Author: Russell Hixson

Key Takeaways:

• A request for proposals to select a consultant was issued. The consultant will help develop the design parameters and review design submissions. 
• As many as 10 different designs will be developed.
• Standardized designs and plans are expected to be available to local governments by summer 2024.

The Whole Story:

Do you have any ideas for what the perfect home design should be?

B.C. officials want to know. 

The province is embarking on a project to create new standardized designs for small-scale, multi-unit homes, such as townhomes, triplexes and laneway homes. They hope the designs will help builders and developers create housing faster and cheaper. 

“In order to address our housing crisis, we must use innovative solutions to enable housing to be built faster,” said Ravi Kahlon, minister of housing. “Having standardized building designs available can help streamline the permitting process. We will work to add additional designs in the coming years to ensure our communities remain vibrant and have a variety of housing options.”

Through the new Standardized Housing Design Project, the province is creating new standardized, customizable residential designs for small-scale, multi-unit housing built on single lots. Officials stated that the designs can be adopted by local governments and offered to builders and homeowners at a significantly below-market cost to expedite permitting and development. The province is seeking to engage a consultant team to provide expert advice on the development of these designs.

Officials explained that standardized designs can substantially streamline the permitting process to make it easier for local governments to give building-permit approvals quickly and save builders and homeowners design costs. They also assist smaller local governments that may not have the resources to develop standardized designs to help approve developments efficiently and quickly.

The move follows the recent introduction of legislation that, if passed, will allow three to four units on land currently zoned for single-family homes and duplexes, and as many as six units near bus stops with frequent transit service. During the consultation process, local governments suggested a catalogue of design options needs to be available to support small-scale developers, builders and homeowners to build these new homes.

A request for proposals to select a consultant was issued Nov. 15, 2023, for the first phase of the project and will close Dec. 13, 2023. The consultant’s scope of work will include collaborative engagement with industry professionals and local governments to develop the design parameters that can be used to create standardized housing designs. The consultant will also support the province in reviewing the draft and completed designs. 

The province will work with the consultant for nine months, with the goal to procure design services by spring 2024. Standardized designs and plans are expected to be available to local governments by summer 2024.

As many as 10 different designs will be developed. The designs will comply with the BC Building Code and are expected to be as close as possible to building-permit ready, recognizing minor amendments may be required by local designers or architects to take into account specific site conditions. The designs will be created for various lot sizes and configurations to be widely applicable throughout B.C. and are expected to help builders and homeowners add increased density to their existing properties quickly and more affordably.

In addition to the housing designs, a separate project is underway to develop guidebooks that can act as a blueprint for local governments to implement a pre-approval process and provide guidance to homeowners and small-scale builders about how to add density to their lots with standardized designs.

• Project Coordinator, Modular Construction – Remote (Canada) – 720 Modular
• Project Manager, Wood Frame – Vancouver, B.C. – Axiom Builders
• Water/Wastewater Engineer – Halifax, N.S. – Dillon Consulting
• Senior Estimator – Toronto, Ont. – KAPP Infrastructure
• Chief Estimator, Civil Construction – Vancouver, B.C. – EBC
• Director, Pre-construction – Richmond, B.C. – Flatiron Construction
• Senior Project Manager – Richmond, B.C. – Bird Construction

Key Takeaways:

• Researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC) have spent years developing AI and robotic solutions for construction.
• They recently demonstrated that their robots can scan sites, create a digital twin and begin doing tasks that it recognizes as unfinished when compared to the BIM model.
• The team has also written algorithms that recognize humans and hazards so the robots will stop work if someone is in danger or adjust their path if something is in the way.

The Whole Story:

Autonomous construction robots are ready to graduate from the classroom and begin doing real construction work on jobsites. 

UBC Faculty of Applied Science researchers recently demonstrated at a real site how their technology can transform construction vehicles — cranes, forklifts and excavators — into smart construction robots powered by AI.

Structural engineer Dr. Tony Yang, a professor of civil engineering and lead researcher of the Smart Structures lab, believes these robots will help to speed up construction times, make construction sites safer and address labour shortages.

Yang and his team deployed their technology at a site on Mitchell Island in Richmond, B.C. for a crowd of construction company representatives. Aerial drones fitted with cameras captured details that were then used to create a digital twin of the site. AI-equipped cranes and forklifts used this information to move construction materials such as beams and columns around the actual site, navigating around obstacles without needing a human operator.

“So over the last few years we have been developing many novel AI algorithms to allow us to actually be able to execute this,” said Yang. “We’re riding on this wave because AI technology is now actually very mature and it can be easily applied. You can see cars driving by themselves. We can start using this kind of technology to do autonomous construction.”

Yang explained that the smart construction robots are able to recognize objects, performing detailed scans of structural components for quality assurance. They can precisely place objects on site and check against a computer model to ensure they’re building according to plan. They can make autonomous decisions such as navigating around obstacles or instantly stopping work to protect a worker who is in danger.

“Once these things become more mature and the first jobs get going, it will just roll it by itself because it’s cheaper, faster and safer and there is zero ramp up time,” he said. “You don’t need to train people. It’s already immediately deployed. So it will become the only way to do it.”

Yang believes AI and robots can help solve construction’s labour crunch in a way that is cheaper, faster and safer than traditional methods. 

“The new generations, like Generation Z and Generation X, they really don’t like to go to construction sites. It’s a very harsh environment. It’s tiring,” said Yang. “It’s getting very difficult to actually get skilled workers to work in many places. The idea behind this is now we can start building with robots. We can train the robot to do our jobs, to make the construction more efficient.”

He explained that this would eliminate laborious tasks and elevate skilled workers’ roles on a site. 

“I envision those skilled workers as skilled managers and they can start managing more projects, even remotely overseas. They can be elevated and the machines are doing the dirty jobs,” said Yang. 

Yang believes we are at a point where the technology works and is ready to be deployed, but the biggest barrier is the industry itself. 

“The construction industry is usually very reluctant to change,” he said. “One reason is because the business model is to have this crew of people and then charge by the hour. It’s like a big mothership and it can be difficult to change directions.”

Yang noted that previous implementations of AI and robots in construction pale in comparison to what can be done now. The technology has been used for painting or tiling but he believes it is ready for real construction work that creates the actual structure of a project. And while the industry may be reluctant to change, Yang says it is inevitable.   

“I think in the next 10 years, this is the only way to do business because no one will be there to do it,” said Yang. “Our skilled workers are retiring. They cannot do it. So it will be unavoidable. We are lucky we’re pushing the envelope, but there’s still a lot of work ahead of us.”

The demonstration was performed in front of dozens of construction company representatives and Yang said he and his team plan to continue developing the technology. 

Next on his radar is applying AI and autonomous machines to excavation tasks and working with local builders to test the technology out in a variety of situations and weather conditions.    

Transitioning away from fossil fuels to electricity is one of the great projects of our time and Canada wants to be a major player.

The federal government and provincial leaders are aggressively seeking investment for facilities that support electrification and the strategy seems to be working. In the past few years, billions and billions of dollars have been invested in developing massive facilities to manufacture batteries for electric vehicles and other devices.

Here’s some of the largest projects underway that are supporting electrification in Canada and around the globe.

E-One-Moli – Maple Ridge, B.C.

The ink is still wet on this deal. Just this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced the federal government and the province of B.C. would be supporting a $1.05-billion lithium-ion battery cell production facility in Maple Ridge, B.C. The facility, which is being developed by Taiwan-based E-One Moli, is expected to produce 135 million batteries annually. The company says the “gigafactory” will be the world’s first ultra-high power battery plant powered 100% green energy.

Umicore – Loyalist, Ont.

Could this be the missing link in North America’s EV battery value chain? Umicore thinks so. Last month, the global tech company announced that it is proceeding with the first phase of a $2.7 billion project will be executed in multiple stages. The facility will manufacture cathode active materials (CAM) and precursor cathode active materials (pCAM), critical components for producing electric vehicle (EV) batteries. Together, the federal government and Ontario are contributing $975 million for the project. Commissioning is expected to occur in 2025.

