Author: Russell Hixson

Long approval times, high costs and confusing systems have long plagued developers trying to get projects off the ground. The latest municipal benchmarking report from the Canadian Home Builders’ Association shows which major markets are getting better and which ones still need improvement. From their list of 21, here are top five jurisdictions to build housing in Canada.

5. Regina, Saskatchewan

While a fifth place finish is commendable, it’s important to note that Regina was in first place the last time this study was done. The city boasted a 4.2-month approval time. However, cities higher up on the list have begun modernizing their systems significantly. 

Regina has numerous features enabled including the ability to appeal land use decisions, mandated timelines for appeal decisions to be rendered and others. However, many municipalities bolstered their rankings by offering additional features. 

The study gave strong praise to the city for its Development Standards Manual which offers a comprehensive, digestible guide to the city’s application process and procedures. According to the study, the manual is written in well-structured language and uses flow charts that provide the reader with a clear sense of the stages and processes. In addition, it covers a range of topics that are pertinent to the development process, such as land-use policy considerations and report requirements.

4. London, Ontario

At ten months, London had the shortest average approval period of any Ontario city in the study. This is making it a popular spot for homebuyers looking to leave larger cities. 

London has been growing at record pace over the last five years, with the population rising by 10 per cent between 2016-2021. This is led by an influx of residents leaving the Greater Toronto Area to make their money go further. Recent census data shows the London CMA is the fastest growing region in Ontario and the fourth-fastest growing nation-wide only behind Kelowna, Chilliwack and Kamloops. 

As a result, its labour market is booming. Statistics Canada data shows employment in the region has gone up 20 per cent since 2018. 

3. Calgary, Alberta

One of the big reasons people are leaving other major metro areas for Alberta is affordable housing. The city saw an average approval time of 5.4 months. The study noted that Calgary has one of the fairest ratios of charges imposed on low-rise development and high-rise development at $19 per square foot and $21 per square foot, respectively. On average, high-rise charges in the study municipalities are 80 per cent higher per square foot than for low-rise.

The study noted that Calgary has seen significant improvement since the last time cities were ranked. Approval times were down from 12 months in 2020. The city improved its ranking in this area from 9th to 5th place since the 2020 Study. 

The city also took the unique step of committing a $100 million in incentives for converting vacant office space to residential uses.

2. Charlottetown, P.E.I

This island town’s high level of accountability earned it second place in the rankings. It had an average approval time of 3.4 months – the lowest of all the cities in the study. 

The city also benefited from provincial action which requires municipalities to think carefully about how they grow. The Prince Edward Island Planning Act requires that all municipal official plans contain policies on future land use, management and development for a time horizon of no more than 15 years. As well, the PEI Planning Act requires that all land-use bylaws be reviewed every 5 years.

1. Edmonton, Alberta

When it comes to developing housing in Canada, Edmonton is king. 

The CHBA gave them a score of 91 per cent, earning them the top spot on the list. While its average approval time wasn’t the best (7.2 months), other strong features boosted its ranking. 

City officials say they have spent a great deal of effort making home-building rules easy to navigate, automating most development permits and banning single-family-home only zones.  The city’s online portal services have advanced functionality – it is possible to apply for pre-application meetings for rezoning, subdivision and development permits. There are also online services for submitting various actual planning applications, in addition to building permits. They were also the first jurisdiction in Canada to cut minimum parking requirements. 

And they aren’t done yet. The city is in the middle of the first major overhaul of its zoning bylaws in sixty years. The goal is to reduce the number of zones and land uses to make the development process even clearer and easier. 

These changes come at the perfect time. From 2016 to 2021, Edmonton saw its population grow from 964,000 to more than a million.

Key Takeaways:

• A new pilot project will provide heavy equipment operator training in Tahltan Territory.
• The training will include other qualifications necessary to work on B.C. mining projects. 
• The program will receive support from the province, local officials and the mining industry. 
• Tahltan Territory is home to approximately 70 per cent of B.C.’s resource rich Golden Triangle, including two of the 10 operating metal mines in the province (Red Chris and Brucejack).

The Whole Story:

Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (TNDC) has partnered with the Tahltan Central Government (TCG), Government of British Columbia, and several industry partners to create a pilot Tahltan Nation Heavy Equipment Operator Training Program. 

The Tahltan Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) Training Program will prepare local workers for mining careers by combining equipment training in Tahltan Territory with on-the-job practical operating work experience and camp life exposure. In addition to building capacity within the Tahltan community, the training program will integrate Tahltan regional and traditional knowledge on local projects while tapping into senior experienced Tahltan operators. 

The project’s industry partners include the Centre of Training Excellence in Mining, Coast Mountain College, Contact North BC, Finning, Mining in HR Council, Newcrest Mining Limited, and SkilledTradesBC.

Acquiring heavy equipment skills

The program aims to align with SkilledTradesBC (formerly Industry Training Authority) learning outcomes as well as the Mining in HR Council common competencies. TNDC officials said it will provide a mixture of workplace safety training, underground miner fundamentals, HEO simulator training, and at least 140 hours of hands-on training, focussed on a progressive approach to learning heavy equipment operation over three years. Additional pieces of equipment will be added each year. 

Participants will receive four weeks of hands-on heavy equipment operator training, followed by job placement as an apprentice with an industry partner in Tahltan Territory, focussing on the relevant pieces of equipment they learn each year, to build up their hours that season, and complete their SkilledTradesBC certification. 

Officials say that at the outset, the program will also support Tahltans in acquiring their Class 4, 5 and 7 drivers’ licenses in territory, and provide a one-week camp life orientation at the Red Chris Mine. Travel, accommodation, meals, and a training stipend will be provided during training while full apprenticeship wages will be paid during the job placement.

During the training and work season, participants will also receive support from senior Tahltan heavy equipment operators, who will be supported in challenging the SkilledTradesBC HEO Certification, as well as building skills as mentors through additional ongoing training with the Mining in HR Council and Coast Mountain College. 

Major mining opportunities

Tahltan Territory, located in remote northwest British Columbia, is home to approximately 70 per cent of B.C.’s resource rich Golden Triangle, including two of the 10 operating metal mines in BC (Red Chris and Brucejack). Tahltan Territory is also home to approximately 14 per cent of Canada’s exploration expenditures, approximately 3 per cent of the global exploration budget, approximately $295 million of mineral exploration expenditure, and $1.05 billion of total projected mining production values. Demand for skilled, experienced and certified HEOs will continue to grow in the decades to come.

“Despite global financial headwinds, there is and will continue to be a significant need for experienced Heavy Equipment Operators with TNDC and in Tahltan Territory,” said Colleen Cashin, vice president of people & corporate culture at TNDC. “TNDC saw an opportunity to tap into new funding opportunities and partner with TCG, the province and industry to create a program that is more cost effective and Tahltan oriented, and that will provide the certification skills and training TNDC and our industry partners need.”

She noted that TNDC frequently receives resumes from new Tahltan operators who have spent several weeks outside territory attending a heavy equipment operator program, returning without complete qualifications to work on an active mine site and operate heavy equipment. 

“I am thrilled at the opportunity this course will create for Tahltans wishing to pursue a career that allows them to be trained in Tahltan Territory and encourages them to use their skills in our communities after completion,” said Chad Norman Day, President of the Tahltan Central Government. 

Supporting local workers

Chad Norman, president of the Tahltan Central Government said that they are looking to support members in finding careers and employment opportunities, including through the use of OnTrack, a Tahltan exclusive job site. 

“I have repeatedly emphasized that for there to be world-class mining in our territory, there is a need for world-class wildlife stewardship, but in addition to this, world-class mining cannot exist in Tahltan Territory without Tahltans being included in the workforce,” said Norman. “We support breaking down any barriers that have traditionally prevented our members from accessing  employment opportunities. Tahltans must benefit from preferential hire by those operating in our territory. I am excited to see the doors that this program and partnership will open for Tahltans.” 

