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Professional Development/Skills Training

March 18, 2010

Despite safety improvements, underground dangers still exist

The tunneling circumstances that resulted in the Hogg’s Hollow tragedy would be hard to replicate today, but dangers still exist despite safety improvements, says one tunneling expert.

March 18, 2010

Filling labour gap a top priority for incoming Canadian Construction Association chair

Engaging the aboriginal labour force in a more effective manner is a key priority for Regina contractor Wayne Morsky, chair-elect of the Canadian Construction Association (CCA).

March 17, 2010

British Columbia open shop association takes issue with Burnaby’s ‘fair wage’ policy

B.C.’s open shop association is criticizing the city of 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.

March 17, 2010

1960 calamity has parallels to recent swing-stage accident

Fifty years after the Hogg’s Hollow tragedy, much has changed in Ontario workplace health and safety. But the recent Christmas Eve swing-stage tragedy is a reminder more still needs to be done.

March 16, 2010

Search continues for sustainable architecture

While sceptics and environmentalists duke it out for the final word on global warming, thousands around the world are investing time and money in renewable energy and sustainable architecture. Grass roots “sustainable” organizations are forming at an increasing pace, with the positive effect of raising public awareness.

March 15, 2010

Province holding information sessions on new Ontario accessibility standard

Although the deadline for private sector compliance with a provincial accessibility standard for customer service is 18 months away, the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario is on the road getting the message out.

March 15, 2010

Canadian Mechanical Contracting Education Foundation offering Gold Seal course for supervisors

Mechanical contractors’ associations in Kitchener-Waterloo and Hamilton have teamed up to host the Canadian Mechanical Contracting Education Foundation’s (CMCEF) first Gold Seal supervisory program.

March 12, 2010

Alberta team wins silver at U.S. bricklaying championship

Canadian bricklaying team was named among the world’s best at the 2010 Spec Mix Bricklayer 500 National bricklaying championship held at the Las Vegas Convention Center last month.

March 11, 2010

Plant Engineering and Maintenance Association establishes Fort McMurray chapter

The newest chapter of a national association for plant and facility maintenance has been established in Fort McMurray, Alta. to meet the needs of the oil and gas industry in the region.

March 11, 2010

Ground broken on the Cathedral Centre in Toronto

After a decade of planning, ground has been broken on a project that includes restoration and expansion of the St. James parish house in downtown Toronto.

March 11, 2010

Ontario General Contractors Association applauds plan for WSIB advisory committee

The call for creating permanent stakeholder advisory committees at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is a progressive move by the WSIB, says the head of a construction industry task force.

March 10, 2010

Niagara Construction Association award winner honoured for decades-long contributions

On the eve of his 79th birthday, industry veteran Jack Bell of Bell Contracting and Equipment shows little sign of slowing down.

March 10, 2010

Industry welcomes federal government’s commitment to labour-market tracking

The federal government’s recent commitment to provide up-to-date labour market information and innovation by colleges is music to the Construction Sector Council’s ears.

March 8, 2010

Is U.S. headed for a double-dip recession?

The big question in the United States concerns whether or not a double dip recession is in the cards. The main contributors to the speculation are the jobless nature of the recovery so far and both weak new home sales and low home prices. These problems spill over into many other areas.

March 5, 2010

Niacon wins Niagara Construction Association’s project of the year award

Niacon Ltd. Construction Co. has won the Niagara Construction Association’s (NCA) project of the year award for the new 54-storey Hilton tower in Niagara Falls, the tallest such hotel structure in Canada.

March 5, 2010

Genivar acquires Thompson Rosemount Group

Genivar has expanded further into the Ontario engineering services market with the acquisition of Thompson Rosemount Group Inc., a firm with more than 100 employees in the province.

March 4, 2010

Full text of Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s budget speech

As I rise in this House today, our nation is at a crossroads. We have passed through some steep and rocky terrain. Much of the territory was uncharted. We were prepared, and we protected ourselves. We are making our way through, and our compass has not failed us.

March 3, 2010

Full text of the throne speech

The following is the unedited text of the speech from the throne delivered by Gov. Gen. Michaelle Jean on Wednesday.

March 3, 2010

Tories vow to complete economic stimulus plan

A 6,000-word throne speech which outlined the Conservative government’s themes for governance on the eve of the federal budget delivered a commitment to complete its economic stimulus plan.

March 3, 2010

Workplace Safety and Insurance Board should establish industry advisory committees, chair says

Creation of permanent stakeholder advisory committees at the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is a progressive agency recommendation, says the head of a construction industry task force.

March 1, 2010

With Olympics over, B.C. turns focus to budget

The Olympics party is over and now it’s time to get down to business for British Columbia’s Liberal government as it prepares to table the province's budget.

February 25, 2010

Industry groups prepare members for new disability training requirements

Associations in the province’s design and construction sector are alerting their members to a pending provincial requirement to train staff to meet the needs of customers with disabilities.

February 25, 2010

Roofing contractor inducted into Grand Valley Construction Association Hall of Fame

Roofing contractor Dave Walden, a newly minted member of the Grand Valley Construction Association Hall of Fame, is an ardent supporter of education in the skilled trades.

February 25, 2010

Canadian government might skip public tendering process for Haiti relief contract

The Canadian government suggests it might skip tendering process in awarding a multimillion-dollar contract to build a temporary shelter for the Haitian government.

February 25, 2010

B.C. Industry Training Authority retains roadbuilding veteran

Over the past four years, Kent Orrock has made a name for himself in the roadbuilding industry by creating, managing and overseeing the development of training programs for the B.C. Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association.

February 19, 2010

Economic diversification paying off during Vale Inco strike in Sudbury

Three decades ago, a nine-month miners’ strike in Sudbury devastated the northern Ontario city’s economy and drove home the perils of being a one-industry town.

February 19, 2010

Construction worker’s fatal fall didn't involve swing stage

A construction worker is dead after falling as much as six storeys from a building in east Toronto Thursday. Police say a piece of metal may have fallen and hit the worker, knocking him off the building.

February 18, 2010

First Nation plans to build hotel, water park in Truro, Nova Scotia

A multimillion-dollar hotel and water park will be built on Nova Scotia’s Millbrook First Nation.

February 18, 2010

REpower Systems, Renewable Energy Systems complete construction of Quebec wind farm

REpower Systems AG and Renewable Energy Systems Canada Inc. have successfully completed the construction of a test wind farm in the Gaspé region.

February 18, 2010

Jon Hobbs leaves Royal Architectural Institute of Canada in stronger position

When Jon Hobbs took over as executive director of the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) in January 2001, the institute was grappling with a small deficit as well as declining membership.

February 18, 2010

Construction Sector Council unveils jobsite mentoring program

A new Construction Sector Council mentorship tool will help the industry retain the skills and expertise found at jobsites as large retirement numbers loom over the next eight years.

February 18, 2010

Water research centre planned for Delta, British Columbia

Metro Vancouver is planning to build a research centre at the site of the Annacis Island Wastewater Treatment Plant in Delta to improve treatment operations at the plant.

February 17, 2010

Qualified tradespeople can go in many directions, Algonquin College students told

Qualifying in one of the construction trades can lead to a satisfying career, high school and college students were told recently. But being a tradesman doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll spend your working life on the jobsite.