Ford – Bécancour, Que.

Ford is betting big on Quebec. Construction has begun on a $1.2 billion cathode manufacturing facility in Bécancour. The plant is part of Ford’s strategy to localize key battery raw material processing in regions where it produces EVs. SNC-Lavalin has been awarded an initial works contract for the facility worth $141 million. Once production begins in the first half of 2026, the site will have the capacity to produce up to 45,000 tonnes of cathode active material (CAM) per year.

General Motors – Ingersoll, Ont.

General Motors of Canada has undergone a major transformation. Last winter, the company announced the opening of its first full-scale electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing plant in Ingersoll, Ont. With support from the province, GM Canada spent more than $2 billion transforming its CAMI manufacturing plant into an all-EV manufacturing facility, the first of its kind in the country. Officials say the project could help secure Ontario’s position as a global automotive hub. One of the vehicles the plant is producing is the BrightDrop Zevo 600, a light commercial vehicle that runs on a lithium-ion battery.

Stellantis – Windsor, Ont.

Despite a seven-week strike to sort out project funding, work is underway to build a $5-billion electric vehicle EV battery plant in Windsor. They aren’t just making batteries. They are making Ontario history. The plant marks the largest private in the history of the province and it’s the largest investment in the history of the Canadian auto industry. The facility, a joint venture of Stellantis and LG Energy Solution, will stretch roughly 4.5 million square feet and employ 2,500 people. The plant is expected to begin production next year.

Northvolt – Montreal, Que.

Swedish company Northvolt is in the early stages of setting up operations in Quebec. Just weeks ago they purchased 18.5 million sq. ft. of land in McMasterville and Saint-Basile-le-Grand for an undisclosed sum. The land used to be an explosives factory but has sat dormant for 25 years. The company says it plans to build Northvolt Six, a fully integrated lithium-ion battery gigafactory, just outside of Montreal. Construction of the first 30 GWh phase of the project is due to commence before the end of 2023 and the first operations are set to begin in 2026. Northvolt anticipates the first phase will require $7 billion of investment, the largest private investment in Quebec history.

Volkswagen – St. Thomas, Ont.

Something big is powering up in Ontario. Volkswagen’s St. Thomas Gigafactory will have six production blocks with a potential production volume of up to 90 gigawatt hours – enough for about 1 million EVs a year. This is going to be critical for Volkswagen as it has plans to introduce more than 25 new EV models by 2030.

Two years following a catastrophic atmospheric river, B.C.’s transportation network is coming back stronger.

On the two-year anniversary of the disaster, B.C. officials announced that permanent repairs to Coquihalla Highway 5 are complete after flooding washed it out. 

The repaired highway features six new climate-resilient bridges built in place of the ones that were lost in November 2021. The six bridge spans located at three different locations have been rebuilt to handle extreme weather. 

The new permanent bridges are now finished at Bottletop Bridge, 50 kilometres south of Merritt, and Jessica Bridge, 20 kilometres north of Hope. The bridges at Juliet, 53 kilometres south of Merritt, were completed earlier this year.

Reflecting on disaster 

The BC Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association (BCRB&HCA) reflected on the atmospheric river and the spotlight it put on the construction sector. 

“Our member companies rose to the challenge despite an incredible set of circumstances, and pulled off the unthinkable given the scope of repairs,” said Kelly Scott, president, BCRB&HCA. “This success story is a showcase for our members’ fortitude and dedication, as well as a reminder of the benefits displayed by strong partnerships.”

Coquihalla Highway 5 was closed to regular vehicle traffic on Nov. 14, 2021, due to damage caused by an atmospheric river. The rain caused flooding and washouts between Hope and Merritt. More than 20 sites spanning 130 kilometres were damaged. This included six bridges where spans completely collapsed or were damaged.

More than 300 workers used 200 pieces of equipment and moved more than 400,000 cubic metres of gravel, rock and other material to repair and reopen Highway 5 to commercial vehicle traffic in 35 days, on Dec. 20, 2021, and to all traffic on Jan. 19, 2022. 

Adapting to climate change

Scott added that the damage the weather did to the province underscores the challenges the region faces and the necessity of resilient infrastructure, 

“The impact of climate change on infrastructure in British Columbia in recent years has been profound,” said Scott. “It’s demonstrated that now is the time to invest in climate resilient transportation infrastructure throughout B.C., to meet our needs today and prepare for what the future holds. That’s why programs like The RoadShow will be critical, so that we fill key roles that maintain the infrastructure that is the backbone of this province.”

The road building community and others instrumental in the rebuild effort were highlighted by the province in its announcement. 

“Today, we are honouring the efforts of British Columbians who worked to rebuild after the atmospheric river event, two years ago,” said Rob Fleming, minister of transportation and infrastructure. “Thank you to the Nlaka’pamux communities, Silyx Nation, Peters First Nation and Yale First Nation along with their monitors, for their support through the washout and rebuild process; and to the many contractors, unions, ministry and road-maintenance staff who worked to rebuild this piece of highway that is so important to the movement of goods in our province.”

Rebuilding with resilience

The new bridges are built to withstand high water levels by using deep-pile footings and longer spans. Large rock protection has been added to protect the bridges from erosion and scour. Trees, shrubs and grasses have been planted to encourage stream-side re-vegetation and support overall restoration of aquatic and land habitat.  

KEA5, a joint venture between Kiewit Infrastructure British Columbia and Emil Anderson Construction, completed the bridges two months ahead of schedule.

Officials added that repairs to highways damaged in the floods are progressing well across southwestern B.C. In addition to the completion of the full rebuild of Highway 5, two of the three bridge replacements on Highway 1 are underway at Nicomen and Falls Creek. Design of the third bridge replacement at Tank hill is underway with construction expected to start next year.  The ministry is working with local First Nation communities to fully re-build Highway 8 between Merritt and Spences Bridge. On Vancouver Island, permanent repairs are complete at the Tunnel Hill section of the Malahat that was washed out by flooding. 

Key Takeaways:

• The facility would produce 135 million batteries annually.
• It is being jointly funded by Ottawa, B.C. and Taiwan-based E-One Moli.
• With the creation of 450 jobs, E-One Moli would become the largest private-sector employer in Maple Ridge.
• E-One Moli says the ‘gigafactory’ will be the world’s first ultra-high power battery plant powered 100% green energy.

The Whole Story:

Plans are underway to build a $1.05-billion lithium-ion battery cell production facility in Maple Ridge, B.C. 

The project is a partnership between E-One Moli and the governments of B.C. and Canada. The facility would produce 135 million batteries annually and would be the world’s first ultra-high power battery plant powered 100% by green energy.

“As our province builds a stronger, cleaner economy, we open the door to immense opportunities in the private sector that value B.C. as a centre for innovation, investment and cutting-edge technology,” said Premier David Eby. “The new E-One Moli advanced manufacturing plant will create hundreds of good, local jobs and continue to establish B.C. as a leader in building a clean-energy future.”

With the creation of 450 jobs, E-One Moli would become the largest private-sector employer in Maple Ridge.

The province is contributing as much as $80 million to E-One Moli’s new facility in Maple Ridge, which will anchor the company’s North American production. The production facility will be Western Canada’s first high-performance lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing facility, creating a new hub in the global battery component supply chain.

The province’s investment leverages $970 million from the federal government, E-One Moli and private sources. The plant will produce the latest generation of high-performance lithium-ion battery cells found in a wide range of products, including consumer electronics, such as vacuums, power tools, garden trimmers and medical devices.

“British Columbians have long been known for their innovation in the clean-technology space. Today, as we secure a major clean battery manufacturing project in Maple Ridge, we build on that expertise to secure hundreds of middle-class jobs, while fighting climate change,” said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who was in Maple Ridge for the annoucement. “The world is looking to Canada. When we support projects like E-One Moli’s new facility in Maple Ridge, we bolster Canada’s role as a global clean-tech leader, create good jobs and help keep our air clean.”

François-Philippe Champagne, federal minister of innovation, science and industry, said the new facility will help expand the electrification of consumer products and offer new energy alternatives in sectors such as construction and health care. 

