Author: Russell Hixson

Tony Brock doesn’t back down from a challenge. 

He embraces it.

As a principal at Centre Group Electrical & Communications, he is always on the hunt for the hardest, most complex jobs in B.C’s Lower Mainland. 

Opportunities in life sciences 

The company started as a two-person operation that exclusively serviced Vancouver’s iconic Harbour Centre building. But it has since grown into a much larger design-build, end-to-end electrical contractor. In addition to designing, building and maintaining electrical systems, Centre works on data/communications systems and security/alarm systems. 

Recently, the company has been tackling healthcare, science and laboratory space opportunities that are on the rise in the region. 

“What makes those projects so complex is the fact that there are so many different systems that run through tight spaces,” said Brock. “It’s a significant amount of various building systems that all have to use the same space.”

One recent example is a 75,000 square foot buildout with office and laboratory rooms Centre worked on for biotechnology company Zymeworks. Brock explained that Centre’s team used BIM technology, Bluebeam software, prefabrication and lots of pre-planning to make the challenging build go smoothly.

“We were heavily involved in pre-construction,” said Brock. “We designed the system before we even had boots on the ground, pre-purchased a majority of our system materials and prefabbed a lot of the assemblies that went to site.”

He explained that the power of combining BIM and prefabrication means racking, conduit raceways and common assemblies can all be designed ahead of time, shared with other trades and then prefabricated before being assembled on site. 

“That’s why Zymeworks went so well,” he said. “We are able to design our jobs so we coordinate with the mechanical people so we can avoid any clashes. Where we putting boxes or pipes is exactly where they went. We installed it once. The construction industry is horrible for letting issues be handled at site level which creates a lot of down time. You want to be able to be productive every step of the way, push the construction schedule and deliver the project as promised. This is important to our customers.” 

A new direction 

He had a vision to transform the company into an elite contractor that specializes in highly complex jobs that scare off others. 

“I wanted to do the cool and unique projects, not the run-of-the-mill stuff, the interesting jobs that our people can really get behind,” said Brock. “They are fairly sophisticated jobs, the design is usually intense and that really plays to our strong suit. We feel better delivering those projects at a fair price. We don’t like to compete for the bottom and that’s where a lot of those average jobs usually go.”

The strategy is working. Since Brock took the reins, the company has more than doubled its revenue and its workforce has grown to more than 95. He believes that one of the reasons the company has been able to attract workers in an extremely tight labour market is its approach to building, as it takes away much of the stress of being on site. 

“Nobody likes to redo their work,” said Brock. “People are happy when they can be efficient and have all the materials they need. They aren’t frustrated on a day-to-day basis.”

Doing what you say

One of the biggest values Brock has tried to instill in the company is transparency with customers. 

“If we say we are going to do something, we do it to the best of our abilities. I’ve always been against over-promising and under-delivering,” said Brock.

This means properly forecasting labour, not taking on too much work and having the right team that can deliver projects. Because of the variety of work out there, it’s important that the right team is allocated to the right project for it to be successful. 

“We get a lot of requests for our foreman from our customers to work on their project which is very rewarding and speaks to the talent of our field team,” said Brock. 

There is also a family aspect to the company that keeps the team motivated to do their best. 

“We are a team with young families and would love to see our children move into the business. I have two boys and seeing them as electricians and involved in Centre would be really rewarding. So it’s important to me that we don’t fail.” 

Brock added that his vision is to grow and develop the company’s skills to become the province’s premier electrical, data/communications and security systems partner while pushing forward the team’s commitment to efficiency and delivery.

Kieran Hawe will take over as CEO of EllisDon the end of June. The company announced that Geoff Smith will be stepping down as president and CEO. The company stated that Smith will continue to play a pivotal role as chair of the board and will retain responsibility for the company’s digital and data strategy and execution.

Joseph Mancinelli will take over as Canadian Director of LiUNA Canada in addition to his role of LiUNA international vice president. LiUNA represents construction workers, waste management workers, show service workers and healthcare workers.

Dave Reynolds announced that he will retire as CEO of NorLand, where he has worked for nearly 40 years. The company stated that his contributions to NorLand have been immeasurable, and his leadership has helped shape the company into the success it is today. The company is currently conducting a search for the next CEO.

Michael Tymko has been promoted to vice president, business development and Indigenous relations at Inline Group Inc. In his announcement, Tymko said the growth of Inline’s business across five provinces and three territories in the last two years has been the most rewarding experience of his career.

Patrick Laurin has been appointed managing director for Avison Young Canada‘s Montréal team. Mark Fieder, the company’s president, called Laurin “a natural leader with a track record of working collaboratively to drive business across all service lines to produce positive outcomes.”

Dom Costantini has announced the formation of his own consulting practice BLDR Consulting Corporation. Its core services are fractional construction, executive leadership and construction project consulting. Previously, Costantini served as Bird Construction‘s vice president of operations.

Ruffy Ruan has joined Focal Engineering as a senior energy analyst. Ruan stated that she will be working with the firm’s team of experts to revitalize the role of energy modelling and continue to improve building performance in the construction industry. Ruan added that the goal of her work is to minimize the gap between actual and modelled building performance.

Jason Kenney, a former Alberta premier, has been nominated to ATCO’s board, which is to be voted on during the company’s upcoming annual general meeting on May 10 at the Fairmont Palliser in Calgary. Nominees are identified by the board and its chairman.

Michael Ferreira, founder of Urban Analytics, has joined Anthem Properties as senior vice resident of the finance and corporate affairs team

Nicholas Wong has been promoted from site superintendent to field manager at Wales McLelland. Wong has been with the company since 1995. During that time, he’s completed over 28 projects.

Steve Chaplin, EllisDon’s vice president of health, safety and environment, has been named chair of the Prevention Council of Ontario. Chaplin said the council has an opportunity to help bring forward and advise on standards and practices that are practical, meaningful and make a difference to worker health and safety.

Navid Jalali has been promoted to manager of quality and inspections services for the B.C. region at RAM Consulting. Jalali stated that it a challenge he is excited to take on is to continue to grow RAM’s services to new clients and maintain delivery excellence.

Scott Adkins is now the Vancouver Regional Construction Association’s board director and vice chair of the general contractors division. Adkins is a professional engineer and has been in the industry for over 27 years working in Western Canada and the Northwest US within the heavy civil, commercial and institutional sectors. He has been with PCL Construction since 2005.

Jessica Toppazzini has been named the managing director of Avison Young‘s Vancouver office. She is the first female to hold the position at the company at the market level in Canada. Toppazzini is taking over the position from Michael Keenan, who is retiring.

Olivia Poulsom is starting a new position as Marketing Manager at Stack Modular. Before that, Poulsom, did marketing work for Professional Custom Homes and CIR Realty.

Kieran Ryder has been hired as project coordinator at Graham. Previously, Ryder worked as a recruiter at Graham.