Key Takeaways:

• The first phase includes 18 km of track and 13 stations.
• SNC-Lavalin stated it has extensive global experience acting as the delivery partner to various levels of governments on complex transportation projects.
• It has an estimated budget of $5.5 billion and is expected to wrap up in 2026.

The Whole Story:

SNC-Lavalin has been appointed the delivery partner for the city of Calgary’s Green Line LRT, the largest infrastructure investment in the city’s history.

SNC-Lavalin stated that it will leverage its technical and commercial expertise in complex megaprojects to support the delivery of Phase 1 of the Calgary Green Line LRT Project.

The 18 km transit system will connect the existing Red and Blue LRT lines and four MAX BRT routes. SNC-Lavalin, along with its partners, will support the city in delivering project functions such as commercial management, technical support, project controls, and construction management.

“It is a privilege for us to have been chosen by the City of Calgary to support them in the delivery of this project,” said Ian L. Edwards, president and CEO of SNC-Lavalin. “As a leader in the field, we have extensive global experience acting as the delivery partner to various levels of governments on complex transportation projects.”

Edwards called the project a continuation of a long tradition of excellence in the rail industry where SNC-Lavalin has deep expertise in the design, build, operation and maintenance of the integrated systems that are required to deliver smarter cities and better transportation. He added that the project supports the company’s commitment to developing well-engineered and prosperous communities that perfectly align with our purpose.

“The Green Line LRT is a historical project that will change the face of transit in Calgary. Not only will it connect entire communities and improve mobility for people, organizations, businesses and future investors, it will also unlock vital transit oriented development, thus contributing to the city’s economic growth,” said Ben Almond, CEO of engineering services Canada at SNC-Lavalin. “Together with our partners, we bring strong, local teams with in-depth understanding of the project, proven skills and decades of knowledge. We look forward to delivering a safe and reliable infrastructure to the City of Calgary and its citizens.”

Phase one of the project includes:

• 13 stations
• 18 km of LRT track
• 3 park and ride facilities at Shepard, Douglas Glen and Lynnwood/Millican stations
• 1 km of elevated track between 26 Avenue S.E. station and Ramsay/Inglewood station
• 3 km of tunnel under Beltline and Downtown
• 4 LRT bridge structures that span across the Elbow River, Bow River, Deerfoot Trail and Blackfoot Trail
• 1 LRV maintenance and storage facility

Key Takeaways:

• Turner Construction and Clark Builders have be selected for the project.
• They plan to use integrated project delivery, prefabrication, modular construction and mass timber.
• The building is expected to be completed for the University of Fraser Valley in 2024.

The Whole Story:

Turner Construction Company and Clark Builders have been selected to build student housing at the University of Fraser Valley (UFV) in B.C.. The six-storey, $73 million mass timber building will provide 398 beds on the university’s Abbotsford campus.

The student housing facility will provide lounges, shared kitchens, study, and mixed-use and cultural space. The project will integrate Passive House Building Certification standards.

Turner stated that the building will be constructed using the integrated project delivery (IPD) model. The project team added that this approach will result in increased efficiency and engagement of all project participants through all phases of design, fabrication and construction. The construction team plans to include modularization and pre-fabrication in the building program.

Construction will begin this year and the building is expected to be ready for occupancy in the fall of 2024.

“We are extremely excited to begin work on this housing project,” said Amit Patel, vice president and general manager of Turner Construction Company. “It is great to be part of an extremely collaborative process that will result in environmentally friendly housing for students attending the University of Fraser Valley.”

Some of the project details include:

• Six-storey building, built with hybrid construction method, using reinforced concrete, mass timber, and light wood framing.
• 398 new beds: most units will be triple-occupancy units that include private bedrooms with shared living area and bathroom.
• Both single and triple accessible units will be available on every floor.
• Mixed-use amenity spaces, including a student lounge, shared kitchens, study spaces, student programming space, a retail unity with a food vendor, and a cultural space.

SiteNews’ very own editor Russell Hixson joined The Site Visit podcast to talk about his background in investigative journalism, joining the publication and his forecast for the 2023 construction season. 

Before reporting on Canada’s construction sector, Hixson spent years in the U.S. as an investigative crime reporter, writing about murder, drugs and disasters. 

“I just got burnt out,” he told hosts James Faulkner and Christian Hamm. “I didn’t know anybody here in terms of the industry. I applied for everything and a construction publication called the Journal of Commerce were the only ones who wanted to hire me.”

After covering Western Canada for the publication for over eight years, he was given the opportunity to help lead SiteNews.

“Over the past nine years I have grown to love it,” he said. “I have met so many cool people, I have learned so much about how the machinery of how the nation works and how the economy works, and about all the wonderful people who build our country and keep it running.” 

Having written at daily, print publications for years, Hixson noted that it was excited to try something new with a completely digital offering.

“Every other publication I’ve worked for has always had one foot in traditional journalism,” he said. “When I heard [SiteNews] was going to build a digital publication from scratch for a more modern consumer, I was really excited to be a part of that.”

Hixson also spoke about his reporting on what industry leaders are thinking going into 2023.

“Despite a lot of the doom and gloom in the general media space around the country, our industry is optimistic,” he said. “Maybe you could couch that as ‘cautious optimism’ but everyone I am talking to is busy. They are still going through backlogs of work and they have lots of work booked for 2023.” 

The conversation also touched on the labour shortage and technology trends. He even shared his experience restarting someone’s heart while writing a story about a paramedic in Stillwater, Oklahoma.

Listen below to get the whole conversation.

Key Takeaways:

• German construction tech company KEWAZO has raised roughly $20 million total in funding.
• KEWAZO’s vision is to automate and digitize the entire on-site logistics — from the arrival of materials at the construction site to their utilization.
• A dozen of the company’s initial product, LIFTBOT, have been working on European sites since 2021. 
• LIFTBOT’s tasks initially focused on scaffolding assembly, but the team believes it could be used for insulation, painting and other on-site material transport. 
• The company noted that this technology not only helps ease labour crunch pressure, it reduces the risk of accidents. 

The Whole Story:

Construction robotics firm KEWAZO announced the closing of its $10 million Series A funding round, bringing the total funds raised to-date to approximately $20 million. The round was led by Fifth Wall, with notable participation from Cybernetix Ventures, Unorthodox Ventures as well as the construction software company Nemetschek. 

Existing investors True Ventures and MIG Capital AG also participated in the round. This round comes on the heels of Kewazo’s $5 million Pre-Series A that closed in September 2021.   

“We have an excellent group of partners coming together that will enable us to keep building a leading company in construction robotics,” stated Artem Kuchukov, CEO and co-founder of KEWAZO. “This influx of capital will propel us to expand our sophisticated robotic fleet across Europe and North America, in tandem with enabling us to build out our additional digital services.”

KEWAZO both automates and digitizes the on-site material flow via state-of-the-art robotics and data analytics. The company’s initial product LIFTBOT, an intelligent robotic hoist for construction and industrial sites, is empowered by data analytics platform ONSITE. Since 2021, a dozen LIFTBOTs have been active on European construction sites and leading industrial plants in the oil, gas, energy and chemical industries, including with key industry names like Bilfinger and Altrad. 

“Labor shortage continues to be the most acute challenge facing the construction industry today,” said Miguel Nigorra Esteban, partner at Fifth Wall. “Artem and his entire team at Kewazo are laser-focused on solving this head-on, bringing much needed automation and robotics to the trillion dollar construction industry. We’re thrilled to be a part of their category-defining growth.”

