Brett is a multi-talented marketer, designer, and developer who is passionate about creating impactful products. It wasn't always that way though. He spent his college summers as a labourer, where he learned the value of working with his hands, building and installing signs and setting up events throughout the Maritime provinces. While these days his tool of choice is less of a drill - and more of a keyboard - those experiences instilled in him a deep appreciation for a hard day's work and the dedication of getting a job done, rain or shine.
As Head of Product at SiteNews, he now uses his skills to help shine a light on the compelling stories and trends in the construction industry. He is dedicated to helping reshape the image of construction, and inspire the next generation of skilled labor to this vital industry.
EllisDon Corporation has been awarded a contract to design new infrastructure that will support the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) Future Aircrew Training (FAcT) program, a 25-year initiative to modernize how Canada trains its next generation of military pilots and crew.
The work is part of a broader effort led by SkyAlyne, a joint venture between Canadian aviation and defence companies CAE and KF Aerospace. The program consolidates several existing RCAF training streams into a single, comprehensive system, bringing together live flying, simulator-based learning, and classroom instruction.
“SkyAlyne, as the prime contractor on the FAcT program, is bringing together a strong pan-Canadian team to ensure the FAcT program fulfils its potential to be a world-leading aircrew training system,” Kevin Lemke, SkyAlyne’s general manager, said in a statement. “EllisDon brings an immense amount of expertise and experience that will be invaluable in ensuring FAcT infrastructure is designed to meet the current and future needs of the RCAF.”
A Pan-Canadian Project
The new facilities will be designed for three bases: 15 Wing Moose Jaw in Saskatchewan, Southport in Manitoba, and 17 Wing Winnipeg. These sites will serve as the backbone of the program, which is expected to train RCAF pilots, Air Combat Systems Officers and Airborne Electronic Sensor Operators.
EllisDon, one of Canada’s largest construction and infrastructure firms, emphasized the long-term significance of the project. “This initiative is a cornerstone of Canada’s defense modernization, and our team is honored to help shape the next generation of RCAF training environments,” said Chris Lane, senior vice-president at EllisDon.
The company has delivered complex military and mission-critical projects before, and officials said the new facilities would be designed to evolve alongside the Air Force’s needs.
Economic and Strategic Stakes
The FAcT program is seen as critical not only to the military but also to Canada’s defence and aerospace industry. By consolidating training under one umbrella, the Department of National Defence hopes to streamline operations and reduce duplication.
The program is overseen from a joint management office at SkyAlyne’s Ottawa headquarters, with operations spanning the three Prairie bases. SkyAlyne will also be responsible for acquiring aircraft, building ground-based training systems, and providing ongoing maintenance and support.
Lemke noted that the venture could also deliver broader economic benefits: “As a proudly and genuinely Canadian organization, SkyAlyne is eager to see the continued economic growth in Canada as a result of these investments.”
Next Steps
The contract with EllisDon covers design services only at this stage. Infrastructure construction contracts will be awarded once designs are completed and approved.
The government has not disclosed the overall cost of the program, but with a 25-year horizon, industry observers expect the investments to be significant, both in scale and in impact.
Think about the last major B2B purchase you made. Did you pore over spec sheets, or did you have an immediate gut feeling about a brand that just “felt right”?
For decades, the industrial sector has operated under the lie that B2B is a purely rational game. But the truth is, even educated and experienced clients buy with emotion first and then justify their choice with facts. This means emotion is the most powerful driver for growth.
Essentially, who is buying, how they are buying, and why they are buying has changed – yet our marketing has not. The bottom line is this: if industrial brands don’t adjust to the “new ways of marketing” they risk falling behind, wasting valuable and scarce resources, and losing a sale when it really counts.
At SitePartners we believe it’s time to rethink the role of marketing in the industrial sector. The way clients buy has been completely transformed, yet our marketing investments have often not kept pace.
To win, there are NEW RULES to play by. We’ve identified four key rules that impact every project we partner on, driving real influence and growth for industrial brands.
Introducing the 4 New Rules:
The “Human Buyer” Rule: The new truth is that B2B buyers don’t want to buy from you; they want to buy into you.
The “No One is (Really) Buying” Rule: If only 5% of your market is ready to buy today, what are you doing with the other 95%? Knowing this – how do you speak to clients?
