DECEMBER 2021
> IN SIDE < C
TOP 40 UNDER 40
CELEBRATING CANADA’S LEADERS IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
SOFTWARE
CLOSING THE DATA GAP
CONTRACTORS AND THE LAW MANDATORY ARBITRATION IN CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS
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VOLUME 66, NO.7/DECEMBER 2021
FORECAST 13 Welcome letter 14 Endless opportunity There is no shortage of work next year, but managing uncertainty surrounding supply chains will be key for success
20 Top 10 trends for 2022 CCA president discusses key considerations in the year ahead
IN THIS ISSUE 5 Comment
12
Building back while looking forward
7 News
The major developments
10 Construction Stats The key figures
22 2022 Pick-up report The latest on light- and heavy-duty models
27 Top 40 Under 40 Celebrating Canada’s leaders in the construction industry
22
27
52 Concrete products showcase A look at some of the latest innovations in the concrete industry
COLUMNS 59 Software
Closing the data gap
COVER PHOTO: © YORLANDO FLORIN ROSU / ADOBE STOCK
60 Risk Early involvement, greater collaboration and common technology platforms converge to improve project outcomes
62 Contractors and the Law
61 Index of Advertisers
Mandatory arbitration in construction contracts
CONCRETE ON-SITE 49
World of Concrete 2022 show preview
Canadian Concrete Expo is back!
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The popular show for concrete professionals will feature the latest technologies for concrete applications and its popular education program
CCE will be returning to The International Centre in Mississauga this February with a wide array of exhibitors and live demonstrations for concrete professionals
A look at the winners of the 2021 Ontario Concrete Awards
Celebrating the best of concrete
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COMMENT
Building back while looking forward
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As we approached press time for this edition of On-Site, floods hit in both the east and west, damaging critical infrastructure and impacting the ability to get people and goods to some communities. Provinces face the task of repairing and replacing impacted transportation infrastructure. In B.C., the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure has already started soliciting companies for their assistance in repairing the damaged highways and other roadways. Just recently, the province sent out a request for qualifications to construction and engineering firms for the repair of two of the province’s most damaged roads: Highway 8 and Highway 1 (also known as the Trans-Canada Highway, Canada’s coast-to-coast highway system). While there will certainly be contracting firms ready to step up and assist the province and its residents in the repairs and replacements needed to get transportation infrastructure back up and running, there are additional factors in play this year that may prevent projects from being completed as quickly as the provinces, and their residents, would like. The COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the global economy as well as local economies across Canada. Pandemic-related supply chain disruptions already have projects facing serious delays. Many of these building material shortages can be attributed to a combination of a lack of raw materials for OEMs, a shortage of available ships to transport goods from Asia, and a lack of port infrastructure to process and offload the ships arriving in ports across North America. While these supply challenges are expected to be temporary, they will certainly cause headaches for project managers trying to squeeze new projects into their already busy schedules.
Another challenge is that many companies are already busy with projects. The industry is seeing a boost in public and private investment for almost all types of infrastructure, so availability of skilled labour may further stretch viable timeframes for projects (for more on this, see our 2022 Forecast on page 11). Since this is a state of emergency, the province will surely do its best to prioritize getting these projects shovel-ready as soon as possible, but getting such projects to the finish line will be more challenging than normal. When these roads are rebuilt, a great deal of planning will need to go into how this infrastructure is designed for dealing with potential future flooding in the new reality we live in with rising temperatures and climate change. The rebuilding process would also be an ideal time for these provinces to review their remaining aging transportation infrastructure and take a hard look at what improvements will need to be made to protect those assets and the residents that depend on them for their day-to-day commuting and safe travels. B.C. Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Rob Fleming recently told news reporters that the roads and bridges will be build back better than they were, stating, “Our infrastructure will be rebuilt to withstand the new climate realities that we find ourselves in.” Let’s hope that this is indeed the case, as this recent flooding is unlikely to be the only impending disaster stemming from the realities of a changing climate, especially in coastal provinces like B.C. and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Adam Freill / Editor afreill@annexbusinessmedia.com
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CONTRIBUTORS
MEET OUR CONTRIBUTORS FOR THIS ISSUE VOLUME 66, NO.7/December 2021 www.on-sitemag.com
MARIO CYWINSKI / Canadian Automotive Journalist On the trends for the latest pick-up truck models: “The big changes in the pick-up space for 2022 are in the 1500 sized group, with Toyota redesigning their U.S.-built Tundra, Ford adding a fully electric version of its F-150 (Lightning), General Motors refreshing its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra models, and Stellantis making a series of package additions and changes.”
READER SERVICE Print and digital subscription inquiries or changes, please contact Urszula Grzyb, AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT MANAGER Email: ugrzyb@annexbusinessmedia.com Tel: (416) 510-5180 Fax: (416) -510-6875 Mail: 111 Gordon Baker Road, Suite 400, Toronto, ON M2H 3R1 PUBLISHER | Peter Leonard (416) 510-6847 pLeonard@on-sitemag.com EDITOR | Adam Freill (416) 510-6821 afreill@annexbusinessmedia.com
JACOB STOLLER / Principal, StollerStrategies On remote closing the data gap: “More than their peers in almost any other industry, construction executives rely on disparate sources of data for their make-or-break decisions.”
MEDIA DESIGNER | Lisa Zambri lzambri@annexbusinessmedia.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER | David Skene (416) 510-6884 dskene@on-sitemag.com ACCOUNT COORDINATOR | Kim Rossiter (416) 510-6794 krossiter@on-sitemag.com COO | Scott Jamieson sjamieson@annexbusinessmedia.com
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DAVID BOWCOTT / Global Director – Growth, Innovation & Insight, Global Construction and Infrastructure Group at Aon Risk Solutions On how early involvement, greater collaboration and common technology platforms converge to improve project outcomes: “It seems only natural that outcomes will be more certain when you have all key stakeholders involved at the very early stages in the birth of an asset. This will align vision and strategies related to design, construction, and operations.”
ISSN: 1910-118X (Print) ISSN 2371-8544 (Online) SUBSCRIPTION RATES Canada $49.50 per year, United States $113.00 per year, Other foreign $136.50, Single Copy Canada $13.50. On-Site is published 7 times per year except for occasional combined, expanded or premium issues, which count as two subscription issues. Occasionally, On-Site will mail information on behalf of industry-related groups whose products and services we believe may be of interest to you. If you prefer not to receive this information, please contact our circulation department in any of the four ways listed above. Annex Business Media Privacy Officer privacy@annexbusinessmedia.com Tel: 800-668-2374 Content copyright ©2021 by Annex Business Media may not be reprinted without permission.
NICOLA CREMA / Associate, Borden Ladner Gervais LLP On mandatory arbitration in construction contracts: “Mandatory arbitration clauses can significantly affect the dispute resolution process between parties, and close attention should be paid to these clauses during contract negotiations.”
On-Site receives unsolicited materials (including letters to the editor, press releases, promotional items and images) from time to time. On-Site, its affiliates and assignees may use, reproduce, publish, re-publish, distribute, store and archive such unsolicited submissions in whole or in part in any form or medium whatsoever, without compensation of any sort. DISCLAIMER This publication is for informational purposes only The content and “expert” advice presented are not intended as a substitute for informed professional engineering advice. You should not act on information contained in this publication without seeking specific advice from qualified engineering professionals.
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INDUSTRY NEWS
INDUSTRY>NEWS New petrochemical facility coming to Alberta Northern Petrochemical Corporation has announced that it plans to build a $2.5-billion carbon-neutral ammonia and methanol production facility in the Municipal District of Greenview in Alberta. This project will provide a big boost to the province’s economic momentum by creating over 4,000 jobs during the construction phase and 400 permanent positions upon completion. The petrochemical facility will be part of the Greenview Industrial Gateway, a planned industrial sector, and will further diversify the Grande Prairie region. This investment is part of Alberta’s Recovery Plan, designed to create jobs and diversify the province’s economy. “The announcement of this huge new job-creating project adds even more momentum to Alberta’s exciting economic recovery,” says Alberta Premier Jason Kenney. He adds that Northern Petro-
chemical’s decision to build this facility proves that the province’s natural gas vision and petrochemical strategy is working. This will the first facility of its kind in Canada given the plans to employ carbon capture and storage to produce very low-carbon products that can be used in the energy, agriculture and chemical industries. “This investment is another example of how Alberta is attracting world-scale hydrogen production facilities via blue ammonia and methanol products,” says Dale Nally, Associate Minister of Natural Gas and Electricity.
Ontario announces that Highway 413 is going ahead Despite environmental objections from several groups, Ontario is moving ahead with plans to build Highway 413, a new 400-series highway across the Halton, Peel and York regions. The purpose behind this new transit corridor is to relieve gridlock, improve the movement of goods and cut commute times. It will also create plenty of jobs. “With Halton, Peel and York regions all set to grow at incredible speed, our government is saying yes to building the roads and highways that will keep these communities moving,” said Premier Doug Ford. He added that thousands of jobs will be created by this project, which is a key component of the province’s “Building Ontario” plan to beef up infrastructure. Ontario expects Highway 413 to benefit the Greater Golden Horseshoe area in many ways, including attracting increased investment in auto manufacturing and other industries. “Highway 413 will save drivers up to 30 minutes each way on their commute,
adding up to one hour per day and five hours per week in people’s schedules. This relief will be the difference between sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic and having dinner with your family at home,” said Caroline Mulroney, Minister of Transportation. The highway will run from Highway 400 in the east to the Highway 401/407 express toll route interchange in the west, and will feature four-to-six lanes, separate infrastructure dedicated for transit and passenger stations, and intelligent transportation and truck parking. Preliminary design for the preferred route has already begun. “Investing in transportation infrastructure, like Highway 413, will not only improve our productivity and encourage economic growth by allowing goods to get to market faster, it will also have a measurable impact on the quality of life for Ontario drivers so they can spend more time with friends and family,” said Peter Bethlenfalvy, Minister of Finance.
Vinci Construction to acquire Canadian contractors Vinci Construction has signed an agreement to acquire the construction companies of the Northern Group of Companies in Atlantic Canada. If approved by Canadian competition authorities, Vinci will acquire the family-run group of public works contractors operating in roadworks, asphalt mixes and aggregates production in the provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The targeted companies have around 500 employees at peak season. In 2020, they generated $93 million in consolidated revenue. Vinci currently employs 5,500 people in Canada, including 4,000 at Vinci Construction, and earned approximately $1.57 billion in revenue in the country in 2020. Globally, Vinci is engaged in infrastructure and property construction, transport infrastructure concessions, and energy, and employs more than 217,000 people in 100 countries. on-sitemag.com / 7
INDUSTRY NEWS RFQ issued for Surrey hospital Residents in and around Surrey, B.C., are a step closer to having a new hospital and cancer centre. Fraser Health Authority has issued the request for qualifications (RFQ) for the facility, which will feature 168 in-patient beds, a surgical/perioperative suite with five operating rooms, four procedure rooms, an emergency department with 55 treatment spaces, and virtual care options in all clinical service areas. An integrated cancer centre will include an oncology/ambulatory care unit with 50 exam rooms, 54 chemotherapy treatment spaces and room for six linear accelerators for radiation therapy. Through the RFQ process, Fraser Health Authority will identify a short list of up to three qualified proponents who will be invited to participate in the request for proposal (RFP) stage, which will determine the company leading the design and construction of the project. The RFQ process is expected to be
Volvo and Holcim testing autonomous electric haulers
finalized in early 2022, followed by the RFP process. Construction is expected to start in 2023, with the facility being ready for patients in 2027. The new hospital will significantly expand the availability of healthcare services for people in Surrey. In addition to adding hospital beds in the region, it will also have a medical imaging department, including three computed tomography (CT) scanners and two magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines. Additionally, there will be a dedicated area for spiritual care and family gatherings. The total project cost is estimated at $1.66 billion and is currently funded by the province. Fraser Health and the Provincial Health Services Authority are working with the Surrey Hospitals Foundation and BC Cancer Foundation to explore potential funding opportunities.
Volvo Autonomous Solutions and Holcim Switzerland have teamed up to test autonomous electric haulers in a limestone quarry in Siggenthal, Switzerland. This initiative is part of each company’s goal to find infrastructure and transport solutions that are safe, efficient, innovative and sustainable. These battery-electric haulers are the world’s first commercially-available CE-certified transport solution and are quieter, more sustainable and safer than conventional haulers. This project is part of Holcim’s “Plants of Tomorrow” digitization initiative, which includes the testing of automation technologies, robotics and AI throughout the production process with the goal of creating safer, more efficient and more sustainable cement production.
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CALGARY EDMONTON FREDERICTON HALIFAX ST. JOHN’S TORONTO VANCOUVER WINNIPEG 8 / DECEMBER 2021 OnSite_MKA_Dec21.indd 1
2021-11-25 4:00 PM
The Montreal Port Authority (MPA) has launched the request for qualifications (RFQ) for the Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Maintain of the largest expansion project in the history of the Port of Montreal, the Contrecœur terminal. With the support of Canada Infrastructure Bank and the Government of Quebec, the Port of Montreal and its partners plan to develop a new state-of-the-art container terminal able to handle up to 1.15 million containers. By issuing this RFQ, the MPA aims to find the best possible strategic partnership that can meet the high standards of the project in terms of innovation, efficiency, social responsibility and sustainable development. The goal is to enter into a long-term agreement to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the terminal. The RFQ will remain open to national and international industry players for the
next three months. “The future Contrecœur container terminal will play a mission-critical role in developing the strategic St. Lawrence trade corridor and in supplying Quebec, Ontario and the U.S. Midwest. It will be a green, modern and innovative terminal with facilities that feature extensive electrification,” stated Martin Imbleau, president and CEO of the MPA. Bidders must demonstrate experience in the design, construction and operation of new port infrastructure, as well as other criteria. The Contrecœur container terminal is the largest expansion project in the history of the Port of Montreal. The project has support from both levels of government, a favourable report from the Canadian Impact Assessment Agency, and a decision statement from the Minister of Environment and Climate Change allowing the project to proceed.
This stage of the procurement process will make it possible to select up to three bidders to participate in the request for proposals, set to begin in the second quarter of 2022. Operated by the Montreal Port Authority, the Port of Montreal is the second largest port in Canada. It is a diversified transshipment centre that handles all types of goods: containerized and non-containerized cargo, liquid bulk and dry bulk. The Port of Montreal is an intermodal hub with a service offering that is unique in North America, featuring its own rail network directly dockside connected to Canada’s two national rail networks.
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MPA launches RFQ for new terminal
CONSTRUCTION STATS A selection of data reflecting trends in the Canadian construction industry
NON-RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION UP ACROSS ALL AREAS The non-residential construction sector experienced an increase of 1.8 per cent in September to $4.8 billion. The increase was led by institutional investment, which was up 2.9 per cent to $1.3 billion. The rise in institutional investment was fuelled by a 7.9-per-cent increase in Quebec, coming largely from educational building projects in the Montreal and Laval areas. Commercial investment rose by 1.8 per cent to $2.6 billion stemming from gains in Ontario and Quebec. Office building construction projects in Toronto and Ottawa fuelled the gains in Ontario, allowing the province to rebound following three straight months of declines. Saskatchewan posted an 11.5-per-cent monthly increase in industrial construction investment pushing overall investment in the industrial sector up 0.1% to $824 million. The gains in the province came from investment in utility and agricultural buildings.
