As you are likely aware, parts of British Columbia are being affected by wildfires. At the moment, we have no news to report about fires in Whistler that could affect our hotel venue. We will continue to monitor the situation. Please stay tuned for further details.

Join Julie Zulich, senior vice-president of TESC Contracting, for the launch of the Women in Mechanical Construction forum during the MCAC Annual Conference on September 21.

The MCAC Whistler Conference features a great number of very high-level speakers and panelists whose knowledge will give you an opportunity to change, adjust or perhaps even reinvent some of your practices. The networking is always an opportunity to make new acquaintances whose background can also be impactful for your operation. There is always a cost, or is it an investment? We look forward to seeing you in Whistler.

The Annual General Meeting of the Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada will be held on September 21 at 8:00 a.m. at The Westin Whistler Resort and Spa. Mark your calendars for this important association business event.

The Westin Resort & Spa, Whistler, BC
September 19, 20 & 22, 2018

We are pleased to invite all MCA Canada Associate Members to participate in our 2018 Reception & Product Showcase to introduce your latest products and services to our conference delegates. In an effort to expand your interaction with the contractor members, MCA Canada, in consultation with your Associates Council, is very proud to provide you with our 2018 interactive showcase format. Download the registration form for more information.

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles has released its new list of the 2019 model year VIP concessions for MCAC members. Learn more by signing in as a member at www.mcac.ca.

Canadian businesses are having a historically hard time finding employees, and the good news for workers is that pay is likely headed up. The latest Help Wanted Report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) showed Canada's job vacancy rate hit 3.1 percent in the April-to-June quarter this year, the highest rate since 2004.

Research has shown that we are often unaware of barriers that exist. For example, studies have shown that when evaluating identical job applications, both men and women prefer to hire an applicant with a male name rather than a female name by a ratio of two to one.

The National Energy Board says 72 percent of the entire detailed route has been approved for the pipeline, and hearings for the final segment are scheduled to begin in Chilliwack, B.C., in October.

The latest edition of CEC's acclaimed Estimating Conference is scheduled for October 17 to 19 in Toronto. Have you registered?

The conference focuses on project procurement and strategies. Sessions covered will include deal breakers, project risk and go/no-go strategies, putting together a proposal, and what a general contractor looks for in its selection process — to name a few. Jack Wilhelmi and Tim Wentz from MCA America will lead the conference; Dan Leduc from Norton Rose Fulbright will deliver a special session of his own.

Registration is limited. Act now!

More than 1,000 students have completed the 10-day PM CEC/University of Waterloo course since its inception in 2000. This latest session is sure to be another sellout. If you have new hires or people looking to upgrade or refresh their PM skills, this is the course for them! As a bonus, the program is Gold Seal-accredited for those who wish to pursue their certification.

1858: The first of a series of debates begins between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas. Douglas goes on to win the Senate seat in November, but Lincoln gains national visibility for the first time.
1911: The Mona Lisa, the famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci, is stolen from the Louvre in Paris, where it had hung for more than 100 years. It is recovered in 1913.
1915: Italy declares war on Turkey.
1944: The Dumbarton Oaks Conference, which lays the foundation for the establishment of the United Nations, is held in Washington, D.C.
1963: The South Vietnamese Army arrests over 100 Buddhist monks in Saigon.
1968: Soviet forces invade Czechoslovakia because of the country’s experiments with a more liberal government.
1988: A ceasefire is declared in the 8-year war between Iran and Iraq.
2001: NATO decides to send a peacekeeping force to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

Click below for the latest prompt payment in the construction industry payment tables.

• September 7–9: MCA Toronto Conference & AGM, Muskoka, ON
• September 19–22: MCA Canada Annual National Conference, Whistler, BC