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Professional Development/Skills Training
September 3, 2010
Photovoltaic training program aimed at improving safety
A new national electrician certification program designed for working with photovoltaic equipment will improve safety and ensure effective installation in this emerging field, says Canada’s largest electrician union.
September 2, 2010
Ground broken on Halifax RCMP headquarters
The federal government has broken ground on a new $59-million home in Nova Scotia for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
September 2, 2010
Jobsite safety a shared duty: Mechanical Contractors Association
Who is responsible for safety on the jobsite: the individual, the government, the safety director, the worker or all of the above?
September 1, 2010
Halifax farmers’ market project a testament to local skills
For RCS Construction and Lydon Lynch Architects Ltd., the recent opening of the $12 million Halifax Seaport farmers’ market marked the successful completion of what is being called one of North America’s most environmentally sustainable buildings.
August 31, 2010
Plenty of work ahead as Ontario construction-site safety blitz ends
Though Ontario’s construction safety awareness campaign ends today, there is still plenty of work ahead to improve health and safety practice across the province, industry stakeholders say.
August 30, 2010
Ontario General Contractors Association adds new member to safety team
The Ontario General Contractors Association has bolstered its WSIB and health and safety expertise with the recently announced addition of David Frame to its safety team, says its president.
August 30, 2010
Barrie Construction Association partners with Georgian College on courses
The Barrie Construction Association (BCA) and Georgian College are partnering to offer BCA members a series of continuing education courses. First up this fall is a 30-hour, Gold Seal-certified construction law course.
August 27, 2010
Haiti vocational school to commemorate New Brunswick RCMP officer
Fundraising efforts to build a vocational school in Haiti commemorating RCMP Sgt. Mark Gallagher were launched this week in his home province on New Brunswick.
August 27, 2010
Hamilton water treatment plant stays in service during rebuilding operation
Hamilton’s iconic Woodward Avenue Water Treatment Plant is receiving a $25 million structural and architectural reincarnation that involves the staged demolition and reconstruction of the four quadrants of the plant’s filter building along with some process upgrades.
August 26, 2010
Municipal Engineers Association seeks input on streamlining environmental assessments
The Municipal Engineers Association (MEA) would like construction industry input on how to best integrate the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) with the planning process.
August 26, 2010
Accessibility compliance focus of Ontario General Contractors Association seminar
With an accessibility standard for customer service in force in the province’s public sector, the Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA) has scheduled a full-day seminar to bring firms up to speed when doing business with government agencies.
August 24, 2010
‘Education over prosecution,’ Construction Industry Task Force urges
To kick-start a change in Ontario’s safety culture, a combination of prevention and responsibility improvements coupled with mandatory entry-level training are needed, says the Construction Industry Task Force.
August 19, 2010
Industry concerned with post-stimulus ‘infrastructure deficit’
Though the Construction Sector Council finds that Ontario construction has entered a recovery phase, as stimulus works heads down the stretch, continued growth requires better long-term planning, industry stakeholders say.
August 19, 2010
Ontario creates stand-alone infrastructure ministry
Construction now has a stand-alone infrastructure ministry to deal with in Ontario following an August 18 Queen’s Park shuffle by Premier Dalton McGuinty. McGuinty has separated the former “super ministry” of infrastructure and energy into two separate entities.
August 19, 2010
Construction begins on new railway at Port Metro Vancouver
Port Metro Vancouver has started construction of a new railway bridge and underpass to relieve a transportation bottleneck and upgrade infrastructure at port facilities in North Vancouver.
August 18, 2010
Canadian Institute of Steel Construction launches Steel Day to build profile
Inspired by the success of a program launched last year in the United States, the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC) is sponsoring a cross-country networking and educational event called SteelDay.
August 17, 2010
Municipalities need new revenue sources: Canadian Construction Association
Increased gas tax revenues and new revenue generating powers for municipalities are needed for Canada to ultimately increase its productivity and upgrade its infrastructure, says the Canadian Construction Association.
August 16, 2010
61 charges laid in fatal 2009 Toronto swing-stage accident
Sixty-one charges have been laid under the Occupational Health and Safety Act against the employer and supplier connected to the 2009 Toronto Christmas Eve swing-stage accident which claimed four worker lives.
August 16, 2010
Terrazzo, Tile & Marble Guild of Ontario names new executive director
David St. Louis has been appointed executive director of the Terrazzo, Tile & Marble Guild of Ontario, Inc. (TTMGO), the Terrazzo, Tile & Marble Trade School and The Toronto & District Marble, Tile & Terrazzo Contractors’ Association.
August 13, 2010
Raised roundabout nears completion in London, Ontario
By the end of the year, London will have solved a longtime bottleneck and accident-prone intersection east of downtown with a raised roundabout, billed as the first of its kind in Canada.
