Topic
Labour
Labour-hungry construction industry puzzled over report of significant job losses
September 10, 2018 Tara Deschamps, The Canadian PressStatistics Canada said the sector shed thousands of jobs last month, running counter to stories of contractors scrounging to find workers
Construction industry to face higher rates of worker shortages, sluggish sales: study
September 5, 2018 by Jillian MorganMONTREAL—Canada’s construction industry is one of a few sectors to be hit hardest by a decade of labour shortages and lower margins, according to a study by the Business Development Bank of Canada. The study of small- and mid-size businesses…
Is your job site ready for recreational cannabis?
September 4, 2018 Laura Brazil and Paola Ramirez, McMillan LLPMany contractors fear marijuana legalization will lead to increased impairment on construction sites. Here’s what you need to know to prepare
Report details allegations of racism, poor camp conditions on Manitoba hydro project
August 30, 2018 Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian PressWINNIPEG—A week after reports surfaced of decades-old abuse on hydro projects in Manitoba, a recent study into working conditions at a modern site has come to light. The new report details allegations of racism, sexual harassment and prison-like living conditions.…
Saskatoon contractor fined for worker injuring involving scissor lift that tumbled off trailer ramp
August 29, 2018 by David KennedySASKATOON—Wright Construction Western Inc. was hit with a $70,000 fine last week for an incident that left one worker with serious injuries. According to Saskatchewan’s minister of Labour Relations and Workplace Safety, the accident occurred in January of 2017 when…
Contractors challenge B.C.’s new hiring rules for infrastructure projects in court
August 28, 2018 The Canadian PressVANCOUVER—The Independent Contractors and Business Association is asking the B.C. Supreme Court to strike down the provincial government’s new hiring model for taxpayer-funded construction projects. The association filed a petition Aug. 27 with the court alongside several other building and…
Construction employment falls by 12,000 in July, but remains up year-over-year
August 13, 2018 by David KennedyOTTAWA—The number of construction jobs coast to coast declined in July even as employment in the overall Canadian economy ticked up. According to Statistics Canada, employment in the construction industry dipped by 12,000, or about 0.8 per cent, over the…
Managing risk: Getting your workforce on board
August 9, 2018 David BowcottTo be truly effective at managing risk, you must master the complex world of risk controls. Put in place before incidents occur, risk controls are the contractual agreements, the operational practices and the tools and technologies used to prevent or…
Construction job vacancies at 3.8 per cent, CFIB report says
August 9, 2018 by David KennedyTORONTO—Vacant positions continue to plague employers in the construction industry. The rate of job vacancies among private sector construction firms now sits at 3.8 per cent—the second-highest level among industries tracked—according to a new report from the Canadian Federation of…
Construction firm, equipment operator fined after worker run over by grader
July 23, 2018 by David KennedyHAMILTON, Ont.—A worker injury on a road construction site in Hamilton, Ont. has resulted in fines for Dufferin Construction Co. and the owner/operator of a equipment rental business based in Stoney Creek, Ont. CRH Canada Group, Dufferin’s parent company, and…
B.C. government sets out new hiring rules for provincial infrastructure projects
July 17, 2018 Terri Theodore, The Canadian PressThe province says the initiative will add more under-represented groups to the workforce, but critics say it will simply benefit unions and drive up costs
Construction employment jumps after two months of decline
July 9, 2018 by David KennedyThe industry roared back to life in June, adding tens of thousands of new jobs
Quebec crane operators return to work after ‘illegal’ one-week strike
June 27, 2018 The Canadian PressMONTREAL—Thousands of crane operators returned to work June 26 after taking part in what authorities described as an illegal strike that lasted one week and disrupted construction sites across Quebec. Crane operators were protesting new training requirements allowing workers to…
Ambassador Bridge company ad urges Trump to block new Gordie Howe bridge on ‘America first’ grounds
June 22, 2018 by David KennedyWINDSOR, Ont.—In a transparent appeal to the increasingly pervasive “America first” rhetoric emerging from Washington, the company that controls the Ambassador Bridge between Detroit, Mich. and Windsor, Ont. released a television ad earlier this week calling on President Donald Trump…
Quebec crane operators continue strike despite order to return to work
June 22, 2018 The Canadian PressMany of the province’s nearly 2,000 crane operators walked off the job earlier this week, disrupting work at job sites across Quebec
Quebec premier urges crane operators back to work as ‘illegal’ strike continues
June 20, 2018 The Canadian PressMONTREAL—Premier Philippe Couillard warned Quebec’s crane operators June 19 there will be consequences for what he called an illegal strike, as construction sites were paralyzed across the province for a second consecutive day. The premier said workers who refuse to…
Construction industry hits second monthly decline with 13K job losses
June 8, 2018 by Jillian MorganOTTAWA—Construction employment has dipped for the second consecutive month, with a loss of 13,000 jobs in May. Statistics Canada reported the decline in its latest monthly Labour Force Survey. Combined with a loss of 19,000 jobs in April, gains observed…
Sudbury, Ont. contractor fined $50K after worker injured in fall
May 29, 2018 by David KennedyTHUNDER BAY, Ont.—A northern Ontario contractor has been handed a $50,000 fine for a worker injury on a Thunder Bay, Ont. jobsite in July 2016. The incident took place at the Thunder Bay International Airport, where Pioneer Construction Inc. had…
Canadian construction industry sheds 19,000 jobs in April
May 11, 2018 by David KennedyDespite the monthly decline, employment in the industry is up 2.3 per cent from the same time last year
Alberta ads tie Trans Mountain pipeline construction to increased jobs
May 11, 2018 by Jillian MorganALBERTA—The Alberta government has launched a $1.29 million national advertising campaign to promote the construction of the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion. “Keep Canada Working” includes billboards, television, radio, search engine marketing, online display and social media. Viewers are directed to…