The comment above was made by well-known construction lawyer Glenn Ackerley of WeirFoulds LLP at a recent presentation sponsored by the Grand Valley Construction Association. He was referring to a trend by owners to use RFPs to avoid the well-evolved, normal tendering system. I will touch a bit more on this further on but there is another very disturbing practice happening. OGCA and its members have had to take very strong actions to stop the practice, but unfortunately, it is continuing.

The Ontario Concrete Industry would like to acknowledge excellence and innovation with the Ontario Concrete Awards. Large or small company, the Ontario Concrete Awards honours the visions of some of the most creative projects the province has to offer.

Awards and Presentation

Both cast-in-place and precast projects are eligible to receive an Ontario Concrete Award in this competition. Only the lead Owner, Architect of Record, Engineer of Record, General Contractor, and Material Supplier of the winning projects will receive a plaque commemorating the award.

The awards will be announced and presented at an Awards Banquet being held at the World of Concrete Pavilion, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, on Wednesday, November 29, 2017.

The past three years have seen significant changes to Canadian immigration rules and regulations. We expect this to continue through 2017. While some changes have already been announced, we expect significant changes to various Canadian Immigration programs this June.

Some of the expected announcements include:

• Changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program and associated Labour Market Impact Assessment streams and processing
• Updates to the pathways available for Canadian permanent residence
• New categories of work permits for certain high-skill foreign workers

What do these changes mean to your business and current or soon to be employed foreign workers? Our team of immigration and employment lawyers will explain the impact of these changes and will provide information and practical advice to develop strategies for the employment and long-term management of foreign workers in Canada.

Click here to register.

On Thursday, June 22, 2017, the Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance (ORCGA) had their 12th Annual Golf Tournament, held at the stunning greens of Station Creek Golf Club in Stouffville, Ontario.

As proud patrons of the League of Champions, ORCGA dedicated their efforts to help raise funds and increase awareness in promoting a Safety Culture among its members. Members gave generously to support MySafeWork. As well, members signed the ORCGA’s Jersey of Courage demonstrating their commitment to Health and Safety.

Together, the League of Champions and ORCGA raised over $2,410.00 during ORCGA’s 50/25/25 draw for Safety.

MySafeWork will receive $1,205.00 as a donation.

The League of Champions would like to thank all those members who gave generously in supporting Health and Safety in the construction industry and helping ensure that MySafeWork continues to spread the message that safety matters, injuries are preventable and everyone goes home at the end of the day.

The WSIB has now reduced the unfunded liability (UFL) to $3.5 billion down from $14.5 just seven years ago. They project that by 2020, it will be retired and so will the 40% of the premium dollar that goes to pay it down.

The WSIB has also aligned the retirement of the UFL with the implementation of the Rate Framework. This will give more time to improve the system, and more than 90% of the rate payers will enjoy reductions upon its implementation.

This alignment was recommended by OGCA and the Construction Employers Coalition more than two years ago, and we are appreciative that they have responded.

The rate reductions will be significant, but not all in one year. The WSIB will allow maximum decreases to allow them to build a reserve as an emergency fund if they experience difficult economic times.

It is expected that they will provide more details at the Annual meeting in September.

Accountant: "What happens if we invest in our people and they leave us?"

CEO: "What happens if we don’t and they stay"?

With this dilemma, the OSTA launched its discussion Paper on "Closing the Skills Gap," authored by Contact North President Maxim Jean-Louis. It was presented to Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development Deb Matthews on June 24, 2017.

Matthews has begun an active review of the skills challenge and welcomed the paper as an important contributor to the discussion.

OGCA is a founding member of OSTA and the report is at the following.

In celebration of Canada’s 150th birthday, PCL Constructors Canada Inc. (Toronto) is reflecting on the role that PCL and its clients, the projects they have built together, and the communities they served, have played in contributing to the country’s growth over the past century.

In this PCL Canada 150 profile, PCL looks back on building one of the Toronto district’s most rewarding projects, with Canadian hockey legend Don Cherry: The Rose Cherry Home for Kids.

· Click Here for the full story. 

· Click here for a link to the throwback construction video. 

Did you know that PCL’s history stretches back 111 years? That makes PCL not only one of Canada’s oldest contractors, but also one of its oldest companies. As Canada grew, so did PCL. Indeed, Canada’s growth, from east to west, mirrors that of PCL and the journey of its founder, E. E. Poole, which was to take place only a few short decades after Confederation. In 1906, Poole set forth from his home in Prince Edward Island to the West, where he founded the company that would become PCL.

If you know of anyone looking to join a growing concern, please contact the OGCA for more information.

Estimator - Senior/Junior	Head Office
Project Manager	Design - Build
Electrical P.Eng.	Battery Storage
Structural P. Eng	Head Office
Drafting Detailer	Head Office
Project Manager	Collingwood
Project Coordinator	Collingwood

Increasingly, more and more organizations are digging into their data to uncover new insights and make better-informed decisions. But building out your EHS reporting process from the ground-up can seem daunting. With so much data available, where do you start? Which KPIs are most important to track? Check out this blog from eCompliance to learn the five safety metrics your EHS department should be reporting on each month.

Read the blog

4S Consulting Services is the solution for all your health and safety needs. We provide consulting services, online safety management systems, subcontractor management systems, Ministry of Labour approved training and more.

This summer, take advantage of 4S’ exclusive discount for WAH and Supervisor Due Diligence training.

NOTE: Training is approved by the MOL. 4S trainers will bring all materials and equipment needed to train your team.

Supervisors play a critical role in their workplaces. This training will assist Supervisors to understand their responsibilities and steps they need to take to protect their workplaces.

 

Another course being offered is a half-day event focusing on having a well-functioning safety management system - it's an investment for your business. Having a robust health and safety management system saves lives, time and money.

This is a must for all those who are planning on or working towards accreditation like COR™, OHSAS 18001, CSA Z1000, etc. Click here to register.

 

In an important human rights decision dealing with drugs in the workplace, the Supreme Court ruled that an employer may terminate a worker for just cause when he violates a Fitness for Duty Policy by attending work while under the influence of drugs.

OGCA supported Fasken Martineau Lawyer Norm Keith’s intervention to the court. A fuller explanation of the decision is attached.

The decision will allow employers who employ workers in dangerous workplaces and have a well-drafted Fitness for Duty Policy to operate effective health and safety programs and protect their employees.Please click here to read more.

The latest Ontario Legislative Reports are available here. Previous issues can also be found at the OGCA website (www.ogca.ca) under Government Relations.

The Town of Georgina’s head of Procurement Mr. Stirling Munro approached us a few months ago to present a seminar for staff on procurement of Design and Construction services. The OGCA was pleased to put forward a seminar covering everything from the Consultant phase through Tendering, Award and Construction.