The “Invisible Sales” Rule: The customer journey has transitioned from sales-led to self-led, putting marketing in a new, critical role. Buyers today are smarter and younger.
The “Day One” Rule: If you’re not on the short list from day one, you simply will not win. This changes everything for how industrial brands invest in their marketing.
These rules, if followed correctly, allow you to win work on value, not price in 2025. When the market is tight like it is right now – this stuff really counts.
Let’s dive in:
Rule #1: The Human Buyer Rule
This rule impacts everything we thought about how to market in the B2B sector. The modern buyer is more human than ever before—they are stressed, excited, and passionate. As a brand, without an emotional connection with a buyer, you cannot establish trust.
The buyer of today makes purchase decisions based on human emotion, then justifies their choice with logic and data. The buyers we once thought were purely logical are anything but. They buy based on a gut feeling and the brand they feel connected to.
B2B purchases have higher stakes than B2C. A B2B buyer could lose their job over a poor vendor choice. Your marketing should make them feel brave, not afraid. Make them proud to partner with you by showing your people and what you stand for.
Buyers want to buy into your purpose, values, and culture—BEFORE they buy from you. They need to know what you care about and if it aligns with what they care about at a human level. (They want to look good to their boss and to themselves).
The Site Summary: The best B2B brands make you feel something. Sell the emotion, then show the data. Balance both, but get the emotion right.
Rule #2: The No One is (Really) Buying Rule
This rule changes everything about your marketing spend. It is built on the 95/5 rule in B2B: at any given time, only about 5% of your potential buyers are actively in the market and ready to purchase. The other 95% are “out-of-market.”
For example, if you are a specialty General Contractor for Data Centres, chances are only 5% of your target clients are ready to build today. If you ignore the other 95%, you are in trouble. If you run “direct advertising” to them, you will lose their attention and turn them away. To win, you must invest in both:
Brand building tactics for the 95%: The goal here is to build mental availability, ensuring your brand is known and trusted so that when they eventually need a solution, you are top-of-mind. These tactics create emotional connections and sustainable, long-term growth.
Activation tactics for the 5%: These are focused on converting the small percentage of buyers who are ready to buy today, using digital advertising and traditional sales efforts.
The Site Summary: Balance your spend. Brand investment drives transformational, sustainable growth. Run a balanced program that speaks to the 95% out of market while still investing in campaigns for the buyer of today.
Rule #3: The Invisible Sales Rule
This rule addresses the fundamental change in how B2B buyers engage with industrial brands. The way clients buy today has evolved from a linear, sales-controlled process to a non-linear, buyer-empowered one.
This is the “invisible sales cycle,” where the buyer’s journey is a self-directed, fragmented path. Research shows that B2B buyers are more than 70% through the decision process before they talk to sales. If you rely solely on your sales team, you’re already late to the game. The initial sales conversation is no longer about “selling,” but about “validating” the buyer’s research.
For complex decisions, the buying group usually has 6-10 people involved, each doing their own independent research. There’s no way your sales team can have a meaningful relationship with all of them, making the “invisible sales cycle” more critical than ever.
Marketing must own this cycle by providing buyers with the resources they need to make a decision on their own. If you don’t communicate your positioning, they will simply make their own assumptions.
The Site Summary: Your marketing needs to sell the emotion because your customers have already found the facts themselves. The old-school sales world is gone. If you don’t shift your marketing, they will make up their own story.
Rule #4: The Day One Rule
This rule should keep every CEO and Executive up at night.
The rule is simple: if you are not on the shortlist before the buyer journey is started, you are not going to win. What does this mean? Well it really is simple. If you are not known by the buyer before they go into the market (RFP, Proposals, Procurement) you simply will not win.
85% of B2B buyers have a “Day One” mindset, meaning they already have 2-3 brands in mind before they go to market.
90% of the time, the eventual winner is one of those 2-3 brands. If you are not on that list, you are in big trouble.
For industrial brands, this is especially critical because deal sizes are massive and can make or break an entire fiscal year. Organizations need to do everything they can to get on the radar of their target accounts now.
Clients need to know who you are, what you do, and what makes you different. You need to communicate your positioning in a creative way that truly stands out so when they go out to market, they already have you on the list. So what does this mean? Organizations need to do everything they can to get on the radar of their target account list before they go to market. So how do you do this? Well our team at SitePartners are experts at this.
