Author: Russell Hixson

Diversity is a strength when it comes to design and these architects are adding much-needed insight into Canada’s built environment. Many of them have cited nature as a major inspiration for their work as well as Indigenous culture. It’s also worth noting that many of these designers have achieved firsts in their field for Indigenous people and are using their skills to design purpose-built projects for Indigenous communities. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but merely an overview of the impact Indigenous architects are having on the country’s spaces.

Douglas Cardinal

Calgary-born Douglas Cardinal, who has Blackfoot ancestry, has become a forerunner of philosophies of sustainability, green buildings and ecologically designed community planning. His architecture springs from his observation of Nature and its understanding that everything works seamlessly together. Cardinal’s has countless professional achievements including 20 honorary doctorates, Gold Medals of architecture in Canada and Russia, and an award from United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural organization (UNESCO) for best sustainable village. He was also titled an Officer of the Order of Canada and was awarded the declaration of being “World Master of Contemporary Architecture” by the International Association of Architects.

David Fortin

David Fortin of David T Fortin Architect has been on a journey to rediscover traditional Métis architecture. He spent years investigating architecture in the Prairies to uncover what the lives of Métis people were like and how their culture informed the design of their buildings. He is the first Indigenous person to direct a school of architecture in Canada, and was co-curator, with Gerald McMaster, of “UNCEDED: Voices of the Land”, Canada’s official entry to the Venice Biennale in 2018.

Alfred Waugh 

Chipewyan architect Alfred Waugh is the president and founder of Formline Architecture. He and his firm specialize in culturally and environmentally sensitive projects and has extensive experience with First Nations, cultural societies, and educational institutions. Born and raised in Yellowknife, N.W.T, he was the first Aboriginal person to graduate with honours from University of British Columbia’s School of Architecture in 1993 and become LEED certified and a registered architect.

Eladia Smoke

Eladia Smoke, founder of Smoke Architecture, is Anishinaabekwe from the Lac Seul First Nation. She has served on the RAIC’s Indigenous Task Force since its inception, 2015, and is on the UNCEDED international team of Indigenous designers and architects. Her firm focuses on First Nations and Indigenous projects. Most recently, Smoke and her team have been working on a mass-timber, zero-carbon, $112-million addition at Centennial College. The facility will feature a button-activated smudging system that allows for Indigenous people to more easily do traditional smudging traditions. 

Brian Porter

Brian Porter of the Oneida Nation the the principal for Two Row Architect has told reporters that his goal is to incorporate Indigenous values into his designs. Two Row is named after the Two Row Wampum belt, which signifies a centuries-old agreement between settlers and Indigenous peoples.  Since its inception in 1992, the firm has focused on providing services to projects for Indigenous clients as well as those that incorporate Indigenous cultural ideologies and teachings which are manifested in architectural form.

Wanda Dalla Costa

Wanda Dalla Costa, a member of the Saddle Lake First Nation, was the first First Nations woman in Canada to become a registered architect. She has spent nearly 20 years working with Indigenous communities and her company, Redquill Architecture, is based in Phoenix, Arizona. Dalla Costa currently serves as the Visiting Eminent Scholar at the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment at Arizona State University.

Patrick Stewart

Nisga’a architect Patrick Stewart was the first Aboriginal president of an Architectural Association in Canada, the first Aboriginal architect to become the president of the Architectural Institute of BC and the first Aboriginal person in the province to own and operate an architectural firm. He is the founding principal of Patrick R. Stewart Architect (PRSA), a full-service architectural firm, with a First Nations community development focus.

Lafarge’s Exshaw plant is harnessing the sun to make cement. 

Canada and ATCO announced that they have entered into a 12.5-year virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA). Under this agreement, Lafarge’s Exshaw cement plant will receive 100% of the solar energy produced by the 38.5-megawatt Empress Solar project, meeting 34% of the plant’s power requirements through 2036.

The Empress solar project covers 280 acres south of the village of Empress, Alberta, and consists of 89,000 solar panels.

“We’re continually assessing ways we can reduce our environmental impact while actively pursuing sustainable solutions within our operations,” said Brad Kohl, president and CEO of Lafarge Canada (West). “Our collaboration with ATCO underscores our commitment to adopting renewable energy at our plants and sites, which is key to reducing our reliance on fossil fuels.”

Lafarge’s continued expansion into renewable energy in Alberta aligns with the company’s broader strategy, Accelerating Green Growth while emphasizing its ongoing investments to lower the carbon footprint of its operations and scope 2 emissions. Notably, Lafarge’s Exshaw cement plant has now committed to power purchase agreements for both wind and solar energy, setting an industry precedent.

“This agreement represents the strides we are making to support our customers in meeting their clean energy goals,” said Bob Myles, COO, ATCO EnPower. “We are proud to be at the forefront of the energy transition, and in a position to provide solutions to customers like Lafarge in reducing their carbon emissions.”

Under the agreement, Lafarge will offtake 100% of the power generated from the Empress Solar project, which is scheduled to commence commercial operations this month. The Empress Solar project is expected to generate enough renewable energy to offset approximately 43,000 tonnes of carbon per year. 

Key Takeaways:

• Engineer Eric Wilson says engineering education needs to be expanded beyond just solving technical problems.
• He believes issues like housing and climate change are too complex and have so many stakeholders that they require a different method of problem solving.
• Currently he is working with a nonprofit and an engineering firm to apply a ‘systems thinking’ approach to First Nations housing projects.

The Whole Story:

In the 1970s, a bridge that served Vancouver Island First Nation was starting to deteriorate. 

Government officials and engineers decided the ideal replacement for the creek would be two culverts as this allowed infrastructure to run through it. 

First Nations people were not consulted and the unintended consequences were devastating. Water flow slowed, causing sediment to drop out early. This destroyed the gravel base at the mouth of the creek, ruining salmon spawning areas. Pollution flowed down the creek into the bay, killing off shellfish. 

Not only did it hurt wildlife, it interfered with the traditions of the First Nation. While the bridge had allowed canoe access, the culverts blocked it, depriving First Nations people of a critical area for teenagers to receive intergenerational knowledge.

“From that one decision you had these cascading downstream effects that are still felt today,” said Eric Wilson, indigenous projects liaison with RJC Engineers and IPCA infrastructure and systems lead with IISAKK OLAM Foundation. “The culverts are still there and it demonstrates the need to understand context and people.”

Improving education

The culvert story was told to Wilson by an Indigenous leader. He believes it highlights the need to expand engineering education to include more holistic way of thinking about problem solving. Wilson says it’s an approach that is particularly important for engineers who work on projects in Indigenous communities.     

Wilson had originally been studying engineering at the University of Victoria with a focus on energy performance but this shifted after taking design thinking classes aimed at business students. 