Upon inception, KEWAZO initially honed in on scaffolding assembly, a $50 billion industry in which more than 80 per cent of projects are still undertaken completely manually. 

According to KEWAZO, their robotics can save 70 per cent of man hours for these tasks. Their team believes this approach not only addresses construction’s critical labor-shortage, but reduces the risk of accidents and improves overall working conditions on-site.

By being involved in critical on-site activities, LIFTBOT collects key operational data. This data is then processed and provided to customers as actionable insights via the data analytics platform. This enhances transparency of what happens on-site at construction sites and industrial plants, leading to a multitude of advantages, including data-driven and proactive project management.

With minor adjustments, the technology may be applied to allied activities such as insulation, painting and other on-site material transport. KEWAZO’s vision is to automate and digitize the entire on-site logistics — from the arrival of materials at the construction site to their utilization.

“I think it is very useful that companies like KEWAZO are disrupting our business. We will have problems in finding and keeping good personnel – this will be our main focus in the coming years and decades. These innovations are very helpful in attracting and motivating our coworkers and help us to provide our customers with cost-effective and safe services, ” said Bart Gyssels, chief innovation officer at Altrad Services Benelux.

You can’t celebrate someone’s promotion, retirement or major career change if you don’t know about it.

That’s why SiteNews is introducing ‘People Moves‘. On the third week of every month, we are rounding up all the career announcements we can find and putting them in our newsletter. The inaugural installment of People Moves features announcements from Bird Construction, Infrastructure BC, Kinetic Construction, Tahltan Nation Development Corporation, Wales McLelland, DIALOG, Gensler, COWI North America, Revay and Associates, the British Columbia Institute of Technology and the Ontario Skilled Trades Alliance.

This month’s moves:

Dom Costantini, vice president of operations for Bird Construction’s buildings division, announced he is leaving the company. He wrote that he plans to take some time to reset and begin searching for a new career opportunity. He joined Bird in 2004 as a project coordinator. His role focused on strategic initiatives for the company, particularly leading its special projects division and deep energy retrofits.

Mindy Henyu, Brianna Quock and Edward Van Mierlo have all been appointed to the The Tahltan Nation Development Corporation (TNDC) board of directors. TNDC is one of the biggest Indigenous companies in B.C. It provides heavy construction, earthworks, camp services, air support, aviation, forestry, transportation and fibre-optic communications services.

George Kyriakelis has been promoted to assistant vice president, transportation at Infrastructure BC. He previously was project director, focusing on the health, transportation, and energy sectors. George has been involved in the planning, procurement, and implementation of several health, education, transportation, and energy projects, in various roles.Infrastructure BC supports the public sector by providing leadership in the procurement of complex capital projects.  Before joining Infrastructure BC, Kyriakelis worked with Peter Kiewit Infrastructure Group in various management capacities. 

Mark Liudzius, executive vice president at Kinetic Construction, is retiring after 25 years at the company. He joined Kinetic in 1988 and worked his way through several positions including branch manager and director of operations. Mark also sat as board chair for four years. His retirement is effective Jan. 31. Kinetic was founded in 1894. It employs close to 200 people across three branch offices in B.C. and has over 40 active construction projects in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island

John Surabathula has been promoted to senior consultant at construction consulting firm Revay and Associates. He has amassed more than 25 years experience in construction, construction management, and program management in LNG, transportation, mining, transmission, hydro and building projects

Ash Kumar has joined Wales McLelland as director of operations. Kumar has more than 25 years of experience in project management, operational efficiency, and business development. He has led teams for work in the commercial, retail, education, healthcare, industrial, hospitality, and institutional sectors. Wales has been operating in the Vancouver area for more than 50 years as a general contractor. 

Sanja Boskovic is the new associate dean of industrial and mechanical trades at the School of Energy at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). She not only holds a PhD in engineering, she also has a Phd in educational technology and learning design. Programs at the School of Energy range from machinist to telecommunications, and chemical and environmental technology to mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and smart grid systems and technologies master program.

Steven Crombie has been appointed chair of the Ontario Skilled Trades Alliance (OSTA). Crombie stated that with Ontario’s labour shortage at an all-time high, it’s more important than ever to break down every barrier that prevents workers from achieving their career goals. Crombie has extensive government relations experience at organizations like the GreaterToronto Sewer and Watermain Contractors Association and the Ontario General Contractors Association.  

14 new associates have joined DIALOG, a Vancouver-based architecture firm: Kyle Auch, Karel Brozik, Gerard Dourado, Amrinder Gill, Mania Javadipour, Rachele Gunderson, Michael Mochulski, Kimberly Russell, Mike Torjan, Mona Lemoine, Edel Naughton, André O’Neill, Steven Prozniak, Holly Shandruk.

John Westphal has joined COWI North America as head of section/associate project director to support the growing southeast transportation team. Westphal has more than 18 years of experience in engineering design, construction, contract administration and construction materials testing. 

Bob Weis, former president of Walt Disney Imagineering, has joined global design and architecture firm Gensler as global immersive experience design leader. Genlser stated in an announcement that Weis’ experience in pioneering large-scale groundbreaking and story-driven experiences further expands its ability to drive design innovation.

*Editors note: do you have a hiring, promotion or retirement announcement you want to make? Let us know at hello@readsitenews.com. Be the first to get People Moves by subscribing to our newsletter below.

Orion Construction is growing – a lot. 

In the past three years they have seen revenue growth of more than 12,000 per cent. This earned the full-service contractor for light industrial and commercial developments the number one spot on the Globe and Mail’s Top Growing Companies list in 2022.

What’s in the secret sauce? Orion says a lot of its success has to do with mastering the design-build model. They explained that the model is an efficient in-house system where all team members collaboratively work together to design and build the project. This helps to manage cost uncertainty and provide efficient delivery to clients.

Laying the foundation

“Design-build has been the foundation of Orion,” said Cameron Archer, Orion’s director of sales and marketing. “It’s where we started and the model we felt would be most supportive to the industry. There are a lot of things that it provides that more traditional models don’t.”

Archer explained that the model removes much of the conflict that can arise between parties in more traditional models where owners, managers, consultants and contractors are separated. 

“What design-build does is it brings a single source of accountability to a complex process. With that single source of accountability, it becomes incredibly collaborative and offers a very team-based approach,” said Archer. “It puts everyone on the same page to get a desired result.”

He noted that this team-based approach means faster designs and higher quality drawings. This all leads to fewer change orders.  

Early engagement 

Archer explained that another huge advantage of design-build is the inclusion of construction and development experts from the very beginning. This is particularly important to succeed in the highly complex and competitive Lower Mainland industrial market. 

“We are in a situation where the land product available is becoming increasingly more complex to navigate,” he said, noting that this includes sites with waterways, wetlands, difficult topography and environmental concerns. 

He explained that having the whole team on board from the beginning allows good data to be gathered and more informed decisions to be made on what solution to implement for a site. 

“We are really having to think outside the box for solutions that better support projects,” said Archer. 

One of the early conversations that happens is around a risk matrix that can be forecasted for a project. For Orion and its market, the risk matrix often includes long lead times on materials due to supply chain constraints. Mitigating that means working closely with clients so there is a high level of trust. 

“When they are seeing it work right in front of them, it allows us to push the envelope even further,” he said.

This trust means Orion has been able to purchase materials earlier than usual to ensure the overall health of a project.

Putting the pieces together

The design-build approach paid off in spades during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Orion was working at the Pacific Corporate centre, a large format project that anchors the north east corner of the Campbell Heights business park in Surrey. 

With intense pressure on supply chains, the design-build approach enabled the team to purchase steel, roofing materials, drywall and mechanical units in advance to store near the site. 

