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General and Trade Contracting

March 17, 2010

Hogg’s Hollow tragedy changed Ontario’s construction industry

In the days after the Hogg’s Hollow tragedy of March 17, 1960, remembered today on its 50th anniversary, many hard working immigrant construction workers were thankful to reach the end of the work day, as were their loved ones.

March 10, 2010

Independent contractors association criticizes Burnaby’s fair wage policy

B.C.’s open shop association is criticizing Burnaby’s fair wage policy for increasing construction costs and taxes, but the mayor said it is just good social policy with a 20-year track record of success.

February 15, 2010

Independent Contractors and Business Association allowed to reveal market recovery fund recipients

The open shop association in B.C. is upset a small group of electrical contractors received a large sum of money from the union to subsidize labour costs on bids, but the union says this is just part of an overall market entry strategy.

February 8, 2010

Saskatchewan gets new natural gas trades training centre

A new natural gas trades training centre has been established through a unique partnership between the Mechanical Contractors Association of Saskatchewan (MCAS) and SaskEnergy.

January 27, 2010

Fort McMurray college experiences apprenticeship boom

Trades and heavy industrial apprenticeships at Keyano College in Fort McMurray, Alta. have doubled in the last eight years, driven by rapid growth in the construction and operation of oilsands facilities.

January 20, 2010

Union Gospel Mission Foundation building new social housing project in Vancouver

A construction worker is busy helping build a new social housing project for the Union Gospel Mission Foundation. It will include six storeys above grade and two below.

January 11, 2010

Red Seal protected in Ontario's new labour mobility agreement

Ontario’s new labour mobility act underwent a late change that ensures Red Seal will remain the accepted training benchmark for the province, relieving concerns of some industry officials.

January 11, 2010

'Construction companies need to realize that worker safety comes first,' widow says at vigil

Candlelight reflected off black hard hats worn in remembrance of the four construction workers killed in the Toronto Christmas Eve swing stage tragedy during a vigil Thursday night at the accident site.

January 11, 2010

Alberta windfarm clears major regulatory hurdle

A Calgary company has been granted approval by the Alberta Utilities Commission to construct a wind farm near the village of Halkirk, which could become the largest project of its kind in the province.

December 28, 2009

In tough economic times, understanding construction liens is essential

In today’s turbulent economy, it is even more important contractors and subcontractors fully understand their lien rights if they want to survive. This message was delivered by Bruce Reynolds, a partner with Borden Ladner Gervais LLP, at a recent Canadian Institute Construction Superconference.

March 16, 2009

Merger possible for British Columbia construction safety associations

The B.C. construction industry is unusual because it has two, rather than one safety association. That may change within the next 18 to 24 months.

March 16, 2009

Vancouver building suspended after financing falls through

Downtown Vancouver has become home to one of the more unusual construction sites in the country. Since November 2007, one of the city’s heritage buildings has been suspended six storeys in the air.

March 16, 2009

New construction behind aggressive expansion in Ontario and Western Canada

A&W Food Services of Canada, headquartered in Vancouver, is planning an aggressive 2009 expansion in Ontario and Western Canada despite the economic downturn.

March 16, 2009

City of Abbotsford, B.C. bundles projects to get them done

The City of Abbotsford is bringing on stream nearly $100 million in three new community facilities on time and budget – and getting much more facility than it ever imagined.

March 16, 2009

Lifelong learning is just a part of the job

Sometime back in the 1970s the expression “life-long learning” was invented. Most of us likely thought it applied only to professors who inhabit universities.

March 16, 2009

Alberta capital’s green tower aims for the sky

Downtown Edmonton’s first new office tower in more than two decades is aiming for LEED Silver certification.

March 16, 2009

Trades can get in on public-private partnerships

The fundamental purpose of a P3 is to download the risk of the project from the government to the team contracted to build and operate it. Beyond that, though, the general contractor will then download a considerable part of the risk to the major trade contractors.

March 16, 2009

British Columbia revising national electrical safety code before adopting it

Revisions to Canada’s electrical safety code are expected to reach B.C.’s provincial government soon.

March 16, 2009

Ottawa's Carlton University agrees to supplementary conditions

Ottawa’s Carleton University has agreed to use CCDC2 2008 in conjunction with an agreed-upon set of supplementary conditions after discussions with the Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA) and the General Contractors Association of Ottawa.