Category: People

Justin McConnell has combined two of his passions, construction and photography, into a project that aims to put Toronto’s blue collar workers in the spotlight. McConnell’s company, Toronto Beyond Media, uses cameras, drones and his years of job site experience to capture the complex and dizzying work being done high above the city. To see more of McConnell’s work, check out his Instagram account.

SiteNews: How did you get your start in the construction sector?

Justin McConnell: Got my start in the tower crane / construction sector about five years ago after deciding to make some big changes with my life. Moved into the city from Peterborough, Ont. after a little help from a good friend of mine who was a safety supervisor within one of the tower crane companies.

Was fear of heights something that you had to overcome or did this kind of work come naturally to you?

I’d be a liar if I said heights didn’t bother me at the start. But with a lot of experience and day to day work involving working at extreme heights, you just learn to focus on the task in hand, and heights just become an everyday thing to deal with.

What sort of skills does it require to do crane erecting/mechanical work?

Skills involved with everything to do with tower cranes can range from being physically fit, problem solving, mechanically inclined but with that said, it’s very task-specific with cranes. These machines are changing every year and getting more and more computerized then ever. We all learn new things everyday which makes it more rewarding going into work everyday. Working within a team is extremely important as well. I could sit here until my fingers hurt trying to explain how tower cranes get erected, dismantled, climbed and jumped which is terms used to basically raise the crane up within the buildings. Some tower cranes climb on the external side of buildings which is a whole other world of raising the cranes up higher.

Has this sort of work given you a different perspective on the city of Toronto?

This line of work has given me a massive change in my view of the city. Literally. But just learning the process from the engineering, working with all the different trades that it takes to build these massive buildings is honestly more of an honour to be a part of.

How did you get interested in photography?

My story on the interest of photography is kinda funny actually. I was literally just laying there on a Saturday night not being able to sleep. Looking for another change. Something more. A hobby basically. I always knew I liked photography but there was just something sitting in the back of my mind with it all. So the next day I woke up bright and early and went to Henry’s downtown Toronto and purchased my first camera which is a Canon R6 mark 2. Working in the industry I do, there was this lightbulb that went off. I could give people a different look as to what these hard working men and women went through. Getting to know the right people I was able to go out alongside these men and women on my free weekend and take action shots. First the photos started. I made a social media account and wanted to stay blue collar specific. Unions started to see them, other companies started to see them along with just the general public. More and more people started to see what I was able to have access to with these amazing heights and Job locations. My first photos were published within the local 793 Operating Engineers Union Magazine and I couldn’t believe what was happening. But once again wanted to show more. I wanted to be “ that guy” that when I show up to a job site, everyone knew who I was and what I was showcasing to the world. So then came along the drone which the skills and knowledge involved with these amazing toys if you will, all just came as a natural talent for me. I was obsessed and in love with this passion that I had no idea was inside of me. I showcased to the world my first video of tower crane erectors prepping a tower crane downtown Toronto that no one in my mind in the GTA has seen before. The views and likes, comments and shares of this video blew up. And this is how Toronto Beyond Media came about. A hidden passion within myself that has lead me to meeting some amazing people and new friends. Where this is going to lead me, who knows. But I know it’s going to be somewhere I’ll never forget.

Why did you decide to start Toronto Beyond Media?

Toronto Beyond Media is Candid photos and action shots within the blue collar industry. It has started out with tower crane erectors, welders, iron workers and so on. I want to showcase anything and everything involved. It also involves video being captured with a DJI drone, and that to me has really given the people an amazing view and perspective on these extreme workers.

Did your experience in the construction industry help your videography/photography career?

I think my experience within my industry gives me a huge advantage with the general person that wants to film. I say this because when I film a dismantle or a tower being erected, I know all the different timelines and steps that are involved. So knowing when to fly at specific times and knowing what exactly to shoot, gives people the idea of how all this goes down.

What has been your most difficult/complex shoot so far?

I can’t say there’s really been a difficult shoot. I say this because wind, rain, and bad lighting all come into effect. If I know its going to be bad with any of these, the shoot just won’t happen. I am able to be alongside these men and women at their extreme heights to fly and capture images so obstacles that may come into effect, I am always aware of. I am honestly proud of every video and photo I take. And that’s because of the love I get from the fans of my work.

What do you find most visually interesting in construction as a photographer/videographer?

I think the most interesting part of all this is just how much the general population doesn’t know how much work, or what kind of work goes on within these industries.

What do you want to show about blue collar life through your images?

And once again, I wanna be the person who provides the utmost amazing, realistic, up close and personal views of these industries. I wanna “wow” people and really bring a new respect for these hard working men and women.

When it was started by drywall taper Garth Robertson in a B.C. shed, Robertson Wall & Ceilings did one residential job at a time.

45 years later it has grown into so much more.

The contracting company has gone on to work on some of the largest, most complex projects in the country: Mills Memorial Hospital, Royal Columbian Hospital, St. Paul’s Hospital, The Stack in Vancouver, Amazon’s Vancouver headquarters, LNG Canada, Oakridge Centre and the list goes on. 

Garth’s sons, Rod and Larry, joined the wall and ceiling business in the early 2000s and have had a front row seat to the company’s growth. When the two came on board, Rod was an apprentice framer and Larry was an apprentice taper and finisher. 

“We did the hard yards and whatever we had to do to make the company run,” said Larry. 

When the olympics were announced for Vancouver, the Robertsons saw a major opportunity to go for the gold. 

“We decided, all three of us, that we were going to do as much as we can and take on as much Olympic work as we could,” said Rod. “We got a lot of random requests and we didn’t say ‘no’ to any of them.” 

This strategy brought in large projects, and the size and scope of the work the company could take on grew. 

“It’s been perseverance, hard work, but also not saying ‘no’ to opportunities,” said Larry. “To this day, if a customer has an out-of-the-box request, we look at it, analyze it, and if it makes sense, we do it.” 

Rod explained that the company has kept the same attitude and continues to push for work outside what they are used to.

“We had some opportunities come up in Kitimat, big opportunities, and we looked at it, weighed the risk, analyzed it and went for it. Now we’ve opened up a whole new revenue stream outside of Metro Vancouver. It’s pushing the comfort zone,” he said.

During the past 45 years, construction itself has changed. Projects have increased in complexity and digital tools are required by sophisticated general contractors. Rather than resist, the company has risen to the challenge. In 2015 a general contractor on Nordstrom’s Vancouver location pushed the company to use tablets.

“Nordstroms was a complex project, and what really impressed us was how they forced tech on us but we’ve never looked back,” said Larry.

Rod explained that the company now employs full-time BIM experts, has gone paperless for many of their processes, prefabricates difficult gypsum work and even uses GPS-assisted digital tools for layout. 

“Vancouver has become a real world class city in the past 15 years and the things designers are making are quite unique,” said Larry. “Sometimes they don’t make sense and it adds a layer of complexity that we have embraced as a company. Somebody has to build these buildings and customers are expecting you to step up to the plate.”

The brothers noted that the company has grown from a small family business into a large modern contractor with an experienced team. To represent this shift, the company recently launched a new name and new brand: RWC Systems.

“The company is a lot bigger than it used to be,” said Larry. “The Robertson name helped propel us to where we are but the company, but there are a lot of names in the business that aren’t Robertson. It brings fresh energy into the business and it’s a great, modern logo that represents quality and strength.”

Rod emphasized the immense value of RWC’s team. The company is careful about who they pick to join, are willing to promote from within and have no problem hiring from outside RWC’s  niche of walls and ceilings. He noted that one foreman has been with the company for 17 years and now his two children also work for the company – one in the office as a coordinator and one in the field as a lead hand foreman.

“When it comes to our longevity, a huge part of it is our staff,” said Rod. “Some of them have been with us for 25 years. “We do a lot of promoting from within. We train people up, promote them, and they often stay with us. This has helped us build a formidable force in the industry.”

