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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.