He was taught about “systems thinking”, an approach that helps one navigate the intricacies of the world by focusing on complete systems and their interconnections, rather than breaking them into individual components.

He believes that many of the problems today’s engineers face, including housing, climate change, have many stakeholders with conflicting values. And implementing the wrong solution, even something small like the culverts, can have massive downstream impacts. 

“One of the things I realized is that the engineering education that is most prevalent is the engineering science model,” he said. “It does a great job of teaching students how to do with the technical components but it is not a good job of dealing with the social aspects of these interconnected challenges.”

Combining engineering and the nonprofit sector

Wilson’s research and studies now focus on exploring collaborative, empathy-driven projects. He partnered with RJC Engineers and the IISAKK OLAM Foundation to apply the systems thinking approach to First Nations communities that are facing complex housing issues. The unique collaboration combines the engineering industry and the nonprofit sector so problems can be addressed in more holistic ways.

The team is currently working on a major project with a Vancouver Island First Nation that has faced flooding issues that have damaged homes. Rather than approaching it just as a technical problem, the team has been listening to the community about the causes of the flooding, how it has changed over the years and what other impacts it’s causing.  

“Right from the start we wanted to go in with this empathy-driven approach,” said Wilson.

The team heard about how the watershed has changed, how logging might be contributing, how the health of residents was being impacted. They also heard a desire for capacity development for sustainable livelihoods. Now apprenticeship programs and watershed restoration are being explored in addition to homebuilding. 

“We don’t pursue any avenue of the project without the approval of the Nation,” said Wilson. “We don’t pursue it unless it’s supported. We are there to support their housing goals and needs.” 

Wilson praised RJC for integrating this approach into their practice and urged other firms to do the same. He noted that more and more RFPs, especially those from government, are now requiring firms to have a plan for working with and benefiting Indigenous communities. 

“It is going to be challenging for organizations who aren’t doing this, but it’s much more than that. It’s just the right thing to do,” said Wilson. “The biggest positive is that it supports First Nations partners, their self determination and being a good ally in industry that answers the call from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.”

Key Takeaways:

• STACK Construction Technologies was chosen for its platform’s data availability, cloud collaboration, data security, and integration capabilities.
• STACK also features an open API to help streamline workflow.
• The Ohio-based tech company was created by a former roofing contractor who also helped create construction data company ConstructConnect.

The Whole Story:

PCL Construction has chosen STACK Construction Technologies to optimize its preconstruction process. 

PCL officials stated their team connected with STACK after they recognized a more powerful preconstruction solution was needed to support their continued growth and profitability.

“As we broaden our capabilities and move further into the GC space, this partnership validates that STACK is a serious player in construction technology,” said Phil Ogilby, CEO and co-founder of STACK, cloud-based construction platform. “STACK is one of the most intuitive and collaborative preconstruction platforms in existence today. We’re thrilled to be able to offer STACK’s open API to help streamline the PCL workflow in a way that no other solutions on the market can.”

PCL said it chose STACK based on the platform’s data availability, cloud collaboration, data security, and integration capabilities. They added that STACK is streamlining the preconstruction processes with its innovative and hyper-accurate takeoff feature that enhances estimating capabilities.

“As part of a modernization of our estimating solutions, experts within the PCL estimating team did a broad market scan for quantity takeoff solutions,” said Brad Ens, preconstruction manager for PCL in Calgary. “Our hands-on approach of evaluating several competing products included functional verification that ultimately led us to select STACK as our tool of choice for quantity takeoff.”

By leveraging STACK’s open API, PCL is able to easily integrate their existing workflow to produce better estimating data. STACK explained that PCL will have unparalleled flexibility and accessible data, increasing the precision of estimates, minimizing manual processes, and supporting better-informed decision-making. With over 30 offices across the U.S., Canada, Australia, and the Caribbean, STACK will also further empower PCL’s team collaboration.

“A key decision criterion for PCL was based on the fact that STACK is built on a modern cloud technology platform which enables improved collaboration during the quantity takeoff process,” said Kevin Sundquist, senior relationship manager, business technology at PCL Construction. “Equally important, STACK comes with a modern integration layer that allows us to realize efficiencies for our estimators by integrating takeoff into the rest of our estimating solution suite. This cloud-first approach aligns with our overall technology strategy, driving both technology and business efficiencies.”

Key Takeaways:

• The construction industry is increasingly embracing technology, moving from digitizing workflows to adopting tools that fundamentally change the nature of work.
• While there is a need for flexibility and adaptation to remote work, maintaining in-person collaboration is crucial for innovation in the construction industry.
• As companies grow, maintaining a culture of innovation and involving employees in decision-making becomes increasingly important. 

The Whole Story:

The Canadian construction sector’s most cutting edge companies were celebrated in downtown Vancouver last week with an evening of in-depth discussions, networking and awards. 

More than 100 construction leaders gathered for the 25 Innovators in Construction Awards Celebration, hosted and organized by SiteNews. 

SiteNews Co-Founder Andrew Hansen questioned some of the 25 Innovators In Construction award winners about their thoughts on the future of construction and some of the issues the industry faces. 

The first panel, made up of large general contractors and specialized contractors, discussed the shift from merely digitizing workflows to adopting transformative technologies that fundamentally alter the nature of work. It included PCL, Chandos, ETRO Construction, and Pitt Meadows Plumbing and Mechanical Systems. 

The speakers emphasized the significance of making jobs easier for individuals and fostering a culture of innovation that prioritizes collaboration and team dynamics.

“For us it was always about people. How do we make people’s jobs easier? How do we make our team’s jobs easier? How do we make it easier to collaborate as a group? And so that was the focus of innovation for us, and it continues to be our focus as we move forward,”

Mike Maierle, president of ETRO Construction. 

The concept of “standard work” was also highlighted as a cornerstone for innovation, establishing agreed-upon processes and encouraging continuous improvements.

“We do standard work so at the end of two weeks we have measured it, we know how long it takes, and now we are looking for a change to make it better,” said Steve Robinson, owner of Pitt Meadows Plumbing and Mechanical Systems. “And once you have encouraged young people to see what real change is and how they can be involved in it, the ideas that come from the floor are mind boggling.” 

The speakers also expressed reservations about remote work, emphasizing the critical role of in-person collaboration for fostering innovation. The discussion explored the need to balance the benefits of remote work with the historical culture of on-site presence in the construction industry.

“You cannot get collaboration through a screen,” said Maierle. “However, we are company that is focused on families and we understand that there are things that happen. They have kids, they have lives, so you have to have some flexibility.”

The second panel focused on tech startups and more niche companies with a variety of focuses. It included Brickeye, Crewscope, SALUS and 505-Junk. Much of the discussion focused on how companies can attract and retain employees. 

