Archive for category: news

CCA considers absorbing CCInnovations as technology focus ramps up

/in , /by

Canada’s construction innovation hub is looking to become part of a bigger industry picture. During the Canadian Construction Association’s recent meeting of its Innovation and Technology Committee in Banff, Alta., which took place at the 100th anniversary conference, Bockstael Construction president and CCInnovations (CCI) chair John Bockstael explained to members that in order to continue its mission of bringing innovation to the industry, the organization should join forces with the CCA. Read more.

Zey Emir takes CCA’s helm for its centennial year

/in , /by

The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) has appointed Zey Emir as chair of the 2018 board of directors at its annual general meeting. Zey takes over the position from Chris McNally, director of C & M McNally Engineering Corp. Read more.

Welcoming more women into skilled trades boosts business

/in , /by

As baby boomers retire, Canada faces a critical shortage of skilled workers in trades jobs. In the province of British Columbia, which leads the nation in economic and job growth, 70 per cent of job openings in the next 10 years will be due to retirements. Read more.

Operators can control this Samsung drone with their eyes

/in , /by

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

/in , /by

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

/in , /by

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

/in , /by

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

/in , /by

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

/in , /by

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

/in , /by

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.