Articles
2018 forecast: vacancy rates vary
December 15, 2017 Saul ChernosDowntown office vacancy rates in Calgary were as high as 27 per cent compared with just 4 per cent in Toronto and 8 per cent in Vancouver this past fall. Altus Group, a real estate services firm, tracks real estate…
2018 forecast: regional outlook
December 14, 2017 Saul ChernosFrom Sea to Sea may be a Canadian motto and unifying force. However, economic conditions vary considerably across the country. On-Site looks at prospects for 2018 region by region. British Columbia Vancouver and the province are faring quite well. However,…
Top 10 construction trends in 2018
December 14, 2017 Saul ChernosMichael Atkinson met in late summer with a group of Canada’s top construction leaders to gauge the state of the industry. With another year-end in sight, the now-past president of the Canadian Construction Association recounted a range of concerns —…
2018 forecast: green infrastructure sprouting up
December 14, 2017 Saul ChernosWith scientists forecasting increasingly turbulent weather, builders developers and governments can expect heightened pressure in 2018 to green their infrastructure. The Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, for instance, is developing new measures for stormwater run-off volume control. “It…
2018 construction forecast: a look ahead
December 14, 2017 Saul ChernosAll eyes are on the year ahead, as a tumultuous 2017 winds down. Oil prices remain low, edging towards a mild recovery but not expected to come close to the highs of 2013-2014. And prospects for pipeline construction remain mixed,…
From the editor: future-proofing infrastructure
December 14, 2017 by Corinne Lynds“When people tell me they don’t believe in climate change. I ask them: ‘Do you believe in gravity? The destructive power of climate change is the same as the strength and reality of gravity,” stated climate change guru Christian Figueres…
8 factors to consider when buying a mobile generator
November 17, 2017 Clayton CostelloThe mobile generator you choose for your job site needs to be able to provide the dependable power your job requires, plain and simple. And because applications vary so widely, mobile generator selection should be taken on a case-by-case…
BIM drives productivity gains in construction sector
September 7, 2017 David BowcottEveryone has seen the graphs that show construction on a downward productivity trend while other industries boast solid productivity gains. The following is a productivity graph that was produced by McKinsey & Co. that compares productivity in construction to that…
Can construction be automated?
September 7, 2017 Jacob StollerAdvances in information systems have been cited as a catalyst for higher productivity in many sectors.
Boehmers uses captured CO2 to make stronger concrete blocks
September 7, 2017 Nate HendleyBoehmers is a concrete block producer in Cambridge, Ont. with a new, carbon-dioxide (CO2) infused product said to be great for the environment and superior to traditional concrete blocks. The company has been selling the Carboclave block, as the product…
On-Site polls leading OEMs to find out which compact machines are most popular with contractors
September 7, 2017 by Corinne LyndsAsk any operator, and they will tell you: everyone has a favourite piece of equipment. There are lots of factors that contribute to one’s fondness for a specific piece of machinery, but its most often related to comfort, familiarity, and…
Government spending on infrastructure is slowly making its way down the pipe
September 6, 2017 Saul ChernosRome wasn’t built in a day. A trite expression, perhaps, but one which might comfort builders and other construction sector service and material providers wondering when infrastructure money the federal Liberal government promised in its two most recent budgets might…
From the editor: 5 ways to modernize skills training
September 6, 2017 Corinne LyndsHow do we prepare the next generation for construction jobs that don’t even exist yet? That’s a tough one. According to a recent report entitled An Apprenticeship Skills Agenda, we had better figure it out soon – 65 per cent…
Contractors and the Law: Breaking up is hard to do
June 20, 2017 Krista JohansonA recent Ontario court decision illustrates the expected – and unexpected – challenges that arise when one party wishes to end a contractual relationship. In Bombardier Transportation Canada Inc. v. Metrolinx, 2017 ONSC 2372, Bombardier had entered into a $770-million contract…
Is the project finance industry digging deep enough?
June 20, 2017 David BowcottEvery project needs money to move forward. Those funds are made up of equity and debt. The equity is contributed by the owner (or the concessionaire of the project) as a first layer of defense against project failure. The remainder…
Propane: The underestimated fuel is being used across the jobsite
June 20, 2017 Jeremy WishartPropane has been a fixture on construction sites for years, most often used for power generation and materials handling. Recently, however, site managers are using propane to power a growing number of applications. More construction firms are beginning to recognize…
The evolution of machine control
June 20, 2017 Nate HendleyA lot has changed in 20 years – operators are faster and more accurate than ever
On-Site announces Top 5 Under 50 Employees
June 20, 2017 by Corinne LyndsOn-Site ranks Top 5 commercial contractors with 50 or under employees by revenue. See infographic for stats on this year’s Top 5.
Rosati Construction Group is a repeat winner of On-Site’s Top 5 Under 50
June 20, 2017 by Corinne LyndsFor the second time in three years, the Rosati Group has earned On-Site’s Top Contractor in the 50 employees or less category. The company’s first win came in 2014, and it should be noted that they didn’t participate last year.…
Top construction firms embrace technology, finally
June 20, 2017 Jacob StollerThe construction industry has
a reputation for being slow to
adopt innovative technology. Many
contractors believe this is about
to change.