Russell Hixson is an award-winning investigative journalist who spent the early parts of his career doing crime and courts reporting in the U.S. before stumbling into covering Canada’s construction sector. He spent eight years writing for the Journal of Commerce where he became well versed on the industry and its issues. He’s covered the federal budget from Ottawa and documented the early impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic while locked down in his bedroom.
Hixson has developed a passion for the construction industry and seeks to convert others by sharing its stories through SiteNews. When he’s not writing stories, the East Vancouver resident enjoys kayaking, skateboarding and avoiding the neighbourhood skunks.
Bruce Power is the world’s largest operating nuclear facility
With this new contract, Shoreline Power Group will execute Fuel Channel and Fuel Replacement work on all six of Bruce Power’s Major Component Replacement projects.
Bruce Power’s refurbishment projects are expected to wrap up in 2033.
The Whole Story:
Shoreline Power Group has been awarded a $1.3-billion contract by Bruce Power.
Shoreline Power Group – a joint venture between Aecon, SNC-Lavalin and AECOM Fuel – will work on the Fuel Channel and Feeder Replacement (FCFR) projects for its remaining Major Component Replacement (MCR) projects in Units 4, 5, 7 and 8.
The announcement comes just days after Bruce Power achieved substantial completion on its Unit 6 MCR project on-time and on-budget. Shoreline Power Group completed the FCFR for Unit 6 and had previously been awarded the Unit 3 MCR project which began March 1. With this new contract, Shoreline Power Group will execute FCFR work on all six of Bruce Power’s MCR project (Units 3-8), helping to extend the life of the site to 2064 and beyond.
“We’re pleased to be able to partner with Shoreline Power Group for the entirety of our Major Component Replacement project over the next decade to perform the major component replacement portion of our Life Extension Program,” said Mike Rencheck, Bruce Power president and CEO. “Part of Shoreline’s commitment is to deliver the next two MCRs more efficiently and cost-effectively than the previous one leveraging our lessons learned and best practices. Our Life Extension program when completed will provide clean energy for the people of Ontario and lifesaving medical isotopes to the world.”
Bruce Power is the world’s largest operating nuclear facility, in addition to producing power, it helps create lifesaving medical isotopes. The company and its partners will refurbish Units 3-8 between 2020 and 2033, a privately funded investment that they expect to generate billions in annual economic benefits in communities throughout the province. According to Bruce Power, It directly and indirectly supports 22,000 jobs annually and inject $4 billion into the province’s economy.
“This contract award underscores the success of our long-term partnership with Bruce Power and we are proud to achieve substantial completion on Unit 6,” said Jean-Louis Servranckx, president and CEO of Aecon Group Inc., on behalf of Shoreline Power Group. “The success of the Unit 6 refurbishment is a testament to the incredible work of our dedicated teams and trades. We look forward to working with our partners to execute the remainder of this critical project with an unwavering commitment to safety, quality, schedule and cost performance. This work supports a net-zero future, creates economic benefits and helps ensure the supply of clean and reliable electricity to meet Ontario’s growing energy demands.”
Todd Smith, Ontario minister of energy, applauded the partnership which says will keep the facility producing clean, reliable and affordable energy.
“We are proud and fortunate to have a world-class nuclear supply chain that is the envy of the world,” he said.
Key Takeaways:
Officials are changing city rules to allow multiplex developments in any neighbourhood.
The city noted that supply of low-rise housing, such as multiplexes, has not kept up with the demand
The city will alter its Official Plan and zoning bylaw to allow the new developments.
The Whole Story:
Toronto is changing its policies to allow for multiplex developments city-wide.
The city’ council’s adopted recommendations will result in amendments to the city’s Official Plan and city-wide zoning bylaw to enable the development of multiplexes – low-rise housing with two, three or four units in a single building – in all neighbourhoods throughout Toronto.
The recommended changes aim to permit more housing in all low-rise neighbourhoods while largely maintaining their built form and landscape amenities.
“Multiplexes have a long history in some Toronto neighbourhoods, providing desirable housing for many different types of households,” said Gregg Lintern, chief planner and executive director, city planning. “Our recommendations to permit multiplex housing across all neighbourhoods will enable property owners to create housing for extended families or rental units for tenants. This is an important step to removing exclusionary zoning and will contribute to the city’s housing goals.”
This initiative is one component of the city’s 2023 Housing Action Plan, which seeks to increase the housing supply within complete, inclusive and sustainable communities with critical infrastructure to support growth.
Officials noted that while there has been housing growth through mid- and high-rise apartment buildings concentrated in densely populated areas of the city, the supply of low-rise housing, such as multiplexes, has not kept up with the demand.
To remove barriers and enable the creation of more low-rise housing, the adopted report recommends an Official Plan Amendment to permit multiplexes in residential areas across the city and a Zoning Bylaw Amendment to implement these permissions in all residential zones. The report also recommends a monitoring program to track uptake and identify issues related to achieving multiplex housing.
The amendments were informed by feedback received through public consultation, including comments submitted to the city in response to the draft amendments.
The full Expanding Housing Options in Neighbourhoods: Multiplex Study – Final Report is available on the city’s website.
Key Takeaways:
New code requirements requiring better performance from new buildings went into effect this month.
The changes aim to help the B.C. hit its climate goals.
The higher energy-efficiency requirements are a progression of the BC Energy Step Code, introduced in 2017.
The Whole Story:
B.C. is changing its building code to align with its target zero-carbon targets.
“New energy-efficiency regulations are a key measure to help British Columbia meet our CleanBC 2030 goals,” said George Heyman, minister of environment and climate change Strategy. “We are building a future with better, healthier communities for families, while taking action on climate change. Our government is dedicated to ensuring that everyone in B.C., now and in the future, has access to a healthy environment.”
Effective this month, the BC Building Code will require 20% better energy efficiency for most new buildings throughout the province.
The new Zero Carbon Step Code provides tools for local governments to encourage or require lower emissions in new buildings. Officials stated that these changes meet commitments in the CleanBC Roadmap to 2030 to gradually lower emissions from buildings until all new buildings are zero carbon by 2030 and are net-zero energy ready by 2032.
“Working together with industry, B.C. can meet our housing needs and our climate goals,” said Ravi Kahlon, minister of housing. “These measures are essential changes to the BC Building Code that will help us meet our CleanBC commitments to make new buildings cleaner and more energy efficient.”
The higher energy-efficiency requirements are a progression of the BC Energy Step Code, introduced in 2017, which local governments can use to encourage or require energy efficiency that goes beyond the requirements of the BC Building Code.
The BC Energy Step Code enhances energy efficiency in new construction, while the Zero Carbon Step Code focuses on emissions reductions from new construction.
The province engaged with stakeholders, including industry experts, local governments and utility providers to develop these changes. The Province is now co-ordinating templates and best practices to facilitate these building code changes for local governments and the construction industry.
The Building and Safety Standards Branch, responsible for building codes and standards, invited Treaty Nations and Indigenous communities to comment on these code changes in summer 2022 and continues to meet with other Nations and communities as these new changes go into effect.
If a Treaty Nation or Indigenous community enforces the BC Building Code, they retain the discretion to enforce all or part of it.
Key Takeaways:
B.C. is in the process of implementing certification requirements for seven electrical and mechanical trades.
The province is asking for submissions from businesses, labour organizations, industry associations, Indigenous organizations and communities on what the next trades should be that will require certification.
The province will announces these trades in spring 2024.
The Whole Story:
B.C. is accepting applications for the next trades that will designated for skilled trades certification.
Following input from industry stakeholders and partners, SkilledTradesBC is accepting applications for more trades to be certified. B.C. businesses, labour organizations, industry associations, Indigenous organizations and communities that work or have an interest in the trades may apply to SkilledTradesBC for their trade to be designated.