Your buyers need to know who you are, what you do – and what makes you different then the competition. You need to communicate your positioning in a creative way that truly stands out – make your brand the prize.
The Site Summary: Do everything you can to be on your target market’s list. People only buy from those they like, know, and trust. The key part is KNOW.
How These Rules Come to Life
The new rules of marketing aren’t just theory. To see them in action, let’s look at the industrial titans who are already winning the brand game.
They’re not just selling products; they’re selling purpose, legacy, and a better way of doing business. When you have a strong brand, people buy into you—not just from you.
Carhartt: This brand is the ultimate example of the Human Buyer Rule. They don’t just sell workwear; they sell a badge of honor. Their marketing focuses on the stories of the people who wear their gear—the farmers, the tradespeople, the artists. This emotional connection makes their brand invaluable and commands fierce loyalty. Just look at the brand today—it is taking over. When you think of Carhartt – you FEEL something.
Wolverine: has built its brand by going straight to the source: the workers themselves. Their campaigns highlight the real stories and struggles of people in the trades, acknowledging their hard work and the challenges they face. By telling these authentic, human stories, Wolverine elevates its product from a simple boot to a trusted partner that understands and supports the lives of the people who wear it. If you have not checked out their videos, then you need to give Wolverine a follow on LinkedIn – trust me it is worth it. Check out their YouTube page.
Procore: In the digital space, Procore proves the human element is everything. While competitors focus on technical jargon, their brand is built on a simple promise: to improve the lives of people in construction. The company recently rebranded, going even deeper on the human level by showing the people behind every project.
Caterpillar (CAT): sells confidence and legacy. They are the original content marketer. (Fun Fact: I always use CAT as an example that a brand really counts in the industrial sector. Ask any equipment operator why they love CAT and chances are they won’t have a technical answer but rather an emotional one – that is brand hard at work). Their marketing has evolved from showcasing brute strength to demonstrating precision and craftsmanship, appealing to the pride of the operator. This approach transforms a customer’s purchase into a point of pride, making them feel confident in their choice and their own abilities. Through programs like the CAT Operator Challenge– the brand sells the emotion.
#2 The No One is (Really) Buying Rule in Action
These brands understand that long-term success comes from building awareness with the 95% of buyers who aren’t in the market yet. The industrial sector has a long lead time and Anduril Industries, Cummins Inc., Schneider Electric Industrial Automation and GE all understand this – but invest in the long term.
Anduril: The defence industry is notorious for long sales cycles and bureaucratic processes. But Anduril, a modern defence technology company, is breaking the mold. Their recent NASCAR partnership isn’t about selling drones to race fans; it’s about making a bold statement. By linking their advanced technology with the cultural pride of American motorsports, they communicate a clear, emotional message that resonates with a broader audience—building brand awareness with the95%who are not yet in-market. From the day they launched their brand to every campaign in between that have continued to market to the 95% of buyers not in the market – so when they did go into a buying cycle – they were included with all the major primes. Fun fact – in 8 years they went from a start-up to over $30B in value (and growing fast). When they release new products they create mini brand films – check it out here).
Cummins: As an engine manufacturer, Cummins’ primary audience is highly technical. But their brand campaigns often focus on the power, reliability, and innovation of their engines in extreme environments. They sponsor documentaries and content that showcase the durability of their technology in mining, trucking, and marine applications. By marketing to a broad audience of enthusiasts, engineers, and future buyers, they build a powerful brand reputation long before a purchase is ever considered.
Schneider Electric: They have positioned themselves not just as a provider of equipment, but as a thought leader in sustainability and efficiency. Through their extensive content, they share a compelling vision for the future of energy management, building a powerful brand connection with clients long before a project is ever on the table.
GE: GE mastered this principle years ago with its “GE Reports” initiative. Instead of pushing sales, they created a massive content hub that told powerful stories about innovation, ensuring they were a known and respected name in a broad range of industries.
#3 The Invisible Sales Rule in Action
These brands have shifted from a pitch-first approach to a value-first one, using content to build authority and trust in the self-directed buyer’s journey. Mack Trucks, Rockwell Automation and 3M all showcase examples of letting the buyer lead.