“E-One Moli believes in total climate commitment as well as total care commitment and looks forward to producing a pure green battery to support the world’s energy transition,” said Nelson Chang, chairman, E-One Moli Energy (Canada) Limited and E-One Moli Quantum Energy.

As part of BC Hydro’s electrification plan, E-One Moli will be switching some of its plant from natural gas to electricity, as well as participating in the Load Attraction Program aimed at diversifying industries in B.C. wanting to connect to BC Hydro.

According to the province, the project will support the ecosystem development of a domestic critical-minerals supply chain providing a local alternative to the battery products that are predominantly manufactured in Asia.

Key Takeaways:

• The majority of Teck’s steelmaking coal business, Elk Valley Resources, will be sold to Glencore PLC for US$6.9 billion in cash.
• The rest will go to Nippon Steel Corporation and South Korean steelmaker POSCO.
• Glencore says it plans continue to operate in Canada through both a Vancouver head office and regional offices in Calgary and Sparwood, B.C.
• The company noted that they will maintain significant employment levels in Canada with no net reduction in the number of employees.  

The Whole Story:

Teck Resources has agreed to sell its entire interest in its steelmaking coal business, Elk Valley Resources (EVR), through a sale of a majority stake to Glencore PLC and two other overseas steelmakers for US$9 billion.

Founded more than 100 years ago in Ontario, Teck is one Canada’s largest mining companies. Glencore is a Swiss multinational commodity trading and mining company.

Teck says Glencore plans to establish Canadian head office for the steelmaking coal business in Vancouver, maintain jobs and increase investment in the business and local communities.

“This transaction will be a catalyst to re-focus Teck as a Canadian-based critical minerals champion with an extensive portfolio of copper growth projects, unlocking the full value potential of the company,” said Jonathan Price, president and CEO of Teck. “This sale will ensure Teck is well-capitalized and able to realize value from our base metals business and deliver strong returns to our shareholders while maintaining a robust balance sheet. Glencore has made strong commitments that will create new benefits for Canada and the Elk Valley and ensure responsible stewardship of the steelmaking coal operations for the long term.”

The deal includes a minority sale to two other companes. Glencore has agreed to acquire 77% of EVR for US$6.9 billion in cash. Nippon Steel Corporation (NSC) has agreed to acquire a 20% interest in EVR in exchange for its current 2.5% interest in Elkview Operations plus US$1.3 billion in cash payable to Teck at closing of the NSC transaction and US$0.4 billion paid out of cash flows from EVR. South Korean steelmaker POSCO will trade its interest in a pair of Teck’s coal operations for a three per cent stake in the overall steelmaking coal operations.

“This sale sets the stage for Teck for continued growth as a major Canadian-based producer of copper and other future-oriented metals, while preserving the jobs and operations of the coal mines in the Elk Valley,” said Dr. Norman B. Keevil, chairman emeritus, Teck. “This company was built on a foundation of sound geoscience and engineering excellence, with a record of successful mine-building second to none. That is the same foundation we see for Teck’s future. It’s time to get on with it.”

The sale comes at a time of increased government scrutiny of major foreign transactions with the Investment Canada Act. 

“All regulatory processes will be followed regarding review of the proposal,” said Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said during a conference. “The government concern remains to protect Canadian jobs, environmental issues, rights of indigenous people; Teck is important for Canada and they are a champion for Canada.”

Key Takeaways:

• The Corner Brook Health Partnership team has completed work on new $750M Western Memorial Regional Hospital in Newfoundland and Labrador.
• The project was completed on time and on budget by Plenary Americas, PCL Investments Inc., PCL Constructors Canada Inc., Marco Services Ltd., B+H Architects, Parkin Architects, The Cahill Group, Plan Group Inc., and Johnson Controls Canada.
• Newfoundland and Labrador now has used public-private partnerships for four major infrastructure projects, including Western Memorial.

The Whole Story:

PCL announced that construction has been completed on time and on budget for the new Western Memorial Regional Hospital in Newfoundland and Labrador.

The builder called it the latest public-private partnership (P3) success for the region’s healthcare projects.

“Reaching this important construction milestone at the new Western Memorial Regional Hospital is a testament to the collaborative efforts and commitment from everyone involved,” said Marc Pascoli, senior vice president and district manager at PCL. “From recording more than two million worker hours without a lost-time injury, to building one of the largest geothermal heating and cooling systems in a Canadian healthcare project to date, the Corner Brook Health Partnership team put our shared passion to work to bring the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and NL Health Services’ vision to life.

Pascoli called the hospital an important civic landmark and the next step in advanced healthcare for the province.

This month, the new hospital in Corner Brook was officially handed over by the Corner Brook Health Partnership (CBHP) to Dr. Andrew Furey, premier of Newfoundland and Labrador. NL Health Services is now in operational control of the facility and will begin the process of moving equipment and staff to the new facility, with the goal of opening the new hospital to the public in spring 2024.

The seven-storey, 600,000 square foot facility has 164 beds, with the same services currently provided at the existing Western Memorial Regional Hospital. The new facility will also host an expanded cancer care program, including radiation services. The new hospital is connected to the 145 bed long-term care home opened in 2020, which was also constructed as a P3 project, combining to form a health care campus in the region.

The new hospital will maintain the same name as its predecessor, Western Memorial Regional Hospital. Earlier this fall, NL Health Services conducted a survey and consulted with community partners to consider options for the name of the new facility and found strong support for the existing name.

The handover marks the conclusion of major construction of the building and the start of the 30-year term of facility management by Corner Brook Health Partnership (CBHP). The partnership consists of the following major participants: Plenary Americas, PCL Investments Inc., PCL Constructors Canada Inc., Marco Services Ltd., B+H Architects, Parkin Architects, The Cahill Group, Plan Group Inc., and Johnson Controls Canada. In 2019, CBHP was selected to design, build, finance and maintain the new acute care hospital in Corner Brook with a contract value of $750 million.

PCL noted that in addition to provide modern healthcare amenities, the new facility was designed to be environmentally-friendly infrastructure. The geothermal system in the facility will translate into electricity savings of approximately 4,600,000 kWh annually, which is enough to heat 500 homes for a year. 

Key Takeaways: 

• $1.8 billion in federal and provincial funds combined will go towards creating new housing in Quebec. 
• The contribution corresponds to nearly 23% of $4 billion Housing Accelerator Fund initiative that was launched this summer. 
• The funds are expected to directly create 8,000 social and affordable housing units.
• Quebec has also committed to legislative amendments aimed at speeding up the development process. 

The Whole Story: 

Quebec and the federal government are joining forces to combat the housing crisis.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced an agreement through the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), to finance residential projects in the province. Quebec will receive $900 million from Ottawa to get shovels in the ground to create new units.

The contribution corresponds to nearly 23% of the total HAF funding, the aim of which is to add at least 100,000 residential units over and above historical averages across Canada, over four years. 

In its November 7 economic and financial update, the Quebec government announced that it will also invest $900 million, bringing the combined total of the two governments’ contribution to $1.8 billion in new funding for housing construction. This investment is expected to directly create 8,000 social and affordable housing units, 500 of which will be earmarked for clients who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Officials say the agreement will result in the creation of tens of thousands of additional housing units over the next few years in Quebec and will encourage regulatory reforms.

“Quebec is resolutely committed to pursuing its efforts to accelerate the construction of residential units in the province, based on the Act respecting land use planning and development and other provisions,” stated a release from the Government of Canada. 

Officials explained that the Quebec government plans to set up an interdepartmental project acceleration unit in co-operation with Quebec municipalities, and will adopt new government policies for land use planning, with housing construction indicators on which municipalities will have to base their targets. 

The province intends to propose legislative amendments – these are currently in the drafting phase and will be subject to adoption by the National Assembly – to improve urban densification and facilitate the authorization of residential building construction.