August 12, 2010
Awareness about qualifications-based selection still lacking, survey finds
A survey commissioned by the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies-Canada shows considerable work still needs to be done when it comes to educating clients on qualifications-based selection (QBS).
August 12, 2010
London & District Construction Association to publish BIM guides
The London & District Construction Association (LDCA) is poised to publish a series of simplified Building Information Modeling (BIM) guides.
August 11, 2010
Conestoga College seeks construction industry support for pre-apprenticeship program
Conestoga College is looking for industry support to help secure a pre-apprenticeship program for heavy equipment operators for tractor-loader-backhoe.
August 11, 2010
Stimulus spending controversy continues in Australia
Prime Minister Julia Gillard defended the billions of dollars her government spent to stimulate Australia’s economy after a recently released report exposed inflated prices and mismanagement in a school building program.
August 11, 2010
Western Canada looks to older worker program to help with future labour needs
A new program is training older workers and retirees to help fill the gap in Saskatchewan’s tight construction labour market. The president of the Saskatchewan Construction Association said he sees the value of the initiative.
August 10, 2010
EllisDon continues construction on Hospital for Sick Children research institute in Toronto
Concrete work progresses on the new Hospital for Sick Children research institute in Toronto. EllisDon Corp. is construction manager for the 21-storey facility, which will include research labs, education and conference space, retail space and three levels of underground parking.
August 10, 2010
Firms deploy young professionals to promote engineering careers
Young professionals employed in consulting engineering firms in five provinces have mobilized to promote career development within their ranks as well as to boost engineering students’ awareness of potential careers in the industry.
August 9, 2010
Electronic bidding comes of age in British Columbia
The British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA) has changed the name of its electronic bidding system to BidCentral to create a new brand as well as an online center for a suite of services and documents.
August 6, 2010
Residential and Civil Construction Alliance’s Manahan takes plunge at international swim event
Andy Manahan of the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario has left Queen’s Park’s lobby waters this week to swim in Sweden at the 2010 FINA World Masters Championship.
August 6, 2010
Canada loses 9,300 net jobs in July
A key engine of Canada’s remarkable recovery stalled last month as the economy shed 9,300 net jobs, and the unemployment rate rose for the first time in almost a year.
August 5, 2010
Lack of local workers on Wuskwatim Dam project riles Manitoba union
A carpenters’ union in Manitoba is upset that workers from outside the province are being given preference on the $1.3-billion Wuskwatim Dam project.
August 4, 2010
Council of Ontario Construction Associations calls for mandatory training for workers, firms
Suggestions from mandatory entry-level safety training to a new provincial safety body were among the ideas presented to Ontario’s health and safety review, a sample of industry submissions reveals.
| MOST POPULAR STORIES |
- Four companies short-listed to renovate London, Ontario hospital
- Delcan to provide enegineering services for Highway 407 extension
- Hamilton water treatment plant stays in service during rebuilding operation
- Plenty of work ahead as Ontario construction-site safety blitz ends
- Construction, engineering companies mergers increased in Q2: Report
- 20 Most Popular Stories
| TODAY’S TOP CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS |
These projects have been selected from 263 projects with a total value of $8,919,878,049 that Reed Construction Data Building Reports reported on yesterday.
$120,000,000 Ottawa ON Negotiated
CONDOMINIUM APARTMENT BUILDING
$120,000,000 Toronto ON Negotiated
$50,000,000 Ottawa ON Prebid
| CURRENT STORIES |
- Ground broken on Halifax RCMP headquarters
- Fanshawe College’s new Centre for Applied Transportation Technologies goes green
- Vanbots continues work on York University Life Sciences Building in Toronto
- Manitoba introduces new farm building code
- Heavy rains wash away bridges to Nova Scotia fishing village
- South Korea calls for financial safety net
- Jobsite safety a shared duty: Mechanical Contractors Association
- New technology could help find Jimmy Hoffa: Study
- Crane operator certification deadline looms in British Columbia
- High-tech oil sands project near Fort McMurray, Alberta could change industry
- Saskatoon bridge closed indefinitely over structural concerns
- City of Regina project turns up all sorts of surprises
- Awareness about qualifications-based selection lacking: Survey
- Canadian Institute of Steel Construction launches Steel Day
- Saskatchewan bridge collapses, causing crane to topple
- Crane tips over, killing worker and injuring two
- Saskatoon man pulled from hole at construction site
- Churchill airport gets government cash for infrastructure upgrades
- Stantec acquires health care architectural firm
| ALEX’S ECONOMICS BLOG |

Reed Construction Data Chief Economist Alex Carrick discusses current developments in the North American economic environment with emphasis on the construction industry.
- Canada’s construction starts in a transition phase (August 27, 2010)
- U.S. initial jobless claims rise to half a million again (August 19, 2010)
- It’s been 35 years since institutional construction starts as strong (August 6, 2010)
- More












