Articles
From the editor… The tariffs are gone, but don’t hold out for cheaper steel and aluminum
June 12, 2019 by David KennedyPrime Minister Justin Trudeau, with several cabinet ministers in tow, took a victory lap through the Hamilton, Ont. Stelco plant May 17, hours after news of the tariffs being lifted first surfaced last month. Predictably, Trudeau credited his government’s countermeasures…
Staying on top: Attracting and retaining talent has never been tougher – or more integral to success
June 12, 2019 Saul ChernosConstruction activity continues to fire on all cylinders in Canadian urban centres and is faring well in most other areas of the country. Canada’s Top Contractors are hitting fresh heights as well, but the success masks a steep challenge for…
Playing the long game: Machine control developers cautiously build to full autonomy
June 11, 2019 Jillian MorganDriverless machines won’t be moving dirt on job sites anytime soon. Before an armoury of fully autonomous equipment can work alongside crews, machine control developers at the helm admit there will be a few hurdles to jump. Though it may…
Getting ready to take off: New rules to consider when using drones on construction sites
June 11, 2019 Katherine Ayre and Adrienne HoDrones can be valuable, cost-effective tools on construction sites. Typically used to conduct aerial surveys or collect data, they can also carry bitumen printers and transport payloads across long distances. As of June 1, 2019, however, drones will be subject…
Windsor, Ont. contractor Rosati Group edges its way to the top of On-Site’s Top Five Under 50
June 10, 2019 Jillian MorganStaying true to its roots in southwestern Ontario, Rosati Group has grown to new heights. Carving out its legacy since 1969, the family-owned contractor has secured the top spot in On-Site’s Top Five Under 50 category for the third time…
It’s not easy going green: For contractors, embracing the sustainable building ‘paradigm shift’ isn’t optional
June 10, 2019 David KennedyWith exposed concrete on all sides and piping from mechanical systems overhead, a compact drilling rig bores slowly into the ground beneath the Arthur Meighen Building in Toronto. The rig takes about a day to drill a 13-centimetre (five-inch) borehole…
Industry 4.0: Embracing technology for asset performance certainty
June 10, 2019 David BowcottThe fourth industrial revolution is upon us and like every new iteration born out of the technology sector it has been given a future-forward moniker: Industry 4.0. Some believe the impact from this industrial revolution could be greater than the…
An ounce of prevention: Planning IT projects
June 8, 2019 Jacob StollerNo contractor would show up on a job site with no plan or schedules, yet many embark on information technology projects with a very vague set of goals It is often said that a problem well defined is…
Canada’s Top 40 Contractors by revenue
June 5, 2019 by On-Site MagazineOn-Site’s 2019 Top Contractors by revenue. To see how this year’s list stacks up against previous top performers, click here. Or, to read through the entire 2019 Top Contractors issue, click here.
From the editor… Double standard deals Trudeau a body blow
April 25, 2019 by David KennedyAt 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.…
Taking shape: 3D printing revolution on the horizon
April 24, 2019 Jillian MorganAt Sika AG’s research facility in Widen, Switzerland, the nozzle of a 3D printer pumps out billowy concrete at one metre per second. The material cures almost instantly, just in time for the machine’s printing arm to deposit the next…
The view from above: Drone technology brings a new perspective to job sites
April 24, 2019 Jacob StollerDrivers 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…
Clearing a path: Dozer makers step up their technology to help less experienced operators gain traction
April 23, 2019 Nate HendleyIt’s a new reality that’s impossible to overlook. Skilled operators are becoming tougher and tougher to find. While equipment manufacturers can’t exactly help Canadian contractors fill seats, they are making the equipment easier to run and the cabs more appealing.…
On the Perimeter: Major Winnipeg project brings concrete solution to longstanding bottleneck
April 23, 2019 David KennedyInfrastructure 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,…
Breaking it down: Crusher evolution prompts contractors to rethink aggregates
April 22, 2019 Jillian MorganThe 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…
Construction tendering 101
April 22, 2019 Ivona Zegrean and Alexander SpraggsBy 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…
Asset management comes to North America
April 19, 2019 David BowcottThe 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…
From the editor: Bracing for a worker shortage
March 19, 2019 by David KennedyWhen waters start rising, prudent people shore up their levees. The Canadian construction industry faces more of a drought than a flood, but company leaders across the country need to start taking proactive steps to future-proof their businesses. 10 years…
Coming out swinging: Technology, telematics and less tail-swing top list of what’s new in crawler excavators
March 18, 2019 Nate HendleyA broader range of applications and advancing technology are forcing manufacturers in the mid- to large-size crawler excavator segment to unearth new solutions. Foremost among these evolving trends are reduced tail-swing machines that let excavators take on a more diverse…
Cyber security in the digital age
March 15, 2019 Jacob StollerThe phrase “data security” has recently been replaced by “cyber security, ” but this isn’t just a matter of fashionable buzzwords. The newer term reflects the fact that staying secure involves a lot more than protecting a company’s data. Furthermore,…