Calvin Benchimol, co-founder and CEO of Crewscope noted that companies need to think differently about how to motivate their workforce. 

“Fear doesn’t work anymore,” he said. “We’re in a labor shortage world and it’s easier to find another job. Not sharing information with workers, that doesn’t fly either. We live in a technology age. We expect information to be really quick and accessible and transparent.”

He added that he believes there’s also a misalignment of incentives in the industry.

“Construction projects make money when they stay on schedule, but hourly workers get paid for the time they put in,” he said.

505-Junk Co-Founder Barry Hartman explained that his strategy has been to create skilled workers rather than go find them. He noted that there is no “university of junk” and his company is more interested in someone’s attitude than their resume.

“We’re not hiring really based on skill sets or experience,” he said. “We’re hiring based on people that want to join a fast growing company, an innovative company, and just trust that we have training processes in place to help them get to the next level.”

The event also marked nearly one year of launching SiteNews, a digital publication focused on equipping, educating and elevating the construction sector. The SiteNews team stated that they believe organizing the competition and the event reflected those goals and plan to build on that success going forward. 

Event Photos

Wright Construction

Crews with Wright Construction are transforming Evergreen Crossing in Saskatoon into shopping centre.

CarbonCure

CarbonCure is supporting bee colonization at their headquarters in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

Gerry Enns Contracting

Gerry Enns Contracting honours the Stó:lō Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Ch’íyáqtel First Nations.

Faber Construction

Faber Construction lifts pieces into place at the Duffner Ditch Fish Passage Project on the Guide in Lynden, B.C.

Aecon Group

More green nuclear power is on the way for Ontario. Aecon Group has successfully connected Bruce Power’s Unit 6 Ontario’s electricity grid on ahead of schedule. The life extension of each unit will add approximately 30 to 35 years of operational life.

Metric Civil Contractors

Crew carry out utility installs at the Kitselas Community Centre project site.

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat

The Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat is treated to a tour of The One, a 91-storey condominium, hotel, and retail tower by Mizrahi Developments.

DSM Excavating and Contraction

Sometimes the light hits the dirt perfectly. DSM Excavating and Contraction is moving earth at Guildford Town Centre in Surrey, B.C.

Jakes Construction

It never hurts to double check your plans. A Jakes Construction worker reviews documents at a job site.

Scott Construction

A seen dog is a safe dog. A pup wears a high visibility vest while visiting a Scott Construction Site.

Wilco Contractors Southwest

A worker makes saw cuts to create joints in concrete. This controls where potential cracks might occur, and encourage them to form in the cut rather than randomly in the sidewalk. This allows the concrete to contract while curing without damaging the surface.

The Shot of the Month goes to:

Kiewit

An excavator digs at the Raglan mine Nunavik in frigid weather as the Northern Lights dance above. The mine is in one of the world’s most important nickel sulphide deposits.

*Editors note: If you want your shots featured in the next edition of SiteViews, email hello@readsitenews.com

Coordinating technology at one of the country’s biggest general contractors is a big job.

As chief information officer for PCL, Bryant is responsible for the strategic and innovative advancement of information technology (IT) within the PCL family of companies. He has more than 30 years of IT expertise, having served in the financial services, software, manufacturing, and AEC (architecture, engineering, and construction) industries.

He is a recipient of numerous awards over the last decade including being named one of ENR’s Top 25 Newsmakers in 2018, and in 2019, Canadian CIO of the year for the private sector category, by the Information Technology Association of Canada.

We spoke with Bryant about how large contractors are implementing technology, what sort of technology is on PCL’s radar and how we can make construction smarter.

Be sure to catch Bryant in Vancouver, B.C. for 2023 Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA) Construction Innovation Summit on October 30th and 31st. He and many other industry experts will be discussing how to push the construction sector forward.

SiteNews: How do you approach modernization efforts at PCL?

Mark Bryant: I am in my 11th year now with PCL. When I joined, we were called systems and technology. But we rebranded and rethought how to deliver technology. Internally, today, we are called business technology. That is critical because my approach has always been to not deliver IT products from a technology perspective. It has been to partner with the business and their needs and marry with the business process by working with people. I get my hard hat and boots on and I walk the site with the team. I bring people that write code, people that do the help desk and others, we ask questions and we see how people in the field use our technology and software. We get to hear from people in the field: “I wish I could do this.” 

What do you think are some of the most promising new technologies that have applications in the construction sector?

Microsoft recently announced Copilot. It’s not available in the wild right now and it uses ChatGPT. We actually just signed an agreement with them recently. We will be able to onboard a private preview for 300 users and the license lasts a year. It’s all shiny and new. I think the term “AI” gets thrown around quite a bit without actually being AI. It’s just mining data. What ChatGPT and Microsoft are doing with Copilot will allow us to mine our data easier. That’s what I am really excited about. I believe it’s going to enable knowledge management to adeptly and smartly mine PCL databases so we can make smart decisions and access knowledge across the company. I see it as an internal knowledge platform where we can privately and securely mine our own databases. That excites me. It’s akin to having Google but just for PCL. Copilot allows us to connect disparate data sources and ask PCL-specific questions. 

What are some of the biggest challenges construction companies face when they begin digitizing their operations?

The cost of digitization and taking that leap to make the investment. The second, and it’s not necessarily in this order, is the change management component of people. You have people who have always done something a certain way and when you replace that with technology, that change is a challenge, a big one, and it’s not unique to construction. When you are investing in technology projects, you have to make sure it includes training employees. And you also have to make that training consistent, attainable and available years down the road. What happens in 12, 24 or 36 months when you hire hundreds more people? How do you get those people trained? 

What prompted PCL to create its own team to develop software in-house?

We are an underserved market and now companies are wanting to service it. They see a massive amount of capital but they don’t understand the margins in construction. They see big numbers like $500-million buildings, but margins are relatively low and that’s why digitization hasn’t seen a major pickup. Startups often over-price their product and they often don’t understand construction. Our take on this is if our people have the intellectual property of what they want and if we have people internally that can build it, we can do it cheaper and better than the market can. We have multiple vertices and very unique construction products. When we build something internally we have more knowledge, so let’s just take out the middleman and the headache.

What steps do you think the industry needs to take to make construction smarter?

Lots of information is passed around and the efficiency of how that information passes isn’t great. Standardizing how things get handed off and built is one of the first things that should be tackled. In the UK, BIM is mandated but there is no structure around that in North America. It’s a free-for-all. Certain business processes could be leaned and the technology could be used both more effectively and efficiently. When it comes to safety, many use different products from a tech perspective. And probably all have slightly different processes. Maybe 80% are similar and 20% do something different based on things that have happened. It’s not necessarily a framework that drives consistency. And you have companies like Procore and Autodesk trying to own the complete lifecycle that compete. So there’s a lot of bifurcated standards and products from job to job which makes things challenging. There is no easy button. I would also say that if you look at the engineering space, it’s been consolidating rapidly. When I was at MMM Group, there were about seven acquisitions and then they got swallowed up by WSP. In Canada there are essentially two major ones: WSP and Stantec. You haven’t seen much of that in construction and there are pros and cons to that. The industry is very complicated, large and diverse. You have big and small players, thousands and thousands of companies. It’s a completely bifurcated industry with a complex supply chain. It’s mind boggling and it’s the oldest profession in human kind. We have always built as humans. And that’s what excites me… it’s constantly evolving and maturing and we will get there one day. 