SkilledTradesBC stated that it will evaluate applications based on “specific criteria that will align with existing regulatory frameworks and similarities to existing certified trades.”
SkilledTradesBC will then make recommendations to the province for trades to be considered for skilled trades certification.
Applications are open until June 30, 2023. Trades identified through the new process for skilled trades certification are expected to be announced in spring 2024.
Skilled trade certification is underway for seven electrical and mechanical trades. Workers in those trades have until Dec. 1, 2023, to either register as an apprentice or to have applied for, written or passed a certification exam. Support is available through SkilledTradesBC apprenticeship advisers and financial aid from the province and the federal government.
Skilled trade certification for three additional automotive trades will begin in 2024, and workers will have one year to register as an apprentice or become certified.
According to the province, skilled trades certification formally recognizes the skills of current and future workers, raises the profile of the trades and attracts more people to careers in the trades.
However, the move has faced criticism from groups like the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA). The group believes it will only create more unnecessary barriers to people looking to enter the industry.
“The return of compulsory trades is the result of government looking in the rear-view mirror and hoping that policies of yesterday will address the challenges of today and tomorrow,” wrote Chris Gardner, ICBA president, in a column. “And, let’s be clear, this is not about improving the quality of work – no British Columbian should be worried about the work performed by B.C.’s nearly 250,000 construction workers. It’s designed by the best in the world, it’s highly regulated, permitted, and thoroughly inspected.”
The Canadian construction industry’s skilled labour shortage is daunting.
The latest 10-year forecast from BuildForce Canada sees overall hiring requirements in the industry exceeding 299,000 due to the retirement of approximately 20% of the 2022 labour force and growth in worker demand of more than 54,000. They predict this could mean retirement-recruitment gap of more than 61,000 workers.
But the industry isn’t giving up. We rounded up a list of new and recent efforts by associations, companies, government and individuals to find fill those labour gaps.
Even our team at SiteNews is lending a hand. This week we launched SiteNews Jobs, a hub for Canadian employers and senior-level job seekers to connect.
Check out our list below and let us know if there are other efforts that deserve to be highlighted.
BC Construction Association
The Builders Life campaign highlights what kind of life a construction worker can have. – BCCA
The BC Construction Association (BCCA) received more than $21 million in funding from the Government of Canada’s Apprenticeship Service to encourage small and medium sized employers in BC’s construction industry to hire and register first-year apprentices. Participating employers will receive $5,000 for hiring or registering any worker. However, an additional $5,000 will be received if the worker self-reports as a woman, new Canadian, LGBTQ+, Indigenous, a person with a disability, or a visible minority. Companies could receive a maximum of $40,000. The association also has been working to highlight the lifestyle a tradesperson can have outside of work with its Builders Life campaign.
A Women’s Work
A photo from EthelFox shows one of its completed renovation projects. – EthelFox
You don’t always need to be a large company or industry group to make a difference. Construction entrepreneur Natasha Ferguson started EthelFox Construction Group which offers a wide range of services. In addition to her business, she started A Women’s Work, a non-profit based in Ontario, to provide training for women in the trades through pre-apprenticeship programs. Her goal is to offer free training to as many women as possible.
Helmets to Hardhats
Helmets to Hardhats focuses on former military members who want to join the civilian workforce. – Helmets to Hardhats
Helmets to Hardhats (H2H) Canada is a registered non-profit organization providing opportunities in the unionized construction industry for serving, transitioning and former military members. According to H2H, trying to find a civilian career after spending years working in the military can be a daunting task for many.
Tłı̨chǫ Trades Apprenticeship Program
Tłı̨chǫ and N.W.T officials have an intergovernmental meeting. – Tłı̨chǫ Government
Earlier this year the Tłı̨chǫ government in the N.W.T. received more than $2.4 million from the federal government to start the Tłı̨chǫ Trades Apprenticeship program. It will pair 30 first-year apprentices with small and medium-sized businesses in the region over the next two years. The program will focus on Red Seal trades like carpentry, welding and plumbing.
Aecon Women in Trades
Aecon is looking to continue and possibly expand its AWIT program. – Aecon
Large companies like Aecon are also doing their part to bring more people into the sector. Aecon’s Women in Trades (AWIT) Program, initially launched in 2019, is focused on creating more opportunities for women to enter the trades. In 2022, Aecon partnered with the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development through their Skills Development Fund to expand the success of the AWIT program with a target of recruiting, training and employing 350 women in various trades roles across Aecon’s operations.
Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario
The PBCTCO was established in 1957 to be the collective voice of construction workers at the provincial level. – PBCTCO
The Ontario government plans to spend $3.5 million in province-wide training initiatives to help more students launch careers in the skilled trades. These projects, led by the Provincial Building and Construction Trades Council of Ontario (PBCTCO), are expected to reach 2,000 young people. The programs focus on underrepresented groups and at-risk youth.
Opportunities for workers with criminal records
HammerHeads is one of several groups that is being funded to help workers with criminal records get construction careers. – Central Ontario Building Trades
This year Ontario officials announced $12 million in funding to give a second chance to workers with criminal records. Funding recipients included construction-related groups like HammerHeads, Prison Fellowship Canada and The Oaks Revitalization Association. The nine programs are expected to reach 2,000 people. According to the province, more than one million residents have a criminal record, which can decrease the chances of a second interview by 50 per cent and drastically increases the likelihood of long-term poverty.
Dora Construction
École Secondaire Mosaïque in Dartmouth, N.S. is one of the company’s recent projects. – Dora Construction
Dora Construction travelled from Nova Scotia to the Global Refugee Labour Mobility Summit in Jordan’s capital Amman this year after struggling to find workers in Canada. The summit was hosted by Talent Beyond Boundaries which seeks to connect refugees with job opportunities. Many candidates are Syrians who are fleeing violence in their country. The trip is part of a provincial strategy to fill labour gaps.
SISTERS’ Program
An Okanagan College student practices her skills. – Okanagan College
Last year Okanagan College started a new, fully subsidized program to train more Indigenous women as carpenters. The SISTERS’ program trains students in the basics of carpentry, including how to use tools and work with different materials. Students in the 30-week program will have their tuition paid and will receive dedicated funds for textbooks, personal protective equipment, and tools.
BILD Alberta Scholarships for Construction Careers initiative
Left to right: Reva Bond, dean of the School of Construction, Michael Orr, carpentry student, Scott Fash, executive director of BILD Alberta, Jay Westman, chair and CEO of Jayman BUILT, and David Ross, SAIT president and CEO. – SAIT
Homebuilders in Alberta are spending millions to help establish a new scholarship fund to assist students wanting to study carpentry, plumbing, sheet metal, electrician, bricklayer, cabinet maker, roofer, drywall, glazier, insulator and painter, for example, and will help workers on a pathway to their journeyperson certifications. Officials are hoping to raise $15 million. Major donations have already been made by Jayman BUILT, Anthem Properties and Homes by Avi.
Indigenous cohorts
B.C. electricians in training pose with all their gear. – EJTC
Efforts to develop Indigenous-focused programs and alternative methods of recruitment are paying off for the Electrical Joint Training Committee (EJTC) in B.C. For the past seven years, the group has been leading Indigenous cohorts through training to get careers as electricians. While it started focusing on entry-level training, the program is looking at expanding to offer Indigenous cohorts for all four years of Red Seal training.
Construction Boot Camp
A video recaps a recent Construction Boot Camp held in Montreal. – Quebec Construction Association
This year the Quebec Construction Association plans to host a series of weekend workshops to encourage participation in the trades. The free Construction Boot Camp program is open to anyone interested in trying in-demand trades like carpentry or plumbing. Afterwards they can sign up for a 5-month program, earn a diploma and look to begin an apprenticeship.
