"OGCA Symposium Recap"

There was definitely a great deal of excitement in the air at the highly anticipated OGCA Symposium that occurred from April 7-9 at the Blue Mountain resort complex in Collingwood.

This event was the first major construction conference since the provincial government lifted the masking and other public health requirements that have dominated our lives for the past 24 months.

The OGCA Symposium represented the first construction conference that allowed us all to feel some semblance of normalcy once again, well, at least pre-COVID-19 normalcy. Our new normal moving forward, and for some time at least, will include those who choose to wear masks and those who don’t. The OGCA welcomed everyone and squarely put the safety of our delegates first and foremost in everything we did.

The OGCA staff and Board of Directors were so very grateful to be able to meet our delegates in-person and interact with humans once again.

I have had so many of our delegates, approximately 680, come up and introduce themselves to me at this year’s symposium. I can tell you that anecdotally, having basically been a virtual president for the almost two years I have served for the OGCA, was a challenge. I am really a people person at heart, so finally being able to mingle and interact with everyone not only felt amazing; it felt right!

The feedback thus far on the sessions was that they were incredibly informative and thought provoking. The information provided was to the betterment of our industry and those that participated came away with more than they had entered with.

Regardless of your area of expertise or your area of interest, the OGCA compiled something that appealed to every delegate since the session topics accounted for the issues that everyone is faced with every day in our industry.

If you were curious about all of the geotechnical issues your company is dealing with, then we delivered a detailed session titled “Geotechnical Risk: Allocation of Contractual Risk and Managing Geotechnical Claims” featuring McIntosh Perry and Singleton Urquhart Reynolds & Vogel LLP.

If you’re an expert on geotechnical issues, but really wanted to know more about how technology and innovation will benefit and better construction, then we welcomed an entirely new innovation stream this year that offered a plethora of technology sessions including the following:

• “The Rise of Predictive Jobsite Part 2 - Understanding IoT Categories” being presented by Aon and Latium Technologies
• “Journey of Software Acquisition and Adoption” presented by SmartBuild
• “How to Make Precon the Key to Efficient Projects” presented by Procore
• “Building Transformations – State of Technology and Panel Discussion” featuring a panel discussion with Building Transformations, Tread, Airtasks, Softdrive, BenchMarx, and Part3
• “Various Types and Benefits of Visual Construction Documentation” presented by Multivista

And, for those of you who excel at technology and you instead wanted to know more about the labour force and how the industry is attracting more people, as well as how to create a more diversified and inclusive workforce, then you would have attended any of the following sessions:

• “Maawanji’idiwag – Come Together – Welcome to Makwa-Cahill” presented by Makwa Developments, Makwa-Cahill, and Cahill Group of Companies
• “Skills Ontario: Pathways for Construction Careers” featuring Skills Ontario
  “Mentorship for Young Women in Construction” presented by EllisDon and Goldman Sloan Nash & Haber LLP
• “Pathways to ICI Construction: Employer Supports to help the Crisis in Management” featuring First Work, PurposeCo and J.J. McGuire General Contractors Inc.
• “The Untapped Potential: Women in Construction” featuring a panel discussion with: Eastern Construction; Timmermann Timberworks; GFL Infrastructure; Graham Construction; and Pomerleau
• “Skilled Trades Ontario” hosted by Sherrard Kuzz and the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada

The sessions that I have highlighted for you were just the tip of the iceberg. Each session provided our delegates with further insights and information that the OGCA knows will assist you in how you do your work, or at least how you may perceive your role within your organization.

The offerings included an overabundance of legal topics that addressed all aspects of the spectrum as well as all of the health and safety topics the OGCA is renowned for at these symposiums. And so much more…

The OGCA was overjoyed to be able to provide in-person content that directly benefited our delegates and, as always, the OGCA wants to hear more about the topics that you want to know more about. We welcome connecting with each and every one of you that attended the Symposium to garner your feedback and suggestions on making this event even better. The OGCA welcomes the new and long-lasting relationships that we were able to create at the 13th Symposium, and we are already planning for the next one in two years.

And speaking of relationships, the OGCA honoured one of our own at this year’s Symposium and want to say thank you and congratulations to Mary Wademan, the OGCA Office Manager of over 30 years. Mary is retiring and every delegate in attendance was indebted to Mary for all of her hard work and attention to the OGCA Symposium over the years. This was Mary’s 13th and final symposium. Please join us all in wishing Mary the best in her retirement and showing her our gratitude for an impressive career. She has definitely left her mark on the OGCA.

The information in all of the sessions is being compiled and will be provided to our members shortly. If you have any specific questions on any specific session, we are happy to provide you the information you seek. Just reach out to the OGCA offices.

Should any of our members have questions about the OGCA Symposium, please visit 13th Construction Symposium - April 7-9 2022 - Ontario General Contractors Association | OGCA.ca, or if you require any assistance from the OGCA, please contact me directly at giovanni@ogca.ca or via phone at 905.671.3969.