News
NWT government to invest $222 million in infrastructure
October 21, 2013 by STAFF REPORThe Northwest Territories government has earmarked $70 million for construction of a 135-km highway connecting the town of Inuvik and the hamlet of Tuktoyaktuk. That represents close to one third of the territorial government’s plans to invest $222 million in…
Alarming number of workplace deaths leads to safety blitz
October 18, 2013 by PATRICK CALLANNine Ontario workplaces deaths since June has prompted the Ministry of Labour to launch a province-wide “fall safety blitz” of construction sites until the end of October. The focus is on workers’ safety at heights, sloped roofing at low-rise residential…
Alternative financing and procurement recommended to repair Ontario’s bridges
October 17, 2013 by STAFF REPORTA joint study by the Ontario Good Roads Association (OGRA) and the Residential & Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO) recommends exploring Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP) to maintain Ontario’s bridges and culverts. The County of Wellington Bridge Study analyzed…
Ontarians pay majority of road infrastructure costs
October 17, 2013 by STAFF REPORTResidents in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area paid almost $1 billion more in road taxes and fees from 2008 to 2010 than actual costs, according to a Conference Board of Canada report. And province-wide, more than $7.5 billion in…
PCA says Enbridge’s pipeline reversal will benefit construction industry
October 16, 2013 by STAFF REPORTThe Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA) is throwing its support behind Enbridge’s proposed reversal of Line 9 because it believes the pipeline will help sustain jobs in the Canadian construction industry. The association filed a written argument to the National…
B.C. Construction Association heading back to Ireland for recruits
October 15, 2013 by STAFF REPORTFacing a severe shortage in skilled tradespeople, the B.C. Construction Association is making its second recruiting trip to Ireland this year. It will be looking to hire 600 workers, and entice hundreds more, to uproot to Western Canada for jobs.…
Tsawwassen First Nation, Maple Reinders to build sewer treatment plant
October 15, 2013 by STAFF REPORTThe Tsawwassen First Nation and Maple Reinders Inc. are partnering to construct a new sanitary sewer treatment plant, replacing an older one, to service Tsawwassen lands in British Columbia. The contract for the sanitary plant includes a sequence batch reactor…
Ontario Construction Secretariat backs prompt payment legislation
October 15, 2013 by STAFF REPORTThe Ontario Construction Secretariat is supporting a private member’s bill that seeks to have timely payment for construction services enshrined in law. Bill 69, the Prompt Payment Act, would require that progress payments be made on a monthly basis at…
Ritchie Bros.’ CEO Peter Blake to step down in May 2014
October 10, 2013 by STAFF REPORTRitchie Bros. Auctioneers announced that CEO Peter Blake will step down in May 2014 when the company holds its next annual general meeting. Blake joined Ritchie Bros. in 1991 and has served as CEO of Ritchie Bros. since 2004. Under…
EllisDon, Carpenters’ Union urge the passing of Bill 74 to protect union jobs
October 10, 2013 by STAFF REPORTEllisDon Corp. and the Carpenters’ District Council of Ontario attended a committee hearing at Queen’s Park in Toronto on Oct.10 to advocate in support of passing Bill 74: the Fairness and Competitiveness in Ontario’s Construction Industry Act, 2013. Both believe…
Zeidler chosen to manage Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital project
October 10, 2013 by STAFF REPORTZeidler Partnership Architects has been selected to lead the planning, design and compliance aspects of the Mackenzie Vaughan Hospital project. The Toronto architectural firm will establish the design guidelines for the successful building team and monitor construction progress throughout the project. The…
Construction worker killed in Vancouver
October 10, 2013 by STAFF REPORTA construction worker is dead after being electrocuted on a job site late last week in Vancouver, B.C. when a crane contacted an overhead power line. According to a report in The Province, the incident happened around 10:20 a.m. on…
Lafarge Canada celebrates 40 years at Bath plant
October 8, 2013 by On-Site MagazineLafarge Canada marked 40 years of city and community building at its cement plant in Bath, Ont. by inviting the public inside the facility to celebrate. Built in 1973 following a merger between Canada Cement and Lafarge, the Bath Cement…
Humber College’s north campus to get new facility
October 8, 2013 by STAFF REPORTConstruction of a facility that will become the new main entrance to Humber College’s north campus (Etobicoke) in Toronto is officially underway. The Learning Resource Commons will be a six-storey, 260,000 sq. ft. academic support and student services facility. The…
REBRICK project produces solid results in Denmark
October 7, 2013 by STAFF REPORTWith two full-scale brick-cleaning facilities now operating in Denmark, a two-year project to reuse old bricks in new construction is showing strong signs of success. Backed by about $700,000 euros in funding under the EU’s Eco-Innovation programme, REBRICK consists of…
(VIDEO) Construction machines up for grabs on reality TV show
October 3, 2013 by STAFF REPORTA new show featuring high stakes auctions and sales of heavy equipment in Canada’s construction is now airing on the Cottage Life channel. Featuring Ritchie Bros., Selling Big, follows many colourful characters along a 13-episode journey as they vie to…
Ground breaks on le des Soeurs temporary bridge project
October 3, 2013 by STAFF REPORTGround has officially been broken for the île des Soeurs temporary causeway-bridge in Verdun, Que. The bypass will be in place until the île des Soeurs Bridge has been permanently replaced as part of the construction of the new bridge…
Toronto waterfront revitalization project keeping schedule
October 2, 2013 by STAFF REPORTThe Queens Quay Revitalization project is expected to be ready by the spring of 2015 for the Pan Am Games. The project involves a substantial overhaul, both above and below ground, of Toronto’s main waterfront area along the Queens Quay,…
CN denies fraud allegations made by former employee
October 2, 2013 by On-Site MagazineCN has released a statement rejecting allegations by a former employee that it defrauded GO Transit on commuter rail infrastructure projects in the Greater Toronto Area. Scott Holmes, former program supervisor for CN based in Toronto, claims GO Transit was…
Shortlist announced for Credit Valley Hospital redevelopment project
October 2, 2013 by PATRICK CALLANInfrastructure Ontario and Trillium Health Partners have shortlisted five companies to build and finance the Credit Valley Hospital Priority Areas Redevelopment Project. Based on a request for qualifications process that began in May, the list has been narrowed down to the…