Badger Infrastructure Solutions and McKay Métis Group Announce New Partnership

CALGARY, Alberta, Sept. 28, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Badger Infrastructure Solutions Ltd. (“Badger”, the “Company”, “we”, “our” or “us”) (TSX:BDGI) is pleased to announce it has entered into a limited partnership with McKay Métis Group (“MMG”) for the purposes of providing non-destructive excavating and related services within MMG’s traditional territory in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo in northeastern Alberta. The collaborative entity will conduct business as McKay Badger Infrastructure Solutions Limited Partnership (“MBIS LP”).

Crystal Young, President & Chief Executive Officer of MMG, commented, “In Badger, we see a like-minded partner that is aligned with our commitment to excellence, innovation and the well-being of the Fort McKay Métis community. Together as McKay Badger Infrastructure Solutions Limited Partnership, we’re not just creating a service, but forging a path for sustainable socio-economic prosperity.”

Robert Blackadar, President & Chief Executive Officer of Badger, commented, “This strategic partnership, established on mutual respect and benefit, aims to bring value to all stakeholders – customers, partners (including the Fort McKay Métis Nation), employees, shareholders, and the Wood Buffalo community. McKay Métis Group has a proven track record of success, and I’m confident that our collaboration holds the potential for both economic growth and broader community prosperity.”

About McKay Métis Group:

McKay Métis Group is a social enterprise owned by the Fort McKay Métis Nation. MMG specializes in services such as fuel and lube distribution, civil construction, security, all season road maintenance, aggregate supply and crushing, materials & consumables, crane services, industrial and specialty chemicals, aerial survey solutions, and more.

MMG’s profits are used to help provide Fort McKay Métis Nation members access to affordable housing, education, elders and youth services, economic development, infrastructure and to defend the constitutional rights of the Fort McKay Métis members.

About Badger Infrastructure Solutions Ltd.

Badger Infrastructure Solutions Ltd., through its various affiliates and subsidiaries, is North America’s largest provider of non-destructive excavating services. Badger works for contractors and facility owners in a broad range of infrastructure industries and in general commercial construction. Badger’s customers typically operate near high concentrations of underground power, communication, water, gas and sewer lines, where safety and economic risks are high and where non-destructive excavation provides a safe alternative for certain customer excavation requirements.

The Company’s key technology is the Badger Hydrovac™, which is used primarily for safe excavation around critical infrastructure and in congested underground conditions. The Badger Hydrovac uses a pressurized water stream to liquify the soil cover, which is then removed with a powerful vacuum system and deposited into a storage tank. To complement the Badger Hydrovac, the Company introduced the Badger Airvac™¹, in late 2021. The Badger Airvac is also used for safe excavation but utilizes compressed air instead of water to loosen the cover soil before vacuuming and depositing excavation materials into a storage tank. Badger is unique in the non-destructive excavation industry because it designs and manufactures all of its hydrovac and airvac units at its plant in Red Deer, Alberta, which has an annual production capacity of more than 350 hydrovac and airvac units.

_{¹ Badger Airvac is a registered trademark in Canada. The trademark is currently “pending” in the United States.}

Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information and Statements

Certain statements and information contained in this press release, including statements and information that contain words such as “aims”, “commitment”, “grow”, “potential”, “will” and similar expressions relating to matters that are not historical facts, constitute “forward-looking information” within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. These statements and information involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements and information. The Company believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. Such forward-looking statements and information included in this press release should not be unduly relied upon. These forward-looking statements and information speak only as of the date of this press release.

In particular, forward-looking information and statements in this press release include, but are not limited to the following: MBIS LP, including the anticipated benefits to Badger’s and MBIS LP’s stakeholders as a result of the formation of MBIS LP; and the anticipated impact of MBIS LP’s business operations. The forward-looking information and statements made in this press release rely on certain expected economic conditions and overall demand for Badger’s and MBIS LP’s services and are based on certain assumptions. The assumptions used to generate this forward-looking information and statements are, among other things, that: the overall market for Badger’s and MBIS LP’s services or their respective abilities to provide services will not be adversely affected in the long-term by economic disruption, or other factors beyond their control such as weather, natural disasters, global events, legislation or regulatory changes and technological advances; there will be long-term sustained customer demand for non-destructive excavation and related services from a broad range of end use markets in North America; Badger will maintain relationships with current customers and Badger and MBIS LP will develop successful relationships with new customers; Badger and MBIS LP will collect customer payments in a timely manner; Badger and MBIS LP will be able to compete effectively for the demand for their respective services; there will not be significant changes in profit margins due to pricing changes driven by market conditions, competition, regulatory factors or other unforeseen factors; Badger and MBIS LP will realize the efficiencies and benefits of the executed partnership between Badger and MMG; Badger and MBIS LP will be able to successfully implement their respective plans, programs, and procedures as expected; and Badger will obtain all labour, parts and supplies necessary to complete planned Badger non-destructive excavation unit builds at the costs and on the timeline expected.

Risks and other uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: political and economic conditions; industry competition; price fluctuations for oil and natural gas and related products and services; Badger’s and MBIS LP’s ability to attract and retain key personnel; the availability of future debt and equity financing; changes in laws or regulations, including taxation and environmental regulations, which may adversely impact the labour supply and operating costs of Badger and MBIS LP; extreme or unsettled weather patterns; and fluctuations in foreign exchange or interest rates.

Readers are cautioned that the foregoing factors are not exhaustive. Additional information on these and other factors that could affect the Company’s operations and financial results is included in reports on file with securities regulatory authorities in Canada and may be accessed through the SEDAR+ website (www.sedarplus.ca) or at the Company’s website. The forward-looking statements and information contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements or information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable securities laws.

For further information:
Robert Blackadar, President and Chief Executive Officer                                        
Robert Dawson, Chief Financial Officer

Badger Infrastructure Solutions Ltd.
ATCO Centre II
Suite 400, 919 – 11^th Avenue SW
Calgary, Alberta T2R 1P3
Telephone (403) 264-8500
Fax (403) 228-9773

Source: Badger Infrastructure Solutions Ltd.