OTTAWA— The federal government will take more time to review the proposed sale of Canadian construction giant Aecon to a Chinese state-owned company, adding an extra layer of scrutiny because of advice from national security agencies.

Karl Sasseville, press secretary to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains, said in a statement Monday that the extended review is part of the process for approving the purchase of Canadian companies by international players under the Investment Canada Act.

The extension gives the Liberal cabinet another 90 days to consider whether national security considerations should block the proposed Aecon takeover. The added time comes after an initial 45-day “net benefit” review that included advice from the public safety department and national security agencies that include the RCMP and Canadian Security Intelligence Service.

“We follow the advice of those who actually have the information and intelligence necessary to make these determinations: our national security agencies,” Sasseville said.

“We will continue to do our diligence to review the potential national security implications, as we have been doing since Day 1. We never have and we never will compromise on national security.”

Sasseville would not discuss specifics about the advice Bains received from Canada’s national security agencies.

Aecon spokesperson Nicole Court said Monday that both companies are committed to working with the government so that the deal is approved.

“The specifics of the review remain confidential,” she said.

“It continues to be business as usual at Aecon — we are focused on delivering excellent service to our clients, working with our partners and bidding and securing new projects.”

The proposed deal was made public in late October, when government-owned China Communications Construction Co. Ltd. (CCCI) announced its plan to buy Aecon, which has offices in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.

The $1.5-billion takeover was overwhelmingly approved on Dec. 20, when 99 per cent of Aecon shareholders voted to proceed with the deal. The purchase had also been unanimously recommended by the company board.

But the deal has raised concerns about the prospect of a massive Chinese company, owned by the one-party authoritarian government in Beijing, assuming control of a large Canadian company with a 140-year history of construction on landmark projects such as the CN Tower, St. Lawrence Seaway and Halifax Shipyard.

The Conservatives have repeatedly demanded that the government conduct a “full” national security review under Section 25 of the Investment Canada Act.

That section states that cabinet can review a proposed foreign purchase if the innovation minister deems it “could be injurious to national security.”

“About time!” wrote Conservative MP Tony Clement on Twitter.

Ottawa was also criticized last year when it approved the sale of Vancouver-based Norsat — which makes radio systems used by militaries in some NATO countries — to China’s Hytera Communications Co. Ltd. without a full national security review.

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The Liberal government has highlighted its goal of expanding ties with China, a push that has seen several cabinet ministers travel to the country in pursuit of a deeper relationship with the authoritarian country.

With files from The Canadian Press

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