“That gave us the opportunity to ensure that our schedule and budgets were going to be met in such an uncertain time,” said Archer. 

In September of last year, years of effort was put into perspective when the company found out they had topped the Globe and Mail’s list of fastest growing companies for 2022. 

“It was an amazing feeling being recognized for a tremendous amount of work that had been put in four years prior,” said Archer. “We worked diligently and stayed focused through COVID – the most uncertain of times. The foundation of Orion is staying focused and accountable to what we say and what we can deliver and I believe those are the two main reasons for that success.”

Assembling a successful team

Archer said these values have been adopted by Orion’s staff. He noted that this is critical for a successful design-build approach. 

“There must be a strong sense of teamwork and collaboration to be successful in a design-build process,” he said. “Because collaboration is so important, all team members must work together to reach a collective project goal. Everyone has to have the ability to do their best work without relying on gatekeepers for information and pool expertise instead. This allows us to priortize meeting those project goals.”

Archer explained that putting together the right team has been important from the beginning of Orion and few have left the company. 

“We have incredible employee retention,” he said. “In five years we haven’t been faced with the loss of a project manager mid-stream on a project which can be so detrimental. You have to have a team of experts who enjoy what they do and that’s what we facilitate here.”

Key Takeaways:

• The 12-foot diameter tunnel will run from Esplanade to Bay and Dundas.
• It will house new power infrastructure to replace cables that were installed in the 1950s.
• The tunnel boring is expected to be completed by early 2024 and the installation of the new cables is expected to be completed by 2026.

The Whole Story:

Ladies and gentlemen, we have liftoff. 

Hydro One has launched construction on a new tunnel that will run 85 feet below ground in downtown Toronto, from the Esplanade to Bay and Dundas. 

The tunnel will be 12 feet in diameter, approximately the size of three park benches, and will house new transmission cables, replacing cables that have served Toronto’s downtown core since the 1950s. Hydro One is investing approximately $120 million dollars in this infrastructure renewal project in the downtown core to ensure the company can continue to provide clean and reliable energy to some of Toronto’s most critical institutions, including Hospital Row, City Hall and the Financial District.

“Hydro One plays an important role in supplying power to Toronto Hydro and its customers in the downtown core. The new tunnel we are building underneath the city will house our critical, upgraded power lines and improve reliability for customers,” said Andrew Spencer, vice president, transmission and stations for Hydro One. “We’re steadfast in our commitment to making strategic investments in our aging infrastructure to prepare the grid for the impacts of climate change.”

Hydro One said it is working closely with the city of Toronto and Toronto Hydro to coordinate construction needs and the use of a tunnel boring machine, minimizing disruptions to residents and local businesses by allowing for most of the required construction to take place underground. The tunnel boring is expected to be completed by early 2024 and the installation of the new cables is expected to be completed by 2026.

Much of Ontario’s electricity system was built in the 1950s. Over the next five years, Hydro One plans to undertake projects that will reduce the impacts of power outages, renew and replace critical transmission and distribution infrastructure, enable economic growth and prepare for climate change in almost every community across Ontario. 

Once complete, the underground tunnel housing the new power cables will run between Esplanade TS and Terauley TS.

Key Takeaways:

• Indigenous people are far more impacted by the lack of affordable housing in Surrey than non-Indigenous people.
• At least 635 Indigenous individuals are estimated to have experienced homelessness in Surrey in the 2020 regional count.
• The city is calling for immediate coordinated action by the federal, provincial, and municipal governments to create deeply affordable housing.

The Whole Story:

Indigenous people urgently need affordable housing in Surrey, a new report shows. 

According to research by the Surrey Urban Indigenous Leadership Committee (SUILC), at least 635 Indigenous individuals are estimated to have experienced homelessness in Surrey in the 2020 regional count, a rate of 1 in 26 Indigenous people compared to 1 in 239 non-Indigenous people.

“Surrey has one of the largest and fastest growing Indigenous populations in B.C. and I commend the Committee for its meaningful work in identifying priorities to help address the urgent housing need,” said Mayor Brenda Locke. “This information supports our collective efforts to create affordable and appropriate housing for Indigenous people in our City. The City is a proud partner of the Surrey Urban Indigenous Leadership Committee and looks forward to continuing to work together to find solutions.”

City officials noted that housing is an urgent and immediate need for many Indigenous people living in Surrey, but Indigenous homelessness goes beyond being housed. The report, titled “Finding Our Way Home”, noted that the issue is an experience of isolation and interruption from their spiritual, relational, and cultural Indigenous ways of being, including access to land, community, Elders and Knowledge Keepers.

City officials stated that they support SUILC’s two priority recommendations:

• Priority 1: Immediate coordinated action by the federal, provincial, and municipal governments to create deeply affordable housing, with and without supports, in Surrey to offer an exit strategy for Indigenous people experiencing homelessness and to prevent individuals and households from falling into homelessness. Housing is needed for single Indigenous men and women, and low-income families in crisis, especially single-parent families.
• Priority 2: Create and implement a strategy to increase local Indigenous capacity to develop affordable housing in Surrey.

“Finding Our Way Home acknowledges that preventing homelessness is more than helping Indigenous people through individual circumstances, but also addressing societal systems including education,” said Lyn Daniels, co-chair of SUILC. “Indigenous people leave their communities and come to urban centers for educational reasons, however, the desire for education can lead to homelessness because of the lack of affordability and support within Surrey. As an educator, I am committed to working with the city of Surrey and all levels of government to advocate to prevent Indigenous homelessness.”

Samantha Jack, co-chair of SUILC explained that Canada has a long history of apprehending children and placing them in care with non-Indigenous families and disconnecting them from community, culture and language.

“Once they age out of care, our youth experience housing insecurity and are at risk of homelessness. Finding Our Way Home is a great report that addresses the immediate priorities of helping our homeless youth in Surrey,” said Jack. “I am committed to working with the City of Surrey to support our urban Indigenous youth in accessing culturally safe housing to combat Indigenous homelessness.”

The Surrey Urban Indigenous Leadership Committee (SUILC) is a coalition of organizations that have come together to advocate for the urban Indigenous people living in Surrey. 

Digital tools are helping the industry not only save time and money – they are enabling teams to come up with even better building solutions. 

Duanne Render, a senior associate and design manager at global design and architecture firm Gensler, has been using data crunching tools to great success. He was part of a team that developed a tool capable of identifying vacant office buildings that have a high likelihood of being successfully converted into housing. What normally takes weeks can be done in minutes. 

While it started as an effort to identify suitable buildings in Calgary, where office vacancy rates have reached as high as 32 per cent, the tool has since expanded and Gensler’s team continues to make improvements. 

“We’ve made various advancements in terms of accuracy and fine tuning based on the data we’ve got from locations in North America,” said Render. “ We have analyzed around 500 properties in different cities from the west coast, east coast and central areas. We are even looking at European and UK properties.”

Failing fast

Render said the tool’s  success in Calgary has spurred a lot of interest in cities who want to do something similar to address office vacancies.

“Because of all the work we have been doing with cities and developers to look at properties and portfolios and assist them, we have all this data and information that has assisted us in fine-tuning how the tool works and it is getting more accurate over time,” he said.  

Render noted that Gensler tells its clients that the tool is not a silver bullet, it just gives a good indication of whether or not something is worth looking into further and if there is a high likelihood of a building succeeding as a conversion.

Render explained the typical process for identifying suitable projects often takes months. It involves a developer working with an architect on a feasibility study that investigates the floor plan, layouts, essentially conducts a conceptual design phase that would then go to a cost consultant. Then it would be determined if it’s financially viable and a decision is made to proceed or not. 