Sign up to attend the Construction Innovation Summit Oct. 30-31 where you can hear more from Bryant and other construction leaders.

Key Takeaways:

• 10 municipalities were selected: Vancouver, Kamloops, Delta, Abbotsford, North Vancouver, Victoria, Port Moody, Saanich, West Vancouver and Oak bay.
• The housing targets mark a 38% increase in overall housing to be built in these communities over what was projected to have been created based on historic trends.
• The province also sent a list of housing target guidelines, including a recommended number of units by size, rental versus owned units, below-market rental units and units with on-site supports.

The Whole Story:

B.C. has released housing targets for municipalities that it wants to see increase supply. 

The 10 municipalities were selected as part of the Housing Supply Act and officials say this lays the groundwork for thousands of homes to be built. 

“The housing crisis is hurting people, holding back our economy and impacting the services we all count on,” said Ravi Kahlon, minister of housing. “We’re taking action and working with municipal partners to make sure more homes are built in communities with the greatest housing need. The targets include thousands of below-market rental units for the largest and fastest-growing communities. This means more people will be able find a home in the community they love.”

To support implementation, the province stated that it will continue to provide local governments with resources to speed up approval processes, including $10 million for continued implementation of the Development Approvals Process Review, and the province’s work accelerating and streamlining provincial permitting across multiple ministries and developing a new digital permitting process. This is funding in addition to the $1-billion Growing Communities Fund launched in February 2023 and the recently announced $51 million to support local governments in meeting new density initiatives.

The first 10 municipalities were selected for housing target assessment in May 2023 under the authority of the Housing Supply Act, which allows the province to set housing targets in communities with the most urgent housing needs. The Province consulted with the selected municipalities during the summer to set the final housing target orders. These housing targets are net new units to be completed within five years.

The target orders for each municipality:

• City of Abbotsford – 7,240 housing units
• City of Delta – 3,607 housing units
• City of Kamloops – 4,236 housing units
• District North Vancouver – 2,838 housing units
• District of Oak Bay – 664 housing units
• City of Port Moody – 1,694 housing units
• District of Saanich – 4,610 housing units
• City of Vancouver – 28,900 housing units
• City of Victoria – 4,902 housing units
• District of West Vancouver – 1,432 housing units

The housing targets put forward by the province mark a 38% increase in overall housing to be built in these communities over what was projected to have been created based on historic trends.

In addition to the targets, the province has sent each of the 10 municipalities a list of housing target guidelines, including a recommended number of units by size (one bedroom, two bedroom, three bedroom), rental versus owned units, below-market rental units and units with on-site supports. These guidelines include more than 16,800 below-market rentals.

The province said its analysis took into consideration the total number of units that are needed to address the shortage of housing now and to respond to population growth over the next five years

Officials added that while they encourage municipalities to work hard to meet the total housing need, the targets have been set based on 75% of that municipality’s identified housing need.

“These targets are a step toward creating more homes to meet the diverse housing needs of Saanich residents,” said Dean Murdock, mayor of Saanich. “We are committed to working together with the Province on housing solutions, and welcome their support to help us achieve our goals.”

Municipalities will be evaluated after six months, and every year thereafter, on their progress toward achieving the housing targets and actions taken to meet the target. The province said it will monitor progress and work with municipalities to better understand challenges and opportunities.

Ralph Burton, a project manager, has retired after spending 17 years working for Kinetic. Burton joined Kinetic in October of 2006 as the first office member of the North Island Branch. Since then, Ralph has been an integral part of the successful completion of numerous Kinetic projects.

Raly Chakarova has been named executive director of the Toronto and Area Road Builders Association (TARBA). In this role, Chakarova will be responsible for overseeing all aspects of TARBA’s operations, including industry advocacy, member services and collective bargaining.

 “Raly’s results-oriented leadership, passion for critical infrastructure development, and understanding of the unique challenges facing our industry, make her an exceptional fit to represent the interests of our members and drive positive change within our sector. She is the ideal choice to lead TARBA into an exciting new era of growth and advocacy,”

Rick Logozzo, TARBA’s President and Chair of the Board

Monte McNaughton, Ontario’s minister of labour, has announced his retirement from politics. McNaughton’s four years as minister had a heavy focus on construction and the trades and he oversaw a 24% increase in trade apprenticeship registrations. McNaughton says he has accepted a role in the private sector.

Chris Smith and Harrison Glotman have been appointed principals at consulting engineering firm Glotman Simpson. The firm stated that with the pair’s leadership, enthusiasm, and expertise, they are confident in upholding the strong reputation and design excellence they have cultivated since 1964.

Christopher Walsh has joined Delnor Construction as a team leader and senior project manager.  According to Delnor, Walsh’s experience as a manager of a special projects division will allow him to move seamlessly into a team leader role.

Pomerleau has announced three major hires for leadership roles: Jaime Freyre De Andrade as chief operating officer for major projects, Éric Gaudet as executive vice-president of operational excellence and strategy, and Vincent Martel, executive vice-president and chief financial officer. Pomerleau officials stated that the hires come as the company is entering a new chapter, which involves more complex projects and innovations.

Marsha Gentile, director of sustainability for Ledcor Construction, is one of two Canadians to be selected as members of the new US Green Building Council (USGBC) LEED v5 Design & Construction Consensus Committee after undergoing an extremely competitive application process. Gentile will be providing her expertise from a Canadian contractor’s perspective in the technical development of the next iteration of the LEED rating system. Ledcor official’s stated that since the company’s first LEED project in 2002, Gentile has been a leader in the sustainable building community, sharing her passion both in-house and industry-wide.

Christine Bergeron has been appointed president and CEO of Concert Properties. The developer stated that Bergeron brings more than 25 years’ experience building and leading financial firms where she guided their strategic development while fostering prudent risk management and thoughtful stakeholder relations. Bergeron was most recently the president and CEO of Vancity, Canada’s largest credit union with over $33 billion in assets under administration.

 Rod Bianchini will be retiring from his role as chief strategy and compliance officer for SkilledTradesBC this December. Rod began his career as a roofing apprentice, transitioned through various roles over the years before joining SkilledTradesBC in 2013 as the Manager of Apprenticeships Advisors. 