The pair believe in their team so much that the eventual plan for RWC will be to transfer the reins over to them. But in the meantime, RWC is full speed ahead building.

“Looking ahead, we really want to be even more of a leader in the market we serve,” said Larry. “And also, potentially spreading to other parts of B.C. and Western Canada.”

Key Takeaways:

• Researchers found no shortage of job seekers for positions requiring a bachelor’s degree or more.
• Instead, these job shortages were attributed to a a mismatch between the skills required for the job or the wages offered.
• The evidence showed that national and local shortages of job seekers with appropriate education levels have been observed only for job vacancies requiring a high school diploma or less.

The Whole Story:

Not all labour shortages are created equal.

New research from Statistics Canada shows that the national labour shortage is more complex than one might think, particularly when it comes to jobs that require higher levels of education. 

Labour shortages are growing

According to researchers, In 2022, the number of job vacancies in Canada averaged 942,000, two and a half times the average of 377,000 observed in 2016. 

“The substantial growth in the number of job vacancies observed during this period has brought to the forefront the concept of labour shortages, the notion that, in some sectors of the economy, there might be an insufficient number of workers available to fill vacant positions,” wrote researchers.

The report explained that assessing whether there are enough workers to fill specific job vacancies is challenging because vacant positions have different skill requirements—minimum education, amount of experience, occupational and language skills—while workers may be competent in several occupations and have different skills, some of which are not captured in surveys.

To tackle this, researchers asked several questions:

• In recent years, has the national number of job vacancies requiring a given education level exceeded the number of job seekers with such an education?
• If so, in which regions has this greater number of job vacancies been observed?
• If so, for which education levels has this greater number of job vacancies been observed?

Educated job seekers exceed positions 

Statistics Canada answered these questions using data from the Job Vacancy and Wage Survey (JVWS) and the Labour Force Survey from 2016 to 2022. 

They found that during every quarter from 2016 to 2022, the number of unemployed individuals with a bachelor’s degree or higher education exceeded the number of vacant positions requiring such an education. 

For example, 113,000 vacant positions required a bachelor’s degree or higher education during the fourth quarter of 2022, about half the number of unemployed individuals who had such an education and were either born in Canada or were landed immigrants (227,000). The total number of vacant positions requiring such an education (113,000) was even lower than the number of unemployed immigrants (123,000) with a bachelor’s degree or higher education.

Likewise, from 2016 to 2022, the number of unemployed individuals with a partial or complete postsecondary education always exceeded the number of job vacancies requiring such an education.

In contrast, the number of vacant positions requiring a high school diploma or less education exceeded the number of unemployed Canadians with such an education only since the third quarter of 2021. For example, during the fourth quarter of 2022, 497,000 vacant positions required a high school diploma or less education while 296,000 unemployed Canadian-born individuals and 70,000 unemployed immigrants had such an education.

Trend consistent across the country

Statistics Canada found the trend to not be isolated. During the third quarter of 2022—which recorded close to 1 million job vacancies nationwide—the number of vacant positions requiring a high school diploma or less education surpassed the number of unemployed individuals with such an education in all the economic regions. For example, Montréal had about 35,000 such job vacancies during this quarter while the number of unemployed individuals with a high school diploma or less education averaged about 18,000. During the third quarter of 2022, hourly wages offered in these vacant positions averaged at most $20.35 per hour nationwide.

Mismatch of skills and wages

The study found no evidence that the recruitment difficulties experienced by Canadian employers seeking to fill positions requiring some postsecondary or higher education can be attributed to a lack of job seekers with such education levels. Instead, they suggest that the source of these recruitment difficulties likely reflects several things: a mismatch between the skills required for the job or the wages offered and the skills possessed (or recognized by employers) by highly educated unemployed individuals or their reservation wages.

“A lack of concordance between the field of expertise required for the job and the field of study of job seekers or between the working conditions that prevail in some occupations and those desired by job seekers, the non-recognition of foreign credentials or foreign work experience, insufficient work experience, and inadequate language skills are examples of such mismatch,” write the researchers. 

Their conclusion was that not all job vacancies are equal. Some require relatively little education and offer relatively low wages while others require highly educated employees and offer relatively high wages.

“This article shows that employers’ difficulties to fill job vacancies requiring high levels of education cannot, in general, be attributed to a national shortage of highly educated job seekers or to local shortages of such job seekers,” they said.

A problem with nuance  

They concluded that for these jobs, there is potentially a large enough pool of highly educated workers at the national and local levels. But since these jobs are not homogenous, vacancies may arise because of a lack of concordance between the skills required for the job and the skills possessed by highly educated job seekers. A lack of individuals trained in specific areas, a lack of concordance between job seekers’ reservation wages and the wages offered in some vacant positions, and job seekers’ potentially imperfect knowledge about the existence of these vacancies may also be contributing factors.

The authors noted that the evidence shows national and local shortages of job seekers with appropriate education levels have been observed only for job vacancies requiring a high school diploma or less education. Furthermore, these shortages have been observed only recently, since the third quarter of 2021. 

“The degree to which these job vacancies can be attributed to labour shortages in specific low-skilled occupations instead of relatively low-wage offers and fringe benefits or other factors remains an open question,” they said. 

JPD Contracting

Jhon Nunez, Co-Owner at JPD Contracting, takes a selfie at Vancouver’s massive Oakridge development. Nunez and team recently constructed a 6000 square-foot, two-storey wooden building at the site.

Priestly Demolition

Priestly Demolition crews work to safely bring down the former CHCH building in Hamilton.

Tahltan Nation Development Corporation

Tahltan Nation members training to become heavy equipment operators celebrate their final days in a Tahltan Nation Development Corporation program.

Robert Macdonald / Pagnotta Inc.

Pagnotta‘s team does foundation work on a hot day at the Kelson City Gardens project in Kamloops.

Lafarge Canada

Lafarge recently had the Ontario Stone, Sand and Gravel Association tour its quarry in Dundas, Ont.

Marc Dimarco / Design Build Safety Consulting Inc

Marc Dimarco, owner of Design Build Safety Consulting Inc., celebrates a residential project crew for working safely. He spotted the workers while driving in New Westminster and bought them coffee and pastries.

EllisDon

After two years of hard work, EllisDon has poured the last suspended slab on one of the largest government funded capital healthcare projects in B.C. history, the Royal Columbian Hospital redevelopment in New Westminster.

Jacob Bros Construction

Jacob Bros is delivering a new 15,000 square-foot civic building in Anmore that will support nearly 2,500 residents.⁣ Recently, the team completed the main floor concrete slab.

Yasir Ali / Turner Construction

Turner Construction employees hoofed it out to Mission, B.C. to do volunteer work at SAINTS, a charity in that cares for aging animals.

ACE Excavating

ACE‘s excavation and shoring teams are hard at work at the Salvation Army’s Harbour Light community hub serving Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. The new 99-foot-tall, nine-storey building with 165,000 square feet of total floor area will include 46 social housing units, 120 supported residential beds and 134 emergency shelter beds.

RJC Engineers

Canada-based RJC engineering is part of a team in California that is conducting the tallest full-scale earthquake simulator test. The research is expected to transform sustainable building design across Canada. RJC’s work is focusing on window performance.

Aecon

If you squint hard you can see scalers connecting netting panels at Cut 1 of the Kicking Horse Canyon Phase 4 Project in B.C. These panels provide continuous protection against rockfall. Aecon explained that thousands of clips are used in joining each mesh, or hole, along the seam of adjacent nets.

Norland Limited

This month Norland highlighted its excavators which feature hardfacing on their buckets. The hardfacing is a durable layer that enhances strength and wear resistance. With hardfacing, Norland crews can tackle tough materials, boost productivity, and reduce downtime.

KPMB

Architecture firm KPMG puts the finishing touches on its Canstruction submission in Toronto. The firm went with a colourful take on Moai, the well-known megaliths on Easter Island. Proceeds from the event support the Daily Bread Food Bank.