“What this process does is it helps us fail fast. If we get raw data we can give you a good indication of if it is likely to succeed or not. Let’s say you are looking at ten properties and want to get it down to the two best ones for development, this gives an opportunity to put a better product out there because energy can be focused into the right places.”

Duanne Render

Addressing the housing crisis

Digital tools like this can be particularly useful when applied to problems like housing. 

“If you look at the housing crisis you can break it down into a couple of different challenges,” said Render. “One is the amount of housing we need to provide in a period. To build ground-up residential condos or rental is going to take significantly longer than converting an existing office building. The second thing is, if you convert in downtown areas, you’re also looking at improving the quality of cities by adding vibrancy, activity and creating that 24-hour space. By converting, you assist in doing that.” 

He added that not only can you get to market fast, you can utilize office building characteristics that are less common in the residential sector. 

“Floor heights are generally higher in offices, which gives you the opportunity to get natural light deeper and in some cases provide larger, better quality units,” he said.

Encouraging development 

Render notes that despite the benefits, many cities have room for improvement when it comes to incentivizing this type of work. Gensler offered examples of how some progressive cities are tackling it: 

• The city of Calgary has made $100 million available to assist property owners to convert offices to residential through a grant funding mechanism that made $75/sf available to eligible projects. This scheme is set to increase the downtown population by 23 per cent, increasing the tax base and injecting new life into the city, improving activity, vibrancy, and safety.
• The city of Chicago is focusing its efforts on the LaSalle Street corridor making state and federal tax credits and Cook County Tax incentives available to the selected properties. Further financial assistance may be available through Tax Increment Finance for projects that meet specific criteria such as a minimum of 30 per cent affordable housing.
• The city of Portland has also started looking into this concept and are considering a broad incentive package which may include, among others, exemption of system development charges (SDC’s) within a centralized geographic boundary, property tax exemption for seismic upgrade costs, fast-tracking tenant improvement permitting, and expanding a floor area ratio (FAR) density bonus for certain projects where it would be of value.
• Following a task force report, New York mayor Eric Adams announced his plans to make it easier to convert offices to residential use. The report focuses on relaxing planning and zoning regulations making it easier for conversions to take place.

Reducing friction for better solutions

The conversion tool isn’t the only one Gensler has developed. They have found the method is applicable in a variety of situations. 

“It’s about removing friction to make processes easier in order to allow it to happen faster and with more accuracy,” said Render. “It’s so we can cut out a lot of the back and forth and the uncertainty.”

Gensler developed gblox and gfloorz to carry out test fits with real-time participation and feedback from clients. This is done in a simulated, data-rich environment where teams can envision, implement, and evaluate the implications of design decisions instantly.

“You understand what the developable area is – the area you can fit on a site within the zoning parameters,” said Render. “That generally needs to go to clients and get comments and go through cost consultants and more. What we did with gblox is automate that process to a large degree. You enter your parameters and then there is another level of customization.”

For example, if a client needs to hit a certain metric to achieve a project’s financial goals, that can be put into the toll and a dashboard will show how close or far certain approaches are from it. 

“That gave us the opportunity to get to a solution in a few days with some live sessions,” said Render. “I also believe it gave us the opportunity to come up with a much better product. You can get there so much faster and give a much better quality design, not just for the client but for the urban environment and the users.”

Needing answers quickly

Render believes data crunching tools like these are just one part of how construction is changing to an accelerating world. 

“If you look at society generally, people are needing answers quickly,” he said. “That in itself almost is a driver to develop tools like this. Everything is moving faster and faster and everybody needs to keep up with the pace at which things are happening. In some ways, construction is being forced to advance and I think it’s going to accelerate due to external factors like sustainability”

Render added that various levels of government are implementing more stringent sustainability requirements and have carbon-neutral commitments. 

“I think those external factors will force the industry to advance,” he said. “If you look at conventional construction, does this mean we need to do more modular construction, mass timber construction and other things in order to deal with sustainability? Does that become more commonplace? From my perspective, yes, it has to.” 

Key Takeaways:

• The machine will increase the supply and availability of soil erosion control blankets for Western Canada and parts of the U.S.
• BMP Supplies is setting up the machine in an Alberta warehouse with ample supply to hay.
• The machine is set to be up and running sometime next month.

The Whole Story:

A million dollar machine in an Alberta warehouse is poised to upend a commonly overlooked corner of Canada’s construction sector. 

Paul Lindemulder, who works in sales and marketing for his family business, BMP Supplies, explained that his father started the company 20 years ago with one of its most popular products, a catch basin protector. The orange, donut-shaped devices prevent unwanted sediment from going into catch basins. He soon began creating other devices, like turbidity curtains that prevent runoff into bodies of water like lakes.

But one sought after product remained elusive for decades: soil erosion control blankets. 

“That was always the dream,” said Lindemulder. “In this industry it’s kind of the big product that is most common because it is used in so many applications. It does a lot more than other products. It’s a dream product to release for a company like ours.”

The blanket is a fabric roll made with jute or plastic netting filled with straw or coconut to protect soil from wind and water erosion. It is typically used to protect slopes and embankments and can help to reduce runoff and help promote the growth of vegetation.

The process to get the product is complex and expensive. You need three things – an expensive and rare machine that weaves the blankets, a large warehouse to store it and a nearby supply of high-quality hay. Only one other machine exists in Canada and it’s far from many parts of Western Canada. This causes long lead times for orders and high shipping costs. Lindemulder said this has caused many projects in the west that would have liked to use erosion control blankets to forgo them.

BMP is primarily based out of Calgary with two warehouses. Its head administrative office is in Surrey, B.C. As leadership of the company started to transfer over to Jim’s four sons, the company decided it was time for a major play. 

First they secured a 12,000 square-foot building on a five acre site in Brooks, Alta. close to a nearly endless supply of straw. Then they ordered the machine that weaves the blankets. It’s made in Germany by AH Meyer and costs roughly $1 million. The 80-foot long and 20-foot wide machine recently arrived in seven boxes and a team of experts from Europe will help assemble it in Brooks.  

“It’s a game changer,” said Lindemulder, who noted that the Brooks location sets BMP up to supply projects in western North America. “It’s something everyone wants in their jobs but getting it is difficult. That motivated us to get it in the hands of construction companies. It’s great for the environment as it protects sensitive areas and now sites can be specced for this product.” 

Lindemulder anticipates erosion blanket product could begin as early as next month.

“We are getting the word out and letting customers know,” said Lindemulder. “It’s about getting the whole industry to change focus, especially in Western Canada.”

Victoria, B.C. is stepping up its underground infrastructure.

Crews have started work on water main upgrades on Blanshard Street in what is the second year of a decade-long $53.8 million renewal of critical underground infrastructure. The project, which is receiving support from the Government of Canada’s Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF), stretches between Caledonia Avenue through to Fort Street and will continue through summer 2023. 

“Reliable water and wastewater treatment systems protect communities and the environment,” said Dominic LeBlanc, minister of intergovernmental affairs, infrastructure and communities. “We will continue to work collaboratively with local governments to build resilient communities, in British Columbia and across Canada.” 

Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto noted that resilient cities have resilient underground systems. “Renewing and upgrading our underground infrastructure is critical to protect our communities and ensure our core water, sewer and stormwater services can be maintained in the event of an earthquake or a climate change event,” said Alto.

In addition to the water main work on Blanshard Street, other large city projects this year include upgrading the Chatham Street Sewer Pump Station, replacing sanitary sewers on a portion of Cook Street and the rehabilitation of a sanitary sewer on Store Street. 

“Strengthening and renewing our underground infrastructure is not only key to protecting the high quality water, sewer and stormwater services everyone relies on every day, it is vital to ensuring the health and resiliency of Victoria for years to come,” said Philip Bellefontaine, director of engineering and public works. “Major projects such as these will minimize future infrastructure costs, serve our growing community and help keep us safe during climate and seismic events.” 