His kind manner, deep passion for apprenticeship and strong moral compass quickly shone through and those three qualities have never wavered during my time working alongside of Rod for over a decade.  

Shelley Gray, CEO of SkilledTradesBC

Katie Prueter has joined Falkbuilt to oversee business development on Vancouver Island. Prueter has 10 years of interior design and project management experience. Falkbuilt stated that Prueter’s loves collaborating with clients and consultant teams to develop projects.

Reece McNaughton is Nomodic’s newest project manager. He brings nearly two decades of progressive construction experience to Nomodic’s team, having advanced through the industry as a foreman, site superintendent, project coordinator, and project manager.

Paul Garnier has been promoted to PCL’s operations manager in Calgary. Paul started his career at PCL in 2006 in Calgary as a project coordinator. His career took him to Halifax and Ottawa as a project manager, senior project manager and construction manager. One major project Garnier has been involved in is Ottawa’s historic Centre Block Rehabilitation Project

Key Takeaways:

• Dream Unlimited plans to develop 5,000 units of purpose-built rental housing.
• The projects will be in Ottawa, Saskatoon, Calgary and Toronto.
• In the next six months Dream can advance its shovel ready projects, which includes 1,350 units.

The Whole Story:

Ottawa’s new policy to exempt rental construction from GST is already bearing fruit. 

Toronto-based developer Dream Unlimited announced it will move ahead of building 5,000 new units of purpose-built rental housing and cited tax breaks from the federal government and provinces as being deciding factors. 

The developer stated in a press release that the tax breaks establish a newfound ability for the entire development industry ecosystem to partner with all levels of government, not-for-profit and private sector organizations to collectively address the affordability crisis by increasing the amount of market and affordable rental units available to Canadians.

“With Thursday’s introduction of new legislation formalizing the removal of GST, Dream is positioned to move forward on 5,000 net new purpose-built rental apartment units in Ottawa, Saskatoon, Calgary and Toronto collectively,” says Michael J. Cooper, president and CEO of Dream Unlimited. “This legislation is a game changer for the development industry, and more importantly for Canadians. The housing crisis has impacted every urban centre from coast to coast. What this legislation unlocks is our ability to get shovels into the ground quickly at a time when it’s never been more critical to build new homes.”

Each of the sites identified by Dream currently have approvals in place.

Dream officials say that in the next six months its team can advance its shovel ready projects, which includes 1,350 units. In Ottawa, Dream will be advancing 1,010 units of which 43% – equivalent to 438 units – will be dedicated as affordable. Rents for the Ottawa units will range from 59% of median market rent to market rents, contributing to 7% of the city’s targeted annual construction starts of 15,000 units. In addition, Dream will bring 340 units to Saskatoon. By 2025, Dream expects it will be able to advance another 3,700 units across Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary and Saskatoon.

Dream officials noted that its progress in Ottawa is largely due to a unique partnership between Dream and the Multifaith Housing Initiative of Ottawa (MHI), a Canadian non-profit charitable organization founded in 2002 that is a coalition of 80 faith communities. 

As a result of the partnership, both organizations are able to deliver an integrated rental community that will include affordable housing, transit connectivity and unprecedented sustainability targets. Located on the Library Parcel of LeBreton Flats, the development is a net-zero, mixed-income community that includes 608 rental units, 41% of which will be dedicated as affordable. Dream and MHI will also develop integrated programs and support systems.

“Multifaith Housing Initiative strongly supports the legislation tabled by the federal government on Thursday to eliminate the GST from new purpose-built rentals and encourages all provincial governments to proceed with the exemption of the PST,” said Suzanne Le, executive director, Multifaith Housing Initiative.” 

Key Takeaways:

• Ford announced he will keep his original promise to not touch the Greenbelt.
• He called opening it up to development “a mistake” and noted that the development process was too fast.
• The RCMP is currently considering wether or not to investigate the $8.28-billion Greenbelt land swap after the matter was referred to them by Ontario Provincial Police

The Whole Story:

After months of reports, staffing changes and pressure from the public, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has nixed plans to develop housing in the Greenbelt, a protected area of green space, farmland, forests, wetlands, and watersheds.

The announcement came after several days of meetings with caucus and cabinet. 

“I want the people of Ontario to know I am listening. I made a promise to you that I wouldn’t touch the Greenbelt. I broke that promise. And for that I am very, very sorry.” said Ford. “It was a mistake to open the Greenbelt, it was a mistake to establish a process that moved too fast. This process left too much room for some to benefit over others. It caused people to question our motives. As a first step to earn back your trust, I will be reversing the changes we made and won’t make any changes to the Greenbelt in the future.”

Ford added that he still believes opening the Greenbelt could make a major impact in the province’s housing crisis by adding housing for a minimum of 150,000 people. 

“But we moved too quickly, and made the wrong decision,” he said. “The truth remains that Ontario is growing at an unprecedented speed. And doing more of the same and accepting the status quo will only make the housing affordability crisis worse. We need to build homes, we need to change the way we build these homes, building more density in cities close to transit.”

He cited modular homes, cutting through red tape and holding builders accountable as ways they plan to tackle the crisis.

The announcement comes after a troubling few months for the province’s leadership. In August Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk released a blistering report that found the Greenbelt deal heavily favoured a small group of developers and did not consider environmental impacts. The report came with a list of recommendations that include revisiting the deal in a way that follows proper procedures.

Weeks later, Integrity Commissioner J. David Wake released his report on the Greenbelt deal, recommending that Housing Minister Steve Clark receive a reprimand for his role in the land swap. Earlier this month, Clark resigned, stating that it was his responsibility to adhere to the principles of ministerial accountability.

But the deal’s troubles aren’t over. The RCMP has confirmed that it is looking into investigating the Ford government’s Greenbelt land swap controversy after the matter was referred to them by Ontario Provincial Police.

Key Takeaways:

• The report found that delays and inefficiencies within the city of Toronto’s Committee of Adjustment (COA) process add $21,000 to $58,000 annually to the cost of renovations and infill building projects.
•  The study found that the total average decision timelines for typical COA applications, regardless of COA district, were 95 days 
• The report recommends delegating authority for minor variances to staff and fixing the underlying zoning issues that are creating increasing volumes of applications.

The Whole Story:

Delays and inefficiencies are adding tens of thousands of dollars to construction projects, a new study shows. 

The study, commissioned on behalf of the professional renovation industry by the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) and conducted by Altus Group Economic Consulting, found that delays and inefficiencies within the city of Toronto’s Committee of Adjustment (COA) process add $21,000 to $58,000 annually to the cost of renovations and infill building projects. The study further identified that in order to meet the city’s goal of building 285,000 homes by 2031, the system must be overhauled.