MONTHLY RESIDENTIAL CONSTRUCTION INVESTMENT DECLINES, BUT UP COMPARED TO PRE-PANDEMIC LEVELS Residential construction investment fell 1.6 per cent in September, compared to the previous month, with Quebec accounting for most the decline (it is important to note that residential investment was up 21.6% compared to the pre-pandemic value in February 2020). Single-family homes were down 0.6% to $7 billion, compared to the previous month, with investment in this sector down across eight provinces. Investment in single-family homes in Nova Scotia continued to rise in September, up 13.3 per cent, for the province’s fourth increase in the past five months. Multi-unit construction was down across seven provinces for an overall decline of 2.9 per cent to $5.8 billion compared to August.
INDUSTRIAL
+0.1%
INSTITUTIONAL
+2.9%
Overall building construction price growth slowed down in the third quarter of 2021. Residential building construction price growth slowed in the third quarter, amounting to 3.7 per cent, following a 7.6-per-cent increase in the second quarter. Similarly, non-residential building construction price growth slowed to 2.8-per cent after reaching 3.9 per cent last quarter, its highest level in 13 years. Out of the 11 census metropolitan areas, Calgary (5.4 per cent) and Edmonton (4.9 per cent) experienced the highest quarterly increases in the building construction price index for residential buildings, while Moncton experienced the only overall decline in the residential sector, dropping by 0.7 per cent. The largest increases of the non-residential buildings construction price index in the third quarter were experienced by Toronto (4.2 per cent) and Ottawa (4.1 per cent), while Saskatoon (1.4 per cent), Winnipeg (1.5 per cent) and Calgary (1.6 per cent) experienced the smallest increases in the quarter.
+4.2%
+21.6%
+1.8%
BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PRICE GROWTH SLOWING DOWN
Toronto
RESIDENTIAL
COMMERCIAL
Ottawa
Saskatoon
+4.1% Winnipeg
+1.5%
+1.4% Calgary
1.6% SOURCE: STATISTICS CANADA
10 / DECEMBER 2021
WELCOME LETTER PG. 13
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2022 FORECAST
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rocore is proud to sponsor On-Site’s 2022 Canadian Construction Forecast, which looks at the uncertainty the industry is faced with, and what construction leaders are watching for in the upcoming year. As the leading provider of construction management software, we are aware and mindful of the challenges owners, general contractors, subcontractors and engineers continue to face since the onset of the pandemic. With issues like increasing supply chain costs, disconnected teams, project productivity, growing safety concerns, and a labour shortage, now is the time for the construction industry to embrace platform technology in order to do more with less. It would be unrealistic to expect the industry to be able to continue its rapid growth without innovating operationally and looking at ways to boost productivity. There has never been a better time to embrace change and digitally connect your field and office teams. Ongoing innovation will enable the industry to keep pace with increasing complexity and build smarter. It’s not too late to start the journey towards a digital transformation of your business. We can use this report to help us identify specific market signals and build agile and enduring businesses that can effectively weather whatever new and old challenges 2022 has in store for us. Sincerely,
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ENDLESS OPPORTUNITY The forecast is bright for Canada’s construction sector, but supply chain and labour challenges remain BY ANDREW SNOOK
W
hile economic recovery from the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic is underway in Canada, supply chain disruptions and labour shortages have added to challenges felt across most industries, and the construction sector is no exception. The good news for those in the construction industry is that investment
14 / DECEMBER 2021
bounced back in the sector for residential and non-residential construction after a slowdown early into the pandemic. According to the Canadian Construction Outlook: Q4 2021 report from global property consultancy company Jones Land LaSalle (JLL), the value of new building permits hit a peak of over $11 billion in the second quarter of 2021. The report
states that the surge was a result of increased investment in the residential sector (all types of housing, due to low interest rates and increased demand for space); the industrial sector (which had 36 million square feet of space under construction, a new record for Canada); and investment in new office buildings (largely projects started up in Toronto,
PHOTO: © YUTTANA STUDIO / ADOBE STOCK
2022 FORECAST
Montreal, Vancouver and Ottawa, prior to the pandemic). According to an update in GlobalData’s Q3 2021 report, Construction in Canada – Key Trends and Opportunities to 2025, Canada’s construction sector is expected to grow by 6.5 per cent this year. GlobalData had previously forecasted the sector to grow at a rate of 2.5 per cent for 2021. The change in the company’s forecast was due to growth largely attributed to the increased investment in the residential sector, vaccination progress and higher public spending in the areas of infrastructure and clean energy projects. In 2022, there will still be plenty of work available for the construction sector but some of the challenges from 2021 will carryover. One those biggest challenges will be disruptions within building materials supply chains. Throughout the pandemic, disruptions within the supply chain have led
to building material shortages during a spike in global demand for materials such as lumber, steel, aluminum, copper and various plastics for construction building materials. According the JLL report, shipping containers coming across the Pacific Ocean have been taking an average of 73 days to get to their final destinations, as opposed to 20 to 30 days pre-pandemic. In addition to delays, shipping costs have been, in many cases, 300- to 400-per-cent higher than what they were before the pandemic took its grip on the world. Export Development Canada’s chief economist Peter Hall says that the supply chain disruptions being experienced in Canada stem from the unexpected speed of the country’s economic recovery. “My opinion is we were conditioned to expect an economy that was going to come back slowly and it’s proven us very wrong. This was an economy unlike the pre-global financial crisis period, that was ready to take off as soon as we got the green light,” he says. “By the measures that we use, there was significant pent-up demand coming into the pandemic. That’s the opposite of the way things were prior to the global financial crisis, but that was the last recession we had, and so, that’s the one everybody remembers. They remember falling into the chasm and taking an awful long time to get back out of it. This time around we’re jumping back out of it and it’s taking everybody by surprise.” The feedback that the EDC is receiving from customers across all industries, including construction, is that growth isn’t the problem. The issue is that there is not enough supply to meet global demands. “It’s easy to shut an economy down, you just have to announce that its closing. A pandemic is the kind of situation where you can say, ‘Look, for everybody’s good health we need to stop,’ and so, everything stops,” Hall says. “You can announce that the economy is open again, but we’re in a situation here where that has happened but then we’ve had to do either partial or
full closures because of the pandemic. When businesses get into a situation where they don’t know if this announced re-opening is the real one, they’re going to be more tentative about coming back on, and that’s the predicament we find ourselves in now – but this is the real thing.” Hall says we didn’t react quickly enough before the shortages started to show up, so everything from chip shortages in the auto sector to shortages in raw materials are taking place. “It’s not easy to get a mine back up and running. Although there’s plenty of supply, we’re having trouble getting the machine rolling again, and that’s going to take a little bit of time,” he says. Although delays and shortages of construction materials arriving on sites have been causing spikes in the costs of materials such as lumber and steel throughout the pandemic, Hall has some positive news. “The best remedy for high prices is high prices,” he says, adding that eventually the higher prices will attract enough companies to any market that the supply will inevitably balance out the demand. “High prices are the architect of their own undoing.” JLL expects building material shortages and shipping costs should stabilize in 2022: Much of the volatility we are seeing is a consequence of supply chain operators transitioning from a low demand context to a high demand context in a short period of time as consumers binge on goods and services after a year of lockdown measures. By 2022 this is expected to largely stabilize, resulting in more normal price variations. The COVID-19 pandemic dealt a curveball to supply chain operators that were working on just-in-time orders, tight timelines and tight margins. Supply chain managers have indicated that they are increasingly open to managing larger stockpiles of inventory if it translates to greater control of their materials – this could build in some costs in the form of on-sitemag.com / 15
PHOTO: © PIRANHI/ ADOBE STOCK
2022 FORECAST
larger stockpiles, but it would reduce the pain of bottlenecks. Meanwhile, emboldened regulation in the Chinese economy and construction industry, though a drag on economic growth globally, will temper the pricing spikes we are seeing in commodity markets. PCL’s Chris Gower, chief operating officer, Buildings, says he expects supply chain disruptions and shipping costs to continue to be a major challenge to navigate in 2022. “It’s been incredibly volatile. We’ve seen a four-times increase on shipping costs simply in a matter of a week. That sort of volatility is hard to manage, but I think we’re all getting better at managing it. The world is adapting pretty well,” he says, adding that PCL have focused some of its employees on tackling inflationary issues and supply chain issues. “We’re putting several people on tracking and managing price trends on things like steel, copper and lumber. We’re trying to become more educated so we can help our people predict the future… the better we get at
16 / DECEMBER 2021
managing supply chain and inflation by being smart about our procurement strategies by being as informed as we can be, we’re going to add value [for the clients].”
OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND Despite these challenges, Gower sees plenty of opportunities for the construction sector in 2022. “I do believe there’s an increased amount of work right now. I would call Canada very busy. We’ve got markets like Quebec, Ontario and B.C. that are very busy, and we’ve got other markets that are getting busier, so the whole industry has an opportunity to be selective,” he says. Gower says there is plenty of opportunity within the civil side of the construction sector. “Many of the cities are growing, and with that growth it means a need for civil infrastructure. I don’t think that’s going to change, and I think there’s money being funded in those areas more than in the past few years. I think there’s a need for hospitals. Thankfully, in Canada there’s
been some hospitals built in the last 10 years – there’s certainly a need for more, and we’re seeing some very large private-public partnerships being contemplated in various provinces,” he says. One new trend Gower notes is that there are more megaprojects in the range of $1 billion or more coming available for bid than ever before. “I think federally and provincially you’re going to continue to see strong investments – some provinces more than others,” he says. This will add to an already busy market because the private sector is also spending money on projects that were put on hold due to the pandemic, Gower notes. “Those are coming back online, and with the provincially- and federally-funded projects coming online, those added together make for a very busy marketplace,” he says. “From an opportunities perspective, infrastructure is going to drive the economy,” adds Aon’s Doug Correa, executive vice-president and national specialities
leader for commercial risk solutions. “I think there’s huge opportunity in all segments of the construction sector.” Correa says there is a huge appetite for projects, and that part of the challenge in 2022 will be clearing various backlogs within the sector. “Just getting things done is taking more time. It’s taking more time to get permits, get inspections done, get financing done,” he says, adding that governments are very keen on investing in the sector. “I think there’s still billions of dollars in infrastructure funds available. Governments want to get shovel-ready projects into the ground. I expect there will be an increase in spending. I think you’re going to see more government funds available to smaller municipal projects.” John Gamble, president and CEO of the Association of Consulting Engineering Companies, is also optimistic about the opportunities within the construction sector in 2022.
“I think, looking forward, businesses and business opportunities are going to be fairly robust – everything from deferred maintenance on infrastructure to some ambitious infrastructure programs and low-carbon initiatives,” he says.
LABOUR SHORTAGES The continued challenge of labour shortages within the construction industry will be another major hurdle in tackling the many residential and non-residential projects that are available and underway throughout 2022. “Getting qualified people on the design side and on the construction side, I think that’s certainly going to be a challenge,” Gamble says. Gower says governments and industry will need to continue to find new ways to attract young people to the industry and complimented a new initiative by the Province of Nova Scotia to attract people to the sector.
I think federally and provincially you’re going to continue to see strong investments – some provinces more than others “Nova Scotia eliminated the personal portion of personal income tax for the first $50,000 for any construction trade worker under the age of 30, which I think is a brilliant solution,” he says. “I think both the federal and provincial governments in Canada should adopt a similar philosophy. If they truly want to bring people into the workforce – the people under 30 who care deeply about their first paycheck and trying to make ends meet and pay off their student debts – that’s a significant draw for people to come into the workforce as skilled labour.”
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2021-11-16 11:36 AM
2022 FORECAST
Regional Forecast A look at some of the key investments and projects across the country.
BRITISH COLUMBIA Fraser Health Authority has issued the request for qualifications for a new $1.66-billion hospital and cancer centre in Surrey, B.C. The facility will feature 168 in-patient beds, a surgical/perioperative suite with five operating rooms, four procedure rooms, an emergency department with 55 treatment spaces, and virtual care options in all clinical service areas. An integrated cancer centre will include an oncology/ ambulatory care unit with 50 exam rooms, 54 chemotherapy treatment spaces and room for six linear accelerators for radiation therapy. Construction continues on BC Hydro’s massive $16-billion Site C Clean Energy Project. The project’s expected completion date is currently scheduled for 2025. B.C.’s Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure announced that the replacement for the George Massey Tunnel on Highway 99 will consist of an eight-lane immersed tube tunnel at a cost of approximately $4.15 billion. The province is in the process of getting the environment assessments underway. The project is expected to be completed in 2030. Work on the $837-million Trans-Canada Highway project between Kamloops, B.C. and the Alberta border continues through 2022 with nine projects across the 430-kilometre section of the highway.
SASKATCHEWAN Saskatchewan’s 2021-22 budget has $3.1 billion earmarked for capital investment including hospitals, schools, highways and other needed projects. The government has allocated $553.2 million for transportation capital including the twinning of Highway 3 west of Prince Albert, multiple passing lanes on Highways 2, 3, 5, 7, 12, 14, 16 and 39. Budget 2021-22 includes a record level of investment in rural provincial highways with $180 million allocated to deliver 280 kilometres of upgrades. The province has also pledged $189.9 million for education capital, including $101 million to support 21 ongoing capital projects, which will build 16 new schools and renovate five additional schools. The 2021-22 budget has also allocated $70.1 million to rehabilitate water dams and supply channels. The funding for this section includes the Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Expansion Project which will promote Saskatchewan’s economic growth by expanding its irrigation capacity, diversifying into higher-value crop production, attracting more valueadded processing, and adding to long-term food security.
MANITOBA ALBERTA A massive project announced this fall is expected to bring thousands of jobs back to the construction sector in Alberta. The Northern Petrochemical Corporation announced that it plans to build a $2.5-billion carbon-neutral ammonia and methanol production facility in the Municipal District of Greenview, a little over 400 kilometres northwest of Edmonton. The construction of this facility is expected to create more than 4,000 jobs during the construction phase, as well as 400 permanent jobs after its completion. The province’s 2021 Capital Plan will invest approximately $21 billion in the construction of new roads, schools and hospitals over a three-year period. The plan is expected to support 50,000 direct and 40,000 indirect jobs. Of the $21 billion, the province has earmarked $2.4 billion for roads and bridges and $3 billion for capital maintenance and renewal of public infrastructure.
18 / DECEMBER 2021
The province announced a record $2.1-billion investment in strategic infrastructure expected to help drive construction jobs and stimulate economic recovery. As part of the three-year Manitoba Restart Capital Program, $254 million in funding this year is allocated for water/wastewater projects, including a significant contribution to the City of Winnipeg’s North End Water Pollution Control Centre, and on two major projects to improve highway safety. The Government of Manitoba’s 2021-22 budget includes approximately $630 million for road construction and maintenance, including $107 million through the Manitoba Restart Program. The program will include safety improvements at the intersection of the Trans-Canada Highway and provincial trunk Highway 16 and the south perimeter interchange at St. Mary’s Road. The province has earmarked $415 million for kindergarten to Grade 12 and post-secondary infrastructure, including $260 million on new schools and related capital and $155 million on post-secondary infrastructure.