“We’ve heard Canadians and we’re working hard to build more housing, faster,” said Trudeau. “The agreement announced today is historic and supports Quebec’s efforts to ensure that all Quebecers have a safe and affordable place to live. Together with our provincial and municipal partners, we will continue to cut red tape and build the safe, affordable communities that Canadians need and deserve, from coast to coast to coast.”

Key Takeaways:

• New proposed legislation would require municipalities to designate Transit Oriented Development Areas (TOD Areas) near transit hubs.
• It is expected that approximately 100 TOD Areas will be designated in approximately 30 municipalities throughout B.C. within the first year of the new legislation coming into effect.
• Preliminary analysis indicates B.C. could see approximately 100,000 new units in TOD Areas during the next 10 years.

The Whole Story:

B.C. wants to give transit-oriented development a major boost with new legislation. 

“Building more homes near transit is good for people, communities, and helps make the most of transit, infrastructure and services,” said Ravi Kahlon, minister of housing. “But layers of regulations and outdated rules are stopping this kind of development from becoming a reality in too many municipalities. That’s why we are taking action to remove barriers and deliver more transit-oriented communities, faster.”

The proposed legislation would require municipalities to designate Transit Oriented Development Areas (TOD Areas) near transit hubs. These TOD Areas are defined as land within 800 metres of a rapid transit station (e.g., SkyTrain station) and within 400 metres of a bus exchange where passengers transfer from one route to another (e.g., Newton Bus Exchange in Surrey).

The legislation would build on other work underway to facilitate more transit-oriented development. Earlier this year as part of Budget 2023, the province committed approximately $400 million to deliver thousands of units at or near transit over the next 10 to 15 years by accessing land that is suitable to be acquired near transit hubs and developing it. 

“We’re working to leverage public lands to build more affordable housing in connected, livable communities,” said Rob Fleming, minister of transportation and infrastructure. “This legislation is the next step forward to help remove roadblocks and fast-track more transit-oriented development that works for people in their communities.”

Government officials explained that in some cases in B.C., higher-density neighbourhoods have been established around transit hubs, but in other cases, restrictive zoning bylaws and parking requirements, along with delayed development approvals, continue to slow down the delivery of homes and services near transit hubs. 

In these designated TOD Areas, municipalities will be required to:

• Permit housing developments that meet provincial standards for allowable height and density. The minimum allowable height and density is based on tiers – at its highest in the centre of the TOD Area – and will differ based on the type of transit hub (SkyTrain stop/bus exchange) and a municipality’s size, population and location.
• Remove restrictive parking minimums and allow for parking to be determined by need and demand on a project-by-project basis.
• Utilize standards and details in the provincial policy manual to provide consistency in the approach to developing TOD Areas.

Municipalities will still be able to require builders and developers to add parking to accommodate people living with disabilities. Commercial parking requirements will not be affected within TOD Areas. Builders and developers will be able to build as much parking as desired for a project but will not be required to meet a minimum standard of parking units.

Officials noted that modeling future scenarios cannot account for unforeseen circumstances, the changing nature of housing, real-estate markets and other factors, but preliminary analysis indicates B.C. could see approximately 100,000 new units in TOD Areas during the next 10 years.

To support the legislation, the province plans to create a provincial policy manual to support municipalities with setting their site standards and moving forward with proposed housing projects.

Following the release of regulations and the policy manual in December 2023, the lands that local governments have designated for transit-oriented growth in their official community plans will be immediately captured under the new minimum allowable density requirements included in the legislation.

For the remaining TOD Areas that require local government designation, municipalities will have until June 30, 2024, to designate these areas (pending regulation). It is expected that approximately 100 TOD Areas will be designated in approximately 30 municipalities throughout B.C. within the first year of the new legislation coming into effect.

Where a local government’s current zoning allows for less density than the new provincial minimum, the new increased minimum density must be allowed by the local government. However, local governments can approve higher density at their discretion.

The proposed legislation will advance alongside the proposed small-scale, multi-unit housing legislation (SSMU). Officials noted that while SSMU will add increased density near transit stops, TOD Areas that have higher density will take precedence over SSMU zoning should they overlap.

Construction is dominating Canada’s business scene.

The latest Top Growing Companies list from the Globe and Mail reveals a trend: for the second year in a row, the top spot went to a construction-related company. This sector’s prominence extends throughout the list, with numerous other builders standing out among the 425 top firms.

Our examination centers on the fastest-growing builders, distinct from the engineering, tech, and manufacturing sectors that are also making major strides in Canada’s economy.

Subterra Renewables

Subterra Renewables is an underground underdog that snagged the number one spot as Canada’s fastest growing company. The full-service geothermal drilling provider has over 500 projects completed in multi-res, single family and commercial sectors across Canada and the U.S. Lucie Andlauer, the CEO behind Subterra, has embraced an energy as a service business model that allows developers to install the complete geothermal exchange system at no upfront capital cost. Subterra believes this is the best way to unlock the value of geothermal exchange while mitigating risk. 

HKC Construction 

After more than 10 years in the Greater Toronto Area, HKC is taking off. The contractor tackles commercial, industrial, retail, institutional and other project services. The HKC team attributed their success to three things: putting innovation at the forefront, their culture of excellence and having a customer-centric approach. 

The recognition as the 28th top growing company is a moment of immense pride for the entire HKC Construction team. It validates our efforts, fuels our passion, and motivates us to reach for the stars. We are grateful to our clients, partners, and employees for being a part of this incredible journey.

HKC

Astro Excavating

Sometimes it pays to be a specialist rather than a generalist. Ontario-based Astro chose to go all-in on digging. A quick glance at their project list shows condo after condo, highlighting their role in creating more housing for the Greater Toronto Area. 

Orion Construction 

Orion is no stranger to growth. Last year they took the top spot on the list and are still on an upward trajectory. Helmed by Josh Gaglardi, Orion says that a major part of its success has been mastering the design-build model and assembling a high-quality team.

UTILE

The Quebec-based builder boasts that it is the only social economy organization that specializes in student housing in the province. And UTILE’s approach is paying off, ranking them in the top 100. 

“This recognition is particularly dear to us because it illustrates that with the social economy, it is entirely possible to combine the agility and dynamism generally attributed to the private sector with the achievement of social objectives.”

UTILE

Avana

Based in Saskatchewan, Avana is unapologetically female-led and family-focused. President & CEO of Avana, Jenn Denouden, has been outspoken about her company’s mission to provide affordable housing to women and children, particularly those who are fleeing violence. Since its founding in 2014, Avana has proven that you can prioritize social responsibility and turn a profit. The company says it has more than $400 million in assets under management. It also started the Avana Foundation, which supports a plethora of charities. 

Ace of Decks

Started by 14-year-olds riding bikes with bags of tools, Ace has grown into a premier deck builder in the Montreal area. The team says they can handle anything, from roof top terrasses to small balconies. Their portfolios even showcases bespoke work wrapping decks around trees.

Catanzaro Mechanical

The company was founded in 2017 by Guy Catanzaro to serve the industrial, commercial, and institutional construction sector. It has gone on to become one of the most sought-after mechanical contractors in the Greater Toronto Area.

The Catanzaro name had been well-established within the MEP trades for over 50 years. There isn’t a prominent building in Toronto, that we, as a family, have not serviced”

Guy Catanzaro, President and CEO, Catanzaro Mechanical

Luxton Construction

Luxton Construction is a full-service General Contractor based in Vancouver that offers a diverse range of services including general contracting, design-build, and project management services under a variety of contracting methods. The company says it has rooted its growth in seven core values: safety, environment, quality, honesty/integrity, community, people and clients.

Marlin Spring

Marlin Spring is a fully integrated real estate company that strategically acquires, develops, constructs and repositions assets throughout North America. One of its current Canadian projects is a multi-tower development proposed for Etobicoke that would add more than 1,000 units of housing to the city.

miEnergy

miEnergy is on a mission to turn Canada’s prairies green. The geothermal and solar company specializes in turnkey energy projects for residential and agricultural clients in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. They also are a Certified B Corp, an impressive accomplishment for any company. They are currently the largest renewable energy company in Saskatchewan with over 1,500 systems installed.