“Toronto is a rapidly growing city, and the building of infill homes and renewal of existing housing stock add much-needed housing supply for current and future residents,” said Justin Sherwood, BILD’s senior vice president. “With the city recently adopting various zoning reforms such as four units per lot as of right, and looking to make additional changes in the near future, the need for a more efficient process that reduces strain on city resources has never been greater.”

Altus Group Economic Consulting was retained by BILD to undertake a study of the city of Toronto’s COA timelines for decisions on minor variances, as part of a broader examination of the factors contributing to housing affordability challenges. BILD stated that the Altus study reinforces the city’s own findings, through a study with KPMG, that process improvements and data transparency would support approval timelines and efficiency.

The Altus study looked at the timelines for minor variance applications for the last eight years (2015-2022), using data from the City of Toronto’s Open Data Catalog. It found that the volumes of applications to Toronto’s COA and TLAB processes have doubled over the last decade, resulting in lengthy delays. These delays can add 8% to 14% annually in additional construction-related costs, amounting to between $9 per square foot to $19 per square foot annually, or approximately $21,000 to $58,000.

Notably, the study found that the total average decision timelines for typical COA applications, regardless of COA district, were 95 days across the entirety of the 8-year period. This is 65 days longer than the 30-day service standard required by the Planning Act and 32 days longer than the 63-day target for service standards set by the city.

The report provides six major recommendations for action by the province and the city to successfully improve decision timelines for minor variances. Most notably, it recommends delegating authority for minor variances to staff and fixing the underlying zoning issues that are creating increasing volumes of applications. To see all of the recommendations, download the report.

“Renovators in Toronto have long been advocating for improvements to the COA process,” said Peter Di Scola, chair of BILD’s Renovator Executive Committee. “The current process sees a 93-95% approval rate of applications through the COA process, meaning it would be far more efficient for the City to update zoning bylaws to permit the most common types of COA applications.”

Key Takeaways:

• Participation in the skilled trades increased by 8% overall in B.C. 
• The biggest gains for underrepresented groups were women and Indigenous people, which increased 37% and 22%, respectively. 
• The province’s latest data shows 83,000 new job openings in the trades are expected in the next decade.

The Whole Story:

Apprenticeship in the skilled trades is on the rise in B.C. 

SkilledTradesBC, a recently revamped organization that oversees the province, released its annual report, highlighting a record number of apprentices, youth, Indigenous people and women participating in the skilled trades in the province in 2022/2023 fiscal year.  

“We are in a critical time to diversify and grow the skilled trades workforce in B.C. as we face a skilled labour shortage and anticipate 83,000 jobs in skilled trades over the next decade,” said Shelley Gray, CEO, SkilledTradesBC. “There is a place for everyone in skilled trades and we are excited to see a record number of diverse British Columbians exploring skilled trades as a means to support their families, build a successful career, and contribute to the communities that make this province our home.”  

Highlights of the results released in SkilledTradesBC’s annual report include:  

• 41,000 apprentices (+8%) 
• 1,492 Indigenous people entering skilled trades (+ 22%) 
• 1,072 women entering skilled trades (+ 37%) 
• 10,018 youth participation in skilled trades enrollment (+14%) 

Welder, carpenter and heavy equipment operator trades programs saw the largest increases amongst women and Indigenous people.

However, the organization did struggle with issuing credentials. The report noted that the economic shutdown and delays that occurred during the pandemic continued to impact the number of credentials being issued. The number of credentials issued to women and Indigenous people as well as overall number of certifications declined in the last year, resulting in the organization not meeting its performance goals.

Officials added that labour shortages have also created difficulties for apprentices and other trades workers to take time off to attend training and prepare to write their final exam.

In December 2022, SkilledTradesBC officially transitioned from Industry Training Authority to its new name, along with its expanded mandate from the Ministry of Post-Secondary and Future Skills (PSFS). SkilledTradesBC developed a new three-year strategic plan in response to the expanded mandate and Government’s principles and priorities.

The organization is also leading the implementation of Skilled Trades Certification, which was legislated in B.C. last december. The laws make it mandatory for workers to either be a registered apprentice or fully certified to work in specific trades, starting with the implementation of seven electrical and mechanical trades. 

Officials say the Skilled Trades Certification aims to formally recognize the skills of current and future trades workers, raise the profile of the trades, and help to draw a more diverse workforce, ensuring they have the skillsets needed to adapt to industry changes over time.

SkilledTradesBC implemented customized supports to meet client needs, established a new Skilled Trades Certification Advisor team and expanded its Apprenticeship Advisor team.

Officials noted that B.C. has faced a tight labour market as it continues to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the B.C. Labour Market Outlook: 2022 Edition, approximately 83,000 new job openings in the trades are expected in the next decade, primarily due to the retiring workforce and economic expansion. 

• Junior Project Coordinator – North Vancouver, B.C. – Maven Consulting 
• Development Manager – Kelowna, B.C. – High Street Consulting 
• Chief of Staff – Sudbury, Ont. – Technica Mining 
• Director of Culture – Vancouver, B.C. – Michels Canada
• Project Manager – Vancouver, B.C. – ERM Group 
• Chief Operating Officer – Vancouver, B.C. – TransLink 
• VP, Project management Office – Montreal, Que. – BBC Consultants 
• Executive VP, Corporate Planning – Regina, Sask. – SaskEnergy
• Project Director, Civil & Infrastructure – Vancouver, B.C. – Pomerleau 
• Construction Integration Director – Bowmanville, Ont. – Aecon Group 

If you are looking to build your all-star team, try posting your role on the job board or connect with our specialized recruitment experts to find industry-leading talent for your business.

And if you are seeking a job, check out the full list of available positions.

After announcing federal GST will be dropped for new rental apartment projects, Ottawa is urging provinces across Canada to do their part and cut taxes for affordable housing projects.  

The response from provinces has been mixed. Some moved quickly to announce plans to eliminate similar provincial taxes, others said they would consider it and some rejected the idea altogether.

Here is a round up of provincial responses to Ottawa’s efforts:

Ontario

Ontario has committed to eliminate provincial sales tax from new rental construction as soon as possible. They also plan to update the definition of “affordable” housing when it comes to reductions and exemptions to fees developers pay when building those units. Last year the province unveiled legislation, the More Homes Built Faster Act, to cut fees for affordable, non-profit housing projects. The legislation also allows for the development of three units on any residential lot across the province. Cities are acting as well. Earlier this year Toronto adopted the Official Plan Amendment and Zoning By-law Amendment to permit multiplexes citywide.

B.C.