QUEBEC
ONTARIO Within the province’s outlook titled, 2021 Ontario Economic Outlook and Fiscal Review: Build Ontario, the government has committed to expanding and repairing highways and bridges as a means to spur economic growth. The Government of Ontario has invested approximately $2.6 billion in 2021-22 to support the Ontario Highway Program. This initiative features more than 580 expansion and rehabilitation projects. One of the key roadbuilding projects announced is the construction of Highway 413, a new 400-series highway and transit corridor that will run across the Halton, Peel and York regions of Southern Ontario. The building of Highway 413 alone is expected to support up to 3,500 jobs each year of construction and generate up to $350 million in annual real gross domestic product (GDP). Significant work is also expected to take place on the Scarborough Subway Extension and the Eglinton Crosstown West subway projects with the tunnel boring machines for both projects expected to arrive in Canada in January 2022 with tunnelling getting underway in the spring. In September 2021, Ontario released the request for qualifications (RFQ) for the design and delivery of the stations, rail and systems work for the Scarborough Subway Extension. A shortlist of qualified proponents will be announced in early 2022 following the close of the RFQ. Other large infrastructure projects coming underway (or currently in progress) include Hamilton’s 14-kilometre, LRT project and the Kitchener GO Rail Expansion. Environmental assessments are underway towards the potential construction of the road to Northern Ontario’s Ring of Fire. The province has committed nearly $1 billion to support the all-season road’s planning and construction. In November, the Government of Ontario also committed $600 million in funding for capital building programs including new-builds and renovation projects for schools and childcare spaces. The announced plan aims to create 19,700 new student spaces and 1,525 new licensed childcare spaces. Approximately $565 million is allocated to building 26 new schools and fund 20 permanent additions and renovations.
Investments in the Québec Infrastructure Plan 2021-2031 (QIP) have been increased by $4.5 billion to $135.0 billion. To help restart the economy, the province has stated that almost 60 per cent of the investments in the 10-year plan will take place over the next five years. The 2021-2031 QIP forecasts an additional $2.6 billion to go towards road improvements. This includes $203.9 million for road restoration; $122.7 million planned for new non-major projects, including the extension of Autoroute 73 in Saint-Georges and a bypass in Saint-Lin-Laurentides; $934.7 million forecasted for major projects “in planning,” including the redevelopment of Autoroute 55 between Bécancour and Sainte-Eulalie, the widening of Route 117 between Labelle and Rivière-Rouge, the exchange between autoroutes 440 and 15, and an elevated ramp in Laval; and $1,196.0 million set aside in the central envelope for provisioning of other major projects.
ATLANTIC CANADA In Nova Scotia, $178.2 million has been budgeted in 2021-22 to support large healthcare redevelopment projects including the QEII New Generation Project, new and renovated operating rooms and a new cancer centre and new community outpatient centre. The provincial government has budgeted $95.5 million towards the construction, repair and renewal of hospitals and medical facilities across the province. Work will also continue on the multi-year highway twinning projects for Highway 101, Highway 103, Highway 104 and Highway 107. In New Brunswick, the province has budgeted $20 million for a multi-year strategy investment to support the development of the small modular nuclear reactors sector. Construction on a new school in Fredericton for 500 students from kindergarten to Grade 5 is expected to get underway in the spring of 2022. The province has allocated $4.2 million for the selection and purchase of the site, as well as planning and design work. In P.E.I., the province has budgeted $3 million for the development of the PEI Centre for Mental Well-Being. In Newfoundland and Labrador, construction is underway on a new 102-bed adult mental health and addictions hospital in St. John’s. The $330-million project is expected to create 200 jobs during peak construction and 400 jobs in total. In Corner Brook, construction has begun on a new $722.8-million acute care west coast hospital that will have 164 beds. The province estimates that 1,000 skilled trade jobs will be generated over the course of the hospital’s four-year-long construction period.
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2022 FORECAST
TOP 10 CANADIAN CONSTRUCTION TRENDS TO WATCH IN 2022
Canadian Construction Association (CCA) president Mary Van Buren has joined us again this year to offer the CCA’s top 10 Canadian construction trends to watch for in 2022. BY MARY VAN BUREN
1.
SLINGSHOT OR STOP/START RECOVERY
Private sector and governments flow projects to take advantage of the opportunity to build back better, employ Canadians, and accelerate the economy. This could be constrained by brakes like restrictive workforce quotas, lack of workforce, rising inflation, and continuing challenges in supplies and materials.
2.
WILL FEDS DELIVER ON PROMISE TO COLLABORATE ON A LONG-TERM INFRASTRUCTURE STRATEGY?
PHOT: © SITTINAN / ADOBE STOCK
The CCA, on behalf of the industry, has been advocating for a long-term infrastructure plan and was encouraged by the response of the federal government to industry’s feedback on what a national infrastructure assessment should look like.
20 / DECEMBER 2021
This needs to be a priority for the new Minister of Infrastructure, Dominic LeBlanc.
3.
SCALING UP TRADE-ENABLING INFRASTRUCTURE
Economic revival is a top priority for all Canadians. Almost two-thirds of Canada’s GDP comes from trade, but we have fallen behind in building the trade infrastructure we need to capitalize on and expand into new global markets. With estimates from the World Bank and World Economic Forum saying the reliability and readiness of Canada’s trade infrastructure has fallen from 10th best in the world in 2009 to 26th today, we need a massive scale-up in our country’s trade infrastructure. While the United States remains Canada’s most important trading partner, China’s strength as an economic power is unde-
niable. Asia Pacific trade will play a big part in Canada’s future economy. Canada will require a long-term strategy including investments in existing trade gateways and corridors, new marine and inland ports as well as road, rail and air transportation that will support the freight and passenger flows required for growing international trade.
4.
FOCUS ON APPRENTICESHIPS
While the shortage of skilled workers facing the industry is nothing new, its implications on Canada’s swift economic recovery are more dire. Employment growth in Canada is expected to average one per cent annually between the years 2020 and 2024, creating just over 900,000 jobs over the next five years. In the construction sector, the average annual growth outlook suggests employment growth will likely average approximately 0.6 per cent per year between 2020 to 2024. There is a need for a national strategy to recruit and retain more than 375,000 apprentices in Red Seal trades over the next five years. Skilled tradespeople cannot be created overnight. Poaching from within the
industry exacerbates the problem. Now is the time to focus on a national, coordinated workforce capacity strategy and boost skilled training programs.
5.
SUPPLY CHAIN INSTABILITY; CALLS FOR MADE IN CANADA
Virtually every material from lumber to steel has gone up in price. The fluctuating cost of building materials and the unpredictability of the supply chain are affecting budgets, estimates, and bids. The industry needs to look long and hard at areas that can be optimized to drive a better bottom line, including modernizing the tendering process. Canada will be looking harder at the opportunities and the challenges of re-patriating Canadian knowledge and manufacturing. We also need to reduce delays in granting contracts and address cost escalation so that the sub-contractor isn’t left footing the entire bill for soaring material costs. The industry faces challenges with both spiking material prices and labour shortages. Finding skilled labour, managing price volatility, and mitigating the risks that come with rising costs are top priorities.
6.
THE DELIVERY MODELS ARE CHANGING
Projects are becoming more complex and there is no one-size-fits-all form for financing, designing and managing them. Current procurement practices have contractors shouldering a disproportionate share of the risk. With productivity and sustainability issues on the rise, including net-zero carbon targets, and shortages in material and labour affecting profit margins, it is high time the government refreshed its approach to procurement. To build the infrastructure needed across the country and recruit the workforce of the future, federal procurement strategies need to adapt to encourage innovation, account for long-term value and sustainability, promote the use of alternative delivery models, and support shared risk. 1
7.
GREEN OUTCOMES IDENTIFIED IN PROCUREMENT PROJECTS: BUT WILL FUNDING BE SUFFICIENT? Public interest in sustainable investment has grown significantly over the past 12 months. There is increased activity worldwide to promote greener construction. Reinforced by commitments to the Paris Agreement, a growing number of countries are reaffirming net-zero carbon emission targets, including Canada. At the same time, consumers are demanding socially and environmentally responsible business practices and projects. During this decade, rising sea levels and rainfall increases can cause flood damage to homes and buildings with costs as high as $13.6 billion annually. Temperature and rainfall-related damage to roads and railways could increase by up to $5.4 billion annually, and heat and rainfall damage to electrical transmission and distribution infrastructure can cost utilities and ratepayers up to $4.1 billion annually. Early investment in adaptation can substantially reduce the impacts and costs to infrastructure of a hotter and increasingly volatile climate by over 90 per cent or $20.79 billion annually.1
8.
FOCUS ON INCLUSIVE AND COLLABORATIVE CORPORATE CULTURE
Traditionally, construction has been highly siloed, with the ability to drive low cost as the primary driver. As Canadian society is increasingly embracing diversity and inclusivity, these values are being expected of Canadian firms. In a tight labour market, companies who are unable to adapt will be left behind as workers migrate to those where they feel valued. There will also be some work to do in re-integrating office workers. This could potentially mean re-shaping these roles particularly where some may seek permanent remote roles or where there is an opportunity to hire from under-served markets or communities. Consideration will
need to be given to minimizing potential conflicts between office and site workers who have different, but equal challenges adapting to COVID and a post-COVID world.
9.
CYBER SECURITY IS EVERYONE’S BUSINESS
Millions of people moved from their offices to their homes, sharing data over the internet, in record volumes. Completing daily COVID forms became the norm, as did increased use of IoT for safety, productivity, or auditing purposes. All of these transactions became potential portals for cyber-attacks – and many firms, sophisticated or not, became targets, and sometimes, victims. While the security industry is creating more shields, a significant threat remains. Cyber security can no longer be limited to the CTO or CIO. More training, more controls and more auditing will be necessary to ensure that companies get the benefits of a connected world, while minimizing or eliminating the very real threat to their business from cyber-criminals.
10.
DATA SHARING: AN INDUSTRY GAME-CHANGER
Data is king – but only if you can aggregate it and use it to drive decision-making. Each time a project is managed through its milestones it creates a huge amount of data which rarely gets used again. This data can take the form of schedules, financial budgets, workflows, incident reports and lessons learned. There is a lot we can learn from sharing data that is collected on construction sites. Companies are beginning to look at entering into data alliances because the more data collected the better predictive analytics can be leveraged to assess risk, increase safety and improve productivity. Applying advanced data analytics and machine learning to predict how projects will perform in the future will allow companies to focus on problems before they arise and understand the probability of risk involved.
https://climatechoices.ca/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Infrastructure-English-FINAL-Sep29.pdf
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TRUCKS
2022
Pick-up truck PREVIEW BY MARIO CYWINSKI
The big changes in the pick-up space for 2022 are in the 1500-sized group. With Toyota redesigning their US-built Tundra, Ford adding a fully electric version of its F-150 (Lightning), General Motors refreshing its Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra models, and Stellantis making a series of package additions and changes.
Ford F-150 The big news for Ford’s pick-up portfolio is the addition of the fully electric F-150 Lightning. The Lightning offers two lithium-ion battery options, a standard range with an estimated 370 kilometres of range, and an extended range version with an estimated 483 km of range. Power comes in two options as well: a standard range model
22 / DECEMBER 2021
with 426 hp, and an extended range model with 563 hp. Both versions come with 775 foot-pounds of torque. Charging times are projected to be the following: Level 3 charger (50 kW/150 kW) for 15 per cent to 85 per cent is (91/44) minutes for a standard range, and (122/41) minutes for an extended range. Level 2 charging on standard range can be 10 to 14 hours, and extended range eight to 19 hours. Capability-wise, Lightning offers an estimated maximum payload of 1,800 lb.
for extended range to 2,000 lb. for standard range. Maximum estimated towing ranges are (with max trailer tow package) from 7,700 lb. (standard-range) to 10,000 lb. (extended-range). An interesting new feature on the Lightning is Ford Intelligent Backup Power, which can turn your truck into a backup power source for your home. The system gives the Lightning the ability to offload 9.6 kW of power. When using the truck with an 80-amp Ford Charge Station Pro and a home management system, the
SYNC 4 offering wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and connected navigation. A new Lariat Sport Appearance Package offers body-colour grille, bumpers, and mirrors. All King Ranch and Platinum models now have standard 4x4. Other packages and colour changes also available. Super Duty models now offer an available 360-degree dual beacon LED warning strobes, which takes the place of four-corner LED warning strobes. Larger F-350 to F600 chassis cab models get revised frame bridging reinforcements as standard. Lariat receives standard SYNC 4 and SiriusXM with 360L tank.
General Motors Chevrolet Silverado
FORD system sends power to the house, instead of charging itself. Once power is restored, the truck goes back to charging its battery. According to Ford, an extended-range battery model can power a home for up to three days, when using an average of 30 kWh of daily use. Four trim levels are available for the Lightning: a fleet-focused Pro trim, XLT, Lariat and Platinum. Other F-150 models have already received Onboard Scales, Smart Hitch, and continuously controlled damping, plus appearance package, utility package, and colour changes. A new Raptor R trim is also on the horizon.
SUPER DUTY For 2022, Super Duty now has an available 12-in. touchscreen with cloud-connected
For 2022, the Chevrolet Silverado sees a refresh, which updates various parts of the vehicle. All trim levels have a new front fascia and grille, revised DRLs, and new colours. Silverado LT models and above get a new interior with a standard 13.4-in. touchscreen with a 12.3-in. digital instrument cluster. The new interior also features
CHEVROLET SILVERADO
on-sitemag.com / 23
TRUCKS Google built-in, which has access to Google Assistant, Maps, and Play on the infotainment screen. These work with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Available (on High Country trim) is Super Cruise, a hands-free driver assistance feature, which in this version also allows trailering. The main two aspects of the system are the driver attention system (which using a small camera makes sure the driver is looking at the road) and LiDAR map data. This is the first time it is available on a Chevrolet pick-up truck. The system works on about 320,000 km of divided and compatible roads in Canada and the U.S. An updated 2.7L turbo engine now offers 420 foot-pounds of torque (a 20 per cent increase over the previous version), has a 30-per-cent stiffer crankshaft, and can now tow 9,600 lb. on two-wheel drive models. The 3.0L Duramax turbo-diesel engine models now allow for inclusion of max tow package (through chassis changes), and in turn can now tow 13,300 lb. on two-wheel drive models. A new ZR2 off-road focused model is added for 2022. It has a 6.2L V-8 engine (420hp and 460 foot-pounds of torque mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission), tuned spring with Multimatic dampers, front and rear e-lockers, off-road chassis, 33-in. off-road tires, a skid plate
RAM 24 / DECEMBER 2021
package, high-approach steel front bumper, and more.
GMC Sierra Sierra offers a refreshed exterior with new fascia, front bumper, grille, and headlight design, along with new dual-projector LED headlights with C-shaped DRLs, and new colours. An updated interior offers a new centre console design and has Sierra SLE models and above get a new interior with a standard 13.4-in. touchscreen with a 12.3-in. digital instrument cluster. An available 15-in. heads-up display is available. The new interior also features Google built-in, which has access to Google Assistant, Maps, and Play on the infotainment screen. These work with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. The 2.7L turbo engine is enhanced and offers 420 foot-pounds of torque, a 30-per-cent stiffer crankshaft, and can tow 9,400 lb. on 2WD models (9,100 lb. on 4WD). The 3.0L Duramax turbo-diesel engine models now can have a max tow package (through chassis changes), and, in turn, can now tow 13,200 lb. on 2WD models (13,000 lb. with 4WD). A new AT4X model is added for 2022.