Vinland Homes

Custom builds to stock plans, infills, and teardowns — Vinland does it all for those looking for a home in Saskatchewan. Vinland says its professionals work with leading, upscale materials to deliver a finished product that outshines the competition and exceeds industry standards.

Black-hart Construction

Led by Jordan Hart, director of operations, and John Black, director of construction, Black-hart says its steady growth is due to reinvesting in its development by attracting new team members. Based in Oakville, Ont. the company says it also focuses on being at the forefront of technology and project management. The team says it offers meticulous process of design, budget and schedule, and subcontracting.

RITESTART

Established in Ontario in 2015, RITESTART is a general contractor, design-builder and construction manager that specializes in institutional, industrial, and commercial construction projects. The company says one its major values and priorities is strong relationships. So far, they have completed more than $65 million worth of work and it’s their fourth time on the Top Growing Companies list.

Vesta Properties

Vesta is no stranger to accolades. It has been awarded the UDI Awards for Excellence- Best of the Fraser Valley, and Canadian Homebuilder Association of BC – Multi-Family and Single-Family Home Builder of the Year. Many have benefitted from their work. The company has been building since 1989 and has created more than 6,000 homes in Alberta and B.C.

Ehrenburg Homes

While their methods are modern, Ehrenburg has a medieval connection. Ehrenburg Homes was named in homage to Ehrenburg Castle in Germany. The castle, which was built around 1100, still stands today as a testament to the longevity of true craftsmanship. When Joe Ehr founded Ehrenburg Homes in 1983, he wanted to create a company dedicated to providing quality in every aspect of home construction.

In-Depth Contracting

In-Depth Contracting is an Ottawa based heavy civil construction company with more than 20 years of experience in large-scale excavations, watermain and sewer installations, culvert replacements, shoring system installations, demolition, bridge rehabilitation, and paving. Its core values include accountability, engagement, innovation, adaptability, communication and integrity.

Jablonski Electric, Plumbing & Heating

Jablonski has been keeping the lights on and the water flowing for Manitobans since 2012. They specialize in electrical, plumbing, heating and cooling for residential, commercial and industrial clients.

VersaPile

When it comes to helical piles, deep foundation solution suitable for supporting light and heavy structures, VersaPile is crushing it in central Canada. Their team specializes in deep foundations for hydro transmission lines, substations, wireless and telecommunication towers, oil and gas facilities, and pipelines, industrial structures, municipal and government projects, and more. VersaPile is also a Certified Aboriginal Business.

Our whole team is proud to receive recognition for the dedication we bring to work every day. I firmly believe it’s our commitment to shockingly-good service and willingness to disrupt the status quo to achieve better results that has led to our rapid growth. We are honoured to be one of Canada’s Top Growing Companies and look forward to serving more customers as we expand to Southern Ontario.

Stan Higgins, VersaPile Founder

VPAC Construction Group

VPAC has spent the past 20 years honing their design and build skills to deliver a full spectrum of pre-construction and construction management, and general contracting services for commercial, multi-family, and seniors’ housing projects. They also are experts in integrated project delivery. Their team is currently nearing completion on a major redevelopment of the Chain and Forge building on Granville Island in Vancouver.

This accomplishment comes as a testament to VPAC’s 22 years of delivering successful construction projects around British Columbia. We’re proud of our continued growth and would like to thank our incredible team, clients, and partners who have supported us throughout this journey. Together, we’re building a better future, one project at a time.

VPAC

Coffrages Synergy Formwork

Coffrages is not messing around when it comes to formwork. Their team has completed 6,800 projects in eastern Canada. They boast a fleet of 16 natural gas-powered trucks that can make daily deliveries from its prefabrication plants. They manufacture roughly 40,000 square feet of formwork material each week. This gives them the capacity to deliver large-scale projects.

Key Takeaways:

• The developments will be delivered by Canada Lands Company.
• More than half the new homes will be in Ottawa.
• Canada Lands Company is also announcing a new minimum affordable housing target of 20% across projects in its pipeline.

The Whole Story:

Federal properties will soon find a new purpose as homes. 

Ottawa announced that six surplus federal properties will be developed into more than 2,800 new homes in Calgary, Edmonton, and St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador and Ottawa.

By March 2024, Canada Lands Company will help deliver the following surplus federal properties to build more homes for Canadians: 

• Calgary: 516 homes at Currie
• Edmonton: 711 homes, at the Village at Griesbach, including 93 affordable homes
• St. John’s: 34 homes at Pleasantville
• Ottawa: 307 homes at Wateridge Village, 600 homes at Carling Avenue, and 710 homes on Booth Street, including 221 affordable homes

With today’s announcement, Canada Lands Company is now on track to support the construction of more than 29,200 new homes over the next six years.

Canada Lands Company is also announcing a new minimum affordable housing target of 20% across projects in its pipeline. The new affordability requirement would apply where a municipal minimum requirement for affordable housing is lower or does not already exist.

As work continues to identify further assets that can be repurposed for housing, the federal government intends to introduce further measures to speed up this process and to identify more opportunities to build more housing.

“Our government is redoubling our efforts in the face of Canada’s housing crisis on several fronts,” said Jean-Yves Duclos, minister of public services and procurement. “We are accelerating and streamlining the process of converting surplus federal properties into housing, and we are continuing to work with Canada Lands Company to enable the construction of additional housing units. Today’s announcement demonstrates our commitment to helping all Canadians have a safe and affordable place to call home.”

Key Takeaways:

• Calgary is seeing significant year-over-year increases in housing projects values.
• Multi-residential building went up 30% and and secondary suite work increased 80%
• From July to September of 2023, Calgary builders and developers submitted 1,565 single/semi-detached residential, 281 multi-family residential and 543 commercial building permit applications.
• The largest increase in applications for multi-residential building permit applications was seen in the townhouse and rowhouse categories

The Whole Story:

Calgary is seeing massive investment in a variety of residential construction types.

City officials reported that Q3 saw a continued increase year-over-year compared to 2022. Much of this value was driven by an increase in multi-residential buildings and secondary suites with an increase of 30% and 80%, respectively.

“Providing Calgarians with housing options is very important. On Sept. 16, Council approved Home is Here: The City of Calgary’s Housing Strategy, to address the housing crisis. The upward trend in values for multi-residential building and secondary suite construction demonstrates the demand for different housing options,” said Ulrik Seward, manager of business and building safety approvals with development, building and business services. “We will continue to work with the development industry to enable them to provide more affordable homes for everyone.”

From July to September of 2023, Calgary builders and developers submitted 1,565 single/semi-detached residential, 281 multi-family residential and 543 commercial building permit applications. Proposals to redesignate land increased by 80% over the same period last year, with 119 applications submitted. Also, 128 applications to subdivide land were submitted, an increase of 45% during that time.

In new communities, applications for secondary suites are up by 114% over the same period last year, with 762 building permits applied for. In established communities 351 secondary suite building permit applications were received, an increase of 33% compared to Q3 2022.

“The growth in applications for secondary suites across Calgary are for both new builds and existing homes. This has helped us reach over 11,000 safe, registered secondary suites,” said Seward. “This will help us continue to increase the number of available safe and affordable housing options for renters and owners.”

The largest increase in applications for multi-residential building permit applications was seen in the townhouse and rowhouse categories. There has been a year-over-year increase of 35 % for townhouse applications and a 58% increase in rowhouse applications.

The city of Calgary received an overall 5,219 residential building permit applications (which includes, single/semi-detached, multi-family residential, residential improvements and renovation projects) from July to September of 2023, and 1,027 non-residential building permit applications. Year over year, building permit applications were 25 % higher than last year. During that same period construction values increased by 4% from $1.41 billion to $1.46 billion.

“The increase in building permit applications is a testament to our commitment to partnering with the development industry to build a great City,” said Seward. “Over the past several years we have been continuously improving our processes and offering new ways to make it easier for development to take place in Calgary.”

During the third quarter of 2023, the top 10 construction projects listed below were completed. These projects demonstrate a $797.6M investment.