Jack Priestley has joined Astria Properties this month as its head of development. Priestley oversees all of Astria’s development pipeline and is involved in strategically managing new projects. Priestly previously worked at Orion, a sister company of Astria.

Byron Lambert is Nomodic‘s new chief financial officer. Lambert is a Chartered Accountant with over 12 years of progressive experience in the construction industry. Nomodic says he brings extensive experience in corporate strategy, financial and risk management, reporting, ESG, contracts, and insurance.

Key Takeaways:

• The Canadian Construction Association says Ottawa Hospital’s project labour agreement is unfair to non-union employers.
• They cited a new report that suggests the approach could lead to large budget increases.
• They believe it is part of a larger trend of unfair public sector procurement practices happening across the country.

The Whole Story:

The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) is sounding the alarm on a major Ottawa Hospital project.

In a press release the group stated that Ottawa Hospital’s $2.8 billion Civic Campus project will likely cost taxpayers hundreds of millions more and leave a majority of Ottawa-area construction workers ineligible to work on the vital project.

The CCA explained that an exclusive project labour agreement (PLA) between the hospital and the Unionized Building and Construction Trades of Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec prohibits contractors and workers who are not affiliated with these specific unions from bidding on, or even participating in building, the hospital’s new $2.8 billion Civic Campus.

The group cited a report by the Montreal Economic Institute (MEI) that concluded the Ottawa Hospital’s restrictive PLA will stifle competition, escalating project costs by between $168 million and $525 million by 2028. The authors of the report find it unacceptable for a public entity to make taxpayers pay more by granting exclusivity to a specific group of affiliated workers.

“Not only are a large number of talented workers — many from small and medium-sized firms — barred, but, as the MEI points out, the projects are likely to cost taxpayers more than necessary as a result,” said Mary Van Buren, CCA president.

The CCA stated that the Ottawa Hospital project is the latest in a series of concerning examples, like B.C.’s Pattullo Bridge, where public sector procurement is “falling short on fair and open practices”. 

The CCA added that an even more concerning issue is the labour requirements attached to the newly introduced federal clean tax credits established in Budget 2023, which again exclude non-unionized construction workers.

“The Canadian Construction Association takes issue with these examples and others that either categorically exclude or strongly disadvantage one group of workers,” said Van Buren. “We would take a similarly forceful position if the reverse had happened and union workers had been excluded or disadvantaged.”

When the agreement was announced in January, officials argued that it would be a positive move for the project. 

“The Ottawa Hospital wants to do all we can to create a positive and safe work environment for the thousands of workers that will be on site every day during construction of our new campus,” said Cameron Love, president and CEO of the Ottawa Hospital.  “We’re thrilled to have partnered with trades unions on this landmark agreement that will help keep the project on schedule and avoid costs and delays associated with work stoppage.”

According to the hospital, the agreement sets out the terms and conditions that will apply to all employers and all trades working on the project. The hospital believes that agreement sets a high safety standard for working conditions for all building and trades workers on the site, increasing safety and job stability, while still following Ontario’s requirements for an open and competitive procurement process. 

Officials explained that the agreement ensures compliance with bargaining rights and that all workers on the site are properly trained and certified and will create apprenticeship opportunities for populations underrepresented in the construction trades, including First Nations, Inuit and Métis people, women, and diverse and at-risk youth. The agreement lasts for the duration of the project.

There’s no substitute for experience.

Years of renting and selling equipment gave Axiom Equipment Group a huge leg up when it decided to manufacture its own brand of equipment. 

Randy Gay, general manager for Axiom, got his start at a small, family-owned contracting company that had equipment. Around 2010 they decided to start Axiom Lift Equipment to rent and sell scissor and boom lifts. That continued until late 2017 when they merged with Saskarc Equipment Group to form Axiom Equipment Group. 

Randy explained that Saskarc, a steel fabrication company, ended up getting into equipment as it was needed on the sites they were fabricating for. They started Saskarc equipment in 2012 which retained light towers, generators, air compressors and more. 

Randy explained that the acquisition strategy was to add different types of equipment to the fleet and diversify the product range.

One of the initial major projects Axiom helped out with was the Keeyask Hydro Dam in Manitoba. The team rented lots of equipment to projects near Kitimat in B.C. and elsewhere in the west.

“We are based in Oxbow, Saskatchewan, basically in the middle of nowhere, so those remote, Western Canadian projects were kind of the speciality,” said Randy.  

The company took a major turn when they began to investigate the possibility of manufacturing their own line of equipment to sell. In 2019, Axiom’s team went to the Bauma equipment show in Germany to take the next step.

“We connected with some manufacturers in Europe that were building products and we partnered with those companies to build a generator and light tower based on our specs,” said Randy. “We started developing the products and building relationships with manufacturers.”

He explained that Axiom’s years of dealing with rental customers was invaluable in the manufacturing process. 

“Being a rental company, we kind of knew what all the competitors were building, what was good, what was bad. We took all the good ideas, put it into a prototype,” he said. “We towed those units around Western Canada and visited all of our customers.”

The team asked them for their thoughts, incorporated those changes and then in 2021 they started sending production models out into the field. 

“Having that knowledge probably saved us years of time,” said Randy. “We are still improving and changing and that’s even with knowing what we know from ten years of rental experience. If we didn’t have that we would be years behind.” 

One major factor that Axiom didn’t count on was the COVID-19 pandemic. Shipments of product experienced some delays so the team pivoted. 

“We recognized that this was a problem and we tried to be proactive,” said Randy. “We stuck our necks out a little bit and in 2021 we ordered all the product for 2022. It was a risk but it definitely has paid off and we are pretty much continuing to do that every year now.”

The company has since quadrupled in size and continues to refine its equipment. Randy believes that in addition to the company’s previous rental experience, another major factor in Axiom’s success is customer service.  

“Customer service has been something we have done since day one,” said Randy. “When you are in the rental business you have to react pretty fast to customer issues and concerns. The second thing is we have taken all that experience to understand what goes wrong, what the biggest pain points are for customers in the field, and we have tried to solve those and put that into our machines.”

The company is also part of the industry shift towards more sustainable practices. They have developed an electric light tower, a hybrid light tower (diesel engine but also has solar/battery), and also have some technology on their generators that lets customers store power. 

Randy noted that Axiom is also looking at expanding. 

“From a territory point of view, we are trying to solidify our market share in Canada,” he said. “I think we have done a pretty good job of that these past few years. Then we will be looking at going down south.”

Key Takeaways

• The work includes building new land and a new three-berth marine container terminal.
• The project will end up increasing Canada’s west coast container capacity by approximately one-third.
• It will generate an estimated $3 billion in GDP annually once built. 

The Whole Story

A major port expansion project in Delta, B.C. got one step closer to getting shovels in the ground.

The Government of Canada has approved the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project following an environmental assessment process that started in 2013. 

The decision comes as Canada’s container trade remains on a long-term growth trajectory, with west coast marine container terminals forecast to hit capacity by the mid- to late-2020s. 

