News
Ontario to allow all construction work to resume next week
May 14, 2020 by David KennedyAfter an approximately six-week closure, all sites are poised to reopen Tuesday
Stuart Olson revenue ticks up in first quarter, anticipates ‘gradual’ return to normal post-pandemic
May 14, 2020 by On-Site StaffStuart Olson Inc. posted a small increase in revenue in the first quarter of 2020 as it began reacting to the COVID-19 crisis. The Calgary-based contractor said its revenue amounted to $224.9 million for the first three months of the…
From crisis to recovery: The emerging landscape for estimating, budgets and outcome construction costs
May 13, 2020 by Arif Ghaffur, FRICSThe discussion about opening up the Canadian economy continues in parallel with an increasing desire to get back to business, albeit indications are that it is not going to be “business as usual.” There is recognition that the transition from…
Bird sees revenue rise in Q1, expects profitable 2020 despite COVID-19
May 13, 2020 by On-Site StaffMore industrial work helped Bird Construction Inc. record a nearly 23 per cent increase in revenue in the first quarter of 2020 and shifted its bottom line into the black. The company posted $321.6 million in revenue for the first…
Feds unveil new COVID-19 stream for provincial infrastructure program
May 12, 2020 by Mia Rabson, The Canadian PressOTTAWA—The federal government is preparing to spend more than $3 billion in infrastructure money on projects to make facilities more pandemic-resistant and encourage outdoor activities in the age of COVID-19, Infrastructure Minister Catherine McKenna says. McKenna told The Canadian Press…
Ontario pulls plug on new Halton courthouse at tail end of procurement
May 12, 2020 by On-Site StaffInstead of revealing a winning bidder for a major new courthouse in Oakville, Ont., the province is cancelling the project. Attorney General Doug Downey announced the decision to pull the plug on the Halton Region Consolidated Courthouse May 8. For…
COVID-19 prompts urbanites to rethink ‘grand bargain’ of dense city living, with major implications for builders
May 11, 2020 by Giuseppe Valiante, The Canadian PressMONTREAL—The densely populated slums of Montreal’s Griffintown were the subject of a famous 1897 study by businessman and philanthropist Herbert Ames, whose work on the disease-ridden tenements influenced generations of urban planners on how to develop healthy cities. Ames’s study,…
Construction labour market walloped in April, with job losses topping 300,000
May 8, 2020 by David KennedyThe extent of the job losses is considerable, but the vast majority of the lay-offs are expected to be temporary
Manitoba bolts $500M onto infrastructure spending plan to stimulate economy
May 7, 2020 by On-Site StaffWith the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic seemingly behind it, Manitoba is shifting into recovery. Premier Brian Pallister announced a $500 million increase to the province’s two-year infrastructure spending plan May 7. “As Manitoba continues to flatten the COVID curve,…
Dexter, Nova construction consortium wins $718M contract for highway twinning project
May 7, 2020 by The Canadian PressHALIFAX—A contract been awarded for the twinning of a notorious stretch of the Trans-Canada Highway in northeastern Nova Scotia. The province says Dexter Nova Alliance outbid two other companies shortlisted for the $717.9 million project. The consortium is to design,…
Sidewalk Labs pulls out of smart city project planned for Toronto waterfront
May 7, 2020 by Tara Deschamps, The Canadian PressThe Google affiliate had pitched a wide range of innovative ideas for the smart city project, but faced criticism over privacy protections
‘Booster-shot’ adds $2B to Saskatchewan’s infrastructure spending plan
May 7, 2020 by On-Site StaffSaskatchewan is tacking an extra $2 billion in infrastructure spending onto its capital plan to help spur the province’s economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Premier Scott Moe announced the updated two-year, $7.5 billion capital plan May 6.…
More work on multi-unit residential projects allowed to restart in Ontario
May 6, 2020 by On-Site StaffOntario continues to add more aspects of the construction industry to its essential service list as it makes good on its commitment to gradually reopen the industry. In a press conference May 6, Premier Doug Ford said below-grade work on…
ICUEE rebrands as The Utility Expo ahead of 2021 event
May 6, 2020 by On-Site StaffUtility pros planning to arrive in Louisville, Ky. for the International Construction and Utility Equipment Exposition (ICUEE) next fall will find a new banner hanging over the Kentucky Exposition Center. The biennial show has rebranded as The Utility Expo ahead…
Man arrested in Vancouver after climbing crane, getting machine started
May 6, 2020 by The Canadian PressA man is in custody after climbing a crane tower at a construction site on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. Sergeant Aaron Roed says the man scaled the crane last night and was able to get into the operating booth and start…
Construction outlook darkens, but extent of COVID-19 fallout uncertain as industry scrambles to adjust
May 5, 2020 by David KennedyHow long physical distancing rules remain in place and how quickly the economy can bounce back will shape how construction weathers the crisis
Construction, infrastructure expectations take sharp turn in Q1 as COVID ‘shock’ stokes fears
May 5, 2020 by On-Site StaffStrongly positive sentiment heading into 2020 turned negative during the first quarter as the COVID-19 crisis broadsided the building industry. Fears over a struggling economy in the wake of widespread shutdowns have persisted, despite significant fiscal intervention from government, according…
Not ‘like flipping a light switch’: Ontario construction sector to reopen gradually, minister says
May 4, 2020 by David KennedyWith the industry’s reopening process starting this week, the supply of PPE will play a major role in getting workers back on job sites
Toronto speeds up infrastructure work to take advantage of quieter streets
May 4, 2020 by David KennedyWith 45 to 65 per cent less traffic on Toronto roads, the city is making use of the pandemic-related slowdown to speed up a number of planned infrastructure projects. “Despite the current challenges we are facing with COVID-19, this is…
Ontario loosens restrictions on construction, will allow work to restart on some projects May 4
May 1, 2020 by On-Site StaffExcavation and other site prep for projects in the industrial, commercial and institution (ICI) and residential segments will be allowed to resume