Officials noted that these projects are in addition to the four already completed in 2021 and 2022 to replace or upgrade aging infrastructure, some more than 100 years old, to support growing neighbourhoods. Over the next decade, the city plans to invest nearly $54 million in 78 capital infrastructure projects, a 40 per cent increase in capital infrastructure investments compared to the past 10 years. 

To minimize disruption and maximize public benefit, the City is coordinating the Blanshard Street water main works with other improvements which will include new road paving, replacement of old traffic signal equipment and new road markings to make it safer for pedestrians and cyclists and easier for traffic to circulate in the downtown. Staff are working with the contractor to minimize traffic impacts where possible, however the public should plan for travel delays resulting from this construction. 

Key Takeaways:

• The University of Toronto is putting researchers and construction industry leaders together to come up with innovative solutions for sustainable infrastructure.
• The team plans to address issues well beyond the traditional bounds of engineering, including explore legal frameworks around housing rights.
• The school believes that by including the industry in the process, the insights gained through their research can more easily be applied.

The Whole Story:

The newest research centre at the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering will develop innovative ways to meet the urgent and growing need for infrastructure – without further exacerbating the climate crisis.

The Centre for the Sustainable Built Environment brings together seven researchers from across U of T, as well as a dozen companies in construction and related industries. 

The research collaboration includes Colliers, the Cement Association of Canada, Chandos Construction, Mattamy Homes, Northcrest, Pomerleau, Purpose Building Inc., ZGF Architects, Arup, SvN Architects + Planners, Entuitive and KPMB Architects.

The goal is to identify strategies that will lower the environmental footprint by reimagining how new infrastructure is designed, where it is built and what materials are used in its construction.

“In Canada and around the world, we have a huge housing and infrastructure deficit – there’s a big social need to build much more than we have right now,” said Shoshanna Saxe, associate professor in the department of civil and mineral engineering and Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Infrastructure.

“At the same time, construction resource use accounts for up to a third of total global greenhouse gas emissions each year, a problem that is getting worse. It’s been estimated that if we continue current ways of construction, by 2050 the emissions due to new housing alone will cause us to blow past two degrees of global warming,” she adds. “If we want to avoid that, let alone reach net zero by 2050, we need to find ways to do more with less.”

Saxe and her collaborators – Evan Bentz, Chris Essert, Elias Khalil, Heather MacLean, Daman Panesar and Daniel Posen, all fellow U of T researchers – plan to approach the complex challenge from several different angles. They believe some efficiencies can be found by looking at where new housing is built, as well as what it looks like.

“The average person living in a city consumes fewer resources than the average person living in a suburb, because in a city you have more people per kilometre of sewer, road or electrical infrastructure. There are big rewards for well-designed cities,” Saxe said. “The shape and types of buildings we build is also important. For example, Toronto has a lot of long skinny apartments, where a lot of the space is in the hallway. If we design differently, we can better use that space to provide more housing, or avoid [extra space] all together and save materials, emissions and cost.”

Saxe and her team have also shown that large concrete basements account for a high proportion of the emissions due to construction – building more of the structure above ground could improve the environmental bottom line. Other potential solutions involve alternative building materials, such as new types of concrete that are less carbon-intensive.

The multidisciplinary team – whose researchers cover a wide range of expertise, from carrying out life-cycle analysis of construction projects to defining national carbon budgets – will address issues well beyond the traditional bounds of engineering. For example, the group plans to explore the legal frameworks that translate established housing rights into practical built spaces.

“It’s absurd to say that the right to housing means that everyone has to live in a space the size of a closet,” Saxe said. “But it’s also absurd to expect everyone to have their own 3,500-square-foot house. Can we find a middle ground where everyone can live in dignity, without consuming in a way that threatens the planet?”

By working closely with a core group of construction leaders, Saxe and her collaborators aim to speed up knowledge translation, ensuring that the insights gained through their research can be applied in industry.

“The conversations we have with our partners can inform their design and construction, as well as the conversations they then have with their clients, raising everyone’s level of knowledge and awareness,” she says.

“We hope that by giving people – policymakers, designers and builders – the tools they need to address these challenges of building more with fewer emissions, we can improve outcomes across the built environment and create a more sustainable future for everyone.”

Key Takeaways:

• Doosan has changed its name to DEVELON following the sale of Doosan Infracore to HD Hyundai.
• More information about the new branding will be revealed this March at CONEXPO.
• The company still plans to continue manufacturing and supporting construction equipment in North America with a focus on sustainably-powered equipment.

The Whole Story:

The global orange construction equipment brand known as Doosan will now be called DEVELON. Under the new brand name, the company will continue providing products for the construction equipment and infrastructure industry.

Work began to identify a new brand name to replace Doosan following the August 2021 sale of Doosan Infracore to HD Hyundai (formerly Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings Co. HHIH). The company explained that the name DEVELON was chosen to convey the company’s drive to develop onward to bring innovative solutions to the construction equipment industry through technological transformation and the development of exceptional equipment and services.

“We believe the new DEVELON brand will help us build on the success we’ve had in North America over the past 30 years and throughout the world for more than 80 years,” said Todd Roecker, vice president of growth initiatives.

DEVELON will continue to focus on manufacturing construction equipment to build critical infrastructure. DEVELON officials noted that efforts will also be placed on advancing sustainable development through alternative energy sources of power for construction equipment.

New Brand to Debut at CONEXPO

Company officials said the new name announcement is the first of many in a series of steps to launch the brand. Visitors to CONEXPO-CON/AGG in March will see the next phase of the launch with newly branded construction equipment in the outdoor DEVELON exhibit. This will include the latest developments in the Concept-X autonomous equipment solution and live demonstrations at the outdoor exhibition in the Festival Grounds lot.

“Our commitment to the construction equipment industry and advancing new technologies has never been stronger than it is today,” says Roecker. “DEVELON anticipates changes in the industry and prepares solutions to address these challenges. This is evident by our ongoing development of the world’s first autonomous jobsite solution — Concept-X — and the work we are doing with alternative energy sources like electricity and battery packs for our mini excavators.”

After CONEXPO, continued efforts will be made to advance the brand at the local dealer level through updates to signage and machine decals. Customers are likely to begin to see newly branded machines at their local DEVELON dealerships and on job sites as early as the end of Q2 2023.

Focusing on North America

In North America, DEVELON stated it will continue supporting its more than 180 dealer locations in the U.S. and Canada. DEVELON North American operations will remain headquartered near Atlanta, in Suwanee, Georgia, where the company continues to offer a training center for dealership service technicians.

The company will maintain parts availability through its two regional parts distribution centers: one in Atlanta and a second in the Pacific Northwest. A customization plant in Savannah, Georgia, will still play a key role in supplying machines to DEVELON dealers and customers: getting products into the hands of customers faster, with the configurations they need for their applications.

“Our dealers and customers should expect the same strong support from DEVELON in the future,” says Roecker. “We are committed to the long-term success of the new brand and ensuring our customers have the support they need to be successful. DEVELON makes best-in-class equipment, excelling in performance, durability and reliability. That commitment will remain constant.”

DEVELON will continue as a subsidiary in the Hyundai Genuine group alongside Hyundai Construction Equipment (HCE). These two subsidiaries will remain independent construction equipment companies under HD Hyundai.

“We’ve grown our construction equipment offering in North America with our line of mini excavators and most recently the addition of dozers,” says Roecker. “These product expansions represent our goal of providing a full line of equipment for our dealers and our customers. We believe that this demonstrates our commitment to North America, and we look forward to continued growth here for many years to come.”

