Archive for category: front

Operators can control this Samsung drone with their eyes

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As drones continue to infiltrate jobsites, manufacturers like Samsung are developing increasingly sophisticated technologies around them. In December 2017, Amazon was awarded patents for drones that self-destruct in midair if something goes wrong, The Verge reported. Aerospace giant Boeing has a patent for a swimming drone that can launch from an aircraft, fly airborne, then lower itself into water, shed its wings and swim using propellors, according to IFL Science. Read more.

Japan wants more women in construction

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The industry is scrambling to deal with a labor shortage, but some say a tone-deaf government recruiting effort can’t overcome serious workplace issues. Read more.

CCA aids in CDAO push for study on poor quality, incomplete documents

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An industry initiative is pushing for better documents before shovels hit the ground. The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) has decided to contribute $5,000 for a one-time contribution to the Construction and Design Alliance of Ontario’s (CDAO) initiative to quantify the impact of incomplete design documents. Read more.

Women are the “third wave” to bridge diversity gap

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Women are the third wave of change sweeping over the construction industry. Here, Mabey Group CEO Juliette Stacey explores how the accelerating pace of transformation in the industry means that time has arrived for women to succeed in the sector. Read more.

Ontario’s updated Construction Act could set the bar for the rest of Canada to follow

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The Ontario government’s new legislation to modernize and expand the Construction Lien Act — now to be known as the Construction Act (hinting at its broader mandate) — sets out to improve cash flow efficiency between owners, contractors and sub-contractors by both (a) setting timelines for the prompt payment of invoices and (b) speeding up the resolution of payment-related disputes through an adjudication process. This is the first major update to the Act in more than 30 years and it appears to apply across the board, from relatively small projects to large megaprojects such as the major transit expansions planned for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) in the coming years.

Read more.

 

Federal Budget’s trickle of infrastructure money slower than hoped

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The Liberals will delay billions in planned infrastructure funds until after Canadians go to the polls next year, this week’s budget shows, underlining slower-than-expected spending at a time when the government was under pressure to spend faster. Read more.

Federal Budget lacks emphasis on infrastructure: stakeholders

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National construction indsutry leaders agree there were few surprises in this year’s federal budget and little mention of infrastructure spending, however, many lauded the government initiatives to expand the skilled trades workforce. Read more.

CCA unveils new strategic plan, renewed vision.

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Canadian Construction Association (CCA) chair Chris McNally says the association’s recently unveiled strategic plan will be more provocative and work harder to unite the industry. Read more.

Delayed Payment – Survey Results & Comparison

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Late payment practices are an important issue for Nova Scotia’s construction industry and CANS has been lobbying the provincial government to enact appropriate payment legislation that would establish minimum norms for payment schedules. In an effort to substantiate our assumptions, CANS surveyed members in June 2015, December 2016, and again in February 2018 to solicit their feedback and help guide us on their behalf.

Click HERE to view the Delayed Payment Survey Comparison results, comparing respondents answers from the 2015, 2016 and 2018 surveys.

‘Superdense’ wood could revolutionize materials

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A homebuilder once told me Canadians are “the greatest stick-builders in the world.” It’s a good line, and understandable coming from a homebuilder. After all, most Canadian homes are built primarily of wood. Wood is probably the oldest building material in the world unless you count rocks and sod. What’s most amazing to me, is that after thousands of years of history, we are still looking for — and finding — new ways to use wood. Read more.