Wales McLelland

Wales is working with Nutri-Nation to construct their third project together. Nearly complete, the modern multi-tenant industrial facility will be 86,323 square feet and was built using tilt-up construction with curtain wall glazing at the front.

Wilco Contractors Southwest

Wilco‘s crew has it made in the shade while they work under the Stoney Trail Bridge on the Bow River in Alberta.

Houle Electric

Houle Electric staff donned their finest denim duds to raise $38,250 for the BC Children’s Hospital Foundation. The #JeanUp campaign runs every year to support children with serious illnesses.

Pitt Meadows Plumbing & Mechanical

A perfectly clear day offered a stunning view of Vancouver’s Oakridge development, one of Pitt Meadows Plumbing and Mechanical‘s largest projects.

SiteNews

SiteNews’ founders, staff and collaborators visit a job site in Surrey, B.C. to learn about tilt-up construction.

Donna Grant announced that she is moving on from her role as president of the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA). Will Pauga, chair of the VRCA board of directors, will serve as interim president. Grant stated that after two intense years of making critical changes for members, it is now time to pass the torch and take on her next challenge.

Paul Charette has retired from his position as independent director on Bird Construction‘s board. Following Charette’s retirement, the total number of board members has been reduced from twelve to eleven. According to the company, Charette has played an integral role in Bird’s success story, serving as an independent director from 2021 to 2023 and as chairman of the board from 2001 to 2021.

Angelo Suntres has begun a new role as operations manager at Mattina Mechanical after three years of working at EllisDon. One of Suntres biggest achievements at EllisDon was working on Ontario’s Michael Garron Hospital.  

Tony Issac, founder of Calgary-based modular construction company ROC Modular, has announced his retirement from the company as its chief impact officer. Issac stated that as the consummate entrepreneur, he plans to move on to a new adventure. Joseph Kiss will continue to lead as president and CEO. 

Steve Vernon has been promoted to COO of Chard Development. The B.C. developer noted that Vernon has been a pivotal member of the Chard team for over two decades, and has worn many hats during that time – his most recent being vice president of operations.⁠

Rachele Renzi, Kirsten San Juan, Lisa Allsworth have all joined Adera Development. Renzi will serve as marketing & creative specialist, San Juan as property & asset manager on the Adera commercial property portfolio, and Allsworth as executive assistant for multifamily and industrial development.

Adrienne Maskalyk, vice-President, Forestry and Environmental at GeoVerra, is having their role expanded to vice-president, environment, sustainability and social responsibility. The surveying and geomatics firm stated that the new role demonstrates the company’s commitment to and recognition of sustainability and social responsibility.

Dino Burbello has started a new role as vice president of highrise operations at Ontario homebuilder City Park Group. Previously, Burbello worked as a senior superintendent for CentreCourt. 

Darragh Hogan is QuadReal Property Group’s latest project manager in Vancouver. Hogan has more than nine years of experience in delivering building and M&E projects from construction to operational stage ranging in value from $100 million to $1.2 billion. 

Lucas Pinheiro has joined civil engineering firm Morrison Hershfield as a proposal coordinator. Pinheiro spent the past two years as a proposal and marketing coordinator at Scott Construction.

Michelle McKendrick has begun a new position as manager of national partnerships, construction and property management division at Altis Recruitment. McKendrick said that she looks forward to continuing to work with long-standing clients as well as building upon those relationships nationwide.

Kati Varga is Naikoon Contracting‘s new director of marketing and communications. Before this role, she was marketing director for architecture firm HCMA.

*Editor’s Note: If you or someone you know had a major career move recently, let us know! Shoot an email to hello@readsitenews.com or tag SiteNews below the social media post.

Key Takeaways:

• The person died Friday, May 26 while working on the Regina International Airport’s runway overlay project at night.
• Regina Police Service and the Saskatchewan Coroners Service attended the scene.
• Federal occupational health and safety workers are are also investigating.

The Whole Story:

PCL plans to conduct its own investigation into a fatal incident that happened during construction work at Regina International Airport. 

The investigation was announced over the weekend by Jordan Clouthier, district manager for PCL Construction Management.

“We are deeply saddened by the unfortunate incident that occurred Friday evening at our airport site. We are currently involved in gathering further information, so at this time we are unable to provide any details or answer any questions,” Clouthier said. “Our thoughts are with the family and friends affected by this tragic incident. We continue to cooperate with the proper authorities to perform the investigation required.”

According to airport officials, the incident occurred May 26 at approximately 11:30 p.m. It was related to the 13-31 runway overlay project. 

“It is with great sadness that we share the devastating news that a serious incident occurred  involving a construction worker on airport property,” wrote airport officials in a public statement the day after the death. “Emergency responders attended the scene , but unfortunately the injuries the individual suffered were fatal.”

Airport officials stated that the Regina Police Service and the Saskatchewan Coroners Service worked into the early morning hours on the airfield and federal occupational health and safety workers are conducting an investigation.

According to the airport’s website, the runway overlay project includes the following work:

• Pavement rehabilitation on Runway 13/31 and Taxiway Kilo.
• Drainage improvements.
• Replacement of runway edge lighting and associated electrical infrastructure.
• Installation of a SALSAR approach lighting system for runway 31.
• Installation of Runway End Safety Areas (RESAs) on Runway 13 & 31 and Runway 08 & 26.

Deloitte Canada has announced the winners of the 2023 Canada’s Best Managed Companies awards. The program is the nation’s longest-standing initiative to recognize leading privately-owned Canadian companies. The 486 recipients included dozens of companies that build Canada’s infrastructure, homes, offices, industrial facilities and more.

“I am always amazed by the fortitude of our Best Managed Companies, who continue to act as global beacons for all of the talent and innovation Canada has to offer,” says Lorrie King, national co-leader of Canada’s Best Managed Companies program and partner with Deloitte Private. “With their bold vision, resilience, and inventiveness, these distinctly Canadian companies represent the bedrock of our nation’s current and future economies.”

To attain Canada’s Best Managed Companies standing, candidates apply annually and go through a rigorous assessment led by a multi-disciplinary judging panel. Companies are evaluated on their level of maturity on four core pillars: strategy, commitment, capability, and financials.

New this year, applicants were awarded bonus points for demonstrating leading-edge practices in the realms of ESG (environmental, social, and governance) initiatives, with particular attention on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, limiting waste, improving energy efficiency, and cultivating diversity.

Below is a list of Platinum Club construction companies, meaning that not only were they honoured this year, but who have maintained the title of Best Managed for seven years or more.

Graham Construction

We will let some of Graham‘s numbers do the talking. It is a 100% employee-owned construction solutions partner with revenues exceeding $4 billion annually. The company has over nine decades of experience, and offices throughout North America. It has more 2,200 employees and more than 500 active projects.

ITC Construction Group

The ITC team creates residential high rises, mixed-use developments and select commercial projects that range in size from $1 million to $600 million.  Over the past 40 years, ITC’s approach has led to the successful construction of over 200 residential, institutional, and commercial projects. ITC has been instrumental in enhancing the skylines in major urban centres such as Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Kelowna, and Nanaimo. Last year, Pomerleau announced that it had entered into an agreement for the acquisition of ITC. It was the largest acquisition in the company’s history.

Shaw Group

The Shaw Group is one of Eastern Canada’s leading community developers, residential builders and natural resource manufacturers. It’s roots of making bricks go so far back they pre-date the founding of Canada. The company operates on a decentralized basis through a number of divisions and subsidiaries: Shaw Brick, Shaw Precast Solutions, Shaw Resources, Clayton Developments Limited, Prestige Homes Inc., Ven-Rez Products Limited, Shaw Living, and Shaw Lifestyle.

Strike Group

Strike Group is a leading energy service and construction company supporting the oil and gas industry throughout Western Canada. Based in Calgary, the employee-owned company has more than 900 employees in 15 locations in the region and provides services to a long list of well-known energy clients.