Ravi Kahlon, minister of housing, noted after the federal announcement that B.C. already doesn’t charge PST on purpose-built rentals, putting it in a good position to see more projects get built. Major cities like Victoria and Vancouver have implemented major zoning reforms to encourage density in single-family home neighbourhoods. Vancouver is opening up neighbourhoods across the city to allow for the development of multiplexes and Victoria will allow more houseplexes, corner townhouses and heritage conserving infill housing in residential areas. B.C. premier David Eby recently announced new initiatives to consolidate parts of the application process so permits get sped up. They will also pilot a new program that offers forgivable $40,000 loans for homeowners that want to create rental suites.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Soon after the federal announcement, Newfoundland and Labrador officials vowed to waive the provincial portion of HST on new apartment complexes. Newfoundland and Labrador have a blended, 15% HST. 10% goes to the province and 5% goes to Ottawa. Calls for action in the region have been growing after a report from earlier this year showed that more than one-third of N.L.’s population is spending more than 30% of their income on housing.

Alberta 

Jason Nixon, Alberta’s housing minister, called Ottawa’s tax cuts a “step in the right direction” but urged officials to focus on removing the carbon tax and new building energy efficiency regulations that he says drive up the cost of homes. Meanwhile, in Calgary, officials approved sweeping housing strategy changes that include allowing the construction of row houses and duplexes on land zoned for single-family homes. The move comes on the heels of a devastating report that shows one in five Calgarians live in housing they can’t afford.

Saskatchewan

The Saskatchewan government said it is not considering a similar tax cut, despite pressure from home builders’ associations and other groups. Finance Minister Donna Harpauer has told reporters that the province believes the broad application of PST ensures that a fairly applied, reliable, and sustainable source of revenue is available to finance vital public services. Instead, the province is drawing attention to its Rental Development Program, a one-time funding allowance for housing organizations to develop affordable units for low-income households. The province drew significant criticism from the construction sector in 2017 when construction labour became subject to PST.

Manitoba 

For some provinces, construction taxes have become a major election issue. Manitoba NDP Leader Wab Kinew announced he plans to eliminate the provincial sales tax from the construction of new rental units if his party wins the Oct. 3 provincial election. The province is also currently in the midst of a $126M homelessness strategy dubbed A Place for Everyone. The strategy’s goal is to create hundreds of new social housing units and new wrap-around services.

Quebec

Quebec has not been swayed by the federal announcement. Premier François Legault stated that he will won’t eliminate its sales tax on construction materials in order to stimulate the building of rental properties to address the housing crisis, arguing that any benefit would be outweighed by the cost. The province is also facing criticism for Bill 31, which would allow owners to stop tenants from transferring their leases. Legault stated he is considering walking back the provision. A recent study showed the number of unhoused people in Quebec has risen to around 10,000, a 44% increase since 2018.

Nova Scotia

Federal officials have written to Nova Scotia, urging them to remove the provincial portion of the harmonized sales tax. So far, only the province’s Liberal leader Zach Churchill has expressed support for the cuts. Premier Tim Houston’s strategy has been to steps to expedite private sector builds and provide land and funding to help non-profit organizations raise developments. Houston has also accused municipalities of dragging their feet on on approvals and raising fees for developers.

Prince Edward Island

Soon after the federal announcement, P.E.I officals stated that they would this initiative a step further by looking at a complementary program to remove the provincial portion of HST on new rental builds. Earlier this year, officials said they are working with community partners and stakeholders to come up with a comprehensive housing strategy.

There’s a new data-driven approach to get your company on the road to reducing its carbon footprint.

Evolve Fleet’s team and platform use telematics tools, benchmarks, rebates, charging data and more to create a roadmap for a company’s specific vehicle goals.

“First you have to understand the needs of the organization, what is required, what are vehicles being used for, what is working, what is not working, and based on that analysis, we can come back and make recommendations on first steps,” explained Jasin Azzopardi, Vice President and General Manager of Evolve Fleet. “We have to determine the usage of the vehicles and also what the company’s goals are. Is your motivation carbon reduction? Is it marketing because of your industry? Do you want to get carbon credits? Understanding that motivation is key so we can make good recommendations.” 

He noted that there are several common concerns that clients have when they decide to reduce the carbon footprint of a fleet:

• Do EVs have enough range for the purpose of the asset?
• What sort of charging infrastructure is required?
• How much will it cost to switch to EVs?
• How much value do EVs retain over time?

To address these concerns, Evolve digs deep into the data. They test internal combustion engine vehicles and electric vehicles in various use cases to determine cost, carbon emissions, performance and other metrics to create benchmarks. They can also use telematics to track driver behavior, idle time, charging, range and more to tease out what tools are the best fit for a client.  

“The Evolve portal allows us to bring that data into one place and not only make appropriate recommendations but demonstrate that data to the client,” said Azzopardi. 

How much is too much?

When it comes to cost, EVs can leave some with sticker shock. But one has to dig into the details. Azzopardi explained that Evolve can crunch the numbers to determine if that investment will save money in the long run. Their experts can also help companies navigate government programs to take advantage of rebates or other incentives that can drive cost lower. 

“Clients often don’t know how to apply for those and if they qualify, so we manage that process for them,” said Azzopardi.

Depending on the type of vehicle and the province, rebates can take tens of thousands of dollars off the price. And there are even carbon credits that can be earned from using EV chargers. 

Exploring benefits

Azzopardi noted that in addition to making a company more socially responsible and improving one’s brand image, there are also long-term cost benefits to including EVs in one’s fleet. 

“Beyond fuel savings, EVs have very little maintenance requirements to the point where they are almost non-existent,” he said. “The only thing you have to do really is tires and brakes. No oil changes, no tune ups or timing belts.” 

And the technology is only improving and expanding. Regenerative brakes are being used to help charge the car with the energy produced during breaking. Rapid chargers are cutting down on the time it takes to charge vehicles. Strategy for targeted heating and cooling is making batteries more efficient. Manufacturers are also beginning to expand in the mid-duty truck market, creating more commercial use cases. 

When it comes to the far future, Azzopardi believes sustainable vehicle technology could expand to more parts of the construction site. 

“I suspect we will see a surge in hydrogen vehicles,” he said.

While the idea of using hydrogen as fuel isn’t new, momentum for the technology has been growing and the next 12 months could see major progress. CP Rail plans to begin operating its first hydrogen locomotive, a hydrogen fuelling station is under construction in Edmonton to allow semi-truck testing on the province’s highways, and construction has just begun in Edmonton on the world’s largest net-zero hydrogen plant.

A changing industry

During his nearly three decades in the industry, Azzopardi has seen attitudes shift. 

“It definitely has changed over the years, during my career, many of my largest accounts have been oil and gas (energy sector) accounts. Everybody wants to be a good corporate citizen,” he said. 

It’s also becoming a larger component of winning work. 

“For large accounts with bigger fleets that typically do public sector work, if you are responding to an RFP for something like garbage disposal in West Vancouver, there will be ESG questions 

and you will have to demonstrate how your company is forward facing. For that reason alone, you aren’t going to prosper without an ESG strategy.” 