It has a 6.2L V-8 engine mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission, tuned spring with Multimatic dampers, front and rear e-locking differentials, off-road chassis, two-speed transfer case with a steel shield. A new Sierra Denali Ultimate trim is added and becomes the top range model.
STELLANTIS RAM 1500 For 2022, all models Big Horn and above get the new Uconnect 5 system, which has Wi-Fi, tow-specific navigation system, is faster and has more memory. All models also get Ram clean air system (it filters 95 per cent of air particulates). Also for 2022, Ram 1500 gets new special edition models added to the lineup. The limited 10th Anniversary Edition has a blue shade colour, multi-function tailgate, cold air intake, cold end exhaust, badging and 22-in. polished wheels. In the interior, it has Indigo and Sea Salt quilted leather seats, an instrument panel, console and door inserts, suede headliner, visors and A-pillar, and a unique badging. Along with a 19-speaker sound system. A new GT package is available on Laramie, Rebel, and Sport trims with sport crew
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TO QUICKLY AND SAFELY SECURE YOUR CARGO
REAR ROLLER ASSIST
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TRUCKS
cab and a 5-ft., 7-in. bed. It offers a sport performance hood, black grille, GT decals, cold air intake and cold air performance exhaust. The interior features bucket seats with high bolsters, flat-bottom steering wheel with aluminum paddles, performance-oriented floor shifter, performance screens, and more. Also, a BackCountry package is available for Big Horn models with a 5.7L V-8 engine, that includes the bed utility group, off-road group, and the usual selection of body-colour and black-coloured options. A red package is added to Limited crew cab models, and has red RAM grille and door badges, and badge on centre console lid. Finally, the performance TRX model gets a new Ignition Edition, which is centred around an orange colour outside, and stitching and logos on the inside, as well as a selection of standard options.
HEAVY DUTY (2500 AND UP) The 2500/3500 HD models get the Uconnect 5 system on Big Horn and above. Package changes occur with new Big Horn Silver Edition, Power Wagon models now getting a new equipment package and new optional features. The limited Black model gets updates, and Big Horn models get a new grille. The tow mode now offers digital rearview mirror that allows the driver to see behind the trailer. A 360-degree trailer camera view is available and includes four cameras and wiring. Also, a trailer hitch light is now standard and has four LED lights. Chassis cabs now offer available dual fuel tanks on 6.4L HEMI models.
389 hp, and 479 foot-pounds of torque and is mated to a 10-speed automatic transmission. The optional engine is what Toyota calls the i-FORCE MAX, which uses the same standard engine, but adds a motor generator with a clutch. It provides additional power transferred through the transmission, and offers EV driving, regeneration, and electric assist through its hybrid system. The system uses a 288V Nickel-metal Hydride battery housed under the rear seats. Overall, the system has 437hp and 583 foot-pounds of torque, mated to the same 10-speed automatic transmission as the standard engine. The Tundra now rides on a new chassis. The multi-link rear suspension now rides on coil springs (replacing the leaf springs used before). The changes allow for the new Tundra to have a max towing capacity of 5,540 kg (12,000 lb.), a 17.6-per-cent increase over the outgoing model, which increases overall payload to 880 kg (1,940 lb.), an increase of 11 per cent. Speaking of towing, the Tundra now offers an updated two tow/haul modes: one for smaller trailers and one for larger ones. New cameras are also added, along with new power extending and folding tow mirrors, along with trailer back guidance, and a new available air suspension system. With an all-new interior comes an
TOYOTA Tundra For 2022, the American-built Tundra is all-new, with a redesigned exterior that offers a new front fascia, grille, and overall appearance. It now comes with a new standard 3.5L twin-turbocharged V-6 engine that offers
26 / DECEMBER 2021
TOYOTA
available 14-in. touchscreen with a brandnew audio multimedia system, as well as an available 12.3-in. instrument cluster display. Toyota’s Safety Sense 2.5 is standard on all trims. It offers a pre-collision system with pedestrian detection, radar cruise control, lane departure warning, lane tracing assist, automatic high beams, road sign assist. Rear seat reminder is also standard. Tundra will come in two sizes (double cab or crewmax), three bed lengths (5.5 ft., 6.5 ft. and 8.1 ft.) and five trims (SR, SR5, Limited, Platinum, 1794) with TRD and TRD Pro packages available.
Mario Cywinski is the editor of Plant magazine, Machinery and Equipment MRO magazine and Food and Beverage magazine, a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada, and a judge for Canadian Truck King Challenge.
on-sitemag.com / 27
ANDREW MOLES | Director, Solar
THREE CHEERS!
JORDAN LATIMER | Operations Manager, Ottawa
PCL Construction would like to congratulate
Andrew Moles, Jordan Latimer, and Mat Baranowski on being named to On-Site Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 in Canadian construction list. Their leadership and unwavering commitment to excellence ensures PCL’s continued success atop Canada’s construction industry.
PCL.COM
MAT BARANOWSKI | Manager, Special Projects, Edmonton
SHIH-WEI / ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS / GETTY IMAGES
INNOVATION. DYNAMISIM. TRADITION.
W
hile there has been a shortage of skilled labour within Canada’s construction sector for more than a decade, there certainly has never been a shortage of talented individuals working in the wide variety of roles that make up the industry. And on that note, On-Site and SitePartners are excited to announce the second edition of the Top 40 Under 40 in Canadian Construction. Our annual celebration showcases some of the young talented individuals that are leading the sector into a bright and prosperous future across many different facets of the industry from the people managing operations on site to directors of various divisions, engineers, accountants, partners, sustainability managers, company owners, building materials suppliers, lean integration leaders, construction law professionals, and more. While we are proud to highlight these talented individuals, there are many more people to choose from the industry’s 1.4 million workers. We look forward to showcasing more of the Canadian construction industry's incredible workforce in 2022!
on-sitemag.com / 29
ALICIA MILTON Director, Business Enablement Ledcor Construction Vancouver, B.C. As an accountant with a CPA, CMA designation, Alicia Milton has 17 years of professional experience, with more than 12 of those years specialized in communications networks within the construction sector. Milton has been working with Ledcor Group since 2012 where she began as a senior accountant progressing to director of business enablement in 2019, where she currently leads a team of over 70 employees for their Western Canadian Communications division out of the Vancouver office. Highlights of her career include supporting the wireless network build for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, standardizing reporting across multiple business units and consolidating multiple systems into a single, centralized system to improve internal efficiencies. Milton has been a mentor with the CPA program, has spoken at a Canadian Construction Women event, and volunteers with a local organization that supports new mothers struggling with mental health and other challenges. AMIR KASSAIAN Principal, General Manager Luxton Construction Vancouver, B.C. With a master’s degree in civil engineering, specialized in project and construction management, Amir Kassaian has grown Luxton Construction into one of the fastest growing heavy civil companies across Canada. Co-founded in Vancouver by Kassaian in 2016, Luxton Construction has exponentially increased its revenue since inception, and has doubled its staff since the beginning of the pandemic. Drawing from his strong background in the
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oil and gas and P3 sectors, Kassaian has brought leadership and processes required for building a high-performing team and an industry-leading construction company. Kassaian has registered Luxton Construction with UBC and SFU engineering programs to onboard co-op students and provide them with mentorship and guidance needed in the early stages of their careers. He is an active member of APEGA (Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta), VRCA (Vancouver Regional Construction Association), and the BC Road Builders Association. ANDREW MOLES Director, Solar PCL Construction Toronto, Ont. Andrew Moles has risen through the ranks of PCL Construction since 2007 and was one of the leading contributors to a renewable energy business plan, which paved the way for PCL to enter the renewable energy market in Ontario. He has since written a business plan which opened PCL’s first Centre of Excellence for Solar in 2018, based out of Toronto, where Moles has been appointed director, overseeing over $1.1 billion in new contracts. With his passion combined with over 14 years of experience in solar infrastructure projects, Moles provides leadership across PCL’s Canadian, American, and Australian teams to help build the renewable energy industry on a global scale. As an active leader in the solar industry, Moles is co-chair of the Utility-Scale Solar Power Division of the SEIA (Solar Energy Industries Association) and serves as a board member of Canadian Renewable Energy Association. Outside of work, he co-facilitates the Roadmaps to Success Program in his hometown of Hamilton, Ont. as a mentor within the community.
ANKIT BHARGAVA Partner Deloitte Calgary, Alta. With an MBA in strategy and finance from the Richard Ivey School of Business and a master’s degree in civil engineering from UBC, Ankit Bhargava has recently been hired as partner of Deloitte in 2021 out of the Calgary office. Within the first phase of his career, Bhargava has worked as a project manager with engineering consulting firms in the U.S., U.K., and Canada, delivering complex infrastructure projects. He then transitioned to business and operations management on a $1-billion oil sands construction portfolio, before finally working in an entrepreneurial capacity to lead Deloitte's Infrastructure advisory practice in Alberta. He brings significant expertise in building high performing teams for sustainable business growth. Bhargava is an active mentor with the APEGA (Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta), and his research, Life Expectancy Functions (LEFs) for Life Cycle Engineering Models, has been published in reputed technical journals. BRANDON DREWLO Owner & CEO Novacom Building Partners Vancouver, B.C. Growing up in the family business in the Greater Vancouver Area, Brandon Drewlo’s journey with Novacom began at a young age, working as a labourer on site on the weekends and at the office in the evenings, earning the chance to learn about the company and industry from both perspectives. He began his career as a project manager at Novacom in 2004, after achieving his diploma in architectural building engineering technology at BCIT. Two years later, Drewlo became a minority
owner, working alongside his father, the founder of Novacom, to grow the company. Over the next 10 years, Novacom’s revenue grew by a factor of 20, with Drewlo playing a significant role in scaling the company by developing Novacom’s systems, processes, and IT infrastructure. This included the Sage CRE 300 ERP and Procore Project Management platforms. Within the industry, Drewlo is an active member of TEC (The Executive Committee) Canada, the VRCA (Vancouver Regional Construction Association), Vancouver’s Lean CoP (Communities of Practice), and the IPDA (Integrated Project Delivery Alliance). CALVIN LAL Project & MEP Manager Unitech Construction Management Vancouver, B.C.
With over 15 years of experience in mechanical engineering throughout Vancouver, Calvin Lal is a leader in collaborative construction. After achieving his associate’s degree in mechanical engineering from BCIT in 2010, he worked at HVAC Systems & Solutions, progressing to senior project manager and chief estimator, where he became the technical lead on new HVAC technologies. Lal achieved a bachelor’s degree in construction management from BCIT in 2016, and joined Unitech Construction Management in 2017 to manage high-profile institutional, commercial, and residential construction projects. In his current role as project and MEP (mechanical, electrical, and plumbing) manager, Lal oversees $150 million worth of construction with a focus on risk mitigation. Lal has continued to develop professionally throughout his career, earning LEED AP BC+C and GSC (Gold Seal
Champion) in project management, general construction certifications. He is also an active member of VRCA (Vancouver Regional Construction Association) and IPDA (Integrated Project Delivery Alliance), and has presented as a keynote speaker at BCIT’s Mechanical Systems program on the topic of CCDC5A and CCDC30 delivery models. CAROLYNE FILION Director, Research and Development, Innovation Pomerleau Saint-Georges, Que. With a master’s degree in engineering management from École de technologie supérieure, Carolyne Filion has applied innovative construction methodologies to complex infrastructure projects across Québec valued up to $630 million. Beginning her career as a project manager
CONGRATULATIONS TO MARY-STEWART TORRIE FOR BEING ONE OF ON-SITE MAGAZINE’S 40 UNDER 40
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with Groupe GEYSER in 2014, Filion eventually transitioned to Pomerleau in Saint-Georges, Que., one of Canada’s leading construction companies in sustainable buildings, where she began in 2017 as a senior coordinator of BIM/VDC. In 2019 she was promoted to innovation manager of R&D and special projects, buildings operations, where she is a leader in lean construction methods and virtual design and construction. Filion’s team is responsible for Pomerleau’s aXLab initiative, an innovative lab dedicated to integrating new technology to the construction industry, where they collaborate with experts from other sectors including artificial intelligence. Filion is involved in several industry associations, including QRBHCA (The Québec Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association), CEGQ (Corporation of general contractors of Québec), CCA (Canadian Construction Association), and ASHRAE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers). CHAMPSTON LE Director Axiom Builders Calgary, Alta. Champston Le began his journey with Axiom Builders as a project coordinator after graduating from BCIT’s Architectural and Building Engineering Technology program in 2008. Originally based out of Vancouver, Le was recognized for his potential to grow Axiom Builders’ presence in the Calgary market in 2011, where he has since helped manage the completion of significant projects including The Guardian, Calgary’s tallest residential development. As a testament to his leadership and his ability to train a growing team on construction procedures and systems, Le was promoted to director of Axiom’s Calgary branch in 2020. To date, Le has managed over two-million square feet of residential construction, amounting to over $500 million in contract value. As one of the young leaders growing Axiom’s presence in Calgary, Le has been a
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member of the ULI (Urban Land Institute) Young Leaders Committee and is actively involved in the CCA’s (Calgary Construction Association) Young Construction Leadership program. CRAIG ENNS Vice President & Area Manager, B.C. EllisDon Vancouver, B.C. With a bachelor of engineering from Queen’s University, Craig Enns originally began working with EllisDon out of the Mississauga office as an engineering intern in 2005, before joining the EllisDon Vancouver office in 2008 as an assistant project manager. He has since progressed to the role of vice-president and area manager of B.C. Having managed high-profile projects including the $1-billion Oakridge Centre Redevelopment project and the $40-million Clayton Community Centre – Canada’s largest passive house project to date – Enns is responsible for the direction of EllisDon’s operations across the province, overseeing the project controls, estimating, and scheduling, as well as leading the field project management and client relations teams. Enns is a member of the APEGBC (Association of Professional Engineers & Geoscientists of BC) and is a LEED-accredited professional. Enns is also a member of the VRCA (Vancouver Regional Construction Association) as well as the VICA (Vancouver Island Construction Association) and has been invited to speak at the VRCA Leadership Conference. DAN CHYZOWSKI Director of Construction ETRO Construction Vancouver, B.C. Dan Chyzowski’s progression in the construction industry began after earning his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Saskatchewan in 2011, where he worked at Ledcor contributing to large-scale commercial
and airport improvements projects. In 2016 he joined ETRO Construction out of Vancouver as a project manager with the chance to grow under the leadership and mentorship of ETRO founder Mike Maierle, a former manager he had worked with at Ledcor. Since progressing to director of construction, Chyzowski has been a member of ETRO’s executive team that has helped assemble an innovation and technology team, whose contributions have received recognition through the Procore Groundbreaker Excellence in Innovation and CanBIM’s Innovation Spotlight awards. His leadership has contributed to ETRO’s development as a team of five to 60, recognized as one of the fastest growing construction companies in B.C. Committed to growing the construction industry, Chyzowski holds memberships and is an active contributor to the VRCA (Vancouver Regional Construction Association) and APEGBC (Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of BC). DAN COMMONS Senior Project Manager Ledcor Kitimat, B.C. With a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from UBC, Dan Commons began his career at Ledcor in 2011 as a Project Coordinator, quickly demonstrating a high competency for safety, environmental, quality, and financial performance on high-profile oil and gas projects. Commons was soon recognized by senior management as an upcoming leader and was promoted to Project Manager in 2014, and later to Senior Project Manager, where he currently works out of Kitimat, B.C. Commons has been hand-picked to work on some of Western Canada’s most challenging projects, including the Northwest Redwater Refinery, the Trans Mountain Expansion Pipeline, and the LNG Canada Project, managing projects in value up to $250M with teams of up to 300 personnel. Working within the Haisla Nation’s traditional territory as a construc-
tion partner, Commons is actively involved in supporting the Nation and its members, including involvement in the Construction Readiness Training Program, which provides management, safety, and fieldbased technical training, with guaranteed employment following successful completion of the program. DEREK BUNTING Regional Manager Maple Reinders Constructors Mississauga, Ont. After graduating from Mohawk College in architectural technology in 2005, Derek Bunting achieved his diploma in technology leadership, business and project management from McMaster University in 2008. Since then, Bunting has worked at Maple Reinders out of Mississauga, Ont., where he’s progressed from project coordinator
to regional manager, his role since 2017. Bunting has managed many high-profile ICI construction projects, including the Porter Airlines Airport Terminal Expansion on Toronto Island. He has also helped Maple Reinders develop its own project management software and is a strong advocate for BIM (Building Information Modelling) on all regional projects he leads. As regional manager, he leads a team of 19 professionals with oversight of numerous projects. Bunting has passed the Professional Practice and Ethics Examination, and has qualified as a certified technician, Gold Seal Certified (GSC) project manager, and Certified in Management (CIM), and has successfully completed many other international leadership programs. As an ambassador for the construction industry, Bunting is involved in many associations, including Chartered Managers Canada, Ontario Association of Certified Engineering Technicians and Technologists, and the Ontario General Contractors Association.