Permanent residence pilot program
Sean Fraser, minister of Immigration, refugees and citizenship, says the expansion will help with labour shortages in the GTA. – Government of Canada
In 2019, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), in partnership with the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC), launched a permanent residence pilot program for 500 out-of-status workers in the construction industry in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). Earlier this year officials announced they were doubling the scope of the program so it would benefit 1,000 workers.
Key Takeaways:
Avison Young looked at 14 major North American cities for office buildings that might be suitable for conversion.
Two major factors were if the office was built before 1990 and if it had floor plates below 15,000 square feet.
In total, the firm found 8,996 offices that have potential.
The Whole Story:
More than 2,600 office buildings in key Canadian markets could be candidates for adaptive reuse, new research shows.
Data from global commercial real estate advisor, Avison Young, found that up to 34% of office buildings in 14 major North American markets have the potential to be transformed into housing. The global real estate company’s research looked at more than 26,000 buildings and identified 8,996 candidates for adaptive reuse.
The markets include four Canadian cities: Toronto, Calgary, Montreal and Vancouver.
“Adaptive reuse is an important conversation we are having around the art of the possible, to demonstrate how this potential solution contributes to placemaking and to the revitalization and vibrancy of our neighbourhoods – particularly our downtown cores,” said Sheila Botting, principal and president, professional services, Americas at Avison Young. “We must reimagine how we want to live, work and play. Adaptive reuse is one of the key components of how we do that as a community.”
The company explained identifying adaptive reuse projects is something Avison Young has been exploring. Using a combination of its proprietary AVANT by Avison Young analytics and third-party analytics, the firm identified buildings built before 1990 and those with floor plates below 15,000 square feet – two anchoring criteria that tend to help isolate buildings that offer long-term potential for conversion. Avison Young applied this search to 10 U.S. markets and four Canadian markets, including those that have witnessed heightened interest in the possible solutions provided by office conversions, like Calgary, Manhattan, and San Francisco.
A chart shows how many potential office conversion projects were identified in key markets. – Avison Young
“Beyond age and floor plate, other criteria must be considered – such as specific building feasibility, costs, location, and surrounding amenities – to determine prime candidacy,” said Stephen Silverstein, principal and managing director, U.S. studio project and construction management at Avison Young. “That’s where conversations with our consultants, project & construction managers, asset managers and brokerage teams come into play, although this initial data set provides a clear snapshot as a starting point of what could be possible for these markets.”
Avison Young stated that across North America, office vacancies have highlighted a flight to quality, with tenants shifting up in the marketplace to choose higher-quality, highly-amenitized offerings with increasing vacancy in class B and C buildings. They believe this presents an opportunity for owners of older buildings to rethink their asset strategy and explore options, whether that is to stay as is, renovate/upgrade, repurpose or redevelop altogether.
“People are rethinking how they use office buildings and how they view the entire downtown,” added Botting. “Whereas most downtowns have mainly office buildings, a mix of uses provides much needed energy and vibrancy – and that’s where adaptive reuse provides a tremendous opportunity to reimagine great spaces for people to connect.”
Calgary-based industrialized construction company DIRTT has announced an American wall and ceiling manufacturer will co-own its ICE software platform.
DIRTT has entered into a joint arrangement with Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (AWI) for co-ownership of certain intellectual property interest in DIRTT’s ICE software and enhanced commercial partnership opportunities for consideration of approximately USD$11 million.
DIRTT officials stated that the ICE software platform has been integral to its success from inception. They explained that the tool supports the construction process through its integration of the design, sale, pricing, and manufacturing process.
AWI stated that it recognizes the value of DIRTT’s ICE software as a critical enabler for their ProjectWorks design and pre-construction service, including continuing expansion of AWI’s product portfolio with the software.
“We believe AWI’s investment in ICE software is a strong validation of the software’s unique value in digital transformations for organizations creating built environments,” said Benjamin Urban, DIRTT CEO. “DIRTT is excited for this partnership as it will provide additional resources and investment to move ICE software forward, while leveraging the partnership to identify and capitalize on new commercial opportunities and possible revenue growth capabilities.”
Jill Crager, AWI senior vice president, sales operations, said she believes the software can help accelerate the design capabilities of ProjectWorks and significantly increase the speed with which Armstrong can integrate products from across its portfolio into ProjectWorks.
“We believe this investment supports our digital strategy to serve customers efficiently and effectively with industry-leading design support and will continue to differentiate AWI in the commercial construction industry,” she said.
The joint arrangement will enable further investment in the ICE software platform for the shared interests of both DIRTT and AWI, as well as the potential for additional collaborative activities. DIRTT will also continue to advance the ICE software platform for use in its own business and corporate objectives.
Under the new arrangement, AWI will receive a 50% interest in certain intellectual property underlying DIRTT’s ICE software related to AWI’s product offering. In addition, AWI has also prepaid for certain development services to be provided by DIRTT.
SiteNews has news about jobs.
The digital publication and media brand wants to do its part to bring senior-level construction professionals and employers together by launching a new job board for Canada.
Launched last fall, SiteNews aims to be Canadian construction’s modern voice that informs and elevates the industry.
The job board will be integrated with the SiteNews website which provides construction news and insight, drawing in tens of thousands readers from across the country every month.
The SiteNews team explained that the job board will harness the power of their leadership-heavy audience, their website traffic, newsletter subscribers and social media presence to amplify job searches.
“Our mission is to celebrate and elevate the construction sector,” said Andrew Hansen, SiteNews co-founder. “We have a platform that reaches thousands of senior-level construction leaders and we want to leverage that reach to connect job seekers and employers. Behind every successful construction project is an all-star team. We want to help you build yours.”
The team explained that for years, finding experienced job candidates has been one of the top concerns for the Canadian construction industry. Leading organizations looking to grow have often struggled to fill key executive level roles. The latest 10-year forecast from BuildForce Canada sees overall hiring requirements in the industry exceeding 299,000 due to the retirement of approximately 20% of the 2022 labour force and growth in worker demand of more than 54,000.
The industry is expected to draw an estimated 237,800 first-time entrants aged 30 and younger from the local population, leaving the industry with a possible retirement-recruitment gap of more than 61,000 workers.
Employers agree that finding and retaining talent is a top concern, especially as the demand for infrastructure and housing continues to rise. According to a recent survey of construction companies in B.C. by the B.C Construction Association, the skilled labour shortage was listed as the most pressing issue on the industry’s minds.
“SiteNews Jobs is built to connect the top talent in our industry with premium opportunities. We believe our industry is one of the best places to build a career,” said the SiteNews team. “From marketing to operations and everything in between. We plan to create a place where the most unique opportunities can be highlighted to help companies and industry professionals find the match that allows the best to keep building.”
Check out SiteNews Jobs here. Job posters can try the board out for free for a limited time here.
Key Takeaways:
The 14-storey tower will consist of 109 studio homes.
Bird Construction will help build a 14-storey modular project in Vancouver – the tallest of its kind in Canada.
The company announced it has been awarded a construction management services contract for BC Housing‘s Permanent Supportive Housing Initiative, located on East King Edward Avenue in Vancouver. The 14-storey modular project is valued at approximately $50 million.
The project is part of a joint agreement between the city of Vancouver, BC Housing, and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to deliver a minimum of 300 permanent supportive homes on five city-owned sites. The East King Edward Avenue building will consist of 109 studio homes, with the base of the building holding a commercial kitchen, dining room, multi-purpose room, and tenant laundry. The building will be collaboratively operated by Vancouver Native Housing Society and Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society.
The project design was supported by Bird’s pre-construction design services, with the final design delivered by Stantec and Bird’s Stack Modular business. The seamless exterior design will include elements that represent Coast Salish and Urban Indigenous Peoples, with the facade highlighted by timber-like panels and blank exterior wall space for culturally themed murals. It will follow the Passive House green building design standard, and the prefabricated modular construction method is expected to reduce construction waste, expedite the construction process, and reduce costs.