To get your company’s fleet greening journey started, visit evolvefleet.com for a free consultation. Additionally, for those interested in how zero-emission vehicles will suit their daily operations and are looking at short-term solutions or testing opportunities, Evolve fleet offers electric fleet rentals so you can see if they are right for your business.

Key Takeaways:

• Earlier this year, Maple Reinders Constructors Ltd. was awarded a $204.8-million contract for the design and construction of the facility.
• The collections and research building will house artifacts and facilitate learning.
• The mass timber project is expected to open in 2026.

The Whole Story:

Construction has begun on the Royal BC Museum’s (RBCM) collections and research building (CRB) in Colwood.

The new 15,200 square-metre (164,000 square foot) building will be a state-of-the-art facility using mass timber that will house the province’s collections and BC Archives. It will improve access for the public as only 1% of the province’s vast collection is on display. It will also provide dedicated research labs and learning spaces.

In preparation for construction, Shaker Faith workers led a ceremonial land blessing to bless the site and workers.

“It’s an important day as we move forward on a new collections and archives building that will properly store and safeguard our province’s shared history, priceless artifacts and archives,” said Lana Popham, minister of tourism, arts, culture and sport. “I was honoured to witness the Shaker Faith workers bless and prepare the land of the CRB prior to construction. I look forward to working with the Royal BC Museum, Maple Reinders, the Songhees and Esquimalt First Nations, and the City of Colwood on this important new building.”

Maple Reinders Constructors Ltd. was awarded a $204.8-million contract for the design and construction of the CRB in Colwood. Total capital project costs for the CRB are estimated at $270 million. Government expects substantial completion in fall 2025 and anticipates a public opening in 2026.

“The provincial collections and archives help us to share the stories of our cultures and communities. It’s vital to ensure they’re kept safe for future generations,” said Tracey Drake, acting CEO, Royal BC Museum. “This exceptional facility will also provide a window into the world of the museum, enabling visitors to see our paleontologists, entomologists, botanists, zoologists and more, engaged in active research projects.”

Key Takeaways:

• Officials are launching of a one-stop shop that eliminates the need for multiple permitting applications across different ministries. It’s expected to reduce permit timelines by two months.
• Officials are also launching a pilot incentive program to help homeowners build secondary suites to rent. The program will provide approximately 3,000 homeowners with forgivable loans of up to $40,000.
• The pilot program, set to launch in early spring 2024.

The Whole Story:

B.C. is looking to accelerate project permitting and incentivize homeowners to rent out secondary suites with new policy changes. 

“People in our province deserve a decent place to live they can actually afford to rent or buy, but a chronic housing shortage and long permit approval times are frustrating that achievable goal,” said Premier David Eby. “Our government is taking action. We’re making it easier and faster to get provincial permits to build new homes, and offering financial support for people who could build a suite they can rent out at more affordable rates.”

Streamlining permitting 

The first action focuses on speeding up the permitting process through the launch of a one-stop shop that eliminates the need for multiple permitting applications across different ministries. The Single Housing Application Service (SHAS) aims to create a simpler permitting application for homebuilders. With the introduction of SHAS, the province expects permit timelines to be reduced by two months.

“Our government is laser-focused on taking action on housing,” said Nathan Cullen, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. “One way we’re doing this is by eliminating the current permitting backlog and speeding up homebuilding project approvals with the launch of a user-friendly tool that connects people to project experts. These expert ‘navigators’ will guide homebuilders through the provincial permitting process and provide a personal, one-stop shop that will streamline the process.”

The SHAS connects homebuilders to “navigators,” dedicated staff in the Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship, who guide applicants through all stages of permit applications, act as the single, dedicated point of contact for all information related to homebuilding permits and co-ordinate permitting decisions across ministries.

Encouraging rentals 

The second initiative centres on secondary suites and comes ahead of planned legislation this fall to make secondary suites legal throughout the province, and a pilot incentive program to help homeowners build secondary suites.

To help homeowners navigate this process, the province has launched a new comprehensive guide, titled Home Suite Home. The guide provides people with the information to prepare to build and manage a rental suite.

The guide can be used as a resource for people preparing to access the Secondary Suite Incentive Program (SSIP). The pilot program, set to launch in early spring 2024, will provide approximately 3,000 homeowners with forgivable loans of up to $40,000 to create a new secondary suite or accessory dwelling unit on their property. The loans will only go to properties that will be rented below market rates. Additional eligibility requirements of the program have been made available so people interested can prepare ahead of the launch.

“We’ve heard from a lot of homeowners that they would love to create a rental suite on their property, but find the process to build and manage one confusing and time-consuming,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing. “Our new Home Suite Home guide and secondary suite pilot program will clearly and concisely provide homeowners with the information they need to make an informed choice on whether adding a rental unit is right for them.”

These initiatives are part of the Province’s Homes for People action plan. Announced in spring 2023.

Key Takeaways:

• The $200 million facility is expected to have an annual production capacity of approximately 350 million board feet. 
• Planning, construction, and commissioning of the new facility is expected to take between 28 and 32 months depending on contractor availability and equipment lead times. 
• Earlier this year, Canfor announced plans to wind down operations at existing mills in Chetwynd, Houston and Prince George. 

The Whole Story:

Canfor, a global forest products company, plans to spend $200 million on a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Houston, B.C. 

Canfor officials stated that the low cost, high efficiency facility is expected to have an annual production capacity of approximately 350 million board feet. 

The news comes after significant Canadian closures. The company, which has been based in B.C. for 85 years, announced earlier this year that it would wind down operations at mills in Chetwynd, Houston and Prince George. 

Don Kayne, president and CEO of Canfor, explained that the decision to build the new facility came following a comprehensive evaluation of customer requirements and a careful evaluation of the availability of economic fibre in the region to support a successful investment. 

“We believe we have the plan, the people and the know-how to build a best-in-class facility that showcases B.C. workers, suppliers and technology,” he said. “Today’s announcement underscores our ongoing commitment to British Columbia and the Houston community. It will strengthen our ability to provide our high-quality, sustainably produced forest products to the world, while providing good, family-supporting jobs here in B.C.”

He added that the project will be part of Canfor’s efforts to build  strong, collaborative relationships with Indigenous Nations in the area.

Work will begin immediately on detailed project engineering and permitting requirements. Vendor and equipment selection will be finalized in early 2024 with demolition and site preparation scheduled for the spring. Planning, construction, and commissioning of the new facility is expected to take between 28 and 32 months depending on contractor availability and equipment lead times. 

“We are very excited to be taking this important step to strengthen our manufacturing capacity and look forward to working with our partners to build a world class facility that will supply our valued customers with the high quality, low carbon products that are in demand around the world,” said Kayne.