Mack Trucks: Mack Trucks has an incredible brand legacy, but in an era of invisible sales, they know heritage alone isn’t enough. They’ve shifted from a pitch-first approach to a value-first one, using content to build authority and trust. Their podcast, “Beyond the Bulldog,” provides industry expertise and insider knowledge, earning the respect of fleet managers and owner-operators long before they are ready to buy.
Rockwell Automation: As a leader in industrial automation, Rockwell has built a powerful brand around enabling the self-directed buyer. Their extensive “Knowledgebase” is a prime example of a marketing tool that serves the invisible sales cycle. It provides engineers, technicians, and partners with a massive library of technical documents, application notes, and software downloads. By giving customers the tools to find solutions on their own, Rockwell becomes a trusted, go-to resource long before a purchase decision is made.
3M: This brand has built a legacy on problem-solving. Their website features a massive library of technical data, white papers, and application guides. This self-service content empowers engineers and project managers to research and select the right solution on their own, making 3M an indispensable resource in the invisible sales cycle. They also do creative B2B campaigns like the one we all remember below.
#4 The Day One Rule in Action
These brands have built powerful reputations that ensure they are on the shortlist from the very beginning of the buyer’s journey. We dive into how John Deere, Turner Construction Company and WSP all invest in marketing to be on the day one list.
John Deere: This brand is what I believe officially started content marketing. And it has really worked. Why, among all tractor manufacturers, does John Deere stand as a symbol of hard work and American legacy? For generations, they have represented both reliable equipment and the promise of a successful harvest. Their iconic green and yellow colour scheme has become emblematic of an emotional connection to the land. John Deere is always “on the list” on day one, a testament to the fact that when you build a powerful brand, you stop having to sell and people start buying into you. They’ve also been a pioneer in brand loyalty, publishing The Furrow, a custom print magazine for farmers since 1895, providing valuable information and solidifying their place in the heart of their audience for over a century.
Turner Construction: For a new skyscraper or a major sports stadium, no one is searching online for “large construction company.” Instead, they are starting with the established brands they already know and trust. Turner Construction is the perfect example. Their brand is their reputation for building iconic structures like SoFi Stadium, Levi’s Stadium, and The New York Times Building. Their proven track record and brand equity ensure they are on the shortlist for any major project from the moment it’s conceived. Chances are, if you are building something epic that Turner will be a part of the Day One list.
WSP: A great Canadian example is WSP, a global engineering firm. Its name is synonymous with engineering excellence and a legacy of groundbreaking projects like the new Samuel de Champlain Bridge in Montreal. WSP’s brand is built on thought leadership, with campaigns that position them as trusted and forward-thinking experts, ensuring they are a top contender for any major project from the outset.
How We Live These Rules at Site.
At Site, we don’t just preach these rules – we live them. From the start, we committed to specialization to ensure we would be a Day One Brand for our target audience. We also made it a priority to create a brand that our clients could connect with on an emotional level. We set our mission to elevate the industrial sector – and connect us with our audience.
As our company has grown, so has our marketing. We have created a number of unique initiatives to drive results, all designed with the new rules of B2B marketing in mind:
We created our own media brand, SiteNews, to elevate the industry and build brand awareness with the 95% of buyers not yet in-market.
We launched our podcastThe Creative Department, to showcase our expertise and provide valuable insights for clients in their self-directed research.
We built the first industrial movie studio in Canada, SiteStudio, to produce emotionally engaging content that connects with human buyers.
We launched our own beer, SiteLager, and our own merch store, SiteSwag.
We launched our annual event, the SiteSummit, to connect the industry and foster a community around our brand (350 people, 135ft yacht, 2 days of learning).
We created the Top 40 Under 40 campaign for the industry, positioning ourselves as a partner dedicated to the future of the industrial sector.
SiteSummit 2025 in North VancouverThe Polygon, our first SiteSummit venueSiteStudio in actionSiteSwag
All of our Site initiatives were designed to build trust, create human connections, and ensure we are top-of-mind with our audience. We use our own brand to showcase confidence and prove that we truly understand the value of a powerful, human-first approach.