“With this approval, we can advance one of Canada’s most important trade infrastructure projects to date, bolster our national supply-chain resilience, and deliver generational economic benefits for Canadians and Canadian businesses,” said Robin Silvester, president and CEO of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, the federal agency mandated to enable Canada’s trade through the Port of Vancouver. “I’d like to thank Indigenous and local communities, scientists, industry, chambers of commerce, and all tiers of government, who have played such an important role in shaping the project to date.” 

The Roberts Bank Terminal 2 Project includes building new land and a new three-berth marine container terminal near existing port terminals at Roberts Bank in Delta, B.C. The project will incrementally deliver an additional 2.4 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of capacity, ultimately increasing Canada’s west coast container capacity by approximately one-third.  

Port officials stated that additional container terminal capacity at the Port of Vancouver will strengthen national supply-chain resilience, by creating additional “buffer” to handle cargo surges, such as those experienced through the pandemic, and support recovery from weather-related disruptions, such as the severe flooding that B.C. experienced in late 2021 that contributed to port cargo backlogs well into 2022. 

Officials added that the project will deliver substantial economic benefits, including more than 18,000 jobs during construction; more than 17,300 ongoing jobs; an estimated $3 billion in GDP annually once built; and $631 million in tax revenue.

The port authority is leading the project under its public-interest mandate as a federal agency. 

“Roberts Bank Terminal 2 has been designed in a way that ensures it aligns with our work toward our vision to make the Port of Vancouver the world’s most sustainable port, including protecting and enhancing the natural environment and reflecting Indigenous priorities,” said Judy Rogers, port authority board chair. “The port authority has collaborated with Indigenous groups on the project for more than a decade and now we look forward to working together to deliver economic, cultural and environmental opportunities and initiatives.”    

The port authority stated that it will continue to work closely with Indigenous groups on environmental mitigation and training, employment, contracting opportunities, as well as providing benefits through the Indigenous Legacy Benefit Fund and signed agreements with 26 Indigenous groups.

The new marine terminal will be located in subtidal waters to minimize environmental effects. It will be funded by the port authority and private investment.  

In line with the port authority’s commitment to support local communities, the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 community investment program will provide $6 million to Delta organizations and students as part of the project.  

The port authority says it will now continue to work toward obtaining other applicable approvals and permits to advance the project.  

More offices in downtown Calgary are getting converted to other uses. 

Downtown Calgary Development Incentive Program has approved five new projects that will provide housing to more than 1,000 Calgarians and eliminate nearly 500,000 square feet of office space in Calgary’s downtown. These five projects will convert empty office space into new homes for future downtown residents. The five projects are:

• Taylor Building (805 8 Avenue SW) – Cressey Developments
• Petro Fina Building (736 8 Avenue SW) – People First Development Company
• Eau Claire Place I (525 3 Avenue SW) – Cidex Group of Companies
• Eau Claire Place II (521 3 Avenue SW) – Pacific Reach Properties
• The Loft (744 4 Avenue SW) – Institutional Mortgage Capital

“One of Calgary’s biggest successes, and one that we are receiving international acclaim for, is our Downtown Calgary Development Incentive Program,” said Mayor Jyoti Gondek. “This program is ensuring that nestled in the centre of our city, Calgarians and visitors can discover welcoming neighbourhoods, unique businesses and active streets. The five office-to-residential conversion projects announced today will be key to supporting this vision as well as expanding the economic engine of the city.”

Three of the five projects will bring new life to buildings in the west end of the Downtown Core – an area that has the greatest amount of empty office space. According to the city, these projects complement three previously announced residential conversion projects in the area. To support current and future residents in this area, the city is making additional investments to improve public spaces and amenities, including redesigning Stephen Avenue and 8 Street SW, West Eau Claire Park and Eau Claire Promenade, and Century Gardens.

“Added vibrancy in west end of our downtown, an area that has considerable vacancy and that is traditionally dominated by office buildings, goes a long way in making Calgary safer for everyone at all hours of the day and enables our local businesses to thrive within complete communities,” said Sheryl McMullen, manager, investment & marketing for the city’s downtown strategy. “These five projects, along with previously announced projects, will help transform the Downtown West and Eau Claire neighbourhoods into key destinations for Calgarians and visitors alike.”

Upon completion of construction, the five new projects will receive roughly $36.3 million combined from the program. The estimated grant amounts are based on a rate of $75 per square foot of office space being converted to living space. Final amounts will be confirmed and disbursed at project completion.

Key Takeaways:

• The mass timber pedestrian bridge was prefabricated off-site and then installed 65 feet above street level in Toronto.
• After four days of assembly, the bridge pieces were lifted and installed in one day.
• Limberlost Place is expected to be completed next fall.

The Whole Story:

A two-story mass timber pedestrian bridge has been installed at Limberlost Place, marking a major milestone for the Toronto project.

PCL announced that the bridge was erected 65 feet above street level, connecting level five of Limberlost Place to level six of the college’s Daphne Cockwell Centre for Health Sciences at George Brown College (GBC).

“It was incredibly exciting to witness the installation of the mass timber pedestrian bridge at Limberlost Place,” says Nerys Rau, GBC’s Project Director for Limberlost Place. “It was really impressive to see the placement done with such methodical precision.”

Installation of the bridge included prefabricating individual cross-laminated timber pieces at an off-site location before being shipped and built on site. After four days of assembly, the team executed a complex and intricate one-day lift to install the structure. 

“Thank you to all of our partners, consultants, and extraordinary tradespeople who have been integral in achieving this significant milestone. This accomplishment truly showcases the exemplary level of skill, and patience it takes to ensure everything goes according to plan,” said Myke Badry, PCL Toronto’s district manager. “Congratulations to the entire project team as we move one step closer to the completion of this revolutionary project that is setting a precedent in mass timber construction.”

Designed by Acton Ostry Architects and Moriyama Teshima Architects, Limberlost Place is a tall wood, net zero carbon emissions building and PCL’s largest mass timber project to date. Home to George Brown College’s School of Architectural Studies, the School of Computer Technology and the Brookfield Sustainability Institute, students will learn in and from this innovative and future-proof facility. The 10-storey building is expected to be completed by the fall of 2024 and will open for classes in January 2025.

Earth Day, April 22, is nearly upon us.

It’s is a time to reflect on the planet and ways that we can make it better. As the globe is facing the impacts of climate change, the construction sector has its own role play in reducing its environmental impact. Here are 11 companies that are doing their part to reduce, reuse and recycle rather than throw away and start from scratch.

Unbuilders

It’s not demolition. It’s deconstruction. Unbuilders is a team of former-carpenters, roofers, framers, and tradespeople who have transitioned to recycling buildings. The B.C.-based company deconstructs and salvages most of the building’s components yielding less than 5% waste on average. On each project, Unbuilders diverts 50 tonnes of waste and salvages 10 tonnes of lumber.

