Stantec has signed an agreement to acquire Morrison Hershfield, a 1,150-person engineering and management firm headquartered in Markham, Ontario. Founded in 1946 and employee-owned, Morrison Hershfield specializes in transportation, buildings and environmental services.
With a particularly strong presence in Canada, Morrison Hershfield will increase Stantec’s Canadian workforce by approximately 10 percent. Similarly, Stantec’s global market presence and client relationships will accelerate Morrison Hershfield’s business line growth opportunities as part of Stantec.
The acquisition, which is being completed by way of a court approved plan of arrangement, is subject to Morrison Hershfield shareholder approval, court approvals and certain regulatory approvals and is expected to close in Q1 2024. The terms of the transaction are not disclosed.
“We are thrilled to bring a firm of Morrison Hershfield’s stature into the Stantec fold,” said Gord Johnston, president and CEO, Stantec. “Our firms have shared a mutual admiration over many years. Stantec and Morrison Hershfield have a similar history from our roots in the Canadian market, growing and diversifying services both by geography and service line and importantly, our values and culture are very well aligned.”
The addition of Morrison Hershfield’s Horizontal Infrastructure business will double Stantec’s transportation presence in Ontario, bolstering the firm’s bridge, highway, construction administration, program management and inspection services in a key growth market. Morrison Hershfield’s capabilities, geographic strengths and client mix are complementary to Stantec’s and combined will result in a formidable player in transportation throughout Canada’s largest province.
“Joining the Stantec family marks a historic moment for our 78-year-old company. Stantec is a highly successful firm that shares our corporate values and mission, with a unique culture that complements our own,” said Anthony Karakatsanis, president and CEO, Morrison Hershfield. “With access to Stantec’s depth of renowned experts, resources and cutting-edge technology, we will be able to provide our employees with exciting and meaningful work, growth and professional development for the long term. This acquisition provides us with access to many high-profile North American and global projects and markets in the communities where our employees live and work.”
Morrison Hershfield Project Experience
Morrison Hershfield’s portfolio of experience focuses on public and private sector clients, including government agencies, municipalities, global technology firms, developers and telecommunications providers.
Projects in Morrison Hershfield’s portfolio include the Confederation and Trillium lines of Ottawa’s Light Rail Transit system. Morrison Hershfield provided services for preliminary engineering and procurement, as well as implementation and construction phases. The project involves the construction of 44 kilometers (27 miles) of new light-rail running way, as well as 24 stations.