DEREK LOVE Vice President & Area Manager, Looby Construction EllisDon Stratford, Ont. With a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Carlton University, a professional certificate in PPP (Public-Private Partnerships) from York University’s Osgoode Hall Law School, and a Master of Law in Construction Law and Dispute Resolution from Robert Gordon University, Derek Love has emerged as an experienced leader in PPP and major civil construction projects throughout Ontario. With prior project management experience at Frecon Construction and Grupo OHL, Love joined EllisDon’s Toronto office in 2016 as a design build manager in PPP and major projects before progressing to vice-president and area manager of Looby
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Construction in 2019. Since then, Love has brought in Looby’s largest project yet, the French River Bridges, and has created a centralized pre-construction model to connect in-house engineering and logistics teams. To date, Love has successfully bid on and managed several multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects. Love has been actively involved with the ORBA (Ontario Road Builders Association) and is committed to developing young Looby team members into the next generation of civil construction leaders. DIEGO MANDELBAUM Vice-President, Development Creative Energy Toronto, Ont. Immediately following his graduation from UBC with a bachelor of applied science in mechanical engineering in 2011, Diego Mandelbaum began his career as a mechanical engineer at Stantec in Kelowna, B.C. During his eight-year tenure at Stantec, Mandelbaum progressed to managing principal based out of Vancouver, where he led the business development for large-scale institutional and industrial buildings. In 2019, Mandelbaum moved to Toronto
to join one of his clients, Creative Energy, as the vice-president of development to open their Toronto office and lead their growth in energy infrastructure and low-carbon systems across all North American markets. As a professional engineer and LEED-accredited professional, Mandelbaum is actively involved in supporting the industries and communities he works in, having founded the Okanagan Section for ASHRAE (American Society of Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers). He is a sought-after speaker and panelist on topics related to energy, infrastructure, and the built environment at industry association events and conferences. GABE GUETTA Founder and CEO Salus Technologies Vancouver, B.C. As the former principal operator of a mid-sized, high-rise window installation company trying to navigate the ever-increasing complexities of safety compliance, Gabe Guetta – now founder & CEO of SALUS Technologies – never imagined that what proved to be a fruitless search for a solution to those challenges would result in his founding of a software company to build it from the ground up. Headquartered in Vancouver, B.C., SALUS has fast become a prominent player in the digital safety category and an emerging thought-leader in the space, with customers across North America ranging in size from SMB to the large enterprise. Guetta credits his company’s rapid success to a committed and passionate SALUS team and to their customers, who have been and will continue to be instrumental in guiding the development of a platform that’s poised to revolutionize the business of safety. GEOFF KRAHN Engineering Lead Krahn Group of Companies Vancouver, B.C. After earning a bachelor of applied science in civil engineering from UBC in 2009, Geoff Krahn began working at Krahn Group of Companies based in Vancouver, where he has since earned his master’s degree in business administration from SFU and helped grow the company into one of the largest providers of multi-disciplinary consulting firms in Western Canada. Krahn was involved in many acquisitions and mergers for the company and helped lead the successful partnership with Nexii Building Solutions, an environmentally sustainable, near zero-waste construction method. Today, Krahn is involved in the management of Krahn Group, overseeing over 150 employees across Canada to complete over five million square feet of commercial and light industrial construction, in addition to thousands of multi-family residential units each year. Krahn has supported the local Indigenous bands in the communities he works in, having helped bring new technologies and
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sustainable solutions for commercial and residential land development. JACQUELINE LOTZKAR Vice-President Pacific Metals Recycling International Vancouver, B.C. After achieving a bachelor of commerce in international business in 2012 and a master’s degree in global business in 2014 through the University of Victoria, Jacqueline Lotzkar began working in her family business at Pacific Metals Recycling International in Vancouver, learning every aspect of the operation. Whether it’s participating in a trade mission to India, dealing with intermodal transport between the U.S. and Canada, or influencing U.S. Congress on USMCA (United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement), Lotzkar has had an influential impact in the international
metals recycling industry as it adapts to new regulations, trade barriers, and challenges related to labour, safety, and climate change. Throughout her career, Lotzkar has been a powerful force to advance her industry on both a global and community level. She serves on the board of directors of the ISRI (Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries) as a director-at-large, where she chairs and co-chairs many committees including the Trade Committee, the Woman in Recycling Council, and the Young Executive Council. JENNA BROOKS Founder and CEO Racked Out Toronto, Ont. Having worked in racking sales and installation within the construction industry for nearly a decade, Jenna Brooks saw the opportunity to
launch Racked Out in 2014 as its founder and CEO, with a specialization in custom designed, end-to-end warehouse optimization. Servicing the Greater Toronto Area, Racked Out offers consultation, design, installation, and maintenance programs as a full-service turnkey racking operation. As a female entrepreneur, Brooks founded Racked Out to help lead and mentor other women looking to excel in the construction industry, ensuring every department in her company has female representation who are empowered to self-manage and lead. Through Racked Out, Brooks partnered with the COBT (Central Ontario Building Trades) Hammer Heads program to support at-risk youth with trades-based opportunities, while providing mentorship and skills training initiatives. She also supports local community groups and charities, including the SickKids Foundation and Greater Toronto Area Food Banks.
Lora McMillan Manager, Special Projects
Dan Commons Senior Project Manager
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JIM DUNN President Stack Modular After completing a double major in civil engineering and architecture from Lehigh University in Pennsylvania in 2005, Jim Dunn began working with PCL Construction in California, where he discovered his passion for offshore manufacturing. In 2008 he founded Dunn Global, a Chinesebased manufacturing firm that provided high-quality products to Canada, which he eventually bought control of in 2012 to found Stack Modular in Vancouver, which Dunn has since scaled into one of North America’s largest modular construction partners. In 2017, Bird Construction acquired 50 per cent of the business, creating a unique partnership that bridged the gap between conventional and modu-
lar construction methods. As president of Stack Modular, one of the largest modular construction partners in the industry, Jim helps lead a combined organization of over 5,000 employees with over 750,000 square feet of manufacturing space. Through Stack Modular’s structural steel modular buildings, Dunn is successfully contributing to industry-wide issues related to labour shortages, escalating build schedules, rising environmental, safety, and sustainability standards, volatile materials costs, depleting project profitability, capital turnover, and construction risk. JOE KLIPPENSTEIN General Manager, Concrete Products Lafarge Canada Winnipeg, Man. With over 16 years of experience in the precast concrete industry, Joe Klippenstein
has worked his way up from a labourer to managing various teams and projects, producing hundreds of bridge structures and residential buildings throughout Winnipeg and across Canada. He began his career at Armtec out of Winnipeg in 2005, where he progressed to managing the day-to-day operations of a precast concrete facility, earning his Concrete Testing Technician and Precast Concrete Quality Control Level 3 certifications. Klippenstein eventually transitioned to his current position as general manager of concrete products at Lafarge out of Winnipeg in 2019 with a focus on precast and hollowcore, and has recently achieved his Certificate in Management (CIM) at the University of Manitoba. As an active member of CME (Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters), and the CPCI (Canadian Precast Concrete Institute), Klippenstein has participated in many innovative projects to benefit the
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industry, including an Emergency Precast Structures program, which designed and built structures to withstand the force of major natural disasters. JOHN REID Co-Founder, Chief Revenue Officer Faber Technologies Vancouver, B.C. What began as an idea in a Vancouver apartment amongst a group of friends has evolved into a multi-million-dollar business that is transforming the way construction workers and tradespeople find employment. Faber Technologies, launched in 2015 by John Reid, co-founder and chief revenue officer, has now grown to a team of over 30 people across Canada and the U.S., and has placed thousands of skilled workers to advance major construction projects across North America. Reid’s
career began in 2013 as a carpenter, while studying economics and political science at UBC. In 2015, he pursued his vision for Faber by enrolling in Lighthouse Labs’ coding and web development training and participating in an Alchemist Accelerator Program, where he turned his passion for the construction industry into a way that helps construction workers find meaningful employment. Reid has participated in the CCA’s (Canadian Construction Association) CONtact innovator mentorship program to share his experiences with aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators in the Canadian construction industry. JORDAN LATIMER Operations Manager PCL Construction Ottawa, Ont. Jordan Latimer joined PCL Construction in
2006, after four consecutive co-op terms, immediately after graduating from the University of Ottawa with a bachelor of applied science in civil engineering. Based out of the PCL Ottawa branch, Latimer was exposed to multiple sectors of construction and contract delivery methods, eventually progressing into a special projects manager, where he was responsible for identifying, pursuing, securing, and executing major construction and infrastructure projects. In 2015, Latimer was a winner of the PCL Robert Stollery Leadership Award, and was selected to attend PCL’s leadership course, which led to his promotion to operations manager in 2019. Latimer was also responsible for leading PCL Ottawa’s COVID-19 Action Team, ensuring staff were able to remain safe while maintaining project schedules. As an active supporter of the construction industry, Latimer serves on the board of directors for the GCAO (General
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Contractors Association of Ottawa), and as a member of the Algonquin College ACCE (Algonquin Centre for Construction Excellence) Program Advisory Committee and the Canam Future Leaders Program. JUL MORKEN Owner & President Jul Construction Kamloops, B.C. At the age of 23, Jul Morken and his wife Carmen started Jul Construction in 2011, servicing the Kamloops, B.C. region with safe, high-quality framing and foundation solutions. As owner and president with a Red Seal Carpentry Certification, Morken works alongside his employees to lead by example and embrace their craft. As a COR Certified company, Jul supports local construction companies by providing guidance and expertise on their safety programs, offering safety subscriptions to promote education and improve the quality of work practices on construction sites. Morken has elevated the framing and foundation industry by developing a respectful, caring, and committed team. Always looking to build his team up, he offers to sponsor all Jul employees in the ITA (Industry Training Authority) program who want to achieve their certifications. In addition, under Morken’s leadership, the Jul Construction team has offered to build a memorial for the 215 unmarked graves found at the former Kamloops Indian Residential School. KEVIN READ President and CEO Nomodic Calgary, Alta. With a bachelor’s degree in business and entrepreneurship from Mount Royal University in 2006, Kevin Read founded Nomodic in 2012 in Calgary with a vision to “leave things better” by offering modular, off-site construction solutions that reduce waste, worksite injury and disruption within the
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community, while speeding up schedules and occupancy. As president and CEO, Read offers continuity throughout the life of the project, from design to installation, and has evolved Nomodic’s business model and services to provide affordable, Indigenous and emergency modular housing complexes across Canada, supporting the Rapid Response to Homelessness Initiative and Rapid Housing Initiative. Read currently serves as the director and chair of the Canadian Council for the MBI (Modular Building Institute) and sits on the board for the University of New Brunswick’s Off-site Construction Research Centre, and he’s built many long-term volunteer relationships within the communities Nomodic helps to build. KEVIN RITZMANN Senior Director Alltrade Industrial Contractors Calgary, Alta. As an Ontario Master Electrician with certifications in construction and maintenance, Kevin Ritzmann has led a wide range of renewable energy projects on over 1GW of solar, wind, battery energy storage, and substation construction across Canada, including Alberta Solar One. After completing his apprenticeship, he joined Alltrade Industrial Contractors in 2011, where he has progressed into his current role of senior director, working out of the Calgary and Ontario offices. Ritzmann oversees the project pursuit phase and strategy for the transit, energy, industrial and utility divisions, and collaborates with the business development team to expand and grow. Ritzmann has also helped create successful joint ventures, including Alltrade/CYMI, which completed the Eglinton Light Rail project. Active in senior roles in key industry associations, Ritzmann is the director of TRACCS (Transit and Rail Association for Canadian Contractors, Maintainers, and Standards), is a member of the Future Leaders Advisory Council of ECAO (Elec-
trical Contractors Association of Ontario), CANREA (Canadian Renewable Energy Association), and Energy Storage Canada. LANDON JOHN General Manager Shxw’ówhámél Ventures (SVLP) Hope, B.C. Landon John is a proud Indigenous leader who has put in time, hard work, and dedication to get to where he is today, as general manager of Shxw’ówhámél Ventures (SVLP) construction company within the Shxw’ówhámél First Nation traditional territory in Hope, B.C. Starting his career as a labourer at 13 years old, John has progressed to multiple positions in construction with professional achievements that include working on complex infrastructure projects for Ledcor Construction in Fort McMurray, Alta., and Kinder Morgan in Burnaby and Hope, B.C. Recognized for his natural leadership skills, John was approached by Indigenous owned and operated SVLP in 2016, where he had the opportunity to make massive contributions to the Indigenous youth in the local communities with meaningful employment and training opportunities within the construction industry. Always contributing to the health and safety of his team, John has achieved over 30 safety certificates, including Level 3 First Aid, NACE International CIP (Coating Inspector Program) Level 1 and 2, and Primary Care Paramedic and Emergency Medial Responder. LAUREN LAKE COO and Co-Founder Bridgit Waterloo, Ont. After earning a bachelor’s degree in civil structural engineering from Western University in 2013, Lauren Lake co-founded Bridgit in Waterloo, Ont. with the belief that the best way to fix any problem is to understand it firsthand and from the ground up. As COO
of the company bringing guidance and expertise in the architecture, engineering and construction industries, Lake helped launch Bridgit Bench, the company’s flagship product. Lake has since been named in the TechWeek 100, Forbes Manufacturing & Industry 30 Under 30, and Best Of Canada Forbes Under 30 Innovators lists. Lake continues to promote innovation by delivering countless presentations at industry association events and conferences, including BuiltWorlds, Procore Groundbreak, the CCA’s (Canadian Construction Association) annual conference, and various trade shows focused on estimating, planning, and scheduling. Lake is also an advocate for female representation in construction and has delivered the 30th Annual Lynda Shaw Memorial Lecture for Women in Engineering at Western University.