Key Takeaways:

• $7.1 million is being spent on helping 12 First Nations communities in B.C. shift to greener energy.
• The projects include solar farms, biomass heat-and-power systems, and more.
• The funding stems from the province’s Community Energy Diesel Reduction (CEDR) program

The Whole Story:

Twelve First Nations communities throughout British Columbia will receive $7.1 million to develop alternative-energy projects and advance energy efficiency through the province’s Community Energy Diesel Reduction (CEDR) program, a CleanBC initiative.

“Our CleanBC goal is to reduce diesel consumption for power generation in remote communities by 80 per cent by 2030,” said Josie Osborne, minister of energy, mines and low carbon innovation. “By building partnerships and creating opportunities with Indigenous communities and businesses, we can help people living in B.C.’s hardest-to-reach communities save money, become less dependent on fossil fuels and benefit from cleaner air and water.”

The energy projects range in size and scope, from $350,000 for the construction of a biomass combined heat-and-power system for the Lhoozk’uz Dene Nation (Quesnel area), to $2 million to develop and build a two-megawatt solar farm on Haida Gwaii’s northern grid that will include battery storage.

The $29-million, three-year CEDR program aims to reduce remote communities’ reliance on diesel fuel, and to support projects focused on energy efficiency and/or those that provide clean, reliable energy year round in areas not serviced by grid electricity. CEDR is part of the Province’s Remote Community Energy Strategy.

British Columbia has 44 remote communities, most of which are governed by First Nations. Many of these communities are served by BC Hydro in non-grid integrated areas. Some First Nations own and operate their own diesel generators. In 2019, the remote communities consumed at least 19.1 million litres of diesel, emitting the equivalent of 51,784 tonnes of carbon dioxide.

The CEDR program provides funding for clean-energy initiatives to eligible remote communities that are off-grid residential regions that rely on diesel fuel for electricity generation. Remote communities can apply to three funding streams to support them as they progress through various stages of their planning and implementation of their decarbonization projects. Officials say this will help to ensure remote communities have financial supports throughout the life cycle of their energy projects, whether it be at the beginning, early, mid or late stages of planning, or implementation of their decarbonization projects.

To deliver the CEDR program, the province has partnered with the New Relationship Trust to facilitate investments with remote communities for community energy planning, energy-efficiency projects, and renewable-energy infrastructure. In addition, Coast Funds is working with the trust to support applications from First Nations with communities in the Great Bear Rainforest and Haida Gwaii that rely on diesel to meet their electricity needs.

A second round of CEDR program funding will be announced shortly, and applicants are encouraged to connect with the New Relationship Trust and Coast Funds for more details and assistance. Coast Funds and the trust work with all eligible First Nations and remote communities to develop strong proposals that maximize access to CEDR program funding.

“Making the switch from diesel fuel to renewable energy to heat your home or power your lights can be a challenge, especially if you live in a remote or isolated community,” said George Heyman, minister of environment and climate change strategy. “This funding will help First Nations make the shift to cleaner energy alternatives, which will reduce emissions and create economic opportunities in their communities.”

Key Takeaways:

• Alberta is changing its policy to increase opportunities for skilled newcomers with family in the province. 
• The province has 100,000 job openings in the province across all sectors.
• The Calgary Construction association estimates there are between 3,000 to 4,000 construction job vacancies in the Calgary region alone. 

The Whole Story:

Alberta officials say the biggest issue hindering further economic growth is a shortage of labour. To address this, the province announced changes to Alberta Advantage Immigration Program (AAIP) that will increase opportunities for international, high-demand workers with close relatives in Alberta to fill those vacancies.

AAIP is an economic immigration program that enables Alberta to nominate qualified workers for permanent residency. 

Officials explained that If newcomers have an established support system already in place when they accept a job in the province, they are more likely to have an easier transition to a new culture and community. In addition to making the integration into Alberta life easier, it also helps retain these workers over the longer term. 

Industry experts predict that Alberta will experience skilled worker shortages into 2025 due to industry growth and retiring workers. Currently, Alberta has 100,000 job openings in the province across all sectors. In-demand sectors include healthcare, construction, education, technology and engineering.

The announcement comes as Calgary’s construction industry is raising concerns about the region’s shortage of skilled construction workers. The Calgary Construction Association (CCA) that despite a growing demand for new homes and construction projects, both commercial and residential builders are struggling to find enough workers to keep up with the pace of development.

The shortage is being attributed to several factors, including strong demand for record migration to the region, an aging workforce, and a lack of young people entering the industry. Many experienced construction workers have also retired or left the industry, leaving a gap in the labour market.

“This is an issue that we have been bracing for, over recent years, if not decades,” said Bill Black, CCA president. “Our concern is that this year and in the near future, the skilled worker shortage will become a key issue.”

The association estimates that there are between 3,000 to 4,000 construction job vacancies in the Calgary region alone. Nationally, the number of construction job vacancies is estimated at 93,000.

“This is a problem that not only affects Calgary and Alberta but Canada as a whole,” said Black. “The Calgary region isn’t just competing with the rest of Alberta for talent, but the entire Country.”

The association explained that the lack of workers impacts the completion schedules of new homes and infrastructure projects, which drives up costs for builders, consumers, and owners.

Black added that construction employers are stepping up to the challenge on an industry scale, but despite this, the situation is expected to worsen unless significant steps are taken to address the shortage of construction workers. The association believes that the shortage is indicative of a societal problem that requires action from all levels of government, the educational sector, in addition to the industry itself.

The CCA said that possible solutions include revising outdated accreditation recognition for newcomers coming to Canada to seek and place high-value-specific skills that are transferable to construction. This means a rework of the immigration points system favour such skills and experience.

The association also noted that the school system needs to reverse a trend over recent years that has reduced junior high and high school student exposure to the trades, and greater funding for post-secondary institutions like the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) which have the mandate to train the next generation of Alberta’s skilled trades.

In addition to being a key resource to society in building and servicing the communities that we live in, the construction industry offers significant opportunities and long-term career prospects for those who chose this path including low entry cost of education, good compensation, and entrepreneurial opportunities for those who aspire to be a business owner.

Key Takeaways:

• B.C. is implementing a single application window to eliminate the need for multiple applications across ministries. 
• Decisions will be expedited by a dedicated cross-ministry team. 
• The strategy will prioritize Indigenous-led projects, BC Housing applications and multiple-unit applications

The Whole Story:

B.C. announced it is creating a “one-stop-shop” approach to provincial permitting to help speed up approvals and construction to build more homes.

“Every British Columbian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Unfortunately, this simply wasn’t a priority for more than a decade,” said Premier David Eby. “As we turn things around and start to build record levels of housing, we are taking action today to remove obstacles to constructing new homes that families desperately need.”

New strategy to streamline approvals

Currently, authorizations related to homebuilding in B.C. can require multiple provincial permit applications spanning different ministries with different processes. This includes permits related to riparian area approvals, water licences, transportation approvals, road rezonings, contaminated sites, and requirements for heritage inspections.

Officials say the province’s new strategy will streamline the process and create a single, co-ordinated approach to housing-related permits and authorization. They anticipate it will speed up the process and eliminate the need for multiple applications across ministries. While the single application window is being established over the coming months, permit and authorization decisions will be expedited through a cross-ministry team focused solely on processing housing permits. The Housing Action Task Force includes decision-makers, information technology systems, project managers and policy support teams working together to speed up processing.

Prioritizing developments 

A co-ordinated provincial approach is also expected to make application reviews more streamlined for First Nations, which are consulted on each provincial authorization.

“Having dedicated resources and a cross-ministry team prioritizing housing permits means we can make significantly more progress on getting British Columbians the housing they need,” said Nathan Cullen, minister of water, land and resource stewardship. “Establishing a single-application approach is an investment that will deliver more housing for people faster, and this will also result in immediate and future benefits for the entire natural resources sector.”