Top 7 Tips to Elevate Your Industrial Brand
It’s time to shift strategy and start building a modern, memorable brand. Now that you know the rules and have learned from some great industrial brands living it out – here are seven takeaways for industrial marketers to take their brands to the next level:
Invest in Share of Voice: You need to talk to more customers than you currently have to grow. This is what brand advertising is all about. You need to invest in brand awareness campaigns so more of your target audience gets to know you, trust you and fall in love with your brand.
Balance Brand and Activation: Tactical campaigns are great for immediate results, but you must balance them with long-term brand building to create emotional connections and sustainable growth. Marketers need to balance short-term and long-term campaigns to drive real business growth.
Harness Emotion: Use emotional messaging for the95%who aren’t in-market. For the5%who are, lead with facts and data.
Maximize Mental Availability: Be everywhere your customers are, so when they’re ready to buy, your brand is the first one they think of.
Expand Your Customer Base: Don’t just sell to net-new clients. Deepen relationships with existing ones, turning them into brand advocates.
Embrace Storytelling: Ditch the jargon and technical specs. Your story is your most powerful tool for differentiation. Use it to protect your price and make your brand memorable.
Be Human: The stakes are personal in B2B. Acknowledge your buyers’ fears and find ways to make them feel BRAVE. That’s how you win hearts and minds.
If you’re ready to start building a brand that wins on emotion, connect with me and the team at SitePartners.
Last week, SiteNews brought together over 315 executive leaders from across Canada and the United States for SiteSummit 2025, an event that’s still sparking conversations and driving change. Now, for the first time, you can experience the highlights of this game-changing summit from wherever you are.
Described by attendees as “the best conference in years” and a place where “change happened,” SiteSummit delivered on its promise to elevate the industrial sector. From the packed panel discussions featuring 37 insightful speakers to the vibrant networking, the energy was palpable. It wasn’t just about the 652 tacos or the unforgettable rapid-fire theme song; it was about fostering real momentum and bold ideas.
SiteSummit is heading to Toronto in 2026. Details will be announced first in our industry-leading newsletter, so make sure to subscribe.
Ontario’s new Scarborough school utilizes mass-timber and a modular “kit-of-parts” for rapid, sustainable construction, also seen in Quebec’s WSP’s airport success. This innovative method aims to address school backlogs and inspire wider infrastructure development. Watch the full story below.
Telus diving into AI data centers, Graham Group expanding to California, and Miller Electric partnering with Novarc for welding robots. Join our host Russell Hixson as he explores some of the largest business.
Bringing together decades of experience in specialized construction fields, the Matcon Group and Knappett Industries have officially merged, effective April 2, 2025. This combination creates a more diversified and strategically positioned construction entity poised to serve Western Canada more broadly, according to a joint announcement from the firms.
The companies stated that clients and partners can expect a degree of continuity, as both Matcon and Knappett will keep operating under their well-established names. Matcon, based in Coquitlam, brings over two decades of experience, while Nanaimo-headquartered Knappett has been active for more than thirty years. The companies emphasized that customers will continue working with the same teams.
The merger unites distinct but complementary specializations. Matcon focuses on services like excavation and shoring, civil infrastructure to demolition, and environmental and rock stabilization. Knappett, an employee-owned general contractor with offices across Vancouver Island and Northern B.C., concentrates on civil infrastructure such as road building, paving and maintenance, utility installation (electrical, water, sewer), site development, and pipeline work.
According to their announcement, this blend of expertise is intended to translate directly into increased capacity and broader resources for projects of varying scale and complexity. A key outcome highlighted is an expanded geographic footprint, enabling the combined operation to serve the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, and Northern B.C. more comprehensively, alongside their existing operational areas.
In their message to stakeholders, the newly joined entities expressed gratitude for ongoing trust and signaled their readiness to tackle future projects together.
For this week’s big list, we stacked up some of the coolest modular builders in Canada who are pushing this innovative approach forward. Check out the video below, and make sure to subscribe for more SiteNews weekly videos!
In this episode, our editor in chief Russell Hixson breaks down three major stories:
Housing Design Catalogue: Canada is streamlining residential construction with a “menu” of 50 standardized designs for rowhouses, fourplexes, sixplexes, and accessory dwelling units, aiming to reduce costs and simplify building processes.
Canadian Construction Safety Council(CCSC): Leading general contractors like Aecon Group Inc., PCL Construction, and EllisDon have united to form the CCSC, focusing on enhancing safety standards nationwide, including stricter fall protection, advanced safety helmets, and cut-resistant gloves.