LEON NG Founder and CEO LNG Studios Vancouver, B.C. Shortly after graduating from Queen’s University with a bachelor’s degree in film studies, Leon Ng founded the Real Estate Channel in 2006 in Toronto, which is the only 24/7 broadcast of residential and commercial listings across Canada. He later combined his passion for filmmaking and his experience in real estate to launch LNG Studios in 2009 in Vancouver, specializing in the pre-sale market with services that include 3D architectural visualizations, VR/AR (virtual reality/augmented reality), video production, interactive modules, and 3D printing and scanning. As founder and CEO of LNG Studios, Ng has led the creation of renderings for many iconic buildings and structures across the city,
including The Shipyards, Vancouver House, and Amazon’s new head office, which were critical in receiving approvals for construction. Ng is also a founding board member of the VR/AR Association and an advisory board member of RETECH (Real Estate Technology Association), where he accelerates the virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality markets by fostering research and education. LORA MCMILLAN Manager, Special Projects Ledcor Construction Toronto, Ont. Lora McMillan has been a powerful contributor and advocate to the construction industry since she began her career as a carpenter in 2008. She is now a Gold Seal Certified superintendent at Ledcor
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Construction, as manager of the special projects division in Toronto, where she leads major commercial projects. McMillan began working at Ledcor in 2012 as an assistant superintendent, while earning her Construction Project Management Certificate at George Brown College. Over the past nine years, she has progressed to take on more responsibilities, due to her expertise on scheduling, policies, and procedures, and her commitment to improving Ledcor’s employee engagement, inclusion, and diversity. Within Ledcor, McMillan is co-chair of the Inclusion and Diversity Advisory Council, and is leading the Ledcor Cares 2021 fundraising campaign for the Toronto region. She also supports her local communities and the construction industry at large by serving as a mentor in the Toronto Community Benefits Network’s NexGen Builders mentorship program, and as a member of the Canadian Association of Women in Construction. MARY-STEWART TORRIE Senior Project Manager Graham Construction Regina, Sask. With a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a completed PMP (Project Management Professional) designation, Mary-Stewart Torrie has worked with Graham Construction within their project management and operations divisions since 2005. As an APEGS (Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan) certified professional, Torrie has amassed 16 years of industry experience in construction and mining, in roles advancing project and construction management. Notable project accomplishments include safely delivering self-executed construction on several potash expansions, working in the uranium sector, and managing a portfolio of work for two of the largest potash clients in the Canadian mining industry. Torrie has also supported the implementation of new technology, and has helped implement a new SAP system, as well as
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procurement toolbox software upgrades. Torrie’s involvement in the industry includes supporting the local PMI (Project Management Institute) Chapter, the SIMSA (Saskatchewan Industrial Mining Suppliers Association), WIM (Women in Mining), the Mine Your Potential Conference, and the Women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Conference. MATHEW BARANOWSKI Manager, Special Projects PCL Construction Edmonton, Alta. With a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Manitoba, Mathew Baranowski has been working with PCL Construction since 2010, progressing rapidly through various roles and responsibilities throughout Winnipeg and Edmonton. As the manager of special projects out of Edmonton since 2020, Baranowski leads a team of over 50, overseeing over 40 active projects and over $120 million in annual revenue. Recognized by his contribution to standardizing pre-construction guidelines to improve budgeting and decision making, Baranowski was selected into PCL’s Leadership Academy in 2021, and his team is on pace to set a record year that will exceed pre-pandemic revenues by 25 per cent. Within the community, Baranowski and his Special Projects department have partnered with Homes For Heroes Foundation, building tiny home villages with full social support services for veterans transitioning back to civilian life. He is active in many industry associations, and guest lectures on several sustainable construction topics. MIKE BROWN Operations Manager Matheson Constructors Toronto, Ont. Shortly after achieving a bachelor’s degree in technology management from Bemidji State University, Mike Brown joined Matheson Constructors in
2014 as director of business development in the Greater Toronto Area, where he has since helped the company grow from $30 million to $200 million in annual revenue. In 2018, Brown was promoted to operations manager while playing the role of project director on the $150-million Sobeys Voila Customer Fulfilment Centre, which was the first operation in North America to deploy the Ocado Smart Platform, an automated storage and retrieval system for groceries. Currently, Brown leads over 70 operations staff while providing guidance to Matheson’s technology department, where he focuses on improving collaboration and efficiency with improved processes and communication. Within the construction industry, Brown is an advocate for mental health, supporting awareness and training for employees. He was also one of the driving forces elevating Matheson’s safety culture, helping them achieve COR safety status through the IHSA (Infrastructure Health & Safety Association). OLIVIER BEAULIEU Project Manager Kiewit Corporation Hope, B.C. Since achieving his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Polytechnique Montreal in 2005, Olivier Beaulieu has worked with Kiewit Corporation for over 16 years in different roles and responsibilities, completing complex infrastructure projects based out of Québec, Newfoundland, Ontario, and to where he works currently in Hope, B.C. as a project manager. Notable projects he’s managed include the $1.7-billion Turcot Interchange; $1.6-billion Long Harbour Processing Plant; and the $760-million Transmountain Spread 5B. During his tenure, Beaulieu has been a public Kiewit representative on the projects he’s worked on, developing trusting relationships with all stakeholders to keep projects on schedule, and earning recognition from industry associations, including the AQTr (Association québécoise des transports) Public Communication Award in 2019.
Within the industry, Beaulieu is a member of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec and the QRBHCA (Québec Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association). He also serves as a Kiewit ambassador to Polytechnique Montreal, and participates in presentations on a number of topics, including diversity in construction. RITU AHUJA Lean Integration Leader Kinetic Construction Vancouver, B.C. With a Ph.D. in built environment, Dr. Ritu Ahuja is the lean integration leader at Kinetic Construction, Vancouver Branch, and is an Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) who has been instrumental in contributing to the existing knowledge of lean construction in the architectural, engineering and construction industry. Prior to joining Kinetic in 2019, Ahuja had studied and worked in India, the U.K., and across Canada, researching
and advancing agile project management within organizations and communities. Successful organizational deployments include implementing Building Information Management (BIM) and Last Planner System frameworks to improve collaboration and increase efficiency on construction projects. Continuing her pursuit for continuous improvement, Ahuja is an active member of the Vancouver LCI-CoP (Lean Construction Institute – Community of Practice), providing a forum where professionals can connect to explore lean challenges. She has also collaborated with University of Alberta to mentor young researchers in the field of lean construction and has co-authored, presented, and published research papers at international conferences. RYAN O’SHEA Vice-President Miracon Development Vancouver, B.C. Shortly after achieving his master’s degree in
business administration at California State Long Beach in 2014, Ryan O’Shea began working with Miracon Development in the Greater Vancouver Area as a construction manager on their very first detached single-family project in 2015. O’Shea has since progressed to vice-president of the company, where he oversees the day-to-day operations, marketing, and construction of high-profile multi-family residential projects. Under O’Shea’s leadership and commitment to customer service, Miracon has been nominated for over 60 industry association awards, and has most recently been awarded the 2021 Grand George Award for Best Customer Service in B.C. Over the next five years, Miracon is positioned to deliver over 500 new homes to B.C.’s Fraser Valley region. As co-chair of HAVAN’s (Homebuilders Association of Vancouver) Government Relations and Development Committee and UDI’s (Urban Development Institute) Township of Langley Liaison Committee, O’Shea advocates for the residential construction industry and works with municipal,
Congratulations to the TOP 40 UNDER 40 - The future looks bright!
on-sitemag.com / 41
EllisDon is proud to congratulate Craig Enns and Derek Love on making On-Site Magazine’s Top 40 Under 40 list as two of the brightest minds in the Canadian construction industry. Their unwavering leadership and dedication to our core values have been critical to EllisDon’s success and both are examples of why EllisDon is such a great place to build a career. ellisdon.com/careers
Craig Enns Vice President and Area Manger British Columbia
Derek Love Vice President and Area Manager Looby Construction
provincial, and federal governments to make housing and construction policy more transparent, predictable, and accountable. SAHIL SHOOR Partner Gowling WLG (Canada) Toronto, Ont. Called to the Bar in both Ontario and B.C., Sahil Shoor is a partner with Gowling WLG (Canada) LLP, where his national practice is focused on complex litigation and dispute resolution in commercial construction, real estate development, civil works, power and energy, transit/transportation (P3) and other industrial infrastructure projects. Originally hired by Gowling in 2017 as a senior litigation associate and later promoted to partner at the beginning of 2021, Shoor brings a proven record of effective advocacy as a construction lawyer before courts and arbitration panels in Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan, B.C., and a number of administrative tribunals. Recently, Shoor has been recognized by The Legal 500 Canada 2021 as Rising Star in Dispute Resolution for Ontario, for his conduct of formal and informal dispute resolution proceedings. Outside of Gowling, Shoor is an executive member of the CBA (Canadian Bar Association) Construction and Infrastructure Law Section and is a member of the executive team of the GVCA (Grand Valley Construction Association) Leaders in Construction group. SAMIL JUNUZOVIC General Manager, Construction Innovative Trenching Solutions Edmonton, Alta. Samil Junuzovic relocated to Canada from Europe in 1999, not speaking a word of English, after living through a civil war in early 1990’s. As a natural leader determined to overcome his adversity, he completed
a construction engineering program in 2008, then began working as a project coordinator with a top-tier Canadian general contractor, quickly progressing to project director, where he oversaw complex industrial projects over $100 million in value across Canada. In 2017, Junuzovic saw an opportunity to advance Innovative Trenching Solutions (ITS) based out of Edmonton as the general manager of construction, where ITS specializes in underground utility construction services across Canada and the U.S. Notable achievements include deploying trenchless plowing technologies to install industrial pipelines while improving safety, scheduling, cost savings, and consistent quality. Junuzovic has certifications as an engineering technologist, a national construction safety officer, and a Gold Seal construction management professional. Junuzovic is active in his community and industry, and has served as president for non-profit organizations. SETH RICHARDS President Westview Projects Ottawa, Ont. After completing his Bachelor of Commerce in Real Estate Management from the University of Guelph, Seth Richards worked with small residential builders before getting hired on with PCL Constructors in the Ottawa Region. It was during this time when he honed his leadership skills, helping to oversee large ICI Projects, across a broad scope of work. This gave Richards the confidence to leave PCL and launch his own construction management business in 2016. Westview Projects is based out of Ottawa, where, as president, he leads an experienced team managing the construction of ICI and multi-unit residential projects. From the outset, Westview has adopted an approach to building focused on transparency, quality, and sustainability. Westview was an early adopter of technology to help streamline construction management processes, and to provide value to clients. Westview’s approach to building, and its growing team of talented
construction professionals have helped to make it one of the fastest growing general contractors in Eastern Ontario. Richards and his partners at Westview support several local organizations including the Royal Ottawa Hospital and the Ottawa Construction Association’s Ottawa Young Construction Leaders program. Outside of the company, Richards is a proud board member for the Almonte Hospital Foundation, where he leads an initiative to bring new diagnostic imaging equipment to the community. SYDNEY WANCHULAK Impact & Sustainability Manager NorLand Vancouver, B.C. Shortly after achieving her bachelor’s degree in construction management from BCIT, Sydney Wanchulak joined Vancouver-based NorLand Limited in 2018 as a proposal coordinator. She quickly worked her way up to impact and sustainability (I&S) manager in 2019, where she currently drives the company’s B Corp Certification efforts by supporting NorLand’s 16 diverse business units to build impactful ESG (environmental, social and governance) practices into their businesses. Notable achievements include helping NorLand achieve Climate Smart Certification by calculating departmental greenhouse gas emissions and developing reduction strategies. Throughout her career with NorLand, Wanchulak has developed leadership skills through the Core Leadership Series, the BPM (Bullet Proof Manager) Program, and the Women Leading the Way Program, while leading the company’s Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committee as chairperson. Wanchulak attends career fairs with NorLand to promote women in construction, supports CCW (Canadian Construction Women) and VRCA (Vancouver Regional Construction Association), and has presented at speaking opportunities including BCIT’s Sustainable Business Leadership program and the EcoCity World Summit. on-sitemag.com / 43
YAN GUIMOND Director of Operations and Project Services, Montreal Region EBC Montreal, Que. Active in the construction industry first as a carpenter and later a superintendent, Yan Guimond began his career as a construction engineer at EBC within their Building Division, shortly after earning a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from ETS (École de technologie supérieure) in 2010. Since then, Guimond has progressed to the director of operations and project services for EBC’s Montreal Region, and has achieved a specialized graduate diploma in DESS construction project management. As a passionate advocate for industry advancement and innovation, Guimond
has deployed a procurement structure that focuses on cost control processes, while optimizing procedures that all team members can access and contribute to. Within EBC, Guimond is a key leader and mentor to newcomers to the construction industry, giving them opportunities to contribute to projects and build their confidence. As a member of the Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec and as a LEED Green Associate, Guimond is also actively involved in industry-related events and activities, including presentation opportunities and curriculum review within ETS’s engineering program.
