ForSHORE by Soletanche Bachy Canada: Reinforcement of Toronto’s Marine Infrastructure at Billy Bishop Airport

The East Wall Rehabilitation project at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport was a critical marine infrastructure initiative aimed at constructing a new East dock wall to support future use of the space. Originally constructed with timber cribs and concrete coping in the 1930s, the wall was reaching the end of its service life, necessitating a comprehensive rebuild to ensure safety and operational continuity of the airport. Soletanche Bachy Canada was entrusted as the General Contractor to construct 140m of the new East wall.

The construction of the new wall began in June 2025 and involved the installation of a combi-wall system, interlocked pipe and sheet piles, over a 140-meter stretch. With the project’s location on Toronto Island, all materials and equipment were transported via barges, requiring meticulous logistical planning while working in the vicinity of an operational airport with limited space available on land. Soletanche Bachy Canada constructed the wall using various combinations of marine plants, utilizing a custom-designed Hanging Lead System and Engineered Template to ensure precise alignment of the new wall. The deep foundation work included the installation of 914mm pipe piles and sheet piles, reinforced with 32m long, double corrosion protected rock anchors, increasing the stability of the wall. The structure was capped with precast coping units weighing more than 20T, and the complete restoration of the space to provide a product that exceeded the clients expectations.

Located next to an active airport and critical marine transport corridors, the project required precise planning and close coordination with both aviation and marine stakeholders to maintain safe and uninterrupted operations, while limiting impact to the environment during the course of construction. By implementing rigorous controls and methodologies during execution, Soletanche Bachy Canada was able to successfully complete construction with no major incidents.

Soletanche Bachy Canada successfully implemented value engineered solutions and optimized construction techniques for the various concrete scopes on the project, effectively reducing CO₂ emissions by over 100,000kg. By strategically targeting solutions and methodologies that limited the consumption of concrete on the project, Soletanche Bachy Canada was able to contribute to reducing CO₂ emissions, aligned with VINCI’s Scope 3 environmental reduction targets, and highlighting our commitment to sustainable construction practices.