DPI Construction Management

Diversity and inclusion aren’t an afterthought for DPI. It’s a key part of its strategy to drive innovation. They were the first commercial construction company to join the Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI). The company provides construction management oversight for commercial interior projects throughout the Greater Toronto Area.

PCL Construction

PCL, the largest construction company in the country, has been recognized by the Best Managed Companies program 28 times. This is its 21st consecutive year in the Platinum Club. Company officials stated that they don’t take recognition for granted. 

“In fact, it’s proof that our commitment to management excellence across our company’s footprint continues to shine,” said president and CEO Dave Filipchuk.

Omicron

Omicron was born out of a dinner conversation in the 1990s. The founders were discussing how to find a more efficient way to deliver projects. Their solution? Getting architects, designers, engineers and builders to work together in a more integrated way. This is the 14th time it has been included in the Best Managed Companies list. It is one of the largest integrated development, design and construction firms in Western Canada. In the past few years, Omicron started collaborating with Nexii on sustainable building solutions. This collaboration deepened in July 2021, when Omicron was acquired by Nexii.

Morrison Homes

In 1961, cabinetmaker and carpenter Frank Morrison started building homes on a simple promise: treat every customer as you would a friend. Over 50 years later, Morrison has grown into a major homebuilder for Calgary and Edmonton.

Pomerleau

This Quebec giant was founded in 1964 by Hervé Pomerleau, an entrepreneur at heart, went into business with five employees. Two years later, he founded his company, Hervé Pomerleau Inc. Now it has nearly 200 active project sites across Canada and over 4,000 employees. Pomerleau even has the bragging rights to say they were the first construction company in the world to welcome a Boston Dynamics robot dog onto its job sites.  

Borger Group of Companies

Borger Brothers Ltd. was founded in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The company came to Alberta in 1949. In addition to being a leading contractor in underground, earthmoving and transportation, the company says it takes pride in being a good corporate citizen by giving back to the community. Borger Group believes its unique production methodology, its substantial equipment reserves of more than 300 pieces and a team of more than 400 employees, combine for the quickest project turnaround in the industry.

CANA

Alberta-based CANA boasts seven decades of experience executing commercial construction projects under a myriad of delivery methods. They’ve gained experience on some of the most iconic projects in Calgary including the original Saddledome, TELUS Spark, and the Calgary Courts Centre.

Chandos Construction

Chandos is a leader. They are one of only a handful of Canadian builders to earn B Corp. certification, they are pioneers of integrated project delivery and an early adopter of social procurement. They recently partnered with Bird Construction on Building Good, a thought leadership initiative that aims to catalyze owners and industry partners to change how the industry designs and builds for the betterment of people and the planet.

Pennecon

Pennecon is a provider of integrated solutions across a diverse portfolio: heavy civil, industrial, services & maintenance, and marine. Their capabilities go from breaking new ground to commissioning and ongoing site maintenance. The Atlantic-based company says it is powered by a diverse team, from coast-to-coast across Canada.

Dancor

Dancor is a construction and development company based out of Brampton, Ont. with building contractor services in London, Toronto, and across Southwestern Ontario. Their motto is “People like doing business with people they like.” The company stated that this means building relationships with the same level of dedication, attention to detail, transparency and quality that it puts into building projects.

Govan Brown

After more than decade of experience, John Brown and Ralph Govan decided to branch out independently from the old-school model of how construction had been done. In 1994, Govan Brown set up its headquarters in John’s dining room on Pacific Avenue in Toronto. The company has since opened seven offices across the country. The company specializes in commercial, retail, and hospitality construction.

EBC

Quebec-based EBC is active in the building, mining, and major civil engineering sectors. In collaboration with its business partners, EBC carries out ambitious and diverse projects of the highest quality. We apply the most stringent safety and quality standards while focusing on customer satisfaction.

Fillmore Construction

Fillmore Construction is an Alberta-based general contractor serving Western Canada since 1991. Headquartered in Edmonton, they service clients throughout Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories and the Yukon. In 2021, the company opened its second permanent branch in Kelowna, B.C.

Trotter & Morton

In 1927, Trotter & Morton began its journey as a plumbing and heating company, employing Alberta’s first ticketed plumber. Today, it is a diverse group of building trades experts from Vancouver to Winnipeg and Seattle to San Antonio. The company offers an integrated solution for the client—beginning with site preparation, advancing through all aspects of construction, and continuing after the build with ongoing maintenance.

Maisons Laprise

Maisons Laprise has been player in the Quebec housing industry since 1989. The company designs and manufactures high performance energy-saving prefabricated home systems and building components for the residential, commercial and utilitarian markets segments, in Canada and abroad. Laprise’s head office and manufacturing sites are located in Montmagny, Que.

Cahill Group

Cahill’s construction & fabrication and technology & services divisions, along with with its affiliated companies, offer single-source solutions for managing multi-trade industrial, commercial, and institutional projects. Cahill says its integrated approach utilizes the resources of the entire Cahill Group, including cross-functional teams, advanced project management systems, and state-of-the-art fabrication facilities to streamline even the most complex projects. It is one of the largest multidisciplinary construction companies in the country.

FWS Group

Starting as a small General Contractor in 1953, FWS has grown its capabilities to serve an industry-spanning and global customer base. From potash mines to canola crush plants to container transload terminals, FWS specializes in integrated design-build construction.

Grascan Construction

Grascan Construction is a heavy civil and infrastructure contractor in Southern Ontario. For 35 years Grascan has successfully completed complicated infrastructure projects and built a strong foundation of knowledge and experience. They are currently one of the few approved Metrolinx (GO Transit), Canadian National Railway (CNR) and Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) contractors. Grascan says that its experience and reputation with safety and hands on approach to constructibility have garnered it a reputation as one of the best.

Trico Homes

Calgary-based Trico Homes’ team has built over 11,500 single and multi-family homes in Western Canada. In 1982, a mechanical engineer named Wayne Chiu immigrated to Calgary from Hong Kong to start his career and build a new life for his family. It was founded In 1992, by mechanical engineer Wayne Chiu who wanted to create a homebuilder that cares about the community. The company is now one of only a tiny handful of Canadian builders that is a certified B Corp.

MONTONI Group

MONTONI has been on the list of Canada’s Best Managed Companies for more than 20 years now, which makes it the real estate company in Quebec with the longest history for this title. The company’s focus is on developing , building and managing industrial, institutional, commercial and residential buildings. To date it has completed more than 400 projects totalling 20 million square feet of property.

IWCD

Nanaimo-based IWCD is a full-service construction company that provides construction management, general contracting, design build, pre-construction, tenant improvements, tilt up construction and civil construction services across Vancouver Island and beyond.

Jayman BUILT

Jayman BUILT has been creating homes in Alberta for 40 years and is is one of the largest homebuilders in the province. They have been building energy efficient homes for decades and have won too many awards to list here. This year they announced standard solar panel features for their 2023 homes aimed at reducing the carbon footprint and providing up to 50 per cent in electrical savings per year. The company has also made donations to help set up scholarships for trades students.

Lindsay Construction

Lindsay Construction is a locally owned and operated that has been building in Atlantic Canada for more than 60 years. It has grown to more than 500 employees and has completed more than 5,500 major projects. Lindsay says that its self-performing capabilities, including in-house design, engineering and structural construction (carpentry, roofing, cladding, concrete formwork) enable it to deliver a cost-effective and integrated building experience.

Wildstone Construction Group

Founded in 1995, Wildstone is a lean self-perform general contracting and engineering group serving the Western and Northern Canadian markets. Whether EPC (Engineer-Procure-Construct), IPD (Integrated Project Delivery), Design Build, Lump Sum, Construction Management or a hybrid delivery method that, Wildstone can adapt. The company states that its team can tackle greenfield water treatment facilities, design-building substations for remote mining operations, remote bridges, wineries and more.