MEET
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Andrew Hansen President, SitePartners Donna Grant President, VRCA Jesse Unke Vice-President, Canada, COWI Leslie Doka Director of Construction, Wright Construction Nadia Todorova Executive Director, Residential & Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario
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WORLD OF CONCRETE
WORLD OF CONCRETE 2022 PREVIEW
T
he World of Concrete returns to Las Vegas from January 17 to 20, 2022, and will feature the latest technologies for concrete applications, special events and its robust concrete education program. WOC 2022 is playing host to a variety of outdoor competitions to put your skills to test, including the 2022 Spec Mix Bricklayer 500 World Championship, MCAA’s Masonry Skills Challenge and Fastest Trowel on the Block, Spec Mix Toughest Tender and Western Star Trucks’ Get Tough Challenge. The show will also feature additional indoor and outdoor events including Decorative Concrete Live! showcasing the best techniques, products and solutions for decorative concrete and architectural projects; the CIM Silent & Live Auction; and Stucco Live! The eduction program will offer attendees dozens of dozens of sessions covering a wide variety of applications for concrete professionals. The trade show will showcase the latest concrete technologies from approximately 1,500 exhibiting companies covering more than 700,000-sq.-ft. of indoor and outdoor exhibit space. This annual show dedicated to the concrete industry, attracts more than 60,000 attendees annually from around the globe, consisting of commercial contractors, concrete contractors, concrete pumpers, construction managers, dealers/distributors, decorative concrete contractors, designers and specifiers, general contractors, masonry contractors, architects, engineers, block producers, ready mix producers, rental equipment centres, repair contractors, residential contractors, specialty concrete contractors, precast/ prestressed producers, and more. For more information, visit www.worldofconcrete.com.
on-sitemag.com / 49
2022 WORLD OF CONCRETE EDUCATION PROGRAM Program-at-a-Glance (as of 10-27-21)
WOC 3-HOUR SEMINARS MONDAY JAN 17 8:00 AM—11:00 AM
1:00 PM—4:00 PM
TUESDAY JAN 18
WEDNESDAY JAN 19
THURSDAY JAN 20
8:00 AM—11:00 AM
8:00 AM—11:00 AM
8:00 AM—11:00 AM
3-Hour Seminar Track: CONCRETE FUNDAMENTALS MO01
Concrete Basics I: Concrete Materials, Mixtures & Fresh Properties Jeff Groom, Rich Szecsy
MO02
Concrete Basics II: Ordering, Producing, Placing & Finishing Concrete Jeff Groom, Rich Szecsy
TU03
WE04
TH05
TU08
WE09
TH10
WE14
TH15
Concrete Basics III: Troubleshooting Typical Problems, Tips & Marketplace Trends Jeff Groom, Rich Szecsy
Mix Design I: Evaluation of Mixtures Michelle Wilson, Ken Hover
Mix Design II: Adjusting with Aggregates & Admixtures Michelle Wilson, Ken Hover
3-Hour Seminar Track: CONCRETE REPAIR MO06
Advanced Repair: Structural Distress, Assessment & Strengthening Solutions Jay Thomas
MO07
Troubleshooting Concrete Cracks: Understand & Minimize Cracking Kim Basham
Repairing Concrete Cracks: Evaluation & Selection of Repair Methods Kim Basham
Repair Fundamentals I: Surface Prep, Reinforcement, Material Selection & Placement Peter Emmons
Repair Fundamentals II: Waterproof, Protection & Corrosion Prevention Brent Anderson, Eyad Alhariri
3-Hour Seminar Track: BUSINESS & PROJECT MANAGEMENT MO11
Crash Course: Financial Management for Owners & Managers Leslie Shiner
NEW! MO12
How Managers & Supervisors Achieve Bottom-Line Results thru People George Hedley
NEW! TU13
Improving Performance Through Effective Leadership Randy Anderson
How to Turn Inefficiency into Profitability Brad Humphrey
Productivity Improvement for Today’s Workforce Kristy Wolfe
WOC 90-MINUTE SEMINARS MONDAY JAN 17 8:00 AM—9:30 AM
10:30 AM—12:00 PM
1:00 PM—2:30 PM
TUESDAY JAN 18 3:30 PM—5:00 PM
8:30 AM—10:00 AM
1:30 PM—3:00 PM
WEDNESDAY JAN 19 8:30 AM—10:00 AM
1:30 PM—3:00 PM
THURSDAY JAN 20 8:30 AM—10:00 AM
1:30 PM—3:00 PM
90-Minute Seminar Track: GENERAL BUSINESS - best practices, leadership, financial management, safety MO101
Motivating Today’s Construction Worker Brad Humphrey
NEW! MO102
OSHA Record Keeping Requirements & COVID Reporting Practices Matt Murphy
MO103
Safety First: Creating & Implementing Safety Culture Matt Murphy
MO104
Cash Flow Forecasting: 4 Tools to Boost Profits Leslie Shiner
NEW! TU105
Building an Accountable Management Team & Organizational Chart George Hedley
NEW! TU106
The 25-Hour Day: Time Management & Time Budgeting Strategies Randy Anderson
WE107
Critical Path Method Basics: Scheduling Techniques Kristy Wolfe
NEW! WE108
NEW! TH109
NEW! TH110
NEW! WE116
NEW! TH117
NEW! TH118
NEW! WE125
TH126
NEW! TH127
WE133
TH134
NEW! TH135
Strategic & Tactical Productivity: Execution Techniques to Improve Field Project Results Brad Humphrey
Estimating: 5 Strategies for Better Bidding Troy Guevara
Steps to a Successful Change Order: Tips & Techniques to Get Paid Rocky Geans, Tommy Ruttura
90-Minute Seminar Track: ADVANCED TECHNICAL - for experienced senior management & engineers NEW! MO111
Innovations in Concrete Technology Michelle Wilson
MO112
Post-Tensioning: Repairs, Modifications & Evaluation of Existing Structures Jay Thomas
SUPER PASS PACKAGES for savings –includes FREE exhibits admission
TU113
Compressive Strength Failures: Causes, Evaluation & Resolution Jacob Borgerson
NEW! TU114
Leading-Edge Techniques for Finishing Industrial & HighEnd Floors Bryan Birdwell, Bob Simonelli
NEW! WE115
Concrete Placement & Finishing Defects: Causes, Evaluation & Mitigation Jacob Borgerson
Decorative Concrete: Troubleshooting, Techniques, Tips & Trends Chris Sullivan
Slab Repair Techniques for Parking Lots, Roadways & Airfields Mike Ayers
Fiber Reinforced Concrete: Design & Construction Practices Amir Bonakdar, Brent Coulson
90-Minute Seminar Track: CONCRETE 101 - for entry level personnel with less than 3 years experience MO119
What is Wrong with my Concrete? Troubleshooting Concrete Quality Tyler Ley
MO120
Introduction to Placing & Finishing Concrete Slabs Chad White, Stevie Ray Lloyd
MO121
Curing Concrete: Why We Do It and Why We Care Tyler Ley
3 packages available with variety of WOC 3-Hr & WOC 90-Min seminar combinations
TU122
Fundamentals of Masonry Construction: Reinforcement, Grouting & Codes Michael Schuller
NEW! TU123
Mix Design Fundamentals: Practical & Need-to-Know Information Rich Szecsy
WE124
Cold Weather: Managing Concrete in Winter Conditions Kim Basham
Concrete Slump Test: Help, Hindrance, or Insignificant? Jacob Borgerson
Hot Weather: Dealing with Concrete in Hot, Dry & Windy Conditions Kim Basham
Identifying Basic Concrete Surface Problems & Challenges Brent Anderson
90-Minute Seminar Track: FLOORS & SLABS - troubleshooting, polishing, & decorative applications NEW! MO128
Extended Joint Floors: Concepts, Systems & Material Choices Chris Tull
50 / DECEMBER 2021 WOC
MO129
Decorative Polished Concrete Slabs: Planning, Placing & Finishing Bryan Birdwell, Bob Harris
TU130
Reinforced Concrete: Suspended & Slabs-on-Ground Design + Practical Applications Jerry Holland, Tyler Ley
NEW! TU131
Sealers & Surface Protection to Ensure Proper Selection for Every Project Federico Jasso
WE132
Successfully Producing Quality Flat & Level Concrete Floors Bryan Birdwell
The Good, Bad & Ugly Faces of Moisture in Concrete Peter Craig, Scott Tarr
High Performance Coatings & Sealers: Technology, Trends, Prep & Application Steven Reinstadtler
Polishable Overlays: The Keys to Consistent Success Jason Ryan
4-HOUR CERTIFICATION REVIEW SEMINARS & EXAMS
100%
GRIT
When the world stopped, you kept going. Adapting. Giving a master class in resilience and being an essential worker. Now, celebrate how far you’ve come and discover the innovation helping our community evolve, endure, and thrive. Part knowledge, part equipment, part connections—World of Concrete is 100% of what you need to keep grinding it out through disruptions to the supply chain, safety and beyond. Get your hands on advanced technology, machinery, and tools, access the newest training and techniques in concrete and masonry, and build momentum for another unstoppable year.
GO ALL IN: www.worldofconcrete.com
EXHIBITS: JANUARY 18-20, 2022 EDUCATION: JANUARY 17-20
LAS VEGAS CONVENTION CENTER
PRODUCTS
Concrete Products Showcase Between the World of Concrete in January and the Canadian Concrete Expo in February, concrete industry professionals will have the opportunity to check out a wide variety of equipment for their concrete application needs. Here are a few of the products that will be on display. POWER CURBERS COMPANIES Experience the Power Curber 5700-D at World of Concrete in January or the Canadian Concrete Expo in February. The 5700-D features the SlipSmart Control Solution, which provides operators a new level of precision. Power Curber’s engineering is dedicated to providing a reliable and productive machine that is easy to use. Power Curbers stands behind its equipment with world-class support and commitment. WOC Booth: W805 CCE Booth: 3219
BRAFASCO The easy-to-navigate digitized Concrete Solutions product guide from Brafasco, focuses on the key Canadian commercial concrete markets. There are increasing standards expected of materials, tools, and people on the job. The point-by-point guide breaks down product listings for common jobsites, giving contractors a range of options likely not considered in the past when planning their next project. CCE Booth: 2245
GOMACO GOMACO CC-1200e is the world’s first battery-powered slipform concrete curb machine. Powered by a 48-volt lithium-ion battery pack, it allows for zero exhaust emissions, reduced vibrations, and zero engine noise. The machine is self-propelled and controlled with a radio remote control, which comes standard with the exclusive GOMACO G+ control system. The machine is equipped with an eight- to 10-hour charging system and is capable of running a full paving day. WOC Booth: W2725
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CASE CE The CASE TV620B is the largest and most powerful CTL ever built. The 114-horsepower, 6,200-pound R.O.C. CTL delivers best-in-class breakout forces, and more standardized features than previously available on any CASE CTL. The TV620B also features the new CASE SiteConnect Module, remote connectivity and software updates through the SiteManager App, as well as connectivity to the CASE Uptime Center for collaborative fleet management. WOC Booth: W925
PLANITOP 13 Planitop 13 is a new, easy-to-apply polymer-modified and fibre-enhanced repair mortar with corrosion inhibitor that is designed for interior and exterior, vertical and overhead repairs. Features and benefits include that it is polymer-modified for added durability; can be trowel- and spray-applied; allows for extended working time for application in hot weather conditions; and is a single-component formulation for easy application. WOC Booth: C4840 CCE Booth: 2561
CONNEX
MINNICH
CONNEX allows users to digitize 100 per cent of paper tickets and automatically reconcile material and haul tickets with invoices. It can validate that the user is paying for what they receive, speed up payables processes, and let them know each day what they are spending on materials and transportation. The main features of CONNEX are: to track project job costs daily for materials and transportation; know materials spend rates; ease invoice reconciliation and expedite payments; and to digitize and automate paper-based processes. WOC Booth: N1537 CCE Booth: 2793
The Control Speed Vibrator (CSV) from Minnich Manufacturing is a lightweight, durable, electric flex shaft 15-amp (115-volt) concrete vibrator controlled through connectivity. Using Bluetooth and the Minnich app on an iOS or Android device, operators can choose between set speeds of 6,000, 8,000, 10,500 and open vpm. Slower vibration speeds lessen material separation and reduce surface blemishes and repairs. The CSV maintains the chosen speed as the concrete load changes. WOC Booth: W2224
TOPCON Topcon Positioning Group’s MC-Max machine control solution is based on its MC-X machine control platform, and backed by Sitelink3D. MC-Max is a scalable solution for mixed-fleet heavy equipment environments. It is designed to adapt to owners’ machine control and data integration needs as their fleets and workflows expand. MC-Max increases processing power, speed, accuracy, versatility and reliability; and can be installed on a full range of dozers and excavators, using the same basic modular components. The MC-Max solution offers flexible mounting solutions, as well as optional automatic blade and bucket control for a variety of machines. The system also provides a full battery of positioning technologies ranging from slope control to laser, multi-constellation GNSS, robotic total station and Millimeter GPS systems. WOC Booth: W3353
MILLER FORMLESS Miller Formless provides various types of slipform concrete paving machines. The most common features are John Deere engines (M-series) and Kubota engines (C-series), as well as the MFSmart Control Stringless system in the M-series products. The slipform pavers are engineered to handle tight radius pours. The M-1000 can pour a radius as tight as 24 in. or be used for straightaway slip forming. WOC Booth: W741
BOOTH: W3705 Request A FREE Jobsite Demo
MAX developed the World’s First battery powered rebar tying tool in 1993. Since then, MAX rebar tying tools have revolutionized rebar tying work on a variety of jobsites all around the world. The safety equipped TWINTIER® system is the fastest solution on the market for tying rebar. TWINTIER® technology allows up to 4,000 ties per charge, while delivering just the right amount of wire for greater productivity and cost savings. Compared to hand tying, this tool can reduce the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. MAX is committed to manufacturing reliable tools that have been designed to deliver enhanced performance while making sure that users can carry out safe operations. The MAX PPE Shield means that you can trust that our tools are engineered with your health and safety in mind. MAX rebar tying tools are designed to alleviate the pain of manually tying rebar and reduce the risk of developing musculoskeletal diseases.
MAX USA Corp. • 205 Express St. Plainview, NY 11803 • U.S.A. - Phone: (800) 223-4293 • FAX: (516) 741-3272 • www.maxusacorp.com
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2021-11-22 2:14 PM
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Annual
FEBRUARY 17-18, 2022 THE INTERNATIONAL CENTRE • TORONTO
CanadianConcreteExpo.com
The Only National Trade Show in Canada Dedicated to the Concrete, Aggregates and Construction Industries TITLE SPONSORS
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CCE 2022
CANADIAN CONCRETE EXPO IS BACK! T
CANADIAN CONCRETE EXPO Where: Mississauga, Ont. Venue: The International Centre Exhibits: February 17-18, 2022
he Canadian Concrete Expo will be returning to The International Centre in Mississauga, Ont. on February 17-18, 2022, with its biggest show yet after a hiatus in 2021 due to the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic. The 2022 show will feature 300-plus exhibitors spread across 250,000 sq. ft. of show floor. The show is expecting more than 6,000 attendees at the 2022 show after the 2020 show experienced a 30-per-cent increase in attendees compared to the previous year. “It has been realized by a lot of exhibiting companies that by having the break due to COVID where they couldn’t do trade shows for two years, the real value of these shows has shown through,” says Stuart Galloway, president of the Canadian Concrete Expo. “Demand from our side has been really high. We’re excited to showcase a great variety of products for concrete applications.” Educational sessions are also returning in full swing with more than 40 sessions, presentations and live demonstrations to showcase how the latest products and best practices can enhance operations. “We’re looking forward to a fabulous show and were very optimistic that’s going to be well attended and very successful to all,” Galloway says. Canadian Concrete Expo is the only national trade show in Canada dedicated to the concrete, aggregates and construction industries. The show will be following COVID-19 safety protocols, which are regularly updated on the Canadian Concrete Expo website. To stay up to date on the latest exhibitors, demonstrations, education sessions and safety protocols, visit www.canadianconcreteexpo.com.
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OCA AWARDS
CELEBRATING THE BEST OF CONCRETE Ontario Concrete Awards winners announced
Concrete Ontario recently celebrated the best applications of concrete construction across the province for 2021. Here is the list of winners that took home the distinctions of being the best in their respective categories.
