 |
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
Most OGCA members have been exposed to some aspect of “community benefits,” otherwise known as “social procurement,” through various tenders, projects, conversations with buyers of construction, or simply from following the advances made through the association. Pursuant to one’s level of involvement with this subject, it will yield a direct correlation to how versed a contractor is on this topic. For those of you who ask “What are community benefits or social procurement anyway?” this article hopes to shed some light on the subject and demystify the interworking of the concept.
Last Friday, Premier Doug Ford and Health Minister Christine Elliott announced that Toronto Public Health and Peel Public Health would enter lockdown (grey zone), forcing the closure of all non-essential workplaces. Public health measures have been increased in all regions, but workers can travel to and from work across different zones so long as they respect the rules of each region.
Last month, the OGCA signed the Workforce 2030 declaration to accelerate workforce capacity in the building sector and prepare general contractors for the low-carbon economy. Workforce 2030 is a broad cross-sectoral coalition of employers, educators and practitioners across the construction ecosystem working to impact government policy, business practices and education.
By participating in this initiative, we have begun consulting with OGCA members to learn from innovators in the construction industry. The purpose of these consultations is to refine a research framework to study the labour and technology requirements of general contractors working on low-carbon construction. If you are interested in participating in consultations on low-carbon retrofits, mass timber construction or the other exciting Workforce 2030 initiatives, please contact Erich Schmidt. This report focuses on an immediate threat to Ontario’s economic recovery – the growing financial pressure on the MUSH sector (municipalities, universities and colleges, school boards and hospitals) to deal with the effects of COVID-19 on their operating budgets by cancelling or deferring needed investments to maintain infrastructure. This report shows that the inevitable effect of these cancellations and deferrals will be to prolong the recession while, at the same time, allowing our essential infrastructure to further wear down and fall into a state of disrepair. The report builds on previous studies of the impact of infrastructure investment, notably studies by the Conference Board of Canada, RiskAnalytica, the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario and the Centre for Spatial Economics. All of these studies document the significant short-run and long-run employment impact of investment in infrastructure. Click here to read the Press Release and the full report from RCCAO.
Industry News
Toronto Community Benefits Network, in partnership with community, labour and construction industry partners, is pleased to announce the launch of the first annual province-wide Building Diversity Awards (BDA) and Recognition Program. We are thrilled that EllisDon has joined us as our first lead sponsor and event partner. To learn more about the nominations process and get insights about the benchmarks used to decide the winners, join the free online information session held every Wednesday in November at noon. Please click here for the full press release. To register for the free online information sessions, please click here. Nov. 20, 2020, Vaughan, Ont. – Please be advised that Andy Manahan is moving on after 14 years as executive director of the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO). Following one year on the RCCAO board, he was asked by former chair Phillip Rubinoff to lead the organization and then built it into an influential advocate for infrastructure investment. The board and staff of RCCAO would like to thank Andy for his hard work and leadership over the years. With Andy at the helm, RCCAO achieved many milestones. The alliance has produced 58 independent research reports and many videos, such as the three-part series on excess soil management. Together with a strong team, Andy moved RCCAO toward social media and, this past year, launched a highly regarded podcast series, Conversations about Construction. Nadia Todorova, senior director of government relations, has been named interim executive director of the RCCAO. She can be contacted at todorova@rccao.com or 437-224-4206. We would like to wish Andy all the best in his future endeavours. OGCA and the Construction and Design Alliance of Ontario (CDAO) have had discussions with the Ontario Government, Infrastructure Ontario and Metrolinx about providing clarity to force majeure provisions to include costs related to COVID-19, including safety provisions, supply chain delays and reduced productivity. We are encouraged that this will be forthcoming. Until this occurs, members must negotiate with owners to find reasonable solutions.
OGCA has received this request from CEA FRANCOachat. They currently have an opportunity and are seeking submissions for a PREQUAL list for Civil Work Contractors for the next three years. Please note, once this process closes (less than two weeks), it will be a closed vendor of record list for the next three years.
innovation Corner
StrongArm Technologies is the industry leader in IoT (internet of things) enabled wearable sensors and data analysis. The sensors capture physiological and environmental data on multiple ergonomic and environmental factors. This data is then analyzed using algorithms that assess safety risk to explore factor correlation and better understand injuries. StrongArm delivers excellent value to clients in the form of more accurate risk assessments and safety recommendations that reduce injury and improve LTI rates. With a focus on better understanding why injuries occur, organizations can make better decisions around safety and productivity initiatives. It also allows general contractors to deploy more relevant, effective interventions – mechanical or behavioural – and their monitor impact. For more information on StrongArm technologies, please click here. Join us on our upcoming League of Champions (LOC) Webinar being held on December 1, 2020 at 2 p.m. The League of Champions presents to you, Key Strategies on How to Successfully Manage COVID-19 Throughout the Second Wave. Three of Ontario's top Health & Safety leaders will present best practices to ensure you have the correct tools to deal with and manage COVID-19 in your workplaces. Register early to hear Ontario’s Chief Prevention Officer Ron Kelusky present the new release of the Construction COVID-19 Guidelines. Norm Keith, Canada’s leading OHS lawyer, will present Managing Workplace Legal Risk During the Pandemic. Erin Oliver, Vice President, Health, Safety & Sustainability at Modern Niagara will share Honing Intuition to Build a Better Health & Safety Culture. Don’t miss this webinar! Visit the LOC website to register. Or use the following link. https://www.theloc.ca/post/register-for-the-loc-upcoming-webinar-on-december-1 The LOC is very happy to welcome our newest Champions! Steelcore Construction, Rossclair Contractors, Magil Construction Corporation and Dineen Construction Group of Companies. Welcome to the League! 
