Archive for category: front

Resources for Nova Scotia Stakeholders Impacted by Steel/Aluminum Trade Action

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Nova Scotia’s Department of Intergovernmental Affairs is working to update and share information with stakeholders impacted by recent trade actions initiated by the United States.

On June 1, 2018, the U.S. imposed tariffs on certain products of steel and aluminum from Canada. The Government of Canada continues to work for the full and permanent removal of these tariffs. A series of countermeasures was implemented by Finance Canada on July 1. In addition to applying reciprocal tariffs on imports of steel, aluminum and some other products from the U.S., programs and initiatives are in place that may mitigate impacts for stakeholders.

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NS non-residential construction investment Q2, 2018

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Nova Scotia’s non-residential building construction investment (seasonally adjusted) was $173.1 million in the second quarter of 2018. This was 2.6 per cent higher than the previous quarter owing to an increase, in the largest component, commercial (+10.7%) and declines in industrial (-1.2%) and institutional and governmental (-28.3%). Read more.

Using drones for inventory and job flyover on heavy civil construction sites

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Now that drones are so readily available, how can drones be used in construction? Specifically, how are they applicable in the heavy civil construction space? They have many value add applications that address key challenges and there are three major areas that drones can be used by heavy civil contractors. Read more

B.C. introduces Community Benefits Agreements

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A new agreement for key public-sector infrastructure projects in B.C. will deliver good-paying jobs, better training and apprenticeships, and more trades opportunities for Indigenous peoples, women, and youth around the province. Read more.

New construction photo tool can create a Google Street View style database for your project

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A new tech company, called OpenSpace, is making their way into the 360-degree photo scene with a fresh take for the construction industry. OpenSpace stitches together hundreds of thousands of video frames to create a Google Street View style tour of your jobsite. Read more

Girls Can Too a practical intro to construction for young females

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For decades the Bolton Camp offered a brief respite from the city’s heat for low-income Toronto families. Now the approximately 254-acre conservation area is the setting for a unique program introducing construction skills to female high school students. Read more.

OPEC to Canada: Build pipelines or watch investment flow south

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The president of OPEC urged Canada on Tuesday to invest in infrastructure to move oil and gas, or risk watching investment flow away to the United States. The Canadian government agreed in May to buy the Trans Mountain oil pipeline and a related expansion project from Kinder Morgan Canada (KML.TO) for C$4.5 billion ($3.4 billion), highlighting the lengths deemed necessary to overcome stiff opposition to such projects. Read more.

WELL building health standard takes the next step

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Building health and wellness standards are about to get an upgrade. The International Well Building Institute (IWBI) is rolling out v2 of its WELL Building Standard, a set of enhancements to the “healthy building” protocols used in over 600 buildings in 31 countries. Read more.

Program builds momentum for immigrants, aboriginals in trades

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A trades training program that is helping connect immigrants and aboriginal people with construction careers in Alberta has made changes to its curriculum. The Calgary-based Momentum Community Economic Development Society is a not-for-profit organization funded by the Government of Alberta’s Ministry of Advanced Education to provide a 25-week pre-apprenticeship trades training program. Read more.

Canada-U.S. tariff battle to hit B.C. construction projects

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British Columbians can expect the cost of building big projects, from bridges to residential skyscrapers, to rise as a result of the tit-for-tat tariff battle between Canada and the United States, according to one industry association. Read more.