• YYC4 Project Maverick, a 2.6 million square foot Amazon warehouse in East Shepard Industrial, valued at $400M.
• Arris Towers, a 42 storey, multi-residential building providing 500 units in East Village, valued at $131.1M.
• North Calgary High School in Coventry Hills, valued at $52.6M.
• Vivo For Healthier Generations Expansion in Country Hills Village, valued at $42.2M.
• Shawnessy Station, a six storey multi-residential building located in Shawnessy, valued at $38.9M.
• Alt Hotel at University District is a 15-storey hotel with 155 units in University District, valued at $33.2M.
• Saddletowne Circle Multi-Family is a four-storey building with 175 units located in Saddle Ridge, valued at $30.6M.
• Northland Residential Village – South Building and Parkade, which is six-storeys with 113 units, is in Brentwood and valued at $27.1M.
• West District – Block 3 is a five-storey residential building with 78 units in West Springs, valued at $17.9M.
• Nolan Hill Apartments Phase Two Building Four, which is four-storeys with 86 units in Nolan Hill and valued at $16M.

QuadReal Property Group, a global real estate investment, operating and development company headquartered B.C. announced it has acquired the U.S. student housing business of CA Ventures. Under QuadReal’s ownership CA Student Living (CASL) will operate as a new brand, Article Student Living.  

QuadReal first became a real estate partner of CASL in 2017 and has held an indirect passive stake in the business since September 2020.  

“We are thrilled to launch Article Student Living, which represents a key part of QuadReal’s long-term investment strategy in the U.S. Article’s 500 employees are passionate about elevating student living and delivering operational excellence, and we will continue to build on their existing momentum and commitment to bring a best-in-class experience to our residents and partners,” said Dennis Lopez, CEO, QuadReal Property Group. 

QuadReal explained that the full acquisition will enable it to combine capabilities, resources, and best practices and create the leading real estate investment manager dedicated to U.S. student housing.

“We have witnessed firsthand QuadReal’s unwavering commitment to the success of our team since we first partnered,” said Thierry Keable, president, Article Student Living. “Today marks an important milestone in our journey together. Our new brand represents our commitment to deliver quality and strong performance. At Article Student Living, we strive to offer students more than a place to stay. We build and provide vibrant hubs of learning and connection.” 

*Editor’s Note: Contact us at hello@readsitenews.com with your fundraising details so we can add you or your company to the list.

Men’s health issues are construction issues.

More than 86% of the construction workforce is male, making the industry acutely impacted. For many, November is a month to highlight the many struggles men face and raise money to combat them. Many of these efforts are organized by Movember, a leading charity for men’s health. Since 2003, Movember has funded more than 1,250 men’s health projects around the world.

Here’s what men are up against:

• 1 in 9 Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime
• Testicular cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in young Canadian men
• In 2019, over 3,050 men died by suicide, nearly 59 men per week
• In Canada, 3 out of 4 deaths by suicide are men
• Suicide is the second leading cause of death among Canadian males aged 15–44 years

Canadian builders aren’t sitting idly by. Check out some of the companies and individuals doing their part to raise funds for Movember:

The Canadian Construction Challenge

Before we dive into a few of the companies that are raising funds, it should be noted that dozens and dozens of construction teams are fundraising together in friendly competition, the Canadian Construction Challenge. The challenge consolidates the industry’s fundraising efforts in one place. As of Nov. 7, Canadian construction companies listed had raised a combined $71,317.

Gillam Group

Progressive construction management company Gillam Group has emerged as an early juggernaut for this year’s Movember fundraising efforts. These efforts have been led by Craig Lesurf, Gillam Group president and cancer survivor, who personally has raised more than $11,000.

In most cases, the outcome for men with testicular cancer is positive, but 1 in 20 won’t make it. I’m one of the 19 lucky ones & now 10 + years cancer free. Know the facts and take action early.

Craig Lesurf, Gillam Group President

Ledcor Group of Companies

Ledcor stated that its safety slogan “Think Safety, Work Safely” describes not only what they do, but its values and culture. Their Movember team explained that the company’s most important asset is its people, so they strive to ensure that each and every worker makes it home safely. This includes addressing men’s health issues. This year, Ledcor will match all employee donations up to $50,000.

Ritchie, was a Husband, Father, Brother and Friend. He taught us what it was to be a family and a friend. He was proud to have joined our family, instilling qualities in all of us that we will all cherish. He enjoyed the simple things in life, such as opening presents, puzzles, and yard projects. Island Boy at heart, and craftsman, Ritchie struggled internally with an illness that none of us could see, and we lost him Feb 2017. This charity will be ongoing until there is a cure.

Bryce Borgel, Project Coordinator, Ledcor

Team Cinnamon & Oak

Taylor Smith, pre-con & estimating manager at Tahltan Nation Development Corporation, is continuing his long tradition of organizing friends for Movember fundraising with Team Cinnamon & Oak. Many members have been directly impacted my suicide, cancer and other men’s health issues during the 15 years they have been fundraising.

Each year, Movember becomes more and more personal, and the mission to stop men dying too young gains additional meaning. Just over 2 years ago, my dad was diagnosed and passed away from cancer in a less than 4 month span. I have an uncle who is living with cancer. I have friends, family, and coworkers who have been impacted by prostate and testicular cancer. I’ve worked with and been friends with people who have lost their lives to suicide. Too many lives lost far too soon.

Taylor Smith, Pre-Con & Estimating Manager, Tahltan Nation Development Corporation

Hall Constructors

Hall Constructors, part of the Hall Group of Companies, has come out the gate swinging. Their team has already raised more than $5,000 for men’s health issues. Hall is also helping build the Cowichan Hospital in Duncan, B.C. which is another win for men’s health.

Axiom Builders

Axiom Builders, or should we say Moustaxiom Builders, have come up with a slight rebrand for the month of November. Check out their team and donate here.

My motivation for raising funds for Prostate Cancer is my Father. He lost his battle with prostate cancer in 2019 when the cancer spread from his prostate to the rest of his body. He was pivotal in my life, and I miss him every day. Globally, more than 1.4 million men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year. Movember is working to reduce the number of deaths from prostate cancer, and I want to help them get there. Help me stop men dying too young.

Ford Chamberlain, Project Manager, Axiom Builders

Graham Construction

Graham’s bearded employees in Winnipeg gathered in the cold earlier this month to reset their beards for Movember. They plan to grow fresh facial hair for the cause and move 60 km for the 60 men who are lost to suicide each year globally. The various Graham teams will be documenting their weekly beard moustache progress to see who can grow theirs the quickest. Which office will take the win?

Pitt Meadows Plumbing & Mechanical

The Pitt Meadows team is in its fourth year raising money for Movember. The company is challenging all its employees team to raise funds during the month of November that will be donated to a charity focused on men’s health. The company noted that men’s health issues are particularly important as approximately 85% of its workforce is male. All donations up to $10,000 will be matched by the company. From 2020 to 2022, the team was able to raise over $72,000.

My Motivation this Movember is my Nephews Kayden and Kohyn. I want them to grow up in a world where men don’t feel uncomfortable talking about their feelings or their health. Where it’s braver to be honest about how you are doing as opposed to hiding it to seem stronger. I love these boys so much and want them to always have the resources for help readily available.

Marisa Anglin, Welder, Pitt Meadows Plumbing & Mechancial

Multiplex

Things are getting fuzzy for Multiplex’s Canadian operations. Terry Olynyk, president and managing director of Canada for the company, announced that the group’s Movember campaign is in full swing. Established in Australia in 1962, Multiplex has delivered more than 1,100 projects with a combined value in excess of US$100 billion.

Fort Modular

Fort Modular is continuing its support of Movember with its own unique fundraiser. In addition to traditional fundraising, the portable building manufacturer has special Movember branded units for rent that support the cause.

JEN-COL Construction

JEN-COL is holding it down in Alberta for Movember. The commercial construction company specializes in building schools and critical public facilities. Support their team here.

To me Movember is a time to remember the men we’ve lost along the way. The men that have struggled with cancer and the terrible affect it has on us physically and mentally. We sometimes forget that it’s ‘OK not to be OK’.

