Carillion has paid £24m for a 49% stake in a Canadian road maintenance and infrastructure business.Under the deal with the Bouchier Group, Carillion has the option to take a controlling interest after five years, buying the firm outright over six to ten years for £43m.The deal build’s Carillion’s base in Canada, now widely seen a safe economy for strong growth outside the UK.The Bouchier Group, comprised primarily of Bouchier Contracting and Bouchier Site Services, is based in Fort McKay, Alberta.Its Canadian Indian founders built much of the business up on civil construction, earthworks, and general site services to the massive Oil Sands mine over the last 14 years.

The Bouchier Group deliver pre-tax profit of £8m last year on turnover £46m last year.Owners David Bouchier and Nicole Bourque-Bouchier will stay on as president and chief executive.Carillion chief executive, Richard Howson, said: ”Acquiring this interest in The Bouchier Group is an important strategic step in the development of our support services business in Canada.“Its knowledge and skills complement our own and this will create significant new opportunities for us to grow our support services business in Canada through extending our services offering to new and existing customers”.