ARCHITECTURAL MERIT: CAST-IN-PLACE
ARCHITECTURAL HARDSCAPE
Project: Tommy Thompson Park Pavilion
Project: Aitken Park
Owner: City of Toronto Architect of record: DTAH Architects Limited Engineer of record: Fast Lab General contractor: Somerville Construction, Consulting & Project Management Forming contractor: Alliance Site Construction Ltd. Material supplier: Dufferin Concrete, a CRH Company Additional participants: Euclid Canada Location: Toronto
Owner: Waterfront Toronto Architect of record: FORREC Engineer of record: Arup Group General contractor: UCC Group Inc. Material supplier: Dufferin Concrete, a CRH Company Additional participants: Euclid Canada Location: Toronto
INFRASTRUCTURE Project: Bloomington GO Station
ARCHITECTURAL MERIT: PRECAST Project: South Hill Condominiums
Owner: Metrolinx Architect of record: IBI Group Architects (Canada) Inc. Engineer of record: IBI Group Architects (Canada) Inc. General contractor: Kenaidan Contracting Ltd. Material supplier: Miller Concrete Additional participants: Alumna Systems Inc., EFCO Canada Co., Euclid Canada, Gilbert Steel Ltd., Master Builders Solutions Location: Richmond Hill
Owner: Thomasfield Homes Ltd. Architect of record: ABA Architects Inc. Engineer of record: MTE Consultants Inc. General contractor: Tambro Construction Ltd. Precast engineer: Rizz Engineering Inc. Precast supplier: Stubbe’s Precast Additional participants: Sika Canada Inc. Location: Guelph 1
1. Tommy Thompson Park Pavilion 2. South Hill Condominiums 3. Aitken Park 4. Bloomington GO Station 5. Lock 23, 24 and 25, Trent Severn Waterway 6. Marché St. Charles Market 7. Ecopact Concrete 3 8. Circa 1877 Condominiums 9. Muskoka Bay Resorts 10. Putman Family YWCA
56 / DECEMBER 2021
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MATERIAL DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION
SPECIALITY CONCRETE APPLICATIONS
Project: Lock 23, 24 and 25, Trent-Severn Waterway
Winner: Ecopact Concrete Material supplier: Lafarge Canada Inc., Innocon Inc., Allmix Concrete Inc.
Owner: Parks Canada Engineer of record: SNC Lavalin General contractor: Maple CDB JV Concrete contractor: EBC Inc. Material supplier: Dufferin Concrete, a CRH Company Additional participants: Euclid Canada, AGF Rebar Inc. Location: Trent-Severn Waterway
MID- TO HIGH-RISE RESIDENTIAL: CAST-IN-PLACE Project: Marché St. Charles Market Owner: Modbox Inc. Architect of record: Linebox Studios Engineer of record: Cleland Jardine Engineering Ltd. General contractor: The Lake Partnership Inc. Material supplier: Tomlinson Ready Mix Additional participants: Master Builder Solutions Location: Ottawa
MID- TO HIGH-RISE RESIDENTIAL: PRECAST Project: Circa 1877 Condominiums Owner: HIP Developments Inc. Architect of record: ABA Architects Inc. Engineer of record: MTE Consultants General contractor: Melloul-Blamey Construction Inc. Precast engineer: Rizz Engineering Inc. Precast supplier: Stubbe’s Precast Additional participants: Sika Canada Inc. Location: Waterloo
SPECIALTY CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION Project: Muskoka Bay Resorts Owner: Muskoka Bay Resorts Architect of record: Trevor McIvor Architect Inc. Engineer of record: Blackwell Structural Engineers General contractor: Alliance Development Corp. Tilt Wall Contractor: Tilt Wall Ontario Inc. Material supplier: Lafarge Canada Inc. Additional participants: AGF Rebar Ltd., Master Builder Solutions Location: Gravenhurst
SUSTAINABLE CONCRETE CONSTRUCTION Project: Putman Family YWCA Owner: YWCA Hamilton Architect of record: Kearns Mancini Architects Inc. Engineer of record: RJC Engineers General contractor: Schilthuis Construction Inc. Material supplier: Coreslab Structures (ONT) Inc. Additional participants: Sika Canada Inc. Location: Hamilton
For more information on the award-winning projects, visit: www.concreteawards.ca.
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New
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SOFTWARE
By Jacob Stoller
Closing the data gap More than their peers in almost any other industry, construction executives rely on disparate sources of data for their make-or-break decisions.
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ontractors don’t trust their data, according to a recent scale, according to Chaudhry, there’s a significant information gap study, and report that they frequently make poor decisions between the information used in design models from engineering because their data is wrong or inadequate. and the operational models used in the field. These were key findings of an Autodesk global study Until recently, many contractors have relied on tools adapted released this past September of nearly 4,000 construction execfrom other industries, with unsatisfactory results. utives. Half said that a third of their decisions are compromised “Traditionally in construction, the flow of information between by what the study calls bad data, that is, data that is inaccurate, the design phase and the construction phase has been hampered incomplete, inconsistent, or untimely. A third of respondents by software adapted from other industries, and consequently, poorly believe that more than half of their data is bad. matched for the task,” says Saraw. The problem is no small matter for an industry where business An ERP system adapted from manufacturing, for example, owners routinely put a significant proportion of their resources on might be difficult to connect to the field, leaving manual processes the line based on predicted outcomes. No decision can be made to fill the gaps. “So, I might be relying on three or four disparate without predictions, and without good data, the executives charged sets of reports that tell different stories,” says Saraw. “And as surmising future outcomes are flying blind. an executive, I simply can’t make a real-time decision based on Construction’s poor track record for completing projects as outdated disparate data – let alone forecast effectively or accuforecasted bears this out. In a study commissioned by Procore rately.” Technologies this past August, research firm IDC found that out of More often than not, however, the bottleneck isn’t IT. Data 303 U.S. and 202 Canadian project owners, 75 per cent exceeded strategies have to be sanctioned and reinforced at the highest their planned budgets on their projects, and 77 per cent were, on levels in the organization, and give IT clear guidance on the prioriaverage, 70 days late. ties. So, the real challenge is for executives to see the impact that This problem exists in spite of an explosion in apps that make inadequate data is having on their business, and to appreciate the it easier to collect data, and the wide usage of smartphones and potential gains from addressing the problem. other data collection devices in the field. The problem is what happens after the data is “That single version of the truth, or common collected. “In the last five years, we’ve made the data environment, is now something that is being transition from pen, paper, and clipboards to a looked at more seriously,” bunch of apps that collect this data in digital form,” says Kristopher Lengieza, vice-president of global partnerships and alliances at Procore “I can sell you the best software on the planet,” says Saraw, Technologies. “The big challenge has been connecting “but without executive sponsors who make their expectations clear data from multiple sources.” from a data and KPI perspective, and without a strategic plan that “The reason the industry has a history of schedules not being aligns with those expectations, you’re not going to be successful.” met or budgets always getting increased, or rework, is because Chaudhry hopes the industry will follow in the footsteps of information is scattered in so many different formats that people banking and other industries and create common data environdon’t have easy access to,” says Hammad Chaudhry, director of ments where all stakeholders are looking at the same picture. virtual design and construction responsible for EllisDon’s civil and “That single version of the truth, or common data environment, ICI projects in Western Canada. is now something that is being looked at more seriously,” says A PERENNIAL CHALLENGE Chaudhry. “I think that this would unlock a level of efficiency that Getting data to flow between diverse stakeholders has always would lead us as an industry move on to the next step or part of our been one of IT’s toughest challenges, and one that is amplified evolution.” in the complex business of construction. The basic problem is that different apps store their data in different formats, and these Jacob Stoller is principal of StollerStrategies. Send comments to are often incompatible. A labour management app might not, for editor@on-sitemag.com example, be able to read data from a scheduling app. On a larger on-sitemag.com / 59
RISK
By David Bowcott
Early involvement, greater collaboration and common technology platforms converge to improve project outcomes
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ver the summer, the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) had one of its members, Graham Construction, present at its National Advisory Council meetings on the topic of Emerging Contract Models for Better Projects (Early Contractor Involvement – ECI). To view this presentation, point your web browser to the following YouTube link: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=lU0mcmzTDv4. All construction stakeholders should look at this presentation, especially the owner/investor community, as it shows the merits of focusing more time, energy, and investment into the concept/ feasibility and pre-construction phase of the asset’s life. Additionally, the presentation stresses the importance of having the primary construction stakeholders at the planning table as early as possible – owner, design, and contractor. In design-bid-build and design-build procurement models, the contractor is brought into the discussion after the concept/feasibility and pre-design phases are complete. These are phases where there is significant opportunity to influence outcomes at very low project costs (see below diagram from the presentation which illustrates this point): It seems only natural that outcomes will be more certain when you have all key stakeholders involved at the very early stages in the birth of an asset. This will align vision and strategies related to design, construction, and operations. As a risk advisor and insurance broker, I’ve seen record insurance claims over the past several years and a very “hard” insurance market take form as a
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result (insurance pricing has increased significantly in the past three years). This increase in frequency and severity of insurance claims can be attributed to many factors, but it does appear very likely that the factor with the most influence over insurance claims is choice of procurement model and the degree of collaboration amongst the key construction project stakeholders. Why is it likely that early contractor involvement (ECI) and more collaboration appears to create less risk on the project? Well, when all parties are given the opportunity to share their views of various design and construction strategies for a project, all stakeholders have greater clarity around the issues of their stakeholder partners and the project begins with a much more transparent foundation. Where the procurement model continues to encourage that open communication and transparency from the design phase, throughout the construction phase, and into the operations phase, there becomes a more accountable framework and problems can be identified much earlier, and thus can be resolved much more easily and with less long-term cost. As construction stakeholders continue to experiment with more transparent and collaborative procurement models, there is another factor which appears to be converging with this trend and catalyzing the desire for greater procurement experimentation. That factor is the growth in built environment technology. Technologies like BIM, scheduling solutions, counter-party risk assessment solutions, IoT backbones (and associated IoT device categories), document management solutions, machine learning, artificial intelligence, and many others are creating an opportunity to provide all stakeholders a digital framework for improved collaboration and great transparency. Many of these technologies provide objective information from each phase of the asset’s life and when combined with subjective information, they allow for much greater clarity around issues, and thus, much stronger ability to make more well-informed, and ulti-
mately better, decisions. Ultimately, the new procurement models and weaving together of these digital solutions are leading to a better framework for managing risk in an industry where there are significant unknown unknowns. When you are subjected to a high volume of unknown unknowns, from a risk perspective, collaboration and transparency should almost become a necessity. As these two trends continue to come together, there is a strong hypothesis that the pains currently being suffered by the insurance sector will subside. In fact, the insurance sector should play a central role in helping construction stakeholders identify which procurement model path, and which digital solution, is having the greatest impact on risk. The claims suffered by the insurance sector, when aggregated, act as a barometer for the built environment and if harnessed properly this data could point the design, construction, and asset management sector in the ideal best direction. Perhaps we should not only be focusing on the three-way collaboration of the owner, design firm and contractor, but we should consider implementing an Early Insurer Involvement (EII) strategy bringing together all of the balance sheets exposed to risk throughout the life of a built asset. Early involvement, greater transparency, greater collaboration, shared technology platform, a common data architecture and an asset lifecycle viewpoint could be the key ingredients for a new age of more responsible construction and built environment sector.
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David Bowcott is Global Director – Growth, Innovation & Insight, Global Construction and Infrastructure Group at Aon Risk Solutions. Please send comments to editor@on-sitemag.com.
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PCL............................................................... www.pcl.com ....................................... 28
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CONTRACTORS & THE LAW
By Nicola Crema
Mandatory arbitration in construction contracts
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hen negotiating a construction contract, the parties should come to a definite consensus on whether the contract should mandate arbitration. Mandatory arbitration clauses can significantly affect the dispute resolution process between parties, and close attention should be paid to these clauses during contract negotiations.
MANDATING ARBITRATION IN YOUR CONTRACT: There are many reasons why parties may choose to mandate arbitration. A significant advantage of arbitration is its efficiency in comparison to court proceedings. Parties have increased autonomy over how dispute resolution will proceed, which can often significantly shorten the timeline for the final resolution of a matter. This might also lead to cost-savings for the parties in some cases. Further, arbitration has the advantage of providing private recourse for the dispute between the parties. Unlike in a court proceeding, the arbitrator’s decision will not be openly published. The arbitration clause itself should clearly set out the scope of the types of disputes the clause is applicable to. Parties may want to include a provision requiring the parties to submit notice advising of the parties’ intention to arbitrate. These clauses should concisely set out the timeframe in which notice is required, who the notice must be given to, and what form the notice should be given in. The parties may also consider whether they want to include a requirement that the parties first undergo other private dispute procedures, such as mediation, prior to the arbitration. There may be technical terms that should be included in the clause, dependent on jurisdiction. Careful attention should be paid to the terms of the arbitration clause. If a party wishes to rely on this clause, the party should ensure they are abiding by all of its terms, and pay close attention to any required notice provisions.
IS IT MANDATORY TO SUBMIT MY CLAIM TO ARBITRATION? When a dispute arises, the arbitration clause must be carefully analyzed to see whether the dispute falls within its scope. The party should also consider if it has missed any of the notice requirements for mandatory arbitration. That could make the arbitration provision non-binding. The Ontario courts have considered the Part 8 dispute resolution protocol in the CCDC-2 1994 contract (The CCDC-2 2020
contract contains a similar Part 8 dispute resolution protocol in respect of the submission of disputes to arbitration). In the Bondfield case, the Court held that arbitration was mandatory under the CCDC-2 1994 contract, as long as the parties properly followed all terms of the Part 8 dispute resolution protocol. Initially, the parties abided by the notice requirements set out in the CCDC-2 and proceeded as if they were going to have the dispute resolved via arbitration. Eventually, one of the parties commenced a parallel court action for tactical reasons and then later tried to have that litigation stayed by the Court. The Court stayed the parallel court action. The Court held that where parties have entered into an arbitration agreement, arbitration proceedings take priority over judicial proceedings. The Court also indicated that it would interpret arbitration provisions in a contract in a manner that implements the dispute resolution goals of the parties. In British Columbia, the recently amended Arbitration Act now provides that a court must not intervene in an arbitration governed by the Act except where it is expressly permitted by the Act to do so. The Ontario, Alberta, and Saskatchewan arbitration acts include similar provisions limiting judicial intervention. All of this means that if the parties choose to proceed with a parallel court action in the face of an enforceable arbitration agreement, the court action will probably be stayed if one of the parties applies to do so. However, if the parties do not follow the terms of the arbitration clause, including providing notice of the claim in time and in the form set out in the arbitration provision, or first submitting the claim to mediation, the Court is unlikely to uphold the arbitration clause.
TAKEAWAYS: It is important to give consideration to arbitration clauses in contract negotiations. You should ensure that they are appropriate for the parties and the project. Parties should pay close attention to the terms of the arbitration clause, and make certain to abide by any required notice provisions to ensure that the provision remains enforceable.
Nicola Crema is an associate in the Construction Law Group at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP.
Bondfield Construction Company Limited v London Police Services Board, 2013 ONSC 4719 (S.C.).
1
Arbitration Act, SBC 2020, c. 2 at s. 4. Arbitration Act, 1991, SO 1991, c. 17 at s. 6. 5 Arbitration Act, RSA 2000, c A-43. 6 The Arbitration Act, 1992, SS 1992, c A-24.1. 7 See, for example, Campbell Construction Ltd. v Abstract Construction Inc., 2019 BCSC 113. 3 4
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