News
Cement Association of Canada: “Proposed building code changes could jeopardize Ontarians’ safety”
May 22, 2013 by Cement Association of CanadaThe Cement Association of Canada (CAC) has expressed tremendous disappointment with those members of the building and construction industry who have called for changes to the Ontario Building Code (OBC) to allow construction of six-storey wood-frame buildings. The CAC is…
Close to 300,000 jobs remain unfilled in Q1
May 17, 2013 by Staff ReportThe percentage of unfilled private sector jobs remained steady at 2.5 per cent in the first quarter of 2013, representing approximately 295,000 full- and part-time jobs, according to data compiled by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB). “As the…
PCA and CLAC support proposed legislation to end construction labour monopolies
May 17, 2013 by Staff ReportThe Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA) and the Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC) were in Toronto to support the introduction of Private Members Legislation to stop closed tendering of construction projects in municipalities and school boards in Ontario.…
Euclid Admixture Canada president joins Standards Council of Canada
May 15, 2013 by STAFF REPORTThe Canadian government has appointed Claude Bédard, president of Euclid Admixture Canada Inc. to the Standards Council of Canada (SCC). Bédard will serve on the 13-member governing council that reviews, approves and advises the SCC on strategic direction. The council…
Tridel donates $3 million to George Brown construction program
May 14, 2013 by PATRICK CALLANGeorge Brown College’s construction program is $3 million richer thanks to a hefty donation from Tridel Corporation. Tridel is donating the money to the college’s Success at Work project––a $60 million fundraising campaign to help with the college’s expansion, which…
CAA searching for Ontario’s worst roads
May 14, 2013 by PATRICK CALLANThe Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) has launched its 10th annual Ontario’s Worst Roads Campaign to draw attention to infrastructure problems across the province. The CAA campaign encourages Ontarians to vote online during the month of May for roads that need…
OCS study aims to improve apprenticeship program
May 9, 2013 by PATRICK CALLANThe Ontario Construction Secretariat says union-employer partnerships account for the highest numbers of apprentices who become journeymen in Ontario, according to results from a study it released Thursday. The OCS commissioned study, Completion Counts: Raising Apprenticeship Completion Rates to Address…
Federal government funds clean energy projects in Ontario
May 7, 2013 by STAFF REPORTThe Government of Canada is investing close to $12 million in five innovative clean energy projects in Ontario. The projects fall under the government’s ecoEnergy Innovation Initiative––a program that has received $268 million in funding over five years for research,…
The Government of Canada launches refocused National Research Council
May 7, 2013 by Staff ReportThe National Research Council of Canada (NRC) has transformed into an industry-focused research and technology organization. The refocused NRC will work with Canadian industries to bridge technology gaps, helping build a more innovative Canadian economy. “NRC plays a pivotal role…
Lafarge Canada Inc., partners invests $8M in innovative low-carbon fuels at its Bath cement plant
May 7, 2013 by Staff ReportLafarge Canada Inc, Natural Resources Canada, the Queen’s Institute for Energy and Environmental Policy and Carbon Management Canada are joining forces and investing more than $8 million to develop innovative solutions to power Lafarge Canada’s cement plant in Bath, Ont.,…
UA launches national recruitment campaign to attract 25,000 new piping trade members
May 7, 2013 by Staff ReportThe United Association of Journeyman and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry of the United States and Canada (UA) launched a national marketing campaign this week in a bid to recruit 25,000 skilled piping trade professionals over the next…
Canadian Wood Council announces opportunity for high-rise wood demonstration projects
May 7, 2013 by On-Site MagazineThe Canadian Wood Council (CWC) has issued a request for an Expression of Interest (EOI) for Canadian developers, institutions, organizations and design teams willing to undertake an innovative approach to designing and building high-rise wood demonstration projects. With funding support…
Five left in Name That Park contest
May 7, 2013 by STAFF REPORTThe Name That Park contest in Toronto is down to the final five candidates: Ataratiri Park, Corktown Common, Don River Park, King’s Reserve and Wonscotonach Park. A total of 448 names were submitted by the public to The Grid’s contest…
Building permits up for third consecutive month
May 6, 2013 by Statistics CanadaContractors took out building permits worth $6.5 billion in March, up 8.6 per cent from February and the third consecutive monthly advance. The March increase came mostly from the non-residential sector in Ontario and Alberta. The value of non-residential building permits rose 19…
$35B in infrastructure spending planned over 3 years
May 3, 2013 by cp24.comOntario’s minority Liberals used Thursday’s budget to clearly signal their dedication to bolstering the province’s infrastructure by allocating $35 billion in spending over three years, one of the largest commitments to a single element in their fiscal plan. The province…
Habitat for Humanity homes built at PCL facility
May 2, 2013 by STAFF REPORTTwo low-income Niagara families are getting ready to become new homeowners thanks to a joint partnership between Habitat for Humanity and PCL Constructors Canada Inc., and the help of more than 100 volunteers. The first half of the project––building the…
Federal government tightens temporary foreign worker program
May 1, 2013 by STAFF REPORTThe federal government has announced sweeping legislative, regulatory and administrative changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program. The changes will see stricter conditions and increased costs put in place when it comes to hiring temporary foreign workers––a move designed to…
Contractors pause to recognize Day of Mourning
April 30, 2013 by Staff ReportCanadians held ceremonies in communities across the country on Sunday to remember workers who were killed, injured or developed a serious illness while on the job. The Day of Mourning is a nationally recognized day in Canada that is commemorated…
Structal-Bridges lands major contracts in Newfoundland and Labrador and Massachusetts
April 25, 2013 by Staff ReportStructal-Bridges, a division of Canam Group Inc., has secured two large contracts totaling close to $60 million for the fabrication of the steel structures that will replace the Sir Ambrose Shea Lift Bridge in Placentia, located in the province of…
Campaign builds for LRT Community Benefits Agreement; Network prepares submission for Metrolinx
April 25, 2013 by Staff ReportCommunity leaders in Toronto are mobilizing to advocate for a legally binding Community Benefits Agreement as part of the $4.6-billion contract to be awarded by Metrolinx for the construction of the Eglinton Crosstown and Scarborough Light Rapid Transit lines. The…