Lima, Peru. This project will connect the city of Lima and Callao with the new Jorge Chávez International Airport terminal.
I just want to take some time here to thank our resilient and talented teams for their commitment and perseverance on this project. Going back to international was extremely important for us. They are doing it quite well. Building on the momentum of key achievements, Aecon partnerships continue to advance ongoing projects across North America with a strategic focus on project delivery under collaborated models. In Canada, an Aecon partnership executed a collaborative agreement to deliver the Arctic Over-the-Horizon Radar program Stage 1 project in Ontario. This is an essential Canadian defense project with national importance. Aecon is trying to play a key role in delivering defense infrastructure moving forward. It was very important for Aecon to come back to this market. We wanted it, and we did it.
An Aecon-led partnership was awarded a alliance full construction contract for the execution of the Darlington New Nuclear Project in Ontario. The team just hit a major milestone in May on this nation-building project, with a successful basement lift for the first full modular reactor unit. This 37-meter diameter, 2 million-pound basement served as the foundation of the reactor building. Aecon was awarded a contract for the definition phase work for four Units at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station quite north from here in Ontario, with the execution phase expected to commence later in the year 2026. After completing the development phase, financial close was achieved on the Port of Montreal expansion in waterworks project in Contrecoeur, Quebec. Once complete, it will be the largest container port in eastern Canada, another nation-building project for Aecon that's building a stronger economy.
An Aecon alliance executed an agreement as a development partner for the Hamilton LRT Civil and Utility Work Project in Ontario. Aecon is a construction partner responsible for project delivery. This is the first phase of the Hamilton LRT project, which will bring 14 km LRT service across Hamilton downtown core. The collaborative development phase that reached completion and commercial close was successfully achieved for the Scarborough Subway Extension station, grade, and system progressive design-build project in Ontario. This was the first transit project to reach commercial close under this new PDB model in Ontario. On the GO Expansion Civil Work Project in Ontario, work is underway across key sites in the Greater Golden Horseshoe area. Important track works have been advanced to transform transit across those growing regions. Aecon also reached financial close on the Yonge North Subway Extension Advance Tunnel Project in Ontario.
The project will deliver 6.3 km of tunnel to the north of Toronto existing Line 1 subway line. On the Winnipeg North End Sewage Treatment Plant Facilities Upgrade project in Manitoba, the team continues to work towards the commissioning of the headworks pumping station, progressing towards substantial completion later in the year 2026. In the U.S., with the conclusion of the development phase, the construction contract was finalized for the Lower Hanson Dam Facility project in Washington. This project leverages Aecon's extensive civil and dam infrastructure capabilities while advancing Aecon's steady growth across the U.S. An Aecon joint venture was selected to deliver the first 4 of the 12 Xe-100 SMR at Energy Northwest's Cascade Advanced Energy facility in Washington State under a progressive design-build model.
We are pleased to continue finalizing negotiation as we expand our role in delivering the next generation of nuclear energy plants, one of the first SMR projects in the United States. Yes, Gabriel. A lot of people talk about it, but we do it at Aecon. Significant progress has been made to advance the transition phase of the U.S. Virgin Islands Port Authority Airports P3 project. The team continues work to advance to the next stage of the project, which will deliver critical upgrades to the Cyril King Airport in St. Thomas and the Henry Rohlsen Airport in St. Croix. As we deliver this critical project across North America and abroad, our dedicated teams are proving the positive difference that infrastructure can make for people and community.
We remain steadfast in our commitment to safely, profitably, and sustainably deliver integrated services, products, and solutions to meet the needs of clients and future generations. This past year, guided by our Reconciliation Action Plan, we built on our progress in deepening relationships with Indigenous communities, expanding cultural awareness across our organization, and taking tangible steps to embed truth and reconciliation into our business practices. Anchored by our commitment to advancing meaningful Indigenous engagement and reconciliation, working in partnership with communities. Aecon procured more than CAD 240 million of goods and services from the Indigenous community in 2025.
Turning now to Aecon's outlook. We expect 2026 revenue to exceed 2025 levels on the strength of our record backlog, strategic positioning in sectors with attractive demand profiles, robust recurring revenue programs, and a very strong pipeline of project opportunities tied to power generation, critical resource development, mass transit infrastructure, water, and defense.
With our legacy projects reaching substantial completion, this is anticipated to lead to improved profitability and margin predictability going forward. In the construction segment, demand for Aecon services continue to be strong with opportunities across all sectors. In the concession segment, there are several opportunities to grow a portfolio and create opportunities across our diverse business. Beyond the project, we are focused on delivering shareholder value through a disciplined capital allocation approach, strategic investments in our operation designed to support growth in new markets, an ongoing shift towards project with appropriate risk-adjusted return, and continued emphasis on operational excellence. Looking ahead, our people, processes, and capability will continue to support our growth at Aecon. Backed by 11,000 strong employees across North America and around the world, our team are at the heart of everything we do.
Driven by our dedicated leadership team, we are focused on investing in our people to position Aecon to harness growth opportunities and prosper in the years ahead. This year, we were pleased to welcome experienced teams to Aecon's acquisitions while supporting organic growth and the development of all our people. We truly have some of the most talented people and teams in the industry and around the world here at Aecon. Through our work on small and medium-sized projects, as well as complex mega projects, Aecon's diversity and resiliency is purpose-built to not only deliver for communities and clients, but also to provide progressive opportunities to grow rewarding long-term careers for everybody within the company. I want to thank all of our employees for the hard work they do every day to drive our success.
Together, anchored by our safety always culture, we are focused on meeting the expectation of our valued clients while continuing to execute some of the most formidable projects of this generation with cost and schedule performance. On behalf of Scott Thon, John Beck, the Board of Directors, and management, thank you to all our shareholders for your continued support. We now open the floor to questions.
Hello. I think you touched on this a little bit earlier. Maybe if you could speak to a little bit more about how Aecon achieved record revenue and backlog in 2025, and what you see as the biggest drivers behind this performance, and how it positions Aecon for continued growth.
Obviously, power is a trend of the market, and you have realized that Aecon revenue, in addition to growth, has dramatically changed. We were, a few years ago, a road and bridges company, a pure civil company. We have now become a power company, more than 55%. This being said, we are, with the executive team, extremely careful about staying within that balance within our activities. We want to be strong in power, in nuclear power. We want to be strong in transmission, distribution, utility. We also want to stay strong in industrial. We want to stay strong also in although not overwhelmed by civil, but we cannot be a great infrastructure company if we are not able to do city and urban transportation system, because what is arriving, what is coming in the world, it's quite important.
Those are the drivers, and the balance between our activities is extremely important to ensure our resiliency. Construction is about cycles, goes up and down, but those sectors, very strong, very well positioned, where we have a leadership in each of the different sectors, will help us to be more resilient. On the other side, what I commented about the fact that we went within those few years from 75% of fixed price job to 70% of collaborating project, will give us much more margin predictability, and this is what is important for all of us. You have spoken too much.
Very thorough.
[inaudible] Thank you very much