LANGLEY, B.C.—A highway widening project in Metro Vancouver will soon get off the ground with $235.5 million in joint funding from Ottawa, British Columbia and the Township of Langley. François-Philippe Champagne the federal minister of Infrastructure and Communities, B.C.’s Premier…
TORONTO—Aecon Group Inc. beat analyst expectations as its net loss was cut by more than half in the first quarter on a 20-per-cent growth in revenues and a higher backlog. The Toronto-based construction firm says it lost $9.8 million or…
At the start of the year, a healthy percentage of Canadians had never heard of SNC-Lavalin. An even larger number couldn’t have told you what business the company was in, let alone share a single detail about its legal troubles.…
TORONTO—With excavators and haulers carrying out demolition work a few dozen metres away, top brass from developer Cadillac Fairview and future tenant TD Bank, joined Toronto Mayor John Tory, among others, to officially kick off construction of a major new…
Drivers may be frustrated with traffic disruptions related to two ongoing highway interchange projects in Saskatoon, but at least they’re not in the dark. Thanks to a series of narrated drone-created videos on the city’s website, they can view an…
WINNIPEG—The Manitoba government is spending $57.5 million to overhaul aging school infrastructure across the province. Education Minister Kelvin Goertzen unveiled the 59 planned projects April 18, which include renovations and new construction for kindergarten to Grade 12 schools. The Public…
EDMONTON—Alberta has halted construction of a medical superlab, saying it wants to allow the just-elected United Conservative government time to review the project. An Alberta infrastructure representative says in an email that the “pause” is intended to minimize costs incurred…
Infrastructure rarely ages gracefully. When there isn’t much elegance to the original design, 20 or 30 years can be particularly cruel. The junction of a pair of provincial trunk highways northeast of Winnipeg was just such a case. For years,…
TORONTO—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will be portrayed in Sunday’s Canadian-themed episode of “The Simpsons,” which is titled “D’Oh Canada.” Toronto journalist Lucas Meyer revealed April 22 that he got to guest-voice Trudeau for the segment after a video of his…
The steep cost of hauling off and disposing of rubble from job sites, only to purchase and truck in virgin aggregate from far-off quarries, has motivated the construction industry to turn its garbage into gold. Geoffrey Faber, territory manager West…
By replacing negotiation with competition, the tendering process in construction is intended to bring more certainty, fairness and efficiency to the allocation of contracts. Despite this, the tendering system is an idiosyncratic mechanism, giving rise to certain obligations that may…
WINNIPEG—The Manitoba government is launching an independent review of how Winnipeg city hall approves and inspects construction projects and property development, to address what Premier Brian Pallister says is a drag on the economy. Pallister also offered April 18 to…
The construction industry is moving towards a more integrated approach. Though this column primarily focuses on construction and its associated risks, I’ve been interweaving the concept of asset management into my articles over the past several years to highlight a…
OTTAWA—The federal government says it is delaying its decision on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project until June 18 in order to wrap up consultations with Indigenous groups. The deadline is being pushed back by almost a month on the…
TORONTO—Continuous concrete pours and heavy crane work will continue to be permitted overnight throughout Toronto, but will be subject to new restrictions following a vote at city hall April 17. The change represents a compromise between councillors pushing for a…
MISSISSAUGA, Ont.—More than 30 new and continuing road construction jobs are on the books this year in Ontario’s third largest city as Mississauga construction crews and commuters brace themselves for years of work on the Hurontario Light Rail Transit project.…
PARIS—Nearly US$1 billion in donations have poured in for the vast restoration of the fire-ravaged Notre Dame cathedral — but a pledge by French President Emmanuel Macron that it will be completed within five years was facing accusations of being…
KITCHENER, Ont.—Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government of dragging its feet on vital infrastructure spending and says the indecision endangers work for the summer construction season. Trudeau criticized Premier Doug Ford’s government during a funding announcement at…
GATINEAU, Que.—One of the most recognizable sets of office towers in the Ottawa area is poised to undergo a major facelift. Public Services and Procurement Canada said April 15 it has awarded a $217.6 million construction management contract to PCL…
ST. JOHN’S—A consortium headed by Quebec-based contractor Pomerleau and investment firm Fengate Asset Management has been tapped to build two new long-term care homes in central Newfoundland. NL Healthcare Partners topped two other construction teams vying for the project. It…