George Legault, IT Manager, JEN-COL Construction

PCL

It’s no surprise that PCL, one of the country’s largest general contractors, is getting in on Movember fundraising efforts. The company, with teams across the nation, has already raised nearly $10,000 but they are looking to raise $50,000 by the end of the month.

My father beat prostate cancer last year. Luckily, we caught it early enough to take action. Unfortunately, in generations before our family wasn’t so lucky. Prostate cancer runs in our family, and I feel the need to encourage my fellow brothers out there to get checked early. We need to break the stigma behind Men’s Health and take action.

Steven Webber, HSE Coordinator at PCL Industrial Management

Vanessa Werden is a partner at construction law firm Jenkins Marzban Logan LLP. Named one of the Top 40 Under 40 in Canadian Construction in 2020, she is licensed to practice in B.C., Alberta, the Northwest Territories, and Ontario. Earlier this year she was ranked by Lexpert as one of two “Leadings Lawyers to Watch” in Construction Law in BC, and one of five “Lawyers to Watch” in Infrastructure Law in Canada.

Whether a small residential development or a complex infrastructure upgrade, many factors contribute to the overall success of a construction project: relationships, weather, site conditions, labour productivity, availability of materials, and cost escalation – to name a few. One of the most challenging phases of embarking on a new project is negotiating risk allocation in the contract. Consider the following strategies to put your project team in a better position to anticipate and manage risk allocation at the outset and throughout project delivery.

Proactively negotiate the contract

Disputes arise, and are often protracted, as a result of inconsistencies and gaps between the intentions of one or more project participants. While it may be tempting to accept a contract as presented, there is often an opportunity to negotiate and make changes. A project team can be well positioned for the successful management and execution of a project when the contract documents have been carefully reviewed and negotiated prior to entering into the contract. A large part of dispute prevention is setting expectations at the outset of the relationship.

Review each contract and its supplementary conditions with a view to your risk tolerance. Consider the willingness of the other party to consider amendments and approach contract negotiations with a list of priorities, much like you would a Christmas wish-list. Even if only a few of the most burdensome provisions are struck or modified, you will be in a better position to protect your bottom line.

Drafting and re-use of old forms of supplementary conditions are often problematic. Terms that modify standard form contracts are often rife with inconsistent language, provisions that conflict with the delivery model set up by the standard form, and wholesale reallocations of risk. Review proposed supplementary conditions with an eye for provisions that:

• Limit or preemptively waive claims, and in particular claims for delays, changes, site conditions, and toxic or hazardous substances;
• Unreasonably shorten notice periods;
• Impose obligations that are inconsistent with standard form contract terms; or
• Reallocate risk for design errors to a party that had no role in the preparation of the design.

Training and legal education

Many industry associations offer courses, and conferences often have a legal education component. Take advantage of these continuing education opportunities. Having an understanding of fundamentals such as key terms, how to read supplementary conditions, the importance of contractual notice requirements, change order processes, and dispute resolution procedures can make your team more confident, prepared, and effective when issues inevitably arise under the pressures of schedule and budget constraints.

Read the contract – and keep it handy

Do not let the contract collect dust. On projects of lengthy duration, the project management team should review the contract at regular intervals. The contract should serve as the primary resource to determine rights, obligations, and process concerning payment, changes, extras, schedule, and claims.

While the contract often holds the answers in terms of legal liability and primary obligations, consider creating internal policies or protocols for specific situations so that the project team understands the precise steps to follow to preserve contractual entitlements and comply with obligations. These may include:

• Creation of notice letter templates;
• Assigning responsibilities to specific team members for considering potential claims;
• Diarizing time limits and notice periods that reflect the contract terms;
• Creating and updating your project accounting system to include event or condition-related cost codes; and
• Keeping a real-time journal of events.

Implement document management policies – and follow them

Construction disputes are inherently document-intensive. The rights and interests protected by the contract terms are often only as effective as the contemporaneous documents available to support them. Project records are necessary to establish time and cost-related claims. Baseline and updated schedules, weekly look-ahead and other planning documents are critical to delay claims. Timesheets, labour and equipment invoices, and other cost records are critical to cost overruns, extras and change order disputes. At the outset of each project – and as the project evolves – ask the following questions:

• What documents do we need to generate on this project?
• Who is responsible for generating, tracking, organizing, and preserving the documents?
• What systems or software will the responsible personnel use for document management?

Comprehensive and consistent document management practices can sometimes expedite dispute resolution processes, and most importantly, place a party in the best positon possible to advance or defend a claim. If it becomes necessary to engage a lawyer, these practices will also help limit legal fees to locate and reorganize tens of thousands to millions of project records. It is far more cost effective to create and maintain a system to organize contemporaneous documentation.

Be ready to adapt as the project and potential claims evolve. Do you need to establish a different coding system to track an ongoing impact? Do you need daily photographs to document the discovery of a geotechnical site condition? Do the superintendents need to create a separate daily report specific to a disputed change? Should you update a particular item at weekly site meetings?

Be mindful of the notice and dispute resolution provisions in the contract

Construction contracts often require strict compliance with dispute resolution steps on short timelines, including notice in writing within a fixed period of time, in a specific form, delivered to a specific person or place. Construction contracts often contain strict mandatory steps – in other words, non-compliance may be a bar to recovery. While you may be able to put together an argument that the other party had substantive notice, the best approach is strict adherence to contractual notice provisions so that you can avoid adding the unnecessary layer of non-compliance to a dispute. Consider diarizing deadlines and creating checklists to make the procedures more intuitive for the project team.

When in doubt, send a letter

A well-drafted and thoughtfully considered contract can go a long way to early resolution of disputes, or prevent disputes altogether. Regardless of the project records generated and the relationship between the parties, never assume that the parties have agreed to waive a contractual requirement for formal notice. Protect your interests and preserve claims by committing the details to contemporaneous correspondence that complies with the contractual requirements.

• Senior Estimator – Montreal, Que. – PCL
• Continuous Improvement Manager – Vancouver B.C. – Aecon Group
• EPCM Project Director, Minerals & Metals – Vancouver, B.C. – Wood
• Regional Director, Operations – Montreal Que. – BGIS
• Director, Rail Fleet Projects – Toronto, Ont. – Metrolinx
• Consulting Director, Impact Assessment (Director Level) – Calgary, Alta. – ERM Group
• Project Director – Vancouver, B.C. – Pomerleau
• Managing Principal – Vancouver, B.C. – HDR
• Vice President, Water Market Lead – Calgary, Alta. – Mott MacDonald
• Construction Manager, Water – Vancouver, B.C. – WSP

The construction industry needs to work together if it wants to address its many challenges. 

This was one of the main messages to come from the first-ever Construction Innovation Summit in Vancouver. The event, organized by the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association, brought together hundreds of the nation’s leaders for a two-day conference focused on pushing the industry forward. The event featured panels, keynotes and talks from some of construction’s brightest minds.

Getting better together

“Collaboration across everything — from architects, engineers, sub-trades, owners, and general contracts — was a very strong theme,” said ICBA President Chris Gardner. “To tackle the challenges that emerge in any project, the foundation is cross-discipline collaboration.”

The group organized the two-day conference in response to the increasing pressures builders face. 

“The theme of innovation in construction is a timely one because when you look at Canada as a whole, we have a big productivity and innovation challenge,” said Gardner. “It has been decades in the making.”

However Gardner noted that construction’s reputation for lagging when it comes to innovation isn’t completely justified. 

“I do think there’s a lot more technology and innovation in the industry than it gets credit for,” he said. “There’s roughly $5 billion invested each year across North America in software directly related to construction.”

But he believes more can be done and, with the multiple challenges the industry is facing, innovation is becoming a necessity. Gardner explained that in 2020 when the global pandemic hit it forced construction to rethink how it operates. This crisis was then followed by global supply chain disruptions. Then material costs rose, inflation became a national issue and interest rates are at record highs. This is on top of an ongoing labour shortage impacting construction and other industries. 