Member News
John completed his engineering diploma at Sault College, and he then founded his construction company J.P. Pierman Construction Limited. John would build the company into the largest non-union construction firm in Northern Ontario in the mid-80’s. During this time, John played an important executive role in many organizations including the Canadian Construction Association of Canada, the Ontario General Contractors Association, and the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation.
Despite its inherent challenges, some inspiring stories were born out of 2020 and the pandemic. One of those is construction’s resolve in the face of adversity. In January, we heard reports about a new virus and growing concerns from colleagues, friends and family in other parts of the world. By March 11, we were operating in a declared pandemic, and on April 4, all ICI construction in Ontario was halted to protect health and safety.
Associate Partner News and Events
We are pleased to inform you that one of our Health & Safety Associate Partners, 4S Consulting Services Inc., will be hosting a free informational virtual session on Thursday, November 26, 2020, for OGCA members only. Topic: IHSA COR™-in-progress / maintenance - key challenges & solutions Date & Time: Thursday, November 26, 2020 from 11 a.m. to noon Target Audience: * Business Owners & Leadership * Health and Safety Coordinators/Managers * Internal Auditors/Safety Leaders Booking * Free webinar for OGCA members only * Self-registration for a Zoom meeting Key takeaways:
To know more, write to info@4sconsult.com or call (905) 532-1488
Legislative & Legal Updates
The latest issue of the Ontario Legislative Reports is now available on the OGCA website. Please click here to access the latest issue. On November 20, 2020, the OGCA submitted commentary on Bill 222: Ontario Rebuilding and Recovery Act, 2020. Presented by the Ministry of Transportation, the Bill would provide a package of legislative amendments that would accelerate the delivery of major provincial public infrastructure projects, such as transit and highways. Measures in this proposal would strengthen communities, create jobs and increase critical services in the province. The submission outlines our support for legislation that reduces the regulatory burden to the planning, approval and design process in delivering transit and all infrastructure projects. Despite the support, the submission explains our concerns related to risk allocation, as Bill 222 will provide the Minister of Infrastructure and the Minister of Transportation with new development related powers that, when passed along to an organization, will dramatically change how risk is allocated for general contractors and other constructors. You can read the full submission by clicking here. On November 17, the Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA) co-hosted a joint information webinar with OWMA, OSWCA and ORBA on new regulations (O. Reg. 406/19) under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) that come into force January 1, 2021. The webinar included a presentation from Laura Blease, Senior Policy Advisor, Karan Jandoo, Policy Advisor at the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks. The presentation provided a useful overview of the regulatory amendments related to the management and reuse of excess soil. It also reviewed descriptions of the regulatory changes, critical dates on when the new rules apply, and implementation going forward. You can find a copy of the presentation document by clicking here. Education & Events
Join us for a deep dive into an area that contractors and their consultants know all too well: claims. It is a necessary evil in construction and should not be viewed as an adversarial exercise but instead as a simple straightforward process. The speakers will educate and inform you about what is necessary to produce and expedite claims in the most logical process possible and with the least number of encumbrances. Featuring Sandra Burnell from Revay and Associates, and Giovanni Cautillo, President of OGCA. Click here to register for this session. For the full program, please click here.
Register for this important event now. This year, the construction industry was shaken with the discovery of nooses on several EllisDon sites, including the Michael Garron Hospital renovation project in Toronto. As leaders in the sector, EllisDon has refused to be silent on this issue and is determined to hold those responsible to account. In their response to these heinous acts, EllisDon demonstrated leadership in our industry by taking concrete steps to address these specific events and the issue of racism in the construction industry. The OGCA has been actively working to end racism in ICI construction and break down barriers facing underrepresented communities in the construction industry. We believe that discussions about racism and discrimination in construction are pivotal to improving our industry. Many of us are in another lockdown. This means increased stress on everyone. Workers are tired of all the precautions and restrictions to their daily lives. Some workers may be the sole breadwinners in the household because family members are restricted from working. All this means more pressure on the worker.
|
||||||||||||||||||
ONTARIO GENERAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION
180 Attwell Drive, Suite 280 | Toronto, Ontario M9W 6A9 Tel 905-671-3969 |
The OGCA is proud to present “Addressing Racism in Construction: A Conversation with EllisDon” on Wednesday, December 9 at 10 a.m. At the event, Giovanni Cautillo, President of the OGCA, will discuss recent events and longstanding issues facing the construction sector with Geoff Smith, President and CEO of Ellisdon; Jennifer Khan, Head of Inclusive Diversity at EllisDon, and Samuel Ajobo, Chair of Alliance for the Black Employee Experience and Leadership (ABEEL). Our goal is to share their experience, discuss how EllisDon responded as general contractors, and learn from their leadership on the issue.