Logel Homes

Logel Homes was launched in 2017, but the origins of the company date back to 1978, when President and CEO Tim Logel began working in the real estate and housing sector. Today the company is a multi-family homebuilder in Calgary that prides itself on being a homebuilder at the forefront of energy efficiency and sustainable practices. Their team has overseen the construction and sale of over 2,500 condos and townhouses in the region.

Maple Reinders

Maple Reinders is an award-winning construction services provider that has been solving problems and delivering creative solutions in ICI buildings and environmental construction for over 50 years. Their team has successfully delivered projects under every procurement model, from traditional construction management to complex public-private partnership arrangements. To date, they have built more than 2,900 projects.

Sullivan Construction Company

Maurice Sullivan founded the company in 1914. It has since become a versatile general contractor with over 100 years of experience at the forefront of bespoke ICI construction across Eastern and Northern Ontario and Quebec. Sullivan serves a range of sectors using collaborative delivery models, including general contracting, construction management, design-build, and IPD.

Lorneville

New Brunswick-based Lorneville is an expert in facility construction and plant expansions for large industrial sectors — building safe, modern facilities of varying sizes and technical demands for more than 40 years. Lorneville’s expertise has been utilized on significant projects, including constructing Canada’s very first liquefied natural gas terminal.

Every May, Canadians celebrate the strength and dedication of moms for Mothers Day.

This year, SiteNews wanted learn more about working mothers who put on steel-toed boots and head off to the job site.

We spoke with Elvira Lovas, an Ontario tradesperson who holds multiple electrical licenses, a refrigeration mechanic license and a gas fitter license. She’s worked in construction, commercial service, facilities operations, passenger rail and academia. She also is single mother to a 10-year-old son.

SiteNews: How did you get into the construction sector and what sort of work do you do?

Elvira Lovas: Started in concrete and framing to try it, found it quickly boring. Moved to technical service in HVACR and gasfitting (some construction there too), then into industrial electrical work. I really like the technical subject matter. Trades were cheaper than Uni for engineering after already being in debt for a diploma I didn’t want to use in an industry I wasn’t interested in (which is what i was encouraged to be in by everyone). Lesson is figure yourself out and try different things to get some experience before taking decisions that require long term commitments. So simply put, I kind of settled for close to what I wanted that I believed I could afford. It worked out well.

What has been experience going through a pregnancy/raising a child while working in the industry?

No difference in work other than being too fat to fit in to places I did previously and yes I did all the heavy work just fine. Women are power-cleaning (heavy overhead presses) eight months pregnant at the gym nowadays so yeah, it’s doable if you have a healthy pregnancy and you’re fit. Not having weekends off due to work schedules worked out just great because his father was able to spend time with him on weekends and I had weekdays off to do whatever I wanted with my son. Not much for a social life but I was happy “momming” on my non-job time.

How did your life change after becoming a mother?

I’ve never stopped being tired haha. It gets a little better after a while (kiddo is 10 now) but there are some words I’ll never remember for lack of sleep (and now I’m getting older so there’s that). It’s busy. You better want it if you’re going to do it. I’m also super happy I did. Wouldn’t change a thing. It isn’t for everyone, but it’s for me.

Did you have any concerns about how you might be treated in the industry if you had a child?

No. Didnt tell anyone until I was really big and I couldn’t just say I was fat anymore. It was winter when I grew so I was able to hide it for a good while under the clothing. Since they saw me working while pretty large and pregnant already they didnt try to deter me because obviously, I was fine. Though I did have someone, not a tradesperson, a woman actually, freak out at me for working the way I was. She later apologized.

What was the response from your employer and coworkers when they found out you were going to be a parent?

One guy dropped his coffee when I told him I was pregnant. My boss wanted me to hurry up and come back but was very supportive. Think I timed it well due to us being slow after the recession (very much planned it as such). They were all pretty good about it. I did later get comments from one co-worker asked me who was feeding my son when I was working overtime. I’m sure others think like that. Their insecurities are not my problem. People who want to find something wrong with you always will, or they’ll make something up, so do whatever you want.

What are some misconceptions you think people have about working mothers in construction?

The same misconceptions they have about women and mothers in general. 

What are some of the challenges of being a mother in construction?

Unpredictable schedule which is why I’m in an industrial environment with shift work and a full time job.

What are some of the advantages of being a mother in construction?

Money. I can take care of my aging father and son and still have a disposable income. If you do what feels right, it doesn’t feel like work when you have to work.

Has being a mother taught you any lessons that have contributed to your work life?

I feel like I understand people in general more watching my son develop and knowing him as his own person. Changed my perspective on alot of things.

Has being in construction taught you any lessons that have contributed to your parenting?

What to correct while he is young. What happens when you don’t. I think blue collar environments are full of people who didn’t do what they were told. That isn’t inherently bad, but there is usually a lot of mental baggage that comes with being that way that can lead to unhappiness. I want him to be who he is (a free thinker) while being emotionally well adjusted and happy as an adult.

What are some things that the employers, government and coworkers could do to be more supportive of working mothers?

Employers need to be supportive of parents in general, meaning that men shouldn’t be punished for being parents, socially or otherwise either. This means men also need to have time with their families. Maternity leave has always been 15 weeks and parental leave 35 which can be taken by either parent. Men are afraid to take it, putting the burden on mothers, and denying men the opportunity to parent the way they could. Mothers absolutely need time to nurse their children, but men need time to bond and to be fathers. Children need their fathers too. PEOPLE shouldn’t be afraid to lose their jobs if they chose to have a life other than their career. The benefits extend to better mental health for everyone and better adjusted children and adults.

What would be your advice to other women in the industry who want to have a family and a career?

People are going to judge you anyway. Do whatever you want.

Key Takeaways:

• B.C. is in the process of implementing certification requirements for seven electrical and mechanical trades.
• The province is asking for submissions from businesses, labour organizations, industry associations, Indigenous organizations and communities on what the next trades should be that will require certification.
• The province will announces these trades in spring 2024.

The Whole Story:

B.C. is accepting applications for the next trades that will designated for skilled trades certification.

Following input from industry stakeholders and partners, SkilledTradesBC is accepting applications for more trades to be certified. B.C. businesses, labour organizations, industry associations, Indigenous organizations and communities that work or have an interest in the trades may apply to SkilledTradesBC for their trade to be designated.

SkilledTradesBC stated that it will evaluate applications based on “specific criteria that will align with existing regulatory frameworks and similarities to existing certified trades.”

SkilledTradesBC will then make recommendations to the province for trades to be considered for skilled trades certification.

Applications are open until June 30, 2023. Trades identified through the new process for skilled trades certification are expected to be announced in spring 2024.  

Skilled trade certification is underway for seven electrical and mechanical trades. Workers in those trades have until Dec. 1, 2023, to either register as an apprentice or to have applied for, written or passed a certification exam. Support is available through SkilledTradesBC apprenticeship advisers and financial aid from the province and the federal government.

Skilled trade certification for three additional automotive trades will begin in 2024, and workers will have one year to register as an apprentice or become certified.

According to the province, skilled trades certification formally recognizes the skills of current and future workers, raises the profile of the trades and attracts more people to careers in the trades.

However, the move has faced criticism from groups like the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA). The group believes it will only create more unnecessary barriers to people looking to enter the industry.

“The return of compulsory trades is the result of government looking in the rear-view mirror and hoping that policies of yesterday will address the challenges of today and tomorrow,” wrote Chris Gardner, ICBA president, in a column. “And, let’s be clear, this is not about improving the quality of work – no British Columbian should be worried about the work performed by B.C.’s nearly 250,000 construction workers. It’s designed by the best in the world, it’s highly regulated, permitted, and thoroughly inspected.”

For information about skilled trade certification and to submit a trade for consideration, visit: https://www.skilledtradesbc.ca/stc-trades-designation-process

Learn about skilled trades certification here: https://skilledtradesbc.ca/skilledtradescertification

The most precious thing any company has isn’t equipment, investments or project leads.