To start the strategy, the province is creating 42 new full-time positions. It will prioritize the housing that most urgently needs to be built, such as Indigenous-led projects, BC Housing applications and multiple-unit applications. Priority will also be given to authorizations and permit approvals for housing projects in municipalities that are subject to the speculation and vacancy tax, because they have the greatest housing shortages, lowest vacancy rates and most demand for housing.

“Housing is a top priority for British Columbians and our government,” said Ravi Kahlon, minister of housing. “We are working with municipalities to get more housing built faster. At the same time, we recognize that as a Province we have work to do to speed up our approvals. This new permitting approach is an important step in providing the homes people need.”

Where B.C. ranks with red tape

The announcement comes just after a report was released by the the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) which ranked municipalities based on the difficulty and cost of their development process. 

On a list of 21 municipalities the report investigated, Vancouver ranked 12th, Surrey 13th and Burnaby was 17th. 

The average time for a planning application to reach the approval stage in Vancouver was approximately 15 months, a moderate increase from the 13 months in the 2020 Study. 

Despite this, the study noted that Vancouver has numerous good features enabled including a development guide showing required studies, requirement to review municipal plans on a regular basis and others. Vancouver is also one of the few municipalities to incorporate the ability for public comments to be submitted through their development application tracker.

The Surrey has average approval timelines at 13.8 months, just below the study-wide average of 13.9 months. The study praised the city for its robust electronic submission and payment capabilities, but noted its charges have increased substantially.  

Despite making significant improvements since the last study, planning applications still take 20.9 months on average in Burnaby. This is the fourth highest approval timeline amongst the studied municipalities. The study noted that permits still must be physically mailed in and the city does not provide information on the status of applications, their location or historical data. 

It started out as a team of two holding meetings in coffee shops.

Ten years later, Metric has grown into a civil contractor with multiple offices that performs work across B.C. and beyond.

The company founders, Marlon Hall and Chris Veenstra attribute Metric’s success to the strength of its team and its use of technology. While success doesn’t happen in a day, Metric began sowing the seeds early on. 

“When we started, it was just Marlon and I,” said Veenstra. “There was no equipment, no projects on the books, no employees. We really just hit the ground to market Metric, ourselves and the services we could offer.” 

As the first few projects came in, Metric purchased its first excavator and hired a handful of workers. Hall spent much of his time supervising sites while Veenstra did estimating and project management.

“Within the first two years, we grew to the point where we had three to four crews doing bigger jobs,” said Veenstra. “We grew organically by completing projects, getting repeat clients and consistently doing quality work right the first time.”

Doing it right the first time

Metric’s first project came in January 2013 from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Hall, Veenstra and one labourer worked to complete a fuel storage upgrade for the Pacific Biological Station in Nanaimo. 

“Over the next few months, we were awarded other civil projects working for general contractors that helped cement our reputation and capabilities. As we continued to execute and complete each new project, it gave us the confidence to bid on larger projects with varied scopes similar to what Marlon and I had executed at previous civil companies,” said Veenstra. 

Another significant for Metric was c̓əsqənelə Elementary School in Maple Ridge. The $8 million civil scope for the new school project had extremely tight timelines that required calculated coordination. Work included large cut-and-fills, retaining walls, utilities, roadworks, a municipal sanitary pump station and more. 

“It was a big team effort,” said Veenstra. “For significant portions of the project, we had up to three separate crews working in different areas to complete it on time to meet the required school opening date.” 

Metric also was part of the massive effort to repair and clear roads on Highway 1 following historic rainfall and landslides in 2021. 

“That was a lot of teamwork as logistics were changing by the hour for us and our partners, but we helped get it done safely and efficiently,” said Veenstra. 

Cultivating a high quality team

Building a quality team and supporting them has been instrumental in Metric’s success and part of its values since the beginning. 

“We treat our employees the way that we would want to be treated,” Veenstra said. “Marlon and I were both employees of civil companies before Metric, so we understand what it takes to keep employees happy. If employees are happy, they will reflect that in the work they do, and with the clients, which will foster an environment where we can all grow together, as a company but as individuals as well.” 

Metric’s multi-faceted workforce comes from a variety of backgrounds and they are encouraged to advance their careers at the company. 

“We have been successful at retaining employees by the work that we do, having a robust safety program, providing competitive compensation and benefits, creating an atmosphere of teamwork and offering opportunities to grow,” said Veenstra. 

Metric has had employees advance from labourer to pipelayer, foreman and supervisor roles. Others have shifted from field work into the office. Retaining employees that are motivated, understand Metric’s systems and who can implement the company’s systems and strategies has been critical.  Hall and Veenstra recognize that employee development will remain a vital component of their growth into the future with today’s labour shortage within the industry.  

“The reason we can do what we do is because of the quality of our people,” said Veenstra. “We hire and retain great employees and then allow them to thrive and grow.” 

Embracing technology 

Technology has also helped the company’s streamlined team get work across the finish line. From day one, Metric was set up so technology could support its growth. The company started by purchasing the critical tools needed for success; 3D cut and fill software for estimating, as well as GPS rovers so it could conduct its own layout and grade control rather than relying on surveyors. This allowed their team to be more efficient and have a high degree of quality control. Metric has since added 3D GPS units to its equipment in the field. They continue to utilize 3D cut-and-fill takeoff software to ensure accurate take-offs, estimates and construction in the field. 

Metric has digitized as much of its business as possible. Cloud-based systems are used for accounting and payroll which allows information and decisions to be made from anywhere. The company’s COR-certified health and safety system also utilizes the cloud to go above and beyond what is required. 

“We have always wanted to get away from paper as early as possible,” said Veenstra. “It makes us more efficient, you aren’t losing information and you can track stats to see where improvements can be made.”

Metric was also careful to choose technology that was scalable from the start, so as the company grew, the team wouldn’t have to constantly be switching over to different systems.  

Known in the industry and community

In addition to their success as a company, Metric’s founders have received dual and individual recognition for their achievements. In 2019, Hall and Veenstra were awarded Young Entrepreneur(s) of the year by the Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce. In 2021, Veenstra was recognized as one of the Top 40 under 40 In Construction by On-Site Magazine / Site Partners. In 2022, Hall was honoured as one of Canada’s top entrepreneurs by being selected as a Quantum Shift Alumni at the Ivey Academy. This prestigious program recognizes up to 50 of the country’s top leaders who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and innovation in their respective fields.   

Part of Metric’s core values are giving back to the communities that they work in, both in time and in a financial capacity.  Hall is currently a VP of the Board at the Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce and Veenstra is currently the VP of Chilliwack Community Services, one of Chilliwack’s oldest and largest non-profits, as well as VP of Chilliwack Bowl’s Hope, which focuses on feeding approximately 900 children in 24 schools every day. 

Expanding beyond the coast 

Metric conducted light civil work in the Fraser Valley and the Metro Vancouver area for most of its first two and a half years. But in 2015, they began to widen their net by taking on a project in Saskatchewan and a two-year project on Vancouver Island. 

Now, Metric not only has offices in Chilliwack and Kelowna, but it has formed a variety of partnerships to carry out work in B.C.’s north, particularly with First Nations groups.

 For its next ten years, Metric will continue with civil works in the lower mainland, but they are focusing on significant growth executing both light and heavy civil projects in the Western Canadian region. 

“In the first year of Metric, if you told us that after 10 years, we would be the size we are with the number of employees we have executing work in all these areas, I would not have expected that,” said Veenstra. “But now that we are here and we have strong team members around us, we are poised for growth as we move forward.” 

Veenstra encouraged anyone interested in working with Metric to visit their website. 

–Sponsored by Metric Civil