CarbonCure

CarbonCure wants to transform one of the most-used materials on the planet: concrete. The Nova Scotia company creates carbon removal technologies that introduce recycled CO2 into fresh concrete to reduce its carbon footprint, without compromising performance. Earlier this year, CarbonCure announced it was part of a project team that captured CO2 via direct air capture and permanently stored it in concrete for the first time. 

GRT

GRT’s recycling facility in Nanaimo takes contaminated soils and muds bound for landfills and cleans them. The material can then be used to make clean clay and gravel for landscaping, construction and even capping landfills. It is one of only three soil reclamation companies in North America. 

ESGold Corp.

This mining company plans to take processed tailings from its Montauban project in Quebec and combine them with an organic Polymer. They can then use the mixture to create building materials with shapes including, bricks, cinder blocks, paving stones, patio tiles, Parking Columns and Highway Jersey Barriers used to define traffic lanes. 

Wall to Wall

When Christina Wall couldn’t find any option for budget renovators to reuse construction materials, she decided to do it herself. Wall to Wall in Prince George is a hub for those looking for used construction materials like nails, light fixtures, air duct covers, cabinets and more. According to the Prince George Post,  since 2019 Wall has collected and sold more than 47 tonnes of construction material that was bound for the dump. 

Lafarge Canada

Last year Lafarge Canada announced it had fully transformed its Brookfield Cement Plant’s cement production in Nova Scotia to produce a reduced carbon portland limestone cement – branded as OneCem – the company’s eco-efficient alternative. It is one of several plants that Lafarge has converted over the past few years. 

New West Gypsum Recycling

Saint-Gobain’s subsidiary, CertainTeed, announced this month it had achieved a major milestone: returning one million tonnes of recycled gypsum back into production. The company’s Delta, B.C. facility achieved this by partnering with New West Gypsum to process old gypsum into new products. New West has facilities all over Canada and internationally. 

Renewal Home Development 

Where some see the past, Renewal Home Development sees the future. The Vancouver company seeks to save, relocate and repurpose high-value homes for new owners in coastal communities in the Pacific Northwest. Renewal estimates that as much as 20% of the 3,800 single family homes slated for demolition each year across coastal B.C. are in good to excellent condition and worth trying to physically relocate and repurpose.

Nexii

B.C.-based green construction company, Nexii Building Solutions Inc. has achieved the TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) Gold Certification for Zero Waste for its Squamish Manufacturing Plant. This achievement makes Nexii the first construction manufacturing company in North America to receive this prestigious recognition. In addition to leading the industry on Zero Waste certification, Nexii designs and manufactures its products for deconstruction and reuse.

PLAEX Building Systems Inc.

Drawing on his more than two decades of building experience, PLAEX founder Dustin Bowers collaborated with industry leaders to develop a new sustainable building material. The New Brunswick company’s interlocking construction system is made from more than 90% recycled waste including agricultural, marine, and industrial plastic waste and dry aggregates such as plaster, concrete, brick, and/or glass.

North Star Clean Technologies

North Star recently received an Environmental Awareness Award from the Waste Management Association of B.C. (WMABC) for its efforts to recycle roof shingles. The company’s proprietary reprocessing technology recovers 100 percent of the constituent components of asphalt shingles, otherwise destined for landfill, for reuse in the circular economy.

Key Takeaways:

• A 129-unit mixed supportive housing and affordable housing development in Vancouver is facing a lawsuit from a community group that opposes it.
• The province has stepped into to make legislative amendments so the rezoning for it can proceed.
• Officials say the project could break ground in 2024.

The Whole Story:

B.C. is introducing legislative amendments to allow rezoning for a housing project that has been tied up with a lawsuit.

The province announced it was making the amendments through the Municipalities Enabling and Validating Act. 

“We are taking legislative action to avoid further delays for the creation of much-needed homes in this Province,” said Ravi Kahlon, minister of housing. “Too many people are sheltering outside. We know it is not safe and we are helping to create badly needed supportive housing in Vancouver. These amendments, if passed, will ensure the City of Vancouver can approve homes for people without delay.”

In July 2022, Vancouver city council approved, in principle, a rezoning bylaw to allow a 129-unit mixed supportive housing and affordable housing development, known as the Arbutus Project, at 2086 and 2098 W. 7th Ave. and 2091 W. 8th Ave.

The approval followed a public-hearing process that invited local residents and other interested participants to comment on the proposed development. The adoption of the rezoning bylaw has been delayed due to legal action by the Kitsilano Coalition, a neighbourhood advocacy group that opposed the project. Last fall, the Kitsilano Coalition filed a petition in the Supreme Court of British Columbia seeking judicial review of the rezoning. They argued that the city’s process did not ensure transparency, fairness and disclosure of key information.

“A fundamental principle governing the conduct of public hearings is that members of the public are provided with an opportunity to make submissions to Council, and that they are provided with all the information that Council has before when making its decision,” said Karen Finnan, a spokesperson for the group. 

The coalition argued that it wanted an “alternative model that would be successful for the residents of the project and the surrounding neighbourhood, which includes an elementary school, daycare centre, toddler playground, and a women’s supportive recovery home in the immediate proximity.”

The province stated it is making the changes to the act as a direct response to a request from the city of Vancouver for legislative intervention to allow the Arbutus Project to move forward as soon as possible. With the legislative intervention, construction could begin in early 2024.

“We are thankful for the ongoing support from senior government partners to expedite the delivery of much-needed affordable housing in the city. This project will deliver 129 studio homes and make a huge difference in the lives of people in the community,” said Ken Sim, mayor of Vancouver. “We look forward to continuing conversations and working with the community via the neighbourhood Community Advisory Committee as the project progresses.” 

Tony Yang, a civil engineering professor in University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Applied Science, is on a mission to usher in the next generation of construction technology. 

He is leading a multi-university research project to reset national building standards for mass timber construction. Yang believes his latest research into carbon neutral, disaster-resilient timber construction may be the answer to addressing Canada’s urgent housing needs and climate change commitments by 2030. 

The “Next Generation Wood Construction” project – a collaboration between 13 universities and 12 government and industry partners – has received $6.25 million in funding from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Council of Canada (NSERC), the largest NSERC Alliance grant in history. 

Yang’s focus is to ensure that new materials, technology and guidelines for mass timber construction of up to 20 storeys are viable, economical and robust by 2028. 

“Traditional construction has a lot of significant issues. There is a lack of skilled workers, there are long construction times, lots of waste with materials, poor quality assurance, and it’s affected by weather,” said Yang.  “This next generation of mass timber construction will mark a turning point for how we build in this country – and potentially the world.” 

Multiple challenges 

Yang explained that Canada, like many other countries, is facing multiple challenges: build more housing and replace deteriorating infrastructure while reducing carbon emissions. 

“The truth is, we are at the core of it, we are producing it and we must address it. If we don’t, many coast areas will be underwater,” said Yang. 

He explained that the United Nations is projecting a rise in global population to 9.7 billion by 2050, more than 195,000 square kilometres will be needed to house this new population worldwide – equivalent to building the city of Vancouver five times every month for the next 30 years. 