According to Bird, the volumetric steel modular tower offers 14 floors of units on a rapid, repeatable scale. The team stated that the approach allows for customization to meet the community’s needs and creates a look and feel comparable to current purpose-built apartments. They added that he modular approach substantially reduces construction time, facilitating faster occupancy than traditional builds and reducing the impact on the local community during construction, while ensuring strict quality control, rigorous safety standards, and significant energy performance in line with Passive House standards.
They believe that these benefits position modular construction as an efficient solution to Canada’s housing crisis and long-term care capacity challenges, as well as for the delivery of other vital infrastructure with repeatable requirements.
“We are proud to be selected to provide our forward-leaning accelerated construction method to communities in need of housing. Modular construction is gaining considerable momentum in North America and our Bird Stack team has been actively demonstrating the benefits to build more efficiently and fast-track delivery of important infrastructure to the market,” said Teri McKibbon, president and CEO of Bird. “The strong design partnership, coupled with early engagement and collaboration between the project partners and the community, has ensured this vital housing initiative will move forward.”
Key Takeaways:
Buildings are the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Toronto.
grants of up to $500,000 will be awarded to each of the buildings to offset the incremental design and construction costs required to achieve maximum emissions reductions.
participants are currently finalizing their designs.
Once complete, the city will develop and publicly release comprehensive case studies.
The Whole Story:
Toronto has revealed the eight buildings participating in the Deep Retrofit Challenge (DRC), a competition-style program with up to $5 million in funding up for grabs.
Through the DRC, grants of up to $500,000 will be awarded to each of the buildings, seven of which are privately-owned, to support deeper-than-planned energy retrofits. The grants will offset the incremental design and construction costs required to achieve maximum greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reductions.
“Reducing emissions from buildings across Toronto is a critical piece of the City’s TransformTO Net Zero Strategy and something we must do quickly to address the climate crisis,” said Jennifer McKelvie, deputy mayor. “Through the Deep Retrofit Challenge, we are accelerating emissions reductions and creating pathways for other buildings to follow. Reducing emissions to net zero will require significant community-wide action and investments by other levels of government.”
Launched in 2022, the DRC aims to accelerate emissions reductions from buildings in Toronto and identify pathways to net zero that can be replicated in other buildings across the city. The retrofits are intended to advance the goals of the TransformTO Net Zero Climate Action Strategy, including the city’s target to reduce community-wide emissions to net zero by 2040, and serve as a catalyst to accelerate deep energy retrofits.
Officials noted that Toronto’s community-wide emissions must be cut in half in the next seven years – by 2030 – to reach the trajectory needed to reach net zero by 2040. Buildings are the largest source of GHG emissions in Toronto today, generating approximately 58 per cent of community-wide emissions, primarily from the burning of natural gas for heating and hot water. The City controls only about five per cent of community-wide emissions directly through its own buildings and operations, making a community-wide effort essential to reaching net zero emissions.
DRC participants are currently finalizing their designs. The process includes an integrated design workshop, energy modelling, the final selection of energy conservation measures and payback calculations. To remain eligible for funding, participants must deliver a final design to the city that verifies that their proposed projects will meet all DRC program requirements, including:
Minimum 50 per cent reduction in the building’s GHG emissions.
Minimum 50 per cent reduction in total energy use intensity.
Payback period of 20 years or less.
Retrofits will be completed by early 2025. Once complete, the city will develop and publicly release comprehensive case studies on completion of the retrofits, including the retrofit designs, utility savings, project costs and lessons learned.
Applications for the DRC were accepted from Aug. 26 to Oct. 31, 2022. The city received 14 applications and accepted 11 conditionally, with eight building owners now fully committed.
More information about participants and their projects is available on the city’s Deep Retrofit Challenge webpage. To receive updates about the projects, residents can ask to be added to a mailing list by emailing drc@toronto.ca.
Here are the challenge participants:
350 Bay Street (Dream Office REIT) Building type: Commercial Office Year built: 1928 Number of storeys: 13 Number of units: 12 Gross Floor Area (m2): 5,406 Estimated greenhouse gas emissions reduction: 53% Estimated total energy use intensity reduction: 73% Total DRC incentive: $500,000
723 Bloor Street West (Dream Unlimited) Building type: Multi-unit residential Year built: 1920 Number of storeys: 4 Number of units: 16 Gross Floor Area (m2): 1,604 Estimated greenhouse gas emissions reduction: 72% Estimated total energy use intensity reduction: 53% Total DRC incentive: $229,384.75
88 College Street (The Governing Council of the University of Toronto) Building type: Commercial office Year built: 1882 Number of storeys: 2 Number of units: N/A Gross Floor Area (m2): 1,748 Estimated greenhouse gas emissions reduction: 95% Estimated total energy use intensity reduction: 72% Total DRC incentive: $285,326
1-15 Field Sparroway; 2-10 Tree Sparroway (Toronto Community Housing) Building type: Multi-unit residential Year built: 1973 Number of storeys: 3 Number of units: 175 Gross Floor Area (m2): 17,414 Estimated greenhouse gas emissions reduction: 82% Estimated total energy use intensity reduction: 50% Total DRC incentive: $500,000
633 Northcliffe Boulevard (Northcliffe Inc.) Building type: Multi-unit residential Year built: 1968 Number of storeys: 11 Number of units: 86 Gross Floor Area (m2): 6,973 Estimated greenhouse gas emissions reduction: 76.5% Estimated total energy use intensity reduction: 52% Total DRC incentive: $500,000
177 St. George Street (Dream Unlimited) Building type: Multi-unit residential Year built: 1963 Number of storeys 8 Number of units: 65 Gross Floor Area (m2): 3,902 Estimated greenhouse gas emissions reduction: 54% Estimated total energy use intensity reduction: 74% Total DRC incentive: $500,000
145 Woodward Avenue (145 Woodward Ave Inc.) Building type: Multi-unit residential Year built: 1955 Number of storeys: 3 Number of units: 11 Gross Floor Area (m2): 870 Estimated greenhouse gas emissions reduction: 80% Estimated total energy use intensity reduction: 57% Total DRC incentive: $151,750
61 Yorkville Avenue (Minto Apartment Limited Partnership) Building type: Mixed-use (multi-unit residential and retail commercial) Year built: 2003 Number of storeys: 18 Number of units: 181 Gross Floor Area (m2): 19,490 Estimated greenhouse gas emissions reduction: 82% Estimated total energy use intensity reduction: 51% Total DRC incentive: $383,750
Key Takeaways:
BuildForce is predicting the industry will experience a brief contraction before growth resumes in 2025.
Employment has been growing faster than the labour force in recent years. These trends combined to bring the industry’s national average unemployment rate to below 5% in 2022.
By 2032, Canada’s construction sector could see a retirement-recruitment gap of more than 61,000 workers.
The group is calling for more efforts to recruit from under-represented groups such as women, Indigenous people, and new Canadians.
The Whole Story:
BuildForce Canada’s latest 10-year forecast is calling for new recruitment strategies as the group is expecting the construction sector to boom following a brief contraction.
According to the group, Canada’s construction sector continues to perform at an elevated level following the COVID-19 pandemic. Strong levels of investments by governments across the country have helped to stimulate the economy, demand for housing remains high, and private-sector entities continue to invest in construction. These factors combined in 2022 to increase total construction investment levels by 3% over the record high recorded in 2021.
BuildForce Canada’s forecast report finds that construction activity will step down from its 2022 peak, with contractions projected for 2023 and 2024. But they believe this contraction will be brief. Growth is poised to resume by 2025, and by 2032, total investment should increase by 1% over 2022 levels.
