President Clive Thurston has returned to work on a full time basis following his health issues earlier this summer. Staff is happy to have him back, and you can expect a new President's Report in the next issue of the newsletter.

Ontario is taking an important next step toward developing the Ring of Fire, working with Webequie, Marten Falls and Nibinamik First Nations to plan and construct a year-round access road into the proposed mining development site being pursued by Noront Resources Ltd. As part of this project, the province is also working with First Nations to build all-season access roads to their communities.

Click here to read the entire news release ...

TORONTO - Infrastructure Ontario (IO) has issued a request for qualifications on its 100^th project using its unique Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP) process.

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TORONTO-Infrastructure Ontario (IO), on behalf of the Ministry of Transportation, has released a bid call to ten prequalified contractors to build the new Centre for Excellence in Transportation Infrastructure in North York.

Click here to read more...

TORONTO - Infrastructure Ontario (IO) has issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for interested parties to submit their qualifications to design, build, finance and maintain the Macdonald Block Complex.

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The League of Champions will be celebrating safety at the upcoming OGCA Annual Safety Award Breakfast on September 29^th at the Verdi Convention Centre, 3550 Derry Road East, Mississauga.

We all share a common goal when it comes to Health and Safety and the well-being of your workers, which is why we want to extend an invitation to ALL Champions and Patrons to attend and welcome the New Members to the League of Champions. Each new inductee will be recognized for their leadership and will be presented with their charter and jersey.

Please RSVP your attendance to Lyndsy Miceli at lyndsy@ogca.ca. Don’t forget to bring your jersey.

Please join us on Friday, September 29, 2017 at the Verdi Convention Centre, 3550 Derry Road East, Mississauga, as we present the 2016 Safety Awards to those who qualified for Zero Lost Time Injuries. We will also be presenting several firms with the Over 500,000 Hours-without-an-LTI awards, and the Over 1 million Hours-without-an-LTI awards.

Categories 1, 2, and 3 plaques will also be presented to those firms who recorded the highest number of hours without an LTI over the three year period of 2014-2016.

Next month's issue of The Generals magazine will feature articles on Maple Reinders celebrating their 50th anniversary, and Rutherford Contracting celebrating the fact that, as a small company, they were able to achieve their COR certification!

The nominations are open for the OGCA Chairman's Award of Recogntion, and the Jock Tindale Award for Integrity in the Construction Industry.

If you have a nominee for either or both awards, please use the nomination form found here, and submit it prior to September 15 (extended from August 25).

We currently have over 40 Associate Partner firms who have joined the OGCA. They will begin offering seminars and lunch and learns beginning this fall. Be sure to watch this space, and the Event space, to see what is being offered. In most cases, the sessions will be free, and will be offered in class (in the OGCA Boardroom) and online.

Be sure to check out the latest Legislative Updates by clicking here.

You probably read President Clive Thurston’s article in the last issue on the challenge of dealing with legalized cannabis. OGCA has now submitted our comments to the consultation process being conducted by the Ontario government on regulating the substance.

The Province has the responsibility of regulating legal pot. This is a difficult challenge: determining a minimum age, distribution channels, control of producers, quality control and enforcement, and it must be in place in ten months. The very last issue the government was considering is the impact of workplace usage on occupational health and safety.

We already have a substance abuse problem and soon legalized recreational cannabis will send the message that all is well, enjoy a little buzz, it’s something to enjoy.

Approximately 40% of traumatic workplace fatalities in Ontario involve the use of prescription drugs, illegal substances and alcohol. Too many workers are not fit to work now as a result of abuse of various substances. Recreational cannabis will only compound the problem and employers have few tools to manage the increased risk.

OGCA has submitted our comments (click here to read them). We will continue to work to ensure the legislation gives employers the ability to manage the challenge.

Next month, OGCA will begin advertising webinars and Lunch & Learns for members and non-members. We have asked our Associate Partner firms to start populating our calendar with topics that will be of interest to you.

OGCA President Clive Thurston is preparing an update on his presentation on Bidding and Tendering, and we anticipate having several sessions on the new Construction Lien Act revisions.

This fall will be a busy couple of months for us as we prepare for the 2016 Safety Awards and presentation of League of Champions charters on Friday, September 29 at the Verdi Convention Centre.

October 19 - 22 will see us at the Omni King Edward for the 79th Annual General Meeting and Conference. We hope to see you there as well! Call Mary Wademan at the OGCA for more information.

And just in case you are booking now for the 2018 Golf Tournament, we will be heading back to Glencairn Golf Course on Monday, July 9, 2018 for another exciting round of golf!