News
Crews begin cutting away pieces of collapsed crane sprawled over Halifax building
October 15, 2019 by David KennedyThe collapse more than a month ago has resulted in evacuation orders for surrounding buildings and led the province to declare a localized state of emergency
Missing worker search goes on in New Orleans hotel collapse
October 14, 2019 by The Associated PressNEW ORLEANS—Officials in New Orleans say they are continuing to look for one person missing in the rubble of a hotel that collapsed while under construction. Fire Chief Tim McConnell said Oct. 13 that crews are assembling a 220,000-pound (99,800-kilogram)…
Hotel collapse in New Orleans leaves one dead, two missing
October 12, 2019 by Chevel Johnson And Kevin McGill, The Associated PressNEW ORLEANS—A large section of a Hard Rock Hotel under construction beside New Orleans’ historic French Quarter collapsed Oct. 12 amid blinding dust and flying debris, killing one person and injuring more than 20. Rescue workers headed into what was…
Construction job market continues to seesaw with solid September gain
October 11, 2019 by On-Site StaffThe back and forth in the construction labour market experienced over the past several months continued into September with a significant number of new jobs added during the first month of fall. Employers added 9,800 workers to payroll in September…
Contractor fined $150K for injury resulting from rope snapping during Burlington, Ont. bridge work
October 11, 2019 by On-Site StaffAn Ontario contractor that carries out mainly electrical work has been fined $150,000 for a worker injury during a repair project on the Burlington Canal Vertical Lift Bridge, which straddles Burlington and Hamilton, Ont. According to the province’s Ministry of…
Scheer pledges federal support for Toronto’s Ontario Line and Yonge Subway Extension
October 10, 2019 by Megan HoeglerTORONTO—Federal Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer announced his party’s commitment to financially support two proposed Toronto Transit Commission expansion projects Oct. 8. Scheer was joined by Markham mayor, Frank Scarpitti and Richmond Hill mayor, David Barrow when he announced his commitment…
Leaders’ debate: Trudeau defends efforts to save SNC-Lavalin jobs. He’s right
October 9, 2019 by Bill FlanaganThe SNC-Lavalin scandal has weighed on the prime minister and the Liberals since early this year
Nova Scotia issues RFP for big expansion of Cape Breton hospital
October 9, 2019 by On-Site StaffThe Nova Scotia government is looking for a contractor to head construction of a major hospital expansion project on the outskirts of Sydney, N.S. This spring, the province announced a significant scale-up of the Cape Breton Regional Hospital, with plans…
Labour shortages are holding back the construction sector: Here’s what governments and businesses can do
October 9, 2019 by Dan KellyHaving the right people for the job can make or break a small business. With a smaller team to rely on and fewer resources to devote to hiring, any unfilled position is a strain on productivity. So it’s not surprising…
EllisDon taps two industry veterans to take over operations of Toronto Buildings Group
October 7, 2019 by On-Site StaffEllisDon Corp. has named two new vice-presidents of operations within its Toronto Buildings Group. Replacing Tim Smith, who has spent more than three decades with the company and is currently serving as the interim senior vice-president of operations for the…
Record heat takes little away from ICUEE 2019 as utility contractors swarm three-day Louisville show
October 4, 2019 by On-Site StaffLOUISVILLE, Ky.—Records of all sorts were left trampled at this year’s International Construction & Utility Equipment Exposition (ICUEE) at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville Oct. 1-3. Unrelenting temperatures — that broke record October highs for the city — didn’t…
Worker, 38, dead after collision with truck at Calgary area jobsite
October 4, 2019 by The Canadian PressAIRDRIE, Alta.—RCMP say a construction worker has been killed in a job site accident just north of Calgary. Mounties and emergency medical crews were called to a residential area on the south side of Airdrie shortly before 2:30 p.m. Oct.…
‘Nation-building’ or folly? Project to build costly tunnel between Labrador and Newfoundland resurfaces
October 3, 2019 by Holly McKenzie-Sutter, The Canadian PressST. JOHN’S, N.L.—The federal Liberals’ campaign platform has rekindled discussions of a costly proposal to build a tunnel connecting the island of Newfoundland to Labrador. The platform released Sept. 29 makes only one specific reference to Newfoundland and Labrador, in…
TransAlta to build $105M cogeneration plant at natural gas facility in northern Alberta
October 3, 2019 by The Canadian PressCALGARY—TransAlta Corp. says it is partnering with SemCAMS Midstream ULC to build a $105-million power-and-steam cogeneration facility at a natural gas processing plant near Fox Creek in northern Alberta. TransAlta says it will pay for and construct the 40-megawatt plant…
Ontario Labour ministry inspectors to conduct safety blitz to prevent common injuries
October 2, 2019 by Shawn Jeffords, The Canadian PressTORONTO—Inspectors from the Ontario Ministry of Labour will hold a “workplace safety blitz” in the coming months in an effort to prevent the most common on-the-job injuries. Labour Minister Monte McNaughton says the three-month project — running from Oct. 1…
Changes coming to SMS: Dealer to begin carrying Bomag, Cemen Tech equipment, no longer Wirtgen
October 1, 2019 by On-Site StaffSeveral big changes are coming to the equipment lineup at SMS Equipment Inc. The company announced Oct. 1 it will begin carrying Bomag’s compaction and paving equipment, as well as Cemen Tech’s volumetric concrete mixers and cement storage silos. The…
Amazon planning sprawling new warehouse in Toronto
September 30, 2019 by On-Site StaffTORONTO—Amazon is continuing its rapid scale-up of warehouse operations in Ontario with a new fulfillment centre on the east end of Toronto. The U.S. online retail giant said last week it’s planning to build a new one million sq. ft.…
Non-permanent construction materials and rental equipment: To lien or not to lien
September 30, 2019 by Tim SportschuetzA number of construction industry participants subscribe to the principle that contractors (and subcontractors) who provide to a construction site non-permanent rental equipment or materials do not have builders’ lien rights. In this article, I discuss whether the British Columbia…
Scheer pledges to scrap Infrastructure Bank if elected, accuses Liberals of botching spending
September 30, 2019 by The Canadian PressCOQUITLAM, B.C.—Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer is promising to prioritize infrastructure spending on projects intended to cut commuting times. Among the projects he pledged federal dollars towards in a campaign stop last week are the George Massey tunnel replacement project in…
Marking the way to driverless cars? Ontario’s 407 ETR, 3M team up to test novel road tape
September 28, 2019 by On-Site StaffTORONTO—Though still very much at the test stage, driverless cars are slowly making their way onto Canadian streets. Earlier this summer, 3M Canada and 407 ETR Concession Company Ltd. — the private group that operates Ontario’s Hwy. 407 — announced…