2023 Canadian Construction Photo Contest: Towering Above

Tower crane operator Moe Lepage’s view from high above Parliament Hill captured the attention of the judges of On-Site’s 2023 Canadian Construction Photo Contest. That’s a phenomenal view from his office window, high in the sky. (Photographer: Moe Lepage)

Checking out the sunset last November, tower crane operator Moe Lepage shared the view from his office high above Canada’s capital city. His photo, captured from the operator’s cab on the East Crane at Parliament Hill, topped a field of over 200 photos that were submitted for the 2023 Canadian Construction Photo Contest, as presented by On-Site Magazine and our sponsor, TrueLook.

No stranger to capturing great images, Moe shares his photos on his social media feed and has been featured on CTV showcasing his unique view of some of the construction projects that can be spotted in Ottawa. That’s something he started doing just over 10 years ago.

“People always ask me about the job, the view, and what’s it like,” he said as he explained his motivation for posting the photos he captures. “A picture is worth 1,000 words, so they can actually see what I see.”

This view from Parliament Hill is part of the current rehabilitation work to modernize and restore Centre Block of Canada’s Parliament Buildings.

That project includes the construction of a new Parliament Welcome Centre that will extend underneath the Centre Block, connecting to the main building in several locations, as well as restoration of the Peace Tower, earthquake-proofing the building, and significant restoration of stonework, glass and other aspects of the structure.

The largest and most complex heritage rehabilitation in Canadian history, the project is scheduled for completion between 2030 and 2031.

Moe also worked on the West Block rehabilitation project, which was completed in 2018, and is also working on a pair of new buildings in downtown Ottawa that will bring new retail and residential units to the city when they are completed in 2027.

As is tradition with our contest, a donation has been made in Moe’s name to a charity of his choice. This year we are proud to recognize his great shot with a donation to the Ottawa Humane Society.

Congratulations Moe! And keep those photos coming.

Anyone who has served as a judge for this contest can attest, that it is not easy to select a winner. As such, we would like to also recognize the photos in the pages that follow with honourable mentions. These, and some of the other submitted photos may find their way into future editions of the magazine – there were so many great shots this year.

To everyone who submitted photos, thank you for sharing these moments from your jobsites. We can attest that there is great work happening in Canada’s construction sector – we have the photographic proof.

The contest will return again next year, so please keep the cameras rolling throughout 2024. The next Canadian Construction Photo Contest will launch in December, and you can’t enter a photo that was not captured, so keep those cameras, drones and smartphones rolling!

Happy, and safe, shooting.

FINALISTS

Choosing one winner from a field of more than 200 photos is not an easy job, and there were some great shots in this year’s crop of images, including enough fill twice the space that we have for our contest. We would like to extend a massive thank you to everyone who took the time to share photos of their work. There were a lot of impressive shots of hard work and great scenery sent our way from the busy jobsites of the past year. Congratulations to Moe for his great shot from high above Ottawa, and to the following honourable mention winners. And warm up those cameras. We encourage you to (safely) capture pictures of you and your colleagues so that you are ready for the 2024 contest, launching this December.

Company: EllisDon

Photographer: Jeff Cooke/Cooked Photography

Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia

Working on an EllisDon project in February, the demolition crew from J. Mason Contracting prepares for the removal of a concrete facade at the 22-storey Loyola Residence Tower at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax. The concrete panels were replaced with solar panels, making the tower the tallest solar-integrated building in North America.

Company: Steelcon

Photographer: Matthew Zen

Working on a mission-critical data centre facility in Ontario, a member of the Steelcon Erectors team navigates the process of installing steel beams, with assistance from an overhead crane.

Company: Jacob Bros. Construction Inc.

Photographer: Dave Silver

Location: Richmond, British Columbia

Team meetings can happen in interesting places on some jobsites, as this team from Jacob Bros. Construction Inc. can attest. This gathering was to mark a milestone on a sewer project.

Company: EllisDon

Photographer: Tom Moroney

Location: Calgary, Alberta

EllisDon team members work on the glass roof at Telus Sky, a 60-storey luxury office building in the heart of downtown Calgary.

Company: Carbonleo

Photographer: Marc-Aurèle Courchesne-Paré

Location: Montreal, Quebec

The Royalmount construction project is massive, as is its main atrium, shown here. Once all phases are complete, the mixed-use project will offer some 3.5 million square feet commercial and residential space, featuring high-end restaurants, retailers, hotels, corporate offices, and entertainment venues. The $7-billion project is the biggest private project in Quebec.

Company: Ontario Cutting & Coring

Photographer: David Ohashi

Sometimes you just need a big saw. A team member from Ontario Cutting & Coring sets his sights on his line to be cut in a slab of concrete.

Company: Pomerleau

Photographer: Pierre Seager

Location: Vaudreuil, Quebec

On an intensely hot day in July, ironworkers prepare the foundations of one of the main floors of the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Hospital, the second-largest medical construction project in the country.

Company: COWI North America

Photographer: Jessica Ng

Location: Vancouver, British Columbia

Two COWI inspectors, one Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure staff member, and three high-angle standby rescue team members from Dynamic Rescue Systems Group of Companies took part in an external visual condition inspection of the main cable of the Lions Gate Bridge last March with the aim of identifying the most suitable locations to conduct a future internal condition inspection.

Company: Lafarge

Photographer: Angela Campbell

Location: Maple Ridge, British Columbia

Angela Campbell caught the light shining through the trees as the Lafarge team was working on a paving project at a rural subdivision in Maple Ridge in late October.

Company: Peninsula Construction and Silverback Traffic Solutions

Photographer: Philip Castleton

Location: Strathroy, Ontario

Working on a Ministry of Transportation of Ontario project in November, a worker prepares to install the first post of a leaving-end treatment for highway guide rails.