It’s people.

For this year’s construction safety week, SiteNews is highlighting companies that are going beyond what’s required for safety and finding innovative ways to protect workers.

Organizer’s of Construction Week chose the theme of Strong Voices, Safe Choices to showcases the industry’s dedication to creating a culture and environment where everyone is empowered to step in, speak up, and take action to keep their team and job site safe.

Norland Limited

Norland, a Canadian Construction Association’s National Safety Award winner, developed an online safety training portal and created custom safety courses for its hundreds of employees. Courses include hazard awareness, due diligence for supervisors and more. Since launching in 2019, more than 7,500 courses have been completed

Bird Construction

Construction Safety Nova Scotia (CSNS) recently honoured Bird Construction for its efforts to care for its workers’ mental health. The company’s eaders share knowledge and resources, and foster an environment where it is safe to raise concerns about mental health. The company offers virtual courses on mental health and Mental Health First Aid for managers. It delivered several toolbox talks tailored to mental health issues, and Wellness Champions throughout the company are passionate about mental health and raising awareness.

Western Pacific Enterprises

As a commercial and industrial electrical contractor, Western Pacific Enterprises leverages collaboration software to record safety stats throughout its work sites and uses the data to mitigate re-occurrence, enabling employees to work across the organization to make safety a top priority.

Scott Construction

For years, Scott Construction has been a leader in destigmatizing mental health issues. Its Mental Health Committee is led by members from across the organization to support mental health topics. The committee focuses on communication, education and external resources support on topics ranging from substance abuse education, family mental wellness to physical wellbeing challenges. The effort supports workers on sites in B.C., Alberta and Ontario. 

PCL / EllisDon / Ontario General Contractors Association

After falling construction materials injured two pedestrians in Ontario, builders in the province teamed up to attack the issue head on. The Ontario General Contractors Association has partnered  with PCL Constructors Canada Inc. and EllisDon for a Safety Week campaign it’s calling “Stop the Drop” The campaign includes.a shared Toolbox Safety Talk that provides prevention methods to avoid these types of incidents. 

Lincor

Industrial painting contractor Lincor’s efforts to prevent worker injury earned it the Gord Stewart Safety Award from the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association. The company collaborated with injury experts to create the Industrial Athlete program where crews regularly do preventative exercises and check in with health experts to treat emerging issues. 

Borger Group

Borger believes every voice is equal. Any worker has the ability to stop any site, any time, with complete immunity if they feel it’s unsafe. The site remains at a standstill until the risk is assessed by at least two safety officers. The Calgary company stated that it has spent the past year implementing Vizzn safety software. The tool identifies missing safety paperwork and compares active equipment and actual events to safety paperwork. 

IRL Construction

IRL Construction worked with U.K.-based FHOSS to develop an intelligent illumination safety system. The system can create a lit-up box that keeps people clear of moving equipment,  graphics on the outside of working equipment and lighting on hard hats to make workers more visible. Officials at IRL said the tools have been useful for reminding evening its most seasoned workers of where hazardous areas are located when working around heavy equipment. 

Ledcor

Ledcor Group was awarded the Construction Workplace Health and Safety Innovation award by the Vancouver Regional Construction Association for its excavation extraction rescue system (EERS). The system can be used to safely and expediently extract a worker from an excavation site in the event of an emergency. EERS can be implemented and used at any stage of excavation.

EllisDon

Earlier this year EllisDon has launched the Fit Your Frame campaign, aimed at providing construction safety vests to women and gender-nonconforming persons whose frame and body type are not best served by traditional vest offerings. The company partnered with Md Bespoke, a Black-owned Canadian custom clothing manufacturer, to produce vests that will uphold the quality and function of traditional vests, with better fitting and size options.

It all started in an Ottawa basement with Jeffrey Clarke Sr. in 1994.

“My father was a serial entrepreneur from Nova Scotia,” said Jeff W. Clarke, his son. “We moved to Ottawa so he could have a government job but that wasn’t working out for him. He couldn’t shake the entrepreneurial spirit.” 

Clarke Sr. decided from his travels and conversations that environmental services was a good space to be in. He eventually connected with an environmental contractor named David Walsh. They partnered up to form Inflector Environmental Services in a basement and it began to grow.

Like father, like son

With Clarke Sr.’s son, the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. 

“I always had an entrepreneurial spirit as well,” said Clarke.  

Growing up, he was an avid skateboarder. Not content to just ride, he opened up a skateboard shop in his father’s shed. 

“Anything that I loved I wanted to turn into a business,” he said. “I grew up watching my father and I was fascinated with seeing him open and close companies, the struggle, the turmoil.”

At 16 he started working for his father and quickly learned the ins and outs of Inflector’s hazardous materials remediation and demolition services.

“I was in the field right away with the tools so I got some great experience,” he said. “I loved it – the camaraderie, being on site, being one of the only kids in school that could afford to buy lunch was awesome. I worked weekends, holidays and even sometimes after school.” 

By his third summer he was running his own projects as a superintendent. Eventually he decided to move back to Nova Scotia to study. He graduated with a general commerce degree. During his last semester as he was gearing up to continue his schooling, his father told him he had lung cancer and there wasn’t much time. 

“He said he would appreciate it if I stepped into the business if something were to happen,” said Clarke.

Four months later, his father passed away and Clarke followed his wishes to keep the business going. 

Taking the reins

“It was a baptism by fire. The first year was a wild ride. I would look in the mirror and say ‘you are not going bankrupt today’. I had no crazy goals. I just took it one day at a time to keep the lights on and keep employees comfortable and confident about the business and its future. It was definitely a shocker,” said Clarke. 

His strategy for growth and success was simple: money and people

“For the first year, you have to make sure you run a business that is profitable and reinvest in the business in an intelligent manner,” he said. “You need to use that money to attract and create a culture where the best people in the industry want to work. It’s not much of a secret sauce.” 

Clarke went after some of the most innovative and competent people he could find and attributed much of the company’s success to his team.

“I really believe a lot of the success has nothing really to do with myself but the people that came here and our ability to motivate and support people to do what they are good at, to innovate stuff and leave their mark,” he said. 

The company has since started taking on larger and larger projects, getting out of its comfort zone and bringing on people that could execute. 

“It sounds boring, but the people built Inflector and I am lucky enough to be part of it,” he said.  

Major expansion

One of the first major projects was a multi-million dollar project working on a government conference centre in Ottawa.

“It was our first time working in an extreme heritage environment,” said Clarke. “We moved out a crazy tonnage of asbestos. It was insane the amount of concrete that was coming out. It was a wild job.” 

Today Inflector is the largest environmental services contractor in all of Atlantic Canada with offices in Halifax, N.S. and Moncton, N.B. Recently they have been making moves to grow through acquisitions. Atlantic-Canada-based EnviroBate was the company’s first acquisition in July of 2022. Ontario-based Donalco Inc. was the company’s second in February this year. 

“Inflector grew organically for my first eight years in the business, but it’s a lot to go around the country opening offices organically and self funding for so long,” said Clarke. 

Not only was the travel becoming unfeasible for the team, but the company needed to expand its services. 

“It was time for us to look at other ways for geographic growth as well as service line diversification,” said Clarke. “You can’t do the same services forever because eventually markets go through cycles. If there is a slowdown in one cycle, we need to pickup something else.” 

In the case of Donalco, the acquisition helped the company branch out into fireproofing/firestopping space.

“They have been an industry leader for a long time. They have a great reputation, a strong business model and amazing people,” said Clarke. “One thing we look at when we are considering an acquisition is you have to have amazing people. In construction, we aren’t making a widget that is the same thing every day. A lot of the stuff is contract to contract. And you need people who can execute.”

Clarke is also looking at getting into other speciality contracting services that have a high barrier to entry. 