BuildForce noted that numbers are based on existing known demands and do not take into account the federal government’s goal to double the number of new homes built across Canada over the next 10 years, nor the anticipated increase in demand for construction services related to the retrofit of existing structures to accommodate electrification.
B.C. Premier David Eby (centre) meets with tradespeople while announcing new plans to fill labour gaps. – Province of B.C.
Across the forecast period, activity in the residential sector will be driven by a combination of factors. Demand for new housing is expected to contract in response to rising interest rates in the short term and return to growth between 2024 and 2029. Meanwhile, activity in the renovation and maintenance sector increases continuously. By 2032, overall residential employment is forecast to contract by a modest 5,300 workers (-1%) by 2032, with losses concentrated in the new-housing sector.
Construction in the non-residential sector will continue to benefit from stronger levels of public-sector investment in an array of projects, including major transit, utility, and road, highway, and bridge projects in Ontario, B.C., Quebec, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island, and strong demand for projects in the industrial, commercial, and institutional (ICI) sector in every province.
Employment in the non-residential sector is poised to grow almost continuously between 2023 and 2027, rising to a forecast peak of just over 600,000 workers, and by 2032, employment should be 4% higher than levels recorded in 2022, as a moderate contraction of 1% in engineering construction is more than offset by gains in the ICI and maintenance sectors.
“The construction sector saw another strong year of growth in 2022, with overall employment growing further beyond pre-pandemic levels,” said Clyde Scollan, chair of BuildForce Canada. “More than 1.5 million Canadians, or about one in every 13 working people, now works in the industry. The challenge now is how to manage demands, given an aging labour force. Employment has been growing faster than the labour force in recent years. These trends combined to bring the industry’s national average unemployment rate to below 5% in 2022, with a record low of 2.4% achieved in July.”
Although construction employment varies year to year depending on investment levels, BuildForce found labour market conditions in 2022 were particularly challenging for Prince Edward Island, Ontario, B.C., New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Saskatchewan. These provinces experienced investment increases in both residential and non-residential construction segments.
“Although market pressures should ease in the residential sector in 2023 and 2024 as demand for new housing contracts in response to interest rates, activity in most provinces’ non-residential sectors could remain elevated well into the middle years of our forecast period, given the high volume of large projects currently underway in many regions of the country,” said Bill Ferreira, executive director of BuildForce.
Provinces at glance:
Atlantic Provinces
Across the Atlantic provinces, construction activity is either at, or will soon reach, near-term peaks. The provinces’ respective residential sectors will initially contract before returning to growth between 2024 and 2026, with demand for renovation activity projected to remain elevated. Activity in the non-residential sector will fluctuate in line with various large-scale projects such as the refurbishment of the Mactaquac Dam in New Brunswick, the West White Rose redevelopment in Newfoundland and Labrador, and several civil and health care projects. Only Nova Scotia and New Brunswick are expected to report employment growth across the forecast period.
Quebec:
Construction activity in Quebec will be affected by competing factors. After reporting a strong year in 2022, the province’s residential sector is expected to decline across the forecast period, in line with lowering demand for new construction. Its non-residential sector will be supported in the short term by work on major projects in Montreal and Quebec City. Growth will fluctuate in later years as these works conclude.
Ontario
Ontario’s construction market enters the forecast period at a time of significant growth. Although the pace of residential activity in 2023 and 2024 is projected to moderate from previous record highs, it nonetheless remains elevated and returns to growth in 2025. The non-residential sector continues to be driven by a large inventory of major infrastructure projects and a projected recovery in commercial-building construction. Unemployment should remain at or near record-low levels.
Manitoba
In Manitoba, non-residential construction activity has been bolstered by work on a series of infrastructure projects. These projects cycle up and down across the forecast period, alongside strong government investment and a rebounding commercial sector. As housing starts recede from recent highs, the renovation and maintenance sector is poised to become the dominant driver of residential employment in the province.
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan’s construction sector should rise to a peak in 2027, sustained by strong growth in its residential sector post-2023, and new and ongoing manufacturing, utility, mining, school, and health care projects. A younger demographic is well positioned to replace retiring workers.
Alberta
Alberta’s construction outlook is driven by competing pressures. The residential sector, and particularly its new-housing segment, faces a series of contractions through 2032. Strong gains in renovation activity could help partially offset the anticipated declines. The non-residential sector, on the other hand, is projected to rise to peak employment by 2030 on the strength of ongoing major road and highway, health, education, commercial, industrial, and public-transportation projects, as well as growth in the oil and gas sector.
B.C.
The outlook for B.C.’s construction sector sees varying trends. The residential sector is expected to recover swiftly after 2024 as interest rates ease and the renovation sector expands. Meanwhile, activity in the non-residential sector will fluctuate with the ebb and flow of work on several major projects and is underpinned by growth in maintenance work.
New recruitment strategies needed
“Labour markets in many provinces are experiencing tight conditions, so much so that it has become extremely challenging for companies to recruit workers from other regions or even from other provinces,” said Ferreira. “The situation is complicated by the anticipated retirement of older and experienced workers. Although younger workers are certainly capable and well trained, they lack the years of experience, skills, and knowledge of the older workers they are replacing.”
By 2032, overall hiring requirements in the industry are expected to exceed 299,000 due to the retirement of approximately 20% of the 2022 labour force and growth in worker demand of more than 54,000.
Based on historical trends, Canada’s construction industry is expected to draw an estimated 237,800 first-time entrants aged 30 and younger from the local population, leaving the industry with a possible retirement-recruitment gap of more than 61,000 workers.
BuildForce stated that an ongoing commitment to apprenticeship development in both compulsory and non-compulsory trades will be necessary to ensure there are sufficient numbers of qualified tradespeople.
Sean Strickland, BuildForce Canada vice chair, explained that the industry has been working to bring in groups traditionally under-represented groups such as women, Indigenous People, and newcomers to Canada.
“Creating greater awareness of the tremendous career opportunities for these individuals within the construction sector will be critical to ensuring the sector is able to meet its future workforce needs,” he said.
In 2021, there were approximately 199,600 women employed in Canada’s construction industry. Of them, 27% worked directly in on-site construction. However, as a share of the total 1.16 million tradespeople employed in the industry, women accounted for just 5% of the on-site construction workforce.
That same year, Indigenous people accounted for 5.1% of Canada’s construction labour force, which is a slight decline from the share of 5.2% observed in 2016, but is notably higher than the share of Indigenous workers represented in the overall labour force (4.1%). BuildForce noted that as the Indigenous population is the fastest growing in Canada and Indigenous workers seem predisposed to the pursuit of careers within the sector, there may be scope to further increase the recruitment of Indigenous People into the construction workforce.
The construction industry may also leverage newcomers to meet anticipated labour market requirements. Canada is expected to welcome an average of more than 444,600 new international migrants each year between 2023 and 2032. BuildForce noted that this will make newcomers a growing segment of the overall labour force. The national construction labour force was comprised of approximately 18% newcomers in 2021. That figure is notably lower than the overall share of newcomers in the total labour force (27%).
Key Takeaways:
The plan establishes TradeUpBC, a continuing education hub for in-demand jobs in the trades.
Other actions aim to reduce barriers for those looking to enter the construction sector.
It also introduces rapid response training, which will support delivery of short-term training that responds quickly to labour market needs.
The Whole Story:
B.C. has revealed more details of its efforts to get more people trained for in-demand jobs.
“Our economy is growing and innovating quickly,” said Premier David Eby. “Work is transforming, and we have more job openings than skilled people. That’s why we are taking action to make sure people are ready to seize new opportunities and build a good life here in B.C., and businesses are able find the people who drive our economy forward and deliver the services we all rely on.”