Yang believes that given the building industry is Canada’s third largest carbon emitter – and with Canada expected to spend $11 trillion by 2067 on new infrastructure, as well as to replace deteriorating infrastructure – there is more need than ever for smart, sustainable building innovation. 

According to Yang, wood could be the answer to multiple problems. 

He explained that with a much lower environmental footprint than concrete, or even recycled concrete, mass timber constructions holds enormous potential in helping Canada meet its climate goals of a 30 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2030, and to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. 

Currently, mass timber construction goes up to only 12 storeys under Canada’s national building code. The project will deal with four key themes to enable safe, energy-efficient and sustainable mass timber construction of up to 20 storeys: 

• Structural and serviceability performance 
• Fire safety 
• Building envelope and energy performance 
• Sustainable construction technologies and practices

Other new technologies

In addition to leading the work on structural and serviceability performance, Yang is heavily involved in the research to develop sustainable construction technologies, such as quake-resilient modular construction, robotics and AI.   

Yang explained that while modular construction is already used Singapore, the U.K., U.S. and Canada, these methods are not applied in quake-prone regions. Yang’s team aims to develop new modular construction that will excel at withstanding earthquakes in high seismic zones, while reducing the carbon footprint of such construction. 

Yang and his collaborators are months deep into the research, and his team has already developed a prototype for a high-performance timber modular building. 

When it comes to AI and robotics, Yang and his team are already working on prototypes. 

“In the old days, that technology was not ready, but now it is. In the next few years we can develop design guides and codes. The whole goal is to replace the need for skilled workers on sites. Using robots is quick and efficient.”

They plan to begin testing a large-scale prototype construction robots soon. 

“The next generation of construction technology is here,” said Yang. “We are going to reshape the way we do business to make infrastructure more economical, more resilient, faster to build and be a leading edge industry.” 

He expects that the construction industry will be able to use these technologies in the field as early as 2028.

Key Takeaways:

• taxes on the purchase of a new home in Ontario accounts for 31 per cent of the price, up from about 24 per cent in 2012.
• Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) noted that the federal government’s share of those taxes is 39 per cent, yet it only invests 7.1 per cent in public infrastructure.
• The group cited a recent report authored by the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis in their statements.

The Whole Story:

The Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) is calling on the federal government to invest more tax revenue it collects from new home construction into housing supply and public infrastructure.

“The federal government is benefitting massively from the growth of the Ontario economy but not reinvesting enough of the tax revenues it receives from new housing development into public infrastructure,” said RESCON president Richard Lyall. “Both now and over the past decades, this has created unprecedented funding challenges for provincial and municipal governments. We are in the midst of a generational housing crisis and it is critical that the federal government finally establish stable, predictable and substantial infrastructure funding for Ontario and its municipalities.”

A report authored by the Canadian Centre for Economic Analysis and commissioned by the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO) shows that taxes on the purchase of a new home in Ontario accounts for 31 per cent of the price, up from about 24 per cent in 2012. 

RESCON noted that the federal government’s share of those taxes is 39 per cent, yet it only invests 7.1 per cent in public infrastructure. The report also indicates that the tax burden on new home construction is two times higher compared to other sectors of the economy. RESCON stated that Infrastructure-dependent products and sectors such as cars, electronics and manufacturing are not taxed nearly as much.

While the federal government reaps most of the benefits of growth through the taxation of new homes, the report notes it has not been a significant participant in funding public infrastructure investment. RESCON argued that this puts a strain on local governments and impedes construction at a time when the feds are increasing immigration targets without regard to housing supply. It highlighted that Ontario’s population has grown by 68 per cent since the 1970s, but the number of annual new housing completions has dropped by 23 per cent.

“The present level of federal investment in public infrastructure falls far short of what is needed to sustain our communities and contribute to economic growth,” said Lyall. “Residential construction of new homes and investments in public infrastructure are critical to the economic growth of Ontario and all of Canada. The federal government is contributing too little compared to the amount of revenue it generates.”

The report suggests that public infrastructure investment funding in Ontario required to support growth trends is 30 per cent below what is required. According to RESCON, this only exacerbates the critical need for increased federal public infrastructure investment to help ease housing unaffordability in Ontario.

“This ongoing lack of support is one of the reasons we have the worst housing affordability crisis in Ontario’s history,” said Lyall. “It is very difficult for developers and builders to build more homes – and for the public to afford them – when taxes account for such a large chunk of the cost and the funds are not being properly reinvested into public infrastructure for the future. It’s a travesty.”

Key Takeaways:

• Retrofitting can provide significant opportunities to lower a building’s embodied emissions compared to a new build.
• The slab and foundation walls demonstrated the largest carbon savings potential when reused.
• The operational emissions of 20 years of continued use for this home equals the embodied emissions of 4 new net-zero homes.
• The embodied emissions invested in upgrading the home through a deep energy retrofit or a full reconstruction can be paid back in 5 years or less by the energy savings of a new high-efficiency home.

The Whole Story:

Is it better for the planet to build a home from scratch or retrofit?

A recent case study conducted in North Vancouver, B.C., consulting firm Carbon Wise explored the benefits of deconstructing and retrofitting an existing home versus constructing a new building.

The goal was to determine which option yields a smaller carbon footprint and aligns with the Canadian Home Builders Association (CHBA) net-zero standard.” by “The goal was to determine which option yields a smaller carbon footprint when targeting the Canadian Home Builders Association (CHBA) net-zero standard.

Looking at embodied emissions

Traditionally, green building policies have prioritized operational emissions (energy use during a building’s lifetime). However, as energy efficiency improves, embodied emissions (those associated with material production and construction) become more significant. 

Researchers used the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) to investigate the complex relationship between embodied and operational emissions over time.

The study compared two options: demolishing the existing structure to build a new one, and doing a deep energy retrofit that attempts to reuse as much of the original material as possible. The results showed that retrofitting can provide significant opportunities to lower a building’s embodied emissions compared to a new build.

The authors explained that the key to this approach is the ability to design structures that make the best use of existing materials. In the case study, the most impactful elements of the home were the roof and foundation. The slab and foundation walls, in particular, demonstrated the largest carbon savings potential when reused.

Energy savings can come quicker than you think

The study noted that for homes with poor operational energy performance, net energy savings can be realized in a relatively short time frame through either demolition and reconstruction or deep energy retrofit. The embodied emissions invested in upgrading the home through a deep energy retrofit or a full reconstruction can be paid back in 5 years or less by the energy savings of a new high-efficiency home.

Researchers found that a deep retrofit, particularly one using carefully selected low-carbon materials, can result in significantly below-average embodied emissions (120 kg CO2e/m2) compared to the average of 193 kg CO2e/m2 for a new home in the city of Vancouver. Concrete is the highest emitter, and minimizing its use can result in substantial emissions savings (in this case, approximately 8 tonnes of CO2e).