“The market size may be small, but those that do it well can survive,” he said. 

One major trend Inflector has identified in the sector is the revitalization of historical contaminated sites, including buildings, ships and others.  Clarke explained that these structures are being brought into a new generation of environmental impact. 

“From the logistics team to the field teams and others, there is an enormous sense of pride to be on historical projects,” said Clarke. “Lots of buildings come and go, but these ones will be around forever. It’s a legacy building moment for a lot of the team here and we are proud to have them on our resume. Morale is extremely high and everybody really wants to do their best.”

Spring has sprung and construction work is in full swing all across the country. Shots that caught our staff’s eye this month included safety training, trash pickups, traffic control, rainbows, ospreys and more.

Andrew Pariser / RESCON

Fans enjoy a Blue Jays game after PCL completed major upgrades to the 33-year-old Rogers Centre in Toronto.

Coastal GasLink

Crews working at the Coastal GasLink’s Kitimat Meter Station enjoy a rainbow.

Construction Foundation of BC

The Construction Foundation of B.C. welcomed rebar worker Oleh Marchyshyn and his family to Victoria. The family recently moved to B.C. from Ukraine and Oleh was quickly able to find work in the construction industry.

Ansan Group

Traffic control workers with Ansan Group work on a site in Vancouver.

Salina Kassam / Moriyama Teshima Architects

Crews lift bridge pieces for the Limberlost Place project in downtown Toronto.

Beedie Development

An aerial shot shows progress on Beedie Development’s RISE at Point Trotter project in Calgary.

Lafarge Canada

Lafarge workers clean up trash near the company’s Innovation Hub in Edmonton.

Peak Construction Group

Elder Dennis Joseph shares a song and prayer with Peak Construction Group’s teams at the Sen̓áḵw site for National Day of Mourning.

Glenbow Museum

Workers watch as new exterior panels are placed on the Glenbow Museum in Calgary. The panels are made from Cloudcrete, a fibreglass concrete mix that allows for unique shapes while maintaining their strength.

ETRO Construction

ETRO Construction’s team gives a crane-high view of work on the Brightside Community Homes Foundation’s Passive House project.

Metrolinx

The first passenger trails roll over the new Davenport Diamond Guideway, an elevated track that allows GO Trains to travel above traffic and freight trains in the Greater Toronto Area.

Chandos Construction

Chandos shows off work its team completed for the Ed Howell Emergency Services Training Tower in Red Deer, Alta.

Tomlinson Group

Spring crushing is in full swing at Tomlinson’s Rideau Quarry in Ontario.

The Saskatchewan Construction Safety Association

The Saskatchewan Construction Safety Association visits Pacesetter Homes to demonstrate proper safety for the head, eyes and working at heights.

Con-Force Structures

Con-Force Structures shows off its direct large load capability in Western Canada.

BC Ministry of Transportation

An osprey tends to its nest at Kelowna’s William R. Bennett Bridge. The BC Ministry of Transportation assisted the birds after their nest toppled during a wind storm. 

Lafarge Canada is acquiring Westridge Quarries’ operations. 

In its announcement, Lafarge explained that Westridge is a well-established supplier of construction aggregates and contract crushing services for the Okanagan Valley. The acquisition is in alignment with Lafarge’s Strategy 2025 to expand its aggregates business through critical acquisitions of pits, quarries, docks, and depots in strategic high growth markets.

“This is an exciting step forward in our 2025 growth strategy,” said Brad Kohl, president and CEO, Lafarge, Western Canada. “This acquisition will allow us to expand our operating footprint and product offerings for our customers in the Okanagan. We will leverage significant synergies with our existing footprint that will strengthen the combined business.”

The deal includes the addition of two quarries and one sand and gravel reserve in the Okanagan, which will provide long-term reserves in an established market as well as other real estate. 

“We are thrilled to make acquisitions that anticipate our customers’ needs, and look forward to welcoming our 70 new colleagues into the Lafarge family,” added Lincoln Kyne, senior vice president, B.C. and Pacific Northwest U.S., Lafarge.

“We are excited to watch our organization joining forces with the Lafarge family, a company with strong values and a clear vision for the future,” said Trevor Isaac, general manager and co-owner of Westridge Quarries. “This acquisition represents a tremendous opportunity for our staff and partners and will ensure that Westridge Quarries remains an industry leader in service, quality, and sustainability. We look forward to watching them continue building from the foundation that has been established.”

Key Takeaways:

• Industry groups in Alberta are calling on NDP leader Rachel Notley to be specific about the party’s stance on community benefits agreements and “double breasting”.
• The next Provincial General Election is scheduled to be held on May 29 unless an election is called earlier.
• The groups include the Progressive Contractors Association, the Alberta Construction Association and the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association of Alberta.

The Whole Story:

Alberta construction groups are calling on NDP leader Rachel Notley to clarify the party’s position on labour issues as a general election for the province looms on the horizon.

In a letter signed by the Progressive Contractors Association, the Alberta Construction Association and the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association of Alberta, the groups asked Notley to explain two potential policy changes that they predict could harm the industry and taxpayers.  

“We are reaching out to you on behalf of several Alberta construction associations, who would like clarification on two policy changes that you promise, should you be elected in the upcoming Alberta general election,” wrote the groups. “We are concerned that if implemented, these changes could increase taxpayer costs and limit the access of thousands of Alberta companies and construction workers to public and private projects, during a critical time when demand for their skills is at an all-time high.”

The letter focused on two main issues: Community benefits agreements and “double breasting”.

Community benefits agreements

The groups noted that on multiple occasions the NDP has signaled its intention to implement a community benefits agreement” regime in Alberta to maximize the participation of underemployed worker groups. 

“We believe CBAs, when designed to be fair, open and transparent, can achieve meaningful social procurement objectives,” wrote the groups. “However, these reports note that a new NDP government may look to B.C. as a template for a broader CBA program. We sincerely hope this is a misprint.”

The groups explained that they believe the B.C. program, designed by former Premier John Horgan’s NDP government, is in reality a “grossly coercive program aimed at giving select B.C. Building Trades Unions a monopoly over large parts of the province’s multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects.”

They explained that companies wishing to do work on these projects must do so using exclusively Building Trades Union (BTU) labour and terms, regardless of which labour model they are affiliated with. 

“Given that B.C.’s BTU workers constitute no more than 15% of the province’s skilled construction workforce, this means that the other 85% are excluded from public work that is paid for by their own tax dollars,” they wrote. “We trust you will agree that this arrangement is grossly unfair, anti-competitive and punishes companies and their workers for choices they have freely made.”

The groups called on Notley to clarify the NDP’s stance on CBAs and if it will differ from B.C.’s approach.

“Our industry associations are ready and willing to constructively work with parties across the political spectrum, to pursue social procurement objectives that are fair, meaningful, and productive,” they said.

Double Breasting

The groups stated that the NDP has also pledged to do away with “double breasting” in the construction and maintenance sectors.

They explained that the term arises out of Labour Relations Board decisions across Canada. 

“It is not – and lawfully cannot be – a creation of employers. It arises only when employees, within a group of businesses, decide to be represented by a union that is different from another union representing the employees of another company within that corporate group,” they wrote. “When there are different unions representing separate employees within separate companies – or there is a non-union business in the group – the ‘label’ that is applied from the labour relations perspective, is that the overall business is “double” or ‘triple breasted.’”

The groups explained that no single source of workers has been sufficient to meet the workforce required to construct all of Alberta’s capital and infrastructure projects, whether those workers are craft or progressive, union, non- union, from employee associations, or from outside the province. 

“Healthy competition has resulted in union and non-union employers offering high pay, comprehensive benefit packages, training and learning and development including outstanding workplace health and safety, family counselling services, and other employee supports,” they argued. “Indeed, construction is among the highest paying professions in Alberta, well above the average for all industries and occupations.”

The groups called tinkering with the corporate structure of construction and maintenance firms a misguided attempt to address perceived issues with double breasting .