The StrongerBC: Future Ready Action Plan is focused on five pillars:
Making post-secondary education more affordable, accessible and relevant to residents.
Helping people reskill to find in-demand jobs so more employers facing current and future skills shortages can find the people they need.
Breaking down barriers so everyone can find a job where they can thrive.
Ensuring people new to B.C. find a career in the field in which they are trained.
“Every action in Future Ready is designed to take on the challenges of today, to build a better future for people and a stronger economy,” said Selina Robinson, minister of post-secondary education and future skills. “Together, we are building a future in B.C. where people are able to acquire the skills and find the opportunities they need to thrive, and employers are able to find the people they need to sustain and grow their businesses.”
The $480-million action plan is highlighted by a future skills grant of up to $3,500. This grant will cover the cost of training for in-demand jobs. Beginning in September this year the grant will be available to B.C. residents, making it easier for people to select from more than 400 eligible training opportunities at post-secondary institutions throughout B.C. for the most in-demand jobs in areas such as construction, tech, housing and clean energy. According to the province, this means some 8,500 newly trained people over the next three years will become skilled and ready to fill positions and address the skills gap.
“I’m hearing from businesses, small and large, that finding skilled labour is one of their biggest challenges,” said Brenda Bailey, Minister of Jobs, Economic Development and Innovation. “That’s exactly what this initiative will address. It will ensure businesses have access to a skilled and diverse talent pool, now and into the future. Good jobs are good for workers and for businesses. By working together, we can build a better future for B.C.”
The province is also introducing rapid response training, which will support delivery of short-term training that responds quickly to labour market needs and the evolving economy. In addition, government is establishing TradeUpBC, a continuing education hub for in-demand jobs in the trades. Programs will target certified or experienced workers and will provide skills that complement but do not replace apprentice training. Over three years, it’s estimated that up to 6,000 people will benefit from short-term training and TradeUpBC.
In addition, the plan includes measures that will break down barriers to help people enter the workforce and increase the number of students with job-ready skills needed for the tech-related and engineering workforce, early childhood education services, health-care professions, veterinary professions, teachers, construction jobs and other key sectors. Future Ready will also help employers recruit and retain employees to expand and grow.
The province has also doubled interest-free student loan maximums through $151 million in student financial aid, the first increase to weekly student loan maximums since 2006. As well, the B.C. government has launched the Health Human Resources Strategy with $150 million in funding toward training in health-care professions.
Here are other plan details that could impact the construction sector:
Introducing the new future skills grant to provide British Columbians with up to $3,500 to cover the costs of tuition for short-term skills training for in-demand jobs delivered by public post-secondary institutions.
Establishing TradeUpBC, a continuing education hub for in-demand jobs to grow innovative delivery of post-secondary education with shorter, industry-driven training.
Increasing skills for certified journeypersons to continue learning throughout their careers.
Boosting training for people looking to enter the mass-timber industry, with the development and delivery of comprehensive mass-timber programs.
Introducing a new workplace innovation fund to support businesses implementing innovative new strategies to tackle the current labour-market challenge and better prepare for a changing economy.
Expanding skills training for people facing multiple barriers. Supports include employment assistance, counselling, mentoring, job placements, disability support, Indigenous cultural supports, child care, housing, transportation and other tailored supports.
Bringing forward several initiatives that will shift post-secondary education and training programs from government-led to Indigenous-led, and expand post-secondary training and labour market opportunities, with an investment of nearly $100 million.
Streamlining foreign credential recognition to improve processes and remove unnecessary barriers, helping employers find internationally trained workers faster.
Introducing Find Your Path, a new online one-stop shop for job seekers that will help people discover in-demand jobs, and the education and training they need to land those jobs. Continuing to expand supports for learners in Indigenous and remote communities through Contact North B.C.
Enhancing the B.C. Provincial Nominee Program to attract skilled international workers throughout the province, supporting thousands of employers each year in addressing labour shortages and prioritizing in-demand skills
The most precious thing any company has isn’t equipment, investments or project leads.
It’s people.
For this year’s construction safety week, SiteNews is highlighting companies that are going beyond what’s required for safety and finding innovative ways to protect workers.
Organizer’s of Construction Week chose the theme of Strong Voices, Safe Choices to showcases the industry’s dedication to creating a culture and environment where everyone is empowered to step in, speak up, and take action to keep their team and job site safe.
Norland Limited
Norland Limited
Norland, a Canadian Construction Association’s National Safety Award winner, developed an online safety training portal and created custom safety courses for its hundreds of employees. Courses include hazard awareness, due diligence for supervisors and more. Since launching in 2019, more than 7,500 courses have been completed
Bird Construction
Bird Construction
Construction Safety Nova Scotia (CSNS) recently honoured Bird Construction for its efforts to care for its workers’ mental health. The company’s eaders share knowledge and resources, and foster an environment where it is safe to raise concerns about mental health. The company offers virtual courses on mental health and Mental Health First Aid for managers. It delivered several toolbox talks tailored to mental health issues, and Wellness Champions throughout the company are passionate about mental health and raising awareness.
Western Pacific Enterprises
Western Pacific Enterprises
As a commercial and industrial electrical contractor, Western Pacific Enterprises leverages collaboration software to record safety stats throughout its work sites and uses the data to mitigate re-occurrence, enabling employees to work across the organization to make safety a top priority.
Scott Construction
Scott Construction
For years, Scott Construction has been a leader in destigmatizing mental health issues. Its Mental Health Committee is led by members from across the organization to support mental health topics. The committee focuses on communication, education and external resources support on topics ranging from substance abuse education, family mental wellness to physical wellbeing challenges. The effort supports workers on sites in B.C., Alberta and Ontario.
PCL / EllisDon / Ontario General Contractors Association
Ontario General Contractors Association
After falling construction materials injured two pedestrians in Ontario, builders in the province teamed up to attack the issue head on. The Ontario General Contractors Association has partnered with PCL Constructors Canada Inc. and EllisDon for a Safety Week campaign it’s calling “Stop the Drop” The campaign includes.a shared Toolbox Safety Talk that provides prevention methods to avoid these types of incidents.
Lincor
Lincor
Industrial painting contractor Lincor’s efforts to prevent worker injury earned it the Gord Stewart Safety Award from the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association. The company collaborated with injury experts to create the Industrial Athlete program where crews regularly do preventative exercises and check in with health experts to treat emerging issues.
Borger Group
Borger Group
Borger believes every voice is equal. Any worker has the ability to stop any site, any time, with complete immunity if they feel it’s unsafe. The site remains at a standstill until the risk is assessed by at least two safety officers. The Calgary company stated that it has spent the past year implementing Vizzn safety software. The tool identifies missing safety paperwork and compares active equipment and actual events to safety paperwork.
IRL Construction
IRL Group
IRL Construction worked with U.K.-based FHOSS to develop an intelligent illumination safety system. The system can create a lit-up box that keeps people clear of moving equipment, graphics on the outside of working equipment and lighting on hard hats to make workers more visible. Officials at IRL said the tools have been useful for reminding evening its most seasoned workers of where hazardous areas are located when working around heavy equipment.
Ledcor
Ledcor
Ledcor Group was awarded the Construction Workplace Health and Safety Innovation award by the Vancouver Regional Construction Association for its excavation extraction rescue system (EERS). The system can be used to safely and expediently extract a worker from an excavation site in the event of an emergency. EERS can be implemented and used at any stage of excavation.
EllisDon
EllisDon
Earlier this year EllisDon has launched the Fit Your Frame campaign, aimed at providing construction safety vests to women and gender-nonconforming persons whose frame and body type are not best served by traditional vest offerings. The company partnered with Md Bespoke, a Black-owned Canadian custom clothing manufacturer, to produce vests that will uphold the quality and function of traditional vests, with better fitting and size options.
Key Takeaways:
The work is split into two contracts that total $615 million.