The study found that with simple material substitutions, a 40-80% reduction in embodied emissions can be achieved. For instance, the case study highlighted that the careful selection of low-carbon building materials and the reuse of exterior walls, interior walls, and other components played a crucial role in reducing the environmental impact.

Results don’t mean it’s a magic bullet

The researchers noted their conclusions may vary in regions where electricity is not generated from renewable sources. Nonetheless, the case study highlights the importance of considering both operational and embodied emissions when aiming for a sustainable and energy-efficient home. 

According to the study, the choice between renovating and rebuilding is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but understanding the environmental impacts of each can inform more responsible decision-making in residential construction. By focusing on both energy efficiency and the reuse of existing materials, homeowners can significantly reduce their carbon footprint while also creating a more sustainable future.

Key Takeaways:

• More than 1,300 responded to the survey.
• More than 60% of small contractors have thought about leaving the industry.
• The BCCA strongly recommended prompt payment legislation, public procurement reform and faster permitting to give the province’s builders some relief.

The Whole Story:

B.C. builders are feeling concerned and stressed. 

The BC Construction Association (BCCA) released its annual Industry Survey which saw more than 1,300 respondents give their thoughts on the sector.  

The association stated that the results show demand for construction services is high, but labour supply, costs, and faltering public sector standards and systems around permits, contracts, procurement, and payments are undermining development and putting B.C.’s builders in a tough spot.

“It’s true that labour shortages and the cost of materials are constant challenges,” said Chris Atchison, president of the BCCA. “But industry can manage these pressures – it’s what we do. The biggest hindrances to building housing and other infrastructure today are the associated operations of the authorities having jurisdiction, from Crowns to Ministries and Municipalities.”

The survey found that over 80% of contractors, regardless of size, were paid late for their substantially completed work at least once this past year.  Nearly half of large contractors (100 employees plus) report being paid late at least 25% of the time, and 30% of small contractors (20 employees or less) report the same.  With the cost of borrowing skyrocketing, financing projects for owners is a burden most businesses cannot afford.

The association noted that contract disputes related to costs are a common occurrence, with 44% of small contractors saying they’ve filed a fixed price contract dispute in the last 12 months, compared to 31% of medium contractors and 28% of large.

Interest in public sector projects has waned, with only 45% of large contractors saying they’re “very likely” to bid, vs. less than 20% of small contractors.  Reasons given for lack of interest include “don’t need the work”, “contracts favour the owner”, “process favours larger companies” and “same companies win every time”.

According to the association, these and other pressures are squeezing the small contractors, 61% of whom report thinking about leaving the industry. The average company size has decreased 11% over the last three years to an average of 6.24 workers.  Approximately 92% of companies in the industry employ 10 workers or fewer.

On the workforce side, labourers and skilled workers are reaping the benefits of short supply.  The job market remains highly competitive, driving annual earnings up 22% in the last five years to an average of $70,088. Most workers are working full time and earning overtime, and roughly 45% of respondents reported changing employers within the last year, with the number one reason being higher pay.

The association stated that the skills shortage has improved significantly over the last five years, and although the industry is still short 6,000 skilled workers, that is a substantial improvement from the 49,800-person gap estimated for 2023 ten years ago. 

Most respondents report pursuing another career path prior to construction, with 55% of apprentices holding some university credits.  All levels of talent, from labourers to Journeypersons, are equally likely to hold an academic degree (7%), and 48% of apprentices owe more than $10,000 in academic student loan debt.

The group noted that one of the most disappointing trends it found is the 21% decrease in tradeswomen, a sharp reversal after several years of solid gains. Women comprise only 4.5% of the 163,900 skilled tradespeople in BC’s construction industry today, down from 6% in 2020, despite continuing improvements in construction culture and more employers actively pursuing diverse hiring practices.

“There are many retirements and we’re fighting hard to find new talent” says Atchison. “But the labour shortage is acutely felt beyond the crew, and that impacts costs and timelines too. The whole ecosystem is pressed for experienced staff, from the design team to the authorities having jurisdiction and the owners themselves.  Contractors are deciding not to take on projects due to risk in the process as well as crew shortages.”

The number of employees in the industry has grown 17% year-over-year, and 6% over pre-pandemic levels, although the skilled trades workforce has decreased 4% year-over-year and 9% over pre-pandemic levels. 

The association stated that this de-skilling of the overall workforce reflects that it takes four years to complete an apprenticeship and believes this may be fueling and increasing concern about safety on the worksite from survey respondents.   

The construction industry’s contribution to BC’s GDP is up 4% over last year, and it remains the top employer in BC’s goods sector, with 251,100 British Columbians relying directly on construction for a paycheque.

BCCA is advocating for three changes that it says will address the challenges facing the province’s builders as well as the owners who need the work to be done on budget and on time. They are:

• Introduce prompt payment legislation to normalize standard, reasonable payment terms of 30 days, ensure proper invoices are paid, and give clear rights to lien holdback monies. 
• Make public sector projects more attractive to industry by having fair, open and transparent procurement processes and reasonable contract conditions. 
• Speed up the permit process with the authorities having jurisdiction, including municipalities and BC Hydro. 

“Until BC catches up to the rest of Canada, the USA and Britain, and introduces Prompt Payment Legislation, policy-makers need to be tuned into the fact that the financial risks for BC’s contractors are nearing a breaking point,” said Atchison. “There are actions that industry and government can take together and separately that will alleviate the challenges contractors are facing.”

Key Takeaways:

• The $119.7-million project will add 470 units of student housing to BCIT’s Burnaby campus.
• The 12-storey building will be built using mass timber and incorporate design elements from local Indigenous groups.
• Work on the project is expected to wrap in 2025.

The Whole Story:

Construction is underway on a new 12-storey mass-timber building for housing students at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) Burnaby campus.

Officials say that once complete, the project will provide 470 students with affordable on-campus housing.

“Building secure, stable and affordable housing is essential for students to be successful at their studies,” said Selina Robinson, minister of post-secondary education and future skills. “The former government neglected student housing, only building 130 beds over 16 years. Our government is rapidly building new student housing units across B.C., which will help students focus on their classes and lay the foundation for their future. By building over 7,700 student beds in less than six years, we’re helping students save money on rent and travel, while also reducing demand on the local rental housing market.”

The B.C. government is providing $108.5 million toward the $119.7-million development. Once built, it will be the first student housing development at BCIT in 40 years and will more than double the supply of on-campus housing at BCIT. The building will be constructed using mass timber and designed to reflect Indigenous culture in the region, including the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil Waututh Nations. The building will include studio suites, private rooms with shared bathrooms and kitchens, study rooms, common areas and a collaboration space.

“Housing is a top priority for people across B.C. and our government. Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home, and students should feel secure enough to focus more on their studies, and less on finding a place to live,” said Ravi Kahlon, minister of housing. “That’s the goal of our Homes for People strategy – to close the gap between supply and demand and find creative solutions for the housing concerns facing British Columbians.”

BCIT’s Tall Timber Student Housing building is estimated to be completed in spring 2025.