Procurement Policy Shift: Cities, provinces, and Ottawa are prioritizing Canadian companies in procurement to support local businesses amid trade tensions, with measures like bans on U.S. procurement and tax deferrals for affected industries.
Make sure you follow us on Youtube so you never miss an episode!
SiteNews competition showcases construction trailblazers
The list of winners, which can be found here, cast a wide net over many different fields. They include some of the largest general contractors in the country, tech startups, materials manufacturers, homebuilders, environmental champions and more.
When the competition was envisioned, the SiteNews team sought to create a way to highlight and encourage companies that are blazing a trail for others.
“The 25 Innovators in Construction award serves as a platform to celebrate trailblazers in a sector often perceived as slow-moving,” said Brett Rutledge, SiteNews co-founder. “The truth is, there’s a surge of innovation happening, and we’re delighted to showcase these companies and their achievements.”
The winners were chosen by a panel of five judges who assessed applicants based on five criteria:
Technological innovation
Trailblazing
Workforce development
Sustainability and environmental impact
Collaboration and partnerships
SiteNews Editor Russell Hixson, who has been covering Canada’s construction sector for nearly a decade, was part of the judging staff. He noted that the submissions showed significant breakthroughs in environmentalism, material development, worker health, digitization, training and other areas.
“This isn’t just about our industry,” said Hixson. “Many of these companies are doing things that are addressing the biggest issues our country and our planet faces: CO2 emissions, housing supply, workforce training, safety and more. These leaders are not only elevating construction, they are making society better.”
RAM Consulting co-founder and CEO Joe Di Placito, who also assisted in the judging, was equally impressed by the applicants.
“I was blown away by the innovation that’s occurring across our industry,” he said. “There were some interesting themes when reviewing the submissions from well known general contractors implementing new technologies to new products being created that reduce carbon footprint. My biggest take away was that now is probably the most exciting time to be in engineering and construction as we see innovation disrupt so many aspects of what was previously accepted practices or products.”
Dom Costantini, a 19-year veteran of Bird Construction who now has his own consulting firm, found it challenging to narrow down the submissions to 25.
“The variety in the businesses, the services, products, and technologies were much broader than I expected,” he said. “I am very excited to see the list of 25 Innovators and to meet them in person at the celebration event later this month. Thank you to SiteNews for giving me this opportunity to learn more about the construction industry.”
Buckle up. We have big news for tool and workwear aficionados.
SiteNews is excited to join forces with Akribis Leather for an exclusive, summer giveaway. We’re offering a one-of-a-kind opportunity to win a premium leather toolbelt, handcrafted with care in Summerland, B.C.
Due to overwhelming demand, Akribis Leather’s inventory is currently sold out, making our giveaway a rare golden ticket to snag one of these sought-after tool belts. It’s the perfect addition to any construction professional’s gear, or a unique gift for the industry enthusiast in your life.
The winner of this exclusive giveaway will be announced on July 19th, so make sure you’ve registered by then! Enter here for your chance to win.
Hot Jobs is a weekly segment that showcases a selection of the top positions that have been recently posted on SiteNews Jobs, a Canadian construction job board we launched last month.
And if you are seeking a job, check out the full list of available positions.
There’s no better time to check out what construction companies are hiring on SiteNews Jobs, a Canadian construction job board we launched this month. “Hot Jobs” is a weekly segment that showcases a selection of the top positions that have been recently posted.
If you are looking to build your all-star team, try posting your role on SiteNews jobs today. And if you are seeking a job, check out the full list of available positions.
To stay updated on the latest jobs and get the biggest stories in construction, make sure to subscribe to our industry leading newsletter.
An ambitious move by Ontario is set to become a catalyst for recruiting internationally trained engineers, as the province drops the requirement for Canadian work experience for their licensure. The new policy, touted as a “game changer” by Labour Minister Monte McNaughton, is expected to expedite the filling of approximately 7,000 vacant engineering positions across the region.
Prioritizing skills over location
“This change signifies a pathway for numerous qualified immigrant engineers to pursue their dreams over the coming years,” McNaughton declared during a press conference. It effectively removes a significant impediment for immigrants aspiring to secure well-paying jobs in their field of expertise.
