Canada-based AIMCo looks forward to joining the existing consortium alongside Abertis Infraestructuras (Abertis) and Santander Private Equity (Santander), the remaining owners of Autopista Central.

Autopista Central is a 61-kilometer, six-lane highway running through the centre of Santiago, connecting suburban communities with the downtown business district and the Pan-American Highway.

The Autopista Central concession uses a unique tolling mechanism based on traffic volume and road congestion, intended to provide a superior alternative for motorists and a strategic corridor for trade and commerce in Chile's capital city. The highway started operations in 2004 and the consortium holds the concession until 2031.

AIMCo believes that Chile's concession framework demonstrates the country's commitment to the public-private partnership market.

AIMCo operates independently from the Government of Alberta and is responsible for managing the investments of certain Alberta public sector pension plans, endowments and government funds, including the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund.

Leo de Bever, CEO of AIMCo, said: “AIMCo is pleased to be acquiring 50 percent of a highway that provides such a valuable service to the Chilean economy. Rapid economic growth in Latin America is creating a great need for infrastructure and we fully expect that going forward, patient and disciplined acquisitions will allow our infrastructure team to fill more of that need, while earning an attractive risk-adjusted return for our clients.”

Will the acquisition benefit the firm?

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