“We’ve sort of gone from one crisis to another and as a result, all these factors are driving contractors and construction leaders to do things better, build more with less and be more efficient,” said Gardner. 

It’s a challenge that trickles down to all Canadians. Gardner noted that the rising costs and risks associated with construction and development are contributing to the housing affordability crisis. 

“Part of dealing with affordability and bringing costs down is building more supply and using innovation to take some of the cost out of the building process,” said Gardner. 

He noted that government also has its own role to play by cutting red tape and approving projects faster. 

Following the pandemic, many have wondered if the industry will be getting back to normal. With the ongoing challenges, Gardner believes that this is the new normal. 

“We actually never got back to normal. COVID was the first big shock,” he said. “There have been lots of other shocks. One right now is the uncertainty of geopolitics. Turn on the news feed and it’s right there. I think everyone accepts that getting back to normal is something that doesn’t seem to be a path right now.” 

But he hopes that events like the Construction Innovation Summit can help galvanized industry leaders.

“There is a whole group of uncertainties but at the same time we need to build more housing and infrastructure,” he said. “The need for that isn’t going away. So it was great to bring everyone together and ask them how we can tackle these challenges.”     

Making construction’s voice heard

Dave Baspaly, president and CEO of the Council of Construction Associations (COCA) in B.C., focused on analyzing government action’s in the province and how the industry can make their voices heard. 

“There certainly has been a labour-leaning force right now that has moved a lot of things into play that have not been good for the industry,” said Baspaly. “And we have not been able to express the consequences because of the speed of the regulatory calendar.”

Baspaly explained that traditionally, changes moved more slowly. This gave the industry more time to react, give input and help shape health and safety regulations. Some of the rapid changes happening include topics like mental health, asbestos, soft tissue damage and job site bathrooms. 

“You have to slow it down and go at the pace of the people,” said Baspaly. “COCA is has been working hard with association members to slow things down. There is no need to go 100 mph with all these regulations concurrently. There is no prize for speed and it will just cause issues.” 

Baspaly also fears that B.C.’s approach could threaten the financial stability of WorkSafeBC. He believes rates will go up and the reserve will be bled down, undermining failsafe features. He also fears that rushed decisions could set precedents that will impact the industry for decades. 

“Once we enter into these situations, even with the best intentions, we end up with some regulations becoming really unworkable in the real world because it’s effectively just a cash transfer — moving money to move out benefits,” he said. “There is no way to repatriate those claims back to where they should be and eventually you have insolvency down the line. We need sustainable regulations that work for labour and the employer long-term. There is not point trying to win at the other’s expense.”

Baspaly stressed that writing emails and letters voicing industry concerns matters, especially when there are large numbers of people and companies doing so. He strongly encouraged the industry to voice their concerns directly or through associations that they are a part of. 

Taking the first steps toward innovation

Amy Marks, executive vice president of Symetri USA and YouTube’s “Queen of Prefab”, spoke about how builders can take their first steps towards innovation and her vision for the near future of construction. 

“I was incredibly impressed by this event,” she said. “You had leaders from all around the region coming together, having conversations, learning from each other. I think it’s important. It’s not about one company doing well when we are trying to address issues around needing more hospitals, data centres, roads and homes. All the boats need to rise and we have to get everybody to change as an ecosystem.”

Marks explained that this ecosystem includes architects, sub trades, general contractors, product manufacturers, engineers, lawyers, risk managers, procurement arms, government, owners and anybody else that touches the construction process. 

“It really takes an ecosystem’s attention and maturity to really enable business to be done differently,” she said.

Her talk also zeroed in on some small steps builders can take to begin industrializing their process. She demonstrated how Revit can integrate with a program called Naviate to start fabricating parts from BIM models. 

She also noted that many are looking to take advantage of AI, machine learning and other emerging tools. But she explained that one first needs to get a concrete idea of what their business goals are so they can begin structuring and organizing their data to accomplish those goals. 

“It’s almost like asking someone if they want to build a library for a third-grade class or if they want to create the Library of Congress. Those are very different,” she said. 

According to Marks, charging ahead with technology changes without a clear idea of what you want can just reinforce bad processes and lead to more waste. 

Looking to the future, Marks sees construction, like many other industries, shifting from being a process to being a product. She envisions an industry where parts of a building can be chosen by designers at the start of a project and that product’s performance, specifications, environmental impacts and other meta data is readily available. 

“You should start thinking about how to make a product out of what you make and how you can digitize it so someone can consume it in an organized manner,” she said.

She believes the mechanical, electrical and plumbing portions of buildings are especially ripe for this kind of innovation. 

“You want people to be able to design with certainty and have little waste,” she said. “A lot of money is made from wasteful business processes. People make money on the lack of information silos. I believe pressure has to come from the top down — the big owners, governments and others — and they have to start incentivizing people not to do that.”  

Key Takeaways:

• The new legislation would allow one secondary suite or one laneway home (accessory dwelling unit) in all communities throughout B.C.
• Municipalities will also be required to allow up to six units on lots currently zoned for single-family or duplex use, depending on size.
• The legislation would shift local planning and zoning processes to happen up front and require municipalities throughout B.C. to expedite and streamline permitting by updating community plans and zoning bylaws on a regular basis. 
• The legislation would also phase out one-off public hearings for rezonings for housing projects that are consistent and aligned with the official community plans.

The Whole Story:

B.C. is opening up home development with sweeping zoning changes. 

The province is introducing new legislation that would mandate that municipalities allow a minimum level of housing density and streamline the development process.

Officials say the changes will result in more small-scale, multi-unit housing, including townhomes, triplexes and laneway homes.

“Anyone looking for a place to live in a community they love knows how hard it is – and outdated zoning rules are making that even harder,” said Premier David Eby. “Constructing mostly high-rise condo towers or single-family homes means B.C. isn’t building enough small-scale multi-unit homes that fit into existing neighbourhoods and give people more housing options that are within reach. That’s why we’re taking action to fix zoning problems and deliver more homes for people, faster.”

Officials explained that historical zoning rules in many B.C. communities have led most new housing to be built mostly in the form of condos, or single-family homes that are out of reach for many people, leaving a shortage of options for the types of housing in between. They added that zoning barriers and layers of regulations have also slowed down the delivery of housing, making people go through long, complicated processes to build much-needed housing.

“The housing crisis has made it harder for growing families looking for more space, seniors looking to downsize, and first-time homebuyers who can’t find a home that meets their needs and budget,” said Ravi Kahlon, minister of housing. “This legislation strengthens the vibrancy of our communities, while building the type of housing that will help us address the housing crisis.”

The proposed legislation and forthcoming regulations will permit one secondary suite or one laneway home (accessory dwelling unit) in all communities throughout B.C.

In most areas within municipalities of more than 5,000 people, these changes will also require bylaws to allow for:

• three to four units permitted on lots currently zoned for single-family or duplex use, depending on lot size;
• six units permitted on larger lots currently zoned for single-family or duplex use and close to transit stops with frequent service.

Municipalities covered by the legislation may permit additional density if desired, but cannot have bylaws that allow for fewer permitted units than the provincial legislation.

The province also plans to speed up local housing development approvals by shifting local planning and zoning processes to happen up front. It will require municipalities throughout B.C. to expedite and streamline permitting by updating community plans and zoning bylaws on a regular basis. 

New proposed changes will also phase out one-off public hearings for rezonings for housing projects that are consistent and aligned with the official community plans. Instead, there will be more frequent opportunities for people to be involved in shaping their communities earlier in the process when official community plans are updated. 

“Modelling future scenarios cannot account for unforeseen circumstances, the changing nature of housing, real estate markets and other factors, but preliminary analysis indicates the province could see more than 130,000 new small-scale multi-unit homes in B.C. during the next 10 years,” said officials.  

To support implementation, the province said it will continue to provide local governments with resources to speed up approval processes, including the recently announced $51 million to support local governments in meeting the new density zoning requirements, and $10 million for the Local Government Development Approvals Program.

The province added that additional legislation to support housing, transit-oriented development and infrastructure will be introduced in the coming weeks.