“At minimum, we would want to see industry-wide consultations before such drastic policy changes are enacted,” they said. 

The groups concluded by highlighting the province’s “Alberta is Calling” campaign aimed at attracting workers from other provinces, including skilled trades workers from under-utilized groups such as youth, women, immigrants, and Indigenous Peoples. 

“The policy changes under consideration could send a very different message: that Alberta is really only calling upon a select few, at a time when the province’s construction industry faces a dire and growing shortage of skilled labour,” they wrote.

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:

• 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.”

B.C. is breaking ground on its 6^th Annual Construction and Skilled Trades Month by recognizing excellence across the industry in three areas: public sector procurement, culture change, and leadership.

“The construction industry is going full steam in an extremely challenging economic environment,” said Chris Atchison, president of the BC Construction Association (BCCA). “Every day they build the housing, schools, and hospitals that British Columbians rely on. They’re dedicated, but they’re not invincible. Construction Month is how we showcase the industry and recognize its contribution to our economy and society.”

Awards for construction industry culture

The Builders Code is honouring five employers with Builders Code Champion Awards for leading the way in advancing the culture of B.C.’s industrial, commercial, and institutional construction sector. According to the BCCA, the province’s industry is 95.50% male. The association stated that since COVID-19, gender diversity has taken a backwards step, with tradeswomen dropping from 6.3% to 4.50% of the skilled workforce.  The group stated that it’s crucial that employers lead the way to a contemporary culture that will attract new talent and alleviate the workforce shortage.

The 2023 Builders Code Champions are:

• Island Red Cedar Construction (Nanaimo) – Small Contractor of the Year
• Lacey Construction (Deroche) – Community Champion
• Houle Electric (Burnaby) – Contractor of the Year – and Workplace Culture Champion – (Large Company Category)
• Kinetic Construction (Victoria) – Recruiting and Hiring Champion
• RAM Consulting (Vancouver) – Workplace Culture Champion – (Medium Company Category)

Awards for public sector procurement

The association explained that procuring construction services is a highly specialized practice that requires unique experience, knowledge, and skill. It added that as the pressure to build housing and other infrastructures collide with skyrocketing costs, labour shortages, and lack of timely payment, procurement best practises are more important than ever for project success. That’s why the BC Construction Association (BCCA) has chosen to honour public owners who consistently show leadership in the procurement of construction services:

• Fraser Health, Provincial Health Services Authority, and Vancouver Coastal Health – Facilities Management Procurement Team
• City of Victoria – Supply Management Services  
• BC Ministry of Citizen Services – Procurement Services

The Public Sector Procurement and Builders Code Champion Awards will be presented throughout the month of April, at events hosted by the BCCA and regional construction associations.

Awards for leadership 

In Victoria on April 19, the BC Construction Association will present awards for leadership in apprenticeship and community-building at an invitation-only gala dinner. The Leadership Awards are an annual opportunity for the construction industry to acknowledge its outstanding people and the companies they represent. The 2023 Leadership Award winners are:

• Wayne Farey, Campbell Construction (Victoria)
• Ryan Thran, Knappett Projects (Comox)
• Julia Murrell, Kindred Construction (Vancouver)
• Tyler Cameron, Acadia Mechanical (Terrace)

The Leadership Awards are sponsored by the BCCA and LNG Canada as the Platinum sponsors of Construction Month 2023. For more information about the Construction Month award winners visit www.constructionmonth.ca.

B.C. has unveiled its new plan to speed up home construction, increase the supply of middle-income housing and fight speculation.

“If you’ve scrolled through rental listings or seen the prices of homes in your community, you know how tough it is to find an affordable, decent place to live,” said Premier David Eby. “Even though our province is currently building more housing than ever before, it’s just not enough to meet the need. This plan will take us to the next level with unprecedented actions to tackle the challenges head on, delivering even more homes for people, faster.”

Ebay explained that the plan will focus on four priorities – unlocking more homes faster; delivering better, more affordable homes; helping those with the greatest housing need; and creating a housing market for people, not speculators.

The actions in Eby’s Homes for People plan include:

• delivering more middle-income small-scale, multi-unit housing that people can afford, including town homes, duplexes and triplexes through zoning changes and proactive partnerships.
• offering forgivable loans for homeowners to build and rent secondary suites below market rates to increase affordable rental supply quickly.
• building thousands more affordable homes for renters, Indigenous Peoples on and off reserve, women and children leaving violence, and building thousands more on-campus student housing units.
• delivering thousands of new homes near public transit, and launching BC Builds to use public land to deliver affordable homes for people.
• introducing a flipping tax to discourage short-term speculation.
• providing an annual income-tested tax credit of up to $400 per year for renters.
• providing more homes and supports for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
• streamlining and modernizing permitting to reduce costs and speed up approvals to get homes built faster.
• strengthening enforcement of short-term rentals.

“We are in urgent need of more housing throughout British Columbia, which is why we are taking strong steps through our Homes for People strategy to close the gap between supply and demand,” said Ravi Kahlon, minister of housing. “We are working with our partners to unlock more homes across the spectrum of housing faster than ever, so everyone in our province can have a safe, secure and stable place to call home.” 

The plan found support from Langley, Victoria, and New Westminster officials. Luke Mari, principal, Aryze Developments noted that they believe the plan could provide some relief from systemic issues.

Low supply, speculation, and restrictive zoning policies have resulted in fierce competition and limited housing choice, which impacts the social, environmental and economic prosperity of our province,” said Mari. “Safe, affordable and diverse housing options in all neighbourhoods are foundational to the health of our communities and the planet. Building just for the sake of building isn’t good enough; the name says it all, we need Homes for People.”

SiteViews is a monthly feature where we highlight the coolest construction images posted on social media. What caught our eyes in March? Aurora borealis, muddy boots, major breakthroughs, marching elk and more. Check out the images below and follow the links to see where they came from.

Raymond McDonald / ATCO Electricity

ATCO Electricity’s team was treated to a colourful view of aurora borealis while in Yellowknife, N.W.T.

Metrolinx

Drones give a bird’s-eye view of work happening on Scarlett Road in Toronto for the Eglinton Crosstown West Extension project. The orange tarp is to keep soil protected before it’s paved.

Sheet metal worker and YouTuber Nick Tountas

It’s a dirty job, but somebody’s got to do it. Ontario sheet metal worker Nick Tountas snaps a shot of his muddy boots. He regularly gives followers a front row seat to what a trades career is like.

Chandos Construction

Chandos’ civil team works to complete a suspended slab pour Taza Park Water Reservoir. It took eight hours to pour 6,600 sq. ft. of concrete was poured using 52m and 57m pumps.

Gordie Howe International Bridge

Cameras captured the start of stay cable installation for the Gordie Howe International Bridge.

ACCIONA Canada

The Broadway Subway project team in Vancouver celebrate the second tunnel boring machine breakthrough at the future Mount Pleasant station.

PCL Construction

Ironworkers celebrate topping off a unique skyscraper in Toronto. Cadillac Fairview’s commercial office tower features a curved beam structure.

Building Trades Alberta

Industry officials visit UA Local 488 and LiUNA Local 92 in Alberta for a hands-on tour of the multi-use training facility.

BC Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure

An excavator moves material for Phase 4 of the Kicking Horse Canyon project near Golden, B.C.

Ward Bros. Construction

Ward Bros. Construction works on a major pour at the Agri-food Hub and Trade Centre In Lethbridge, Alta .

Kiewit

This cab is empty. A worker operates an excavator using remote control technology.

Monte McNaughton, Ontario labour minister

Monte McNaughton, Ontario’s labour minister, visits carpentry students at the Tomorrow’s Trades program.

VanMar Constructors

Crews take advantage of the good weather to make progress on the Options project in Surrey. VanMar stated that Siding and paint is progressing and the team is preparing to mobilize landscapers for the courtyard area.