The scope of work includes the construction of additional lanes, seven new bridges, and improvements to ramps and interchanges.
Since the road’s initial construction in the 1970s, Calgary’s population has doubled
The Whole Story:
Aecon has been selected to upgrade Alberta’s busiest highway.
The company announced that Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors chose them to deliver the Deerfoot Trail Improvements project in Calgary under two contracts with an aggregate value of $615 million.
The company has been selected as the preferred proponent for the $595 million design and construction of improvements to Deerfoot Trail from Douglasdale Boulevard to north of Glenmore Trail. The scope of work includes the construction of additional lanes, seven new bridges, and improvements to ramps and interchanges.
The job is expected to last until the fourth quarter of 2027.
Aecon has also been awarded a $20 million contract for the construction of improvements at Beddington Trail Northwest and 11th Street Northeast, including adding an additional lane in the north and southbound directions, and constructing a ramp to connect 11th Street with Deerfoot Trail North and Beddington Trail.
“We look forward to bringing our experience delivering large scale transportation projects to improve the safety, mobility and capacity of this important corridor,” said Jean-Louis Servranckx, president and CEO of Aecon Group. “This project will benefit growing communities and we are pleased to expand our relationship with Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors.”
Since the road’s initial construction in the 1970s, Calgary’s population has doubled, more people have access to vehicles, and traffic volumes have continued to increase.
According to the province, 2019 saw the average weekday traffic volumes were 93,000 vehicles/day at Stoney Trail SE and 190,000 vehicles/day at Memorial Drive. Improvements are needed to bring the road’s capacity closer to the current and projected traffic demands, as well as improve the safety and reliability of the transportation corridor.
Key Takeaways:
The design team includes Indigenous design firm Two Row Architect to incorporate Indigenous architectural form.
The team plans to include green building practices, including mass timber, rainwater harvesting, solar energy, geothermal energy, renewable building materials and green roofing.
Demolition of current facilities is slated for winter this year, with an estimated building completion in 2026.
The Whole Story
DIALOG and Two Row Architect have unveiled the design of multi-million-dollar health and wellness complex for Seneca Polytechnic in Toronto.
The architects say the project will be infused with Indigenous design, sustainability and inclusion.
Drawing inspiration from the medicine wheel, the health and wellness Centre will be a destination for students and employees to support their physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness.
On the pre-design of the building, Seneca is working with DIALOG, an integrated design practice, and Indigenous design firm Two Row Architect to incorporate Indigenous architectural form.
“The Health and Wellness Centre will be the heartbeat of Seneca,” said Erik Skouris, Two Row Architecture, design lead. “The outcome of this circular design signifying a drum demonstrates that the Centre will provide a holistic healing approach within the lives of the students based on Indigenous ways of seeing, understanding and being in the world that extends beyond the mere act of drumming.”
Established in 1992 by principal Architect Brian Porter (OnΛyota’a:ka), the name Two Row Architect was chosen to reflect the unique nature of the firm. The firm is a 100% native-owned business operated from the Six Nations of the Grand River First Nation and Tkaronto.
The design includes a central drum courtyard with fire pit. – DIALOG
Skouris explained that many teachings across Turtle Island use the circle to represent balance and equality, wholeness, and connection. The circle is unbroken and made of equal, connected and infinite points.
“The Creator is at the centre of the courtyard, around which all living things – including students, engage,” he said. “All programs radiate from this centre and have a special and direct connection to it. The drum voices our connection to all creation when we move and strengthens our bonds to each other when we drum together.”
Seneca’s vision is to transform the decades-old Sport Centre at the east end of Newnham Campus into a dynamic multi-storey health and wellness complex that includes traditional medicines, counselling, recreation and varsity sports facilities. The centre will also incorporate a new home for the Seneca Student Federation (SSF).
Funding for the Centre is coming from Seneca, the SSF and the Student Athletic Association (SAA). The SSF and SAA contributions have been funded through capital fees contributed by students over many years.
According to the school, the centre will represent the next phase of development at Newnham Campus, complementing the award-winning LEED Gold-certified Centre for Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship, known as CITE, and the award-winning Odeyto Indigenous Centre.
Landscaped outdoor space surrounding the Centre will provide opportunities to engage with nature. Highlights include a central drum courtyard with fire pit, an extensive arrangement of native plants and trees, regenerative forest, earth mounds and a teaching and leisure rooftop terrace.
The team plans to include green building practices, including mass timber, rainwater harvesting, solar energy, geothermal energy, renewable building materials, green roofing, and designing for resilience and operational sustainability.
Subject to approval by the provincial government, demolition of current facilities is slated for winter this year, with an estimated building completion in 2026.
It all started in an Ottawa basement with Jeffrey Clarke Sr. in 1994.
“My father was a serial entrepreneur from Nova Scotia,” said Jeff W. Clarke, his son. “We moved to Ottawa so he could have a government job but that wasn’t working out for him. He couldn’t shake the entrepreneurial spirit.”
Clarke Sr. decided from his travels and conversations that environmental services was a good space to be in. He eventually connected with an environmental contractor named David Walsh. They partnered up to form Inflector Environmental Services in a basement and it began to grow.
Like father, like son
With Clarke Sr.’s son, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.
“I always had an entrepreneurial spirit as well,” said Clarke.
Growing up, he was an avid skateboarder. Not content to just ride, he opened up a skateboard shop in his father’s shed.
“Anything that I loved I wanted to turn into a business,” he said. “I grew up watching my father and I was fascinated with seeing him open and close companies, the struggle, the turmoil.”
At 16 he started working for his father and quickly learned the ins and outs of Inflector’s hazardous materials remediation and demolition services.
“I was in the field right away with the tools so I got some great experience,” he said. “I loved it – the camaraderie, being on site, being one of the only kids in school that could afford to buy lunch was awesome. I worked weekends, holidays and even sometimes after school.”
By his third summer he was running his own projects as a superintendent. Eventually he decided to move back to Nova Scotia to study. He graduated with a general commerce degree. During his last semester as he was gearing up to continue his schooling, his father told him he had lung cancer and there wasn’t much time.
“He said he would appreciate it if I stepped into the business if something were to happen,” said Clarke.
Four months later, his father passed away and Clarke followed his wishes to keep the business going.
Taking the reins
“It was a baptism by fire. The first year was a wild ride. I would look in the mirror and say ‘you are not going bankrupt today’. I had no crazy goals. I just took it one day at a time to keep the lights on and keep employees comfortable and confident about the business and its future. It was definitely a shocker,” said Clarke.
His strategy for growth and success was simple: money and people
“For the first year, you have to make sure you run a business that is profitable and reinvest in the business in an intelligent manner,” he said. “You need to use that money to attract and create a culture where the best people in the industry want to work. It’s not much of a secret sauce.”
Clarke went after some of the most innovative and competent people he could find and attributed much of the company’s success to his team.
“I really believe a lot of the success has nothing really to do with myself but the people that came here and our ability to motivate and support people to do what they are good at, to innovate stuff and leave their mark,” he said.
The company has since started taking on larger and larger projects, getting out of its comfort zone and bringing on people that could execute.
“It sounds boring, but the people built Inflector and I am lucky enough to be part of it,” he said.
Major expansion
One of the first major projects was a multi-million dollar project working on a government conference centre in Ottawa.
“It was our first time working in an extreme heritage environment,” said Clarke. “We moved out a crazy tonnage of asbestos. It was insane the amount of concrete that was coming out. It was a wild job.”
Today Inflector is the largest environmental services contractor in all of Atlantic Canada with offices in Halifax, N.S. and Moncton, N.B. Recently they have been making moves to grow through acquisitions. Atlantic-Canada-based EnviroBate was the company’s first acquisition in July of 2022. Ontario-based Donalco Inc. was the company’s second in February this year.