Key Takeaways:

• The city is launching Priority Travel Routes around Ontario Line construction zones that will be kept clear of as many road restrictions as possible.
• Officials are also coordinating with closely with Metrolinx, contractors and TTC to minimize disruptions.
• The effort is in anticipation of construction work to connect the Ontario Line to TTC’s Queen Station.

The Whole Story:

Toronto officials want to limit traffic headaches while crews build the Ontario Line.

To prepare for Metrolinx’s construction of an Ontario Line connection to the TTC’s Queen Station beginning this spring, the city officials announced they are working closely with Metrolinx, contractors and the TTC to ensure that traffic congestion and construction impacts are reduced as much as possible by holistically reviewing capital construction plans, upcoming road restrictions and accessibility around all construction zones downtown.

The city will be launching Priority Travel Routes around Ontario Line construction zones that will be kept clear of as many road restrictions as possible – including non-emergency utility work – to ensure that there are alternative and parallel routes for people to get around.

“The city recognizes the vital need for the unprecedented transit expansion underway alongside the need to keep people – pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders, and drivers – moving within Toronto,” said officials in a press release. “Once completed, the Ontario Line will make travel within Toronto faster and easier by providing a 15-station subway line running from Exhibition Place, through downtown, to the Ontario Science Centre. The new subway line will also offer significant crowding relief within Toronto’s existing transit network.”

Starting Monday, May 1, Dundas Street, from Jarvis Street to Bathurst Street, will be the first Priority Travel Route as Ontario Line construction will fully close Queen Street from Victoria Street to Yonge Street and Yonge Street to Bay Street. Until summer 2024, this stretch of Dundas Street will only have emergency work; on-street parking will be restricted and CaféTO Curb Lane cafes will not be installed to keep the roadway as clear of restrictions as possible.

More Priority Travel Routes will be identified as Ontario Line construction progresses. To keep traffic moving along these routes, some existing permits and bylaws may be cancelled or amended. Where necessary, these may include not installing CaféTO curb lane cafés, changes to on-street parking and deferring requested road closures for events.

Other ways the city is preparing for Ontario Line construction include actively assessing all construction permit applications and related Traffic Management Plans to minimize the overall disruption caused by construction. The city said staff will work to ensure plans promote the safety of people travelling in the area; reduce noise and parking impacts as much as possible; modify traffic signals to allow for the efficient flow of traffic; deploy paid duty Police officers and Traffic Agents to regulate and direct traffic; maintain access to properties; and identify key site access points and haul routes for construction vehicles.

City of Toronto Traffic Agents will be deployed to key intersections during the morning and afternoon peak traffic periods to actively manage the movement of all road users, reduce delays and improve safety. Traffic Agents will be placed where they are needed most based on evolving traffic demands. More about the Traffic Agents Program is available on the city’s Traffic Agents webpage.

According to the city, Construction Hubs continue to play an important role in logistical planning of the right-of-way. The Hubs review Construction Management Plans, connect travellers with real-time information, collaborate with enforcement officers and communicate impacts and changes to businesses and communities in the neighbourhood. More about Construction Hubs is available on the city’s Construction Hub webpage.

“The city of Toronto, the government of Ontario and the government of Canada are working together to build a multi-billion dollar transit expansion across Toronto,” said Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie. “This construction is so important for the future of our city along with the other major infrastructure work underway. We know we have a lot of construction ahead of us and we recognize the vital need for transit expansion while balancing the needs of the public and businesses to travel in and through the downtown core”

What do you do with old post offices, out of service airports, shuttered military facilities, crumbling jazz bars?

For these projects, the answer is to adapt and reuse. Rather than start from scratch, these teams sought to restore and preserve older buildings. This approach not only produces visually captivating outcomes by merging the old with the new, but it’s also good for the planet.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, more than 90% of total construction debris is produced by demolition of existing buildings. Experts believe that reusing existing buildings could bring down emissions by as much as 40%.

The Post – Vancouver

This building, which sits on an entire city block in downtown Vancouver, was once the main regional processing facility for Canada Post and an important example of Vancouver’s mid-century architecture. When the team undertook the revitalization of the Canada Post building, they engaged heritage conservators to retain and restore many of the building’s distinctive elements. These include the blue and terracotta tile façade, the relief sculpture of a postal worker and coats of arms, as well as original artwork and etched windows.

Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples – Edmonton

Clark Builders was tasked with restoring Edmonton’s Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples after it suffered severe fire damage due to an accident in 2020. It required a lot of complex, custom carpentry work. Part of the construction process even involved installing a massive teepee with 32-foot poles under the guidance of Indigenous leaders. 

PHI Contemporary – Montreal

In 2021, Montreal’s multidisciplinary contemporary arts hub PHI launched an international competition for the design of PHI Contemporary, its new home. Located in the Old Montreal historic district, the site comprises four heritage buildings. The winning design, by Berlin-based Kuehn Malvezzi and Montreal-based firms Pelletier de Fontenay and Jodoin Lamarre Pratte architectes, integrates old and new, indoors and out, with an emphasis on giving artists open, unencumbered space to bounce their ideas off of, and making the results readily accessible to the public. The facility is expected to open in 2026.

Waterworks – Toronto

Waterworks was originally designed in the Art Deco style by City Architect J. J. Woolnough. Completed in 1933, it was once owned by the City of Toronto and operated as a public market from 1837 to around 1900. According to Diamond Schmitt Architects, the adaptive reuse of Waterworks includes the full retention and reuse of the machine shop building as a food hall and the retention of the northern portion of the complex to accommodate a mix of uses. The new compatible construction features retail at grade, a full-service YMCA athletic facility on the second and third floors, and a 288 mid-rise condominium above.

King Eddy / Studio Bell – Calgary

The century-old King Eddy blues bar was laser scanned and dismantled and then painstakingly rebuilt, brick by brick as part of Studio Bell and the National Music Centre in Calgary. Each brick was cleaned, stored and placed on numbered pallets so that the building could be reassembled exactly as it was in 1905. Designed by Allied Works Architects of Portland, Oregon, the 160,000 square foot, $168 million Studio Bell opened on July 1, 2016. The King Eddy essentially is the largest part of the facility’s collection of music artifacts.

Cambridge Suites Hotel – Toronto

The original Cambridge Suites Hotel in Toronto was planned by WZMH Architects in 1990. Now, the WZMH team plans to reimagine the mixed-use building to retain the existing 21-story building’s concrete structure while incorporating additional structural and design modifications to support the 50 new stories being added for the residential development.

Stadium LRT – Edmonton

The Stadium LRT Redevelopment involved the refurbishment of the original 1978 Stadium Station on the northeast leg of Edmonton’s Capital Line LRT. GEC Architecture took a traditionally-designed transit station and transformed it into a modern inter-modal transit hub by replacing the grade-separated access and centre-loaded platform.