The mandate for Canadian work experience, formerly a prerequisite set by various regulators, had been a notable barrier. The shift has been applauded by the Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO), which has transitioned to a competency-centred model over one reliant on geographic experience.
“Professional Engineers Ontario is the first regulatory association to adopt this change,” McNaughton pointed out, a transition that aligns with Ontario’s legislation introduced in October 2021. This legislation prohibits regulated professions and skilled trades from mandating Canadian experience qualifications.
Wide impact beyond engineering
The legislation has wide-reaching impacts, covering over 30 non-health-care-related professions and trades, including architects, accountants, and electricians.
“The move will serve the public interest, ensuring all licensed professional engineers meet rigorous qualifications and that only properly qualified, competent, and ethical individuals practise engineering,” stated Christopher Chahine, Vice-president of the PEO, at the news conference.
In Ontario, around 300,000 jobs currently remain unfilled, and only a quarter of internationally trained immigrants work in professions they studied. McNaughton said, “It doesn’t take a math major to figure out these numbers don’t add up.”
A welcome move by advocates
Sara Asalya, executive director of Newcomer Women’s Service Toronto, called the change a “huge win” for advocates working for the removal of unfair measures that face internationally trained professionals. “We look forward to seeing other regulatory bodies continue to work to remove these Canadian experience requirements,” Asalya said.
The provincial government shared that in 2019, engineers were the fourth largest regulated profession in Ontario, with 85,649 members, and of those, there were 24,258 internationally trained members registered in the profession.
The labour minister expects regulators in Ontario to proactively drop any existing Canadian experience qualifications before the end of the year. This move marks a major shift in recognizing international qualifications and experience and could signal a new era for internationally trained professionals in Canada.
Summer is heating up and so is SiteNews Jobs, a Canadian construction job board we launched just days ago. To highlight some of the best roles, we are starting a new weekly feature: Hot Jobs.
Don’t have time to scroll through all the postings? No problem. Every week, we will round up some of the top senior-level construction jobs that we think deserve some extra attention. Could that be the boost needed to connect the perfect candidate with the perfect role? We hope so.
If you are looking to build your all-star team, try posting your role on SiteNews jobs today. And if you are seeking a job, check out the full list of available positions.
Exxon Mobil announced on Thursday that it will invest roughly $560 million in a new Canadian renewable-diesel facility through its majority-owned affiliate, Imperial Oil Ltd. The move is the latest in Exxon’s efforts to boost biofuel production and curb greenhouse gas emissions.
The facility, which will be located next to the Strathcona refinery near Edmonton, Alta., is now expected to start production in 2025, later than the original target of 2024. The facility is projected to produce 20,000 barrels of fuel daily, utilizing primarily local feedstocks and incorporating hydrogen and carbon capture and storage.
We are making strategic investments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from our own operations and to help customers in vital sectors of the economy reduce their emissions.
–Brad Corson, CEO of Imperial
According to Exxon, renewable diesel has the same chemical make-up as conventional diesel but is considered a more environmentally friendly fuel source. Produced from feedstocks such as vegetable oil, it can be seamlessly used in regular engines compared to biodiesel.
“The Strathcona project is another example of how we are investing in advantaged facilities and applying our leading technology and decades of experience to develop lower-emission solutions for customers. We continue to focus investments on markets like Canada, where well-designed policies support technologies that reduce life-cycle emissions,” said Karen McKee, president of ExxonMobil Product Solutions.
Are you a proud employee, company owner, or just someone who knows of a construction company office that is a cut above the rest? SiteNews is on a mission to discover the 10 nicest construction company offices in Canada, and we want your help.
From sleek and modern designs to unique and innovative features, we want to hear about it all. It could be an office with a green roof, exposed mass timber, or an innovative layout that promotes collaboration and creativity. Perhaps it’s headquarters that incorporates sustainable building practices, has a storied history or utilizes an iconic architectural style. This is your chance to show it off to the world.
To submit an office for consideration, send us an email at hello@readsitenews.com with the following:
Your name
The construction company you’re nominating and their website URL
What makes this office so special
High-resolution photos of their office (the more the better)
Don’t miss your chance to nominate! Make sure you submit by January 31st, 2023. Winners will be announced on the SiteNews newsletter.