“Inflector grew organically for my first eight years in the business, but it’s a lot to go around the country opening offices organically and self funding for so long,” said Clarke.
Not only was the travel becoming unfeasible for the team, but the company needed to expand its services.
“It was time for us to look at other ways for geographic growth as well as service line diversification,” said Clarke. “You can’t do the same services forever because eventually markets go through cycles. If there is a slowdown in one cycle, we need to pickup something else.”
In the case of Donalco, the acquisition helped the company branch out into fireproofing/firestopping space.
“They have been an industry leader for a long time. They have a great reputation, a strong business model and amazing people,” said Clarke. “One thing we look at when we are considering an acquisition is you have to have amazing people. In construction, we aren’t making a widget that is the same thing every day. A lot of the stuff is contract to contract. And you need people who can execute.”
Clarke is also looking at getting into other speciality contracting services that have a high barrier to entry.
“The market size may be small, but those that do it well can survive,” he said.
One major trend Inflector has identified in the sector is the revitalization of historical contaminated sites, including buildings, ships and others. Clarke explained that these structures are being brought into a new generation of environmental impact.
“From the logistics team to the field teams and others, there is an enormous sense of pride to be on historical projects,” said Clarke. “Lots of buildings come and go, but these ones will be around forever. It’s a legacy building moment for a lot of the team here and we are proud to have them on our resume. Morale is extremely high and everybody really wants to do their best.”
Crews work on a marine site. – Inflector
Spring has sprung and construction work is in full swing all across the country. Shots that caught our staff’s eye this month included safety training, trash pickups, traffic control, rainbows, ospreys and more.
The Construction Foundation of B.C. welcomed rebar worker Oleh Marchyshyn and his family to Victoria. The family recently moved to B.C. from Ukraine and Oleh was quickly able to find work in the construction industry.
Lafarge workers clean up trash near the company’s Innovation Hub in Edmonton.
Peak Construction Group
Elder Dennis Joseph shares a song and prayer with Peak Construction Group’s teams at the Sen̓áḵw site for National Day of Mourning.
Glenbow Museum
Workers watch as new exterior panels are placed on the Glenbow Museum in Calgary. The panels are made from Cloudcrete, a fibreglass concrete mix that allows for unique shapes while maintaining their strength.
ETRO Construction
ETRO Construction’s team gives a crane-high view of work on the Brightside Community Homes Foundation’s Passive House project.
Metrolinx
The first passenger trails roll over the new Davenport Diamond Guideway, an elevated track that allows GO Trains to travel above traffic and freight trains in the Greater Toronto Area.
An osprey tends to its nest at Kelowna’s William R. Bennett Bridge. The BC Ministry of Transportation assisted the birds after their nest toppled during a wind storm.
Key Takeaways:
The Bow Transit Connectors team will work with the Green Line to design, build and finance the project.
During the development phase the two groups will collaborate on design, costs and scheduling before a project agreement is signed.
The project is expected to cost $5.5 billion, making it the largest in Calgary’s history.
The Whole Story:
A development partner has been chosen for Calgary’s Green Line project.
Following a successful procurement, the Green Line Board has approved the development phase agreement and selected Bow Transit Connectors (BTC) as Green Line’s development partner. BTC brings together Barnard Constructors of Canada, Flatiron Constructors Canada Ltd, and WSP Canada Inc, along with their financial advisor EllisDon Capital. Collectively they will bring shared expertise in underground, above-ground structures, and LRT design and construction to deliver Phase 1 of the Green Line LRT Project.
“The selection of our development partner and launch of the development phase is an important milestone as we move forward with BTC to design, build and finance the Green Line LRT. The Green Line Board has confidence in BTC and their ability to work collaboratively as we collectively ensure we balance costs and risks with the long-term city shaping benefits of Green Line” said Don Fairbairn, Chair, Green Line Board.
Officials explained that the development phase will allow for collaboration, design progression, and agreement on project costs, risks, and overall schedule between Green Line and BTC, before signing a project agreement. As part of negotiations, Green Line agreed to extend the Development Phase from approximately 12 months to 16 months to allow for greater design progression and cost certainty. The implementation phase remains on track to begin in 2024.
In addition to the lead construction and design team, BTC are proposing their subconsultants, which, to date, include: Delve Underground, Platinum Engineering, Egis, IBI, GEC Architecture and Architecture 49. “As part of the Bow Transit Connectors team, we look forward to bringing our expertise in delivering large scale transportation projects to the Green Line LRT Project. We are proud to share the trust of the City of Calgary as we significantly improve mobility for Calgarians” said Ken Tanner, VP of operations for Flatiron Constructors.
Green Line officials stated that they plan to share updates as additional agreements are finalized with the local contracting community.
“This is a crucial project for Calgary’s future. As a partner of Bow Transit Connectors, we will work collaboratively with the City of Calgary and local communities to deliver this exciting and important city-shaping project” said Dan Schall, VP at Barnard Construction Company.
At 18-kms, Phase 1 is the longest LRT project and largest infrastructure investment in Calgary’s history. Officials expect it to create almost 20,000 jobs throughout construction, $2.2 billion in long-term city-shaping benefits and more than $6 billion in property value uplift by 2040.
Structurlam Mass Timber Corporation is filing for bankruptcy.
The company announced it has entered into a stalking horse asset purchase agreement (APA) with Mercer International Inc. to sell its assets in B.C. and Arkansas for US$60 million. Mercer is one of the world’s largest producers of market pulp.
In conjunction with the APA, the Company has voluntarily filed petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. code. Recognition of the Chapter 11 proceedings will be sought in the Supreme Court of British Columbia shortly thereafter.
The company explained that APA is subject to higher and better offers as part of a court monitored auction process. In addition, the company secured a C$7.5 million debtor-in-possession (DIP) facility from the Bank of Montreal to fund its operations throughout the court process.
“I am delighted and grateful for Mercer’s vote of confidence in Structurlam and in its leadership in the mass timber industry. It is especially rewarding given the difficult period the company has had since suspending its operations in Arkansas mid-January, and it will help in normalizing the plant operations going forward” said Matthew Karmel, CEO of Structurlam.
Operations were suspended at the Arkansas plant due to a customer contract cancellation. Local news outlets reported Walmart cancelled its contract due to production delays. Walmart’s headquarters is also in Arkansas.
Structurlam products have been used on many Canadian projects, including:
Art Gallery of Ontario
Prince George’s Wood Innovation and Design Centre
Brock Commons
The Richmond Olympic Oval
The Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) in Vancouver has unveiled the design of a new, state-of-the-art outdoor amphitheatre with a capacity of approximately 10,000.
It will be one of the largest free-span timber roof structures in the world. The non-profit explained that the new facility will be nestled in the heart of the park with panoramic views of the North Shore Mountains.
“This world-class open-air venue will provide much needed mixed-use venue space for top-tier concerts, arts and culture programming, community events, esports events, and more,” said the group.
The team is expecting to finalize the design this year and start construction in 2024. The facility is scheduled for completion in 2026.
By the numbers:
Maximum capacity of approx. 10,000
Estimated annual attendance 340,000+
Projected 75+ performances per year
24 Commercial Shows
22 Community, Arts, and Culture Shows
14 Corporate Shows
15 PNE Fair Shows (Summer Night Concerts)
The PNE added that the facility feature covered seating, hospitality suites, banquet/lounge space, common areas, and fully integrated premium catering options. They plan to use sustainable products and design, and build to Passive Haus, LEED, and Salmon-Safe certification standards.
“The crown jewel of the PNE and Hastings Park, the new PNE Amphitheatre will enable us to showcase and celebrate BC’s talent, diversity, and enthusiasm for live events,” said Shelley Frost, PNE president and CEO.