Evergreen Brick Works – Toronto

Toronto’s Don Valley Brick Works, founded in 1889, was one of the most prominent brick makers in the country. It supplied material for projects like Massey Hall, Old City Hall, Casa Loma, and the Royal Ontario Museum. LGA Architectural Partners and EllisDon helped transform the deteriorating buildings into Canada’s first large-scale community environmental centre.

Aurora Armoury – Aurora, Ont.

This building was constructed in 1874 for the Department of National Defence to train infantry, conduct town meetings and coordinate military parades. It has since been restored by the Town of Aurora and Niagara College as an outpost location for the Niagara College Canadian Food & Wine Institute. Gow Hastings Architects noted that to celebrate the original agrarian-style building, the design team exposed the large spanning post and beam structure, and refurbished the original terrazzo floor.

Massey Hall – Toronto

Opened in 1894, Massey Hall sorely needed updating for modern audiences, but the project team in charge of its renovation and expansion wanted to maintain its historic architecture. Crews worked to protect the Moorish-styled auditorium, the Art Deco lobby and the Palladian exterior. Stage acoustics were upgraded throughout to enhance sound quality while interiors were recalibrated to original grandeur. Old fire escapes were also removed from the building’s exterior front façade to reveal highly valued heritage materials that lay underneath.

Block 208 – Ottawa

Block 208, also known as the Beater Building, has been subject to extensive modifications over time. Redesigned by Hobin Architecture, today it incorporates two original facades into a new building.  The other facades are composed with a contemporary material palette. Project officials say this is meant to evoke the original vocation of the site.

John Muir Library – Windsor, Ont.

According to architect Jason Grossi, this project necessitated a contemporary response between two heritage designated structures from different epochs (a mid-19th century horse and hay loft stable structure and a fire station from 1921) to form one building. The project was challenged by sandy soil as well as disparate floor elevations.

Hollywood Theatre – Vancouver

Rather than tear down the Hollywood Theatre, one of the last surviving neighbourhood cinemas in Vancouver and an example of the Art Deco style, MA+HG Architects’ design modernized and integrated it into a housing development. The obsolete theatre was transformed into a multipurpose performance venue while maintaining its historic elements.

Bombardier Centre for Aerospace and Aviation – Toronto

Designed by MJMA and Stantec with ERA as Heritage Architects, this adaptive reuse project took the oldest surviving aircraft factory in Canada and transformed it into Centennial College’s facility for Aviation and Engineering Technology & Applied Science. The result is massive. It features more than 40,000 square feet of hanger space and 10,000 square feet of student amenity areas and library resources. It also includes 50,000 square feet of classroom and lab space

Key Takeaways:

• The program offers 16-weeks of paid, entry-level work placements on construction sites across the country.
• BuildForce says it’s particularly geared towards underrepresented groups.
• Placements are available for up to 1,000 workers

The Whole Story:

A new program launched today by BuildForce Canada aims to connect job seekers and employers across Canada’s construction sector.

Construction Career Pathways facilitates 16-week, paid, entry-level work placements on construction sites across the country. No prior industry experience is needed for workers, and employers can take advantage of financial incentives to help offset onboarding costs.

“Construction is at nearly full employment in most regions across the country, and demands are growing as project owners continue to invest in new builds and retrofit their existing projects to respond to net-zero imperatives,” said Bill Ferreira, executive director of BuildForce Canada. “Many companies are finding it hard to hire to respond to those demands, however. Labour force constraints are cutting across many industries. Construction Career Pathways is a new tool employers can use to connect with workers who are seeking entry-level opportunities in our sector.”

The group explained that Construction Career Pathways was developed to meet the needs of people looking to explore careers in construction, but who have only entry-level skills and experience. The program is ideally suited to a wide diversity of workers, including women, members of Black, Indigenous, and racialized communities, persons with disabilities, newcomers to Canada, and those who identify as LGBTQ2+; people from equity-deserving groups who want to work in construction; young people seeking work experience; and individuals looking for employment or looking to change careers.

For employers, Construction Career Pathways connects small- and medium-sized companies – those with fewer than 500 employees – find entry-level workers who are looking to begin a career in Canada’s construction industry.

A wage subsidy of up to $2,400 per employee is available to businesses that complete their 16-week work placements, with funding provided by the Government of Canada.

Construction Career Pathways is now accepting applications. Placements are available for up to 1,000 workers, with 50 percent of the program intake allocated to people from traditionally under-represented groups in the construction sector.

Key Takeaways:

• Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have signed an agreement to work together on projects that can boost trade and economic growth.
• The agreement will focus on enhancing critical infrastructure, improving the efficiency of interprovincial transportation networks and reducing regulatory hurdles.
• The trio highlighted the transcontinental railway as an example of the kinds of nation-building projects they are looking to achieve.

The Whole Story:

Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba have signed an agreement to collaborate on joint economic corridor projects to boost trade and economic growth.

Officials say the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the governments will foster the development of new economic corridors across the three provinces. 

This partnership aims to bolster economic growth and collaboration while strengthening the region’s position as a key player in the global market.

“In its earliest days, Canada was united by nation-building economic projects such as the transcontinental railway, which tied the country together through improved travel and trade,” said officials in a joint statement.

The agreement will focus on enhancing critical infrastructure, improving the efficiency of interprovincial transportation networks and reducing regulatory hurdles. It will also identify opportunities to attract private sector investment and partner with Indigenous communities on economic corridor development.

Officials from the province stated that they believe the last decade has brought regulatory uncertainty, anti-development policies and a lack of national leadership that have cost provinces opportunities to pursue projects that would have created thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in growth and investment.

The three provincial governments plan to work together to eliminate regulatory inefficiency and uncertainty to attract and develop nation-building projects. The provinces will coordinate to identify and prioritize strategic infrastructure that will enhance trade and transportation between the provinces and around the world. Officials believe that this could create new economic corridors to support the movement of critical resources, energy and utility projects, and secure national supply chains.

RAM Consulting is setting up an innovation hub in Alberta

The B.C.-based project delivery firm announced the new office and innovation hub in Calgary marks the company’s first interprovincial expansion and is expected to bring up to 200 jobs to the region over the next four years.

The Calgary office will develop, test and implement ideas intended to benefit infrastructure development. The centre in Bow Valley Square is already operating with more than 20 employees and will be supported by the expertise of Encepta Corp., which the company acquired in 2021.

In a press release RAM said it chose Alberta for its expansion in part due to the province’s “can do” attitude, which aligns with the company’s corporate culture. RAM added that the city’s affordability and availability of strong technical talent to support its diverse clients solidified the company’s decision. Invest Alberta supported RAM along the way by providing market and funding information and facilitating partner connections.

“Our mission to create vibrant communities through safe and sustainable infrastructure extends to supporting those communities through local partnerships, such as with the Women in Consulting Engineering Calgary Chapter and Brown Bagging for Calgary’s Kids,” said Joe DiPlacito, president of RAM. “In moving to Alberta, we are expanding our business and investing in the community.”

RAM specializes in project and construction management, multi-discipline engineering services, and quality and safety management in the transportation, telecommunications, utilities and energy sectors.