As construction continues to evolve, the risk allocation of traditional construction evolves with it.

On December 14, 2020, release of new amendments to the CCDC 2 (2008) and subsequently CCDC 41 will have contractors taking a closer look at their contracts and evaluating their risk profile. You as the contractor need to engage with your risk professionals to understand the impacts of what is coming.

Please click here to read the full report from AON.

Hundreds of OGCA members have had the pleasure of working with Rob Ellis, so it was with great pride that Rob was recognized by the industry for his unwavering commitment to supporting construction safety with the presentation of the Doug Chalmers Award.

Almost everyone who is involved in a leadership or safety position in OGCA has participated in events in which Rob has relived the unspeakable tragedy of the death of his 19-year-old son David.

Every time he speaks, it is with the authority of a father and a family who paid the ultimate price because someone wasn’t prepared to invest in workplace safety. His message isn’t about pain and loss but about responsibility and leadership. David is gone, but everyday, we send more young people to our workplaces, and we have the opportunity and responsibility to make sure each one returns home safe.

Rob’s story and message inspired the formation of the League of Champions, an organization of champions and businesses that have made a commitment, beginning with the CEO and radiating through the organization to the front lines. Members commit to a safer organization, industry and to support Rob and MySafeWork as a messenger.

OGCA Safety Committee and League of Champions Chairman Craig Lesurf announced Rob as the recipient at the March 5 Leadership Conference.

Congratulations, Rob, and thanks for your contribution to a safer construction industry.

Highlights from the March 2021 Newsletter include:

• CCA submits key priorities and recommendations ahead of the 2021 Federal Budget
• Federal Prompt Payment: PSPC issues RFI regarding potential ajudication system
• CCA set to release industry white paper on the importance of infrastructure funding in tackling effects of climate change
• Make your voice count: send a letter via Build For Recovery campaign
• Saskatchewan rolls back local priority for public tendering

Click here to read the full newsletter.

Invennt is the official CCA partner for the Scientific Research and Experimental Development (SR&ED) Tax Incentive. 

CCA's goal is to help their members with the opportunity to claim SR&ED credits that they may have hereto not claimed or are new to the SR&ED process.

In Ontario, current construction SR&ED claims are around $10.4 million, whereas the estimated eligibility is around $93 million. CCA wants to minimize this gap as much as possible by helping members claim their due SR&ED credit.

CCA's partnership with Invennt provides members with a complimentary no obligation assessment as a first step to ensure if they're eligible, and thereafter, provide the credit writing service.

Click on the link above to get more information.

Province’s expanded apprenticeship programs will build a robust, skilled workforce

TORONTO - The Ontario government is investing $47 million in 2021-22 to hire more apprentices, improve the quality of training, and help them complete their training and certification through the new Achievement Incentive Program and the expanded Apprenticeship Capital Grant. These programs are designed to support those who train apprentices, such as businesses, colleges and other training organizations, providing more young people with high quality training that will lead to successful careers.  

Please click here for the full News Release.

Toronto, March 8, 2021 – In operation since 2016 in United States, National Woman in Roofing (NWiR), a volunteer-led organization whose mission is to empower women in the roofing, is proud to announce the creation of the first Canadian Council in partnership with Canadian Roofing Contractors Association (CRCA).

Please click here to read the full Press Release. Entries will be accepted until April 19.

In addition, Beacon is launching a North American Female Roofing Profession of the Year Competition. For more information, please click here.

For the past 15 years, the Ontario Construction Secretariat's (OCS) Contractor Survey has captured the industry's business outlook for the coming year while monitoring critical issues affecting the industry. In addition to the annual business outlook, this year's Contractor Survey updates much of the data captured at regular intervals by the Ontario Construction Secretariat through the pandemic in the Coronavirus Contractor Survey Series.

This year, the study found that the outlook is more positive in the province's outer regions than the GTA, the opposite of last year, where contractors were most optimistic in the Toronto area. Alongside ongoing supply chain disruptions, the impact of the latest industry-wide shutdown and ensuring workers' and staff's health and safety were top of mind for contractors.

Regarding the status of construction activity and the financial impact of COVID-19, contractors reported that 35% of their work was stopped, the highest rate of stoppages reported since May. Overall, contractors forecasted that in 2021, revenue would decline by -2% compared to 2020.

You can download a full copy of the OCS 2021 Contractor Survey by clicking here.

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. Nominations will be accepted until March 30, 2021.

We are thrilled that EllisDon has joined us as our first lead sponsor and event partner.

Please click here for the full press release. To learn more about the nominations process and to get insights about the benchmarks used to decide the winners or to register for the free online information sessions, please click here.

OPN is a health management solution helping businesses conduct health assessments, contact tracing and testing for individuals and corporations. OPN is partnered with FH Health as their testing provider.  Their software features include: digital daily health self-assessments, automated contact tracing through their digital Health Pass and a real-time Admin Dashboard.

OPN has worked with some of the largest names in construction and manufacturing. Where implemented, OPN has provided three tests a week for clients' workforce. They have a 100% success rate in providing same-day results so workers can be cleared for access the following day. This level of end-to-end control is unprecedented in the construction industry and ensures control over all aspects of the testing, maintaining time guarantees so worksites can remain safe and open.

In October 2020, OPN announced a partnership with AON, providing general contractors with a solution to not only manage their space and its safety, but to also mitigate and understand the risks.

How the Software Helps General Contractors:

• Automates the administration associated with the scheduling and booking of tests
• Automates reporting to individuals and public health
• Provides full transparency on chain of custody to both the individual and the lab
• Optimizes the lab process enabling technicians to sort samples by priority and time reporting is due
• Integrates into Contact Tracing technology that can be used to orchestrate who should get tested
• Provides integrated analytics dashboard to policy makers and scientists  
• Reduces manual errors 

To learn more, please visit https://www.stayopn.com/ or contact Sean Hoare

Plans are well underway for Safety Week at the LOC. Safety Week will look different in 2021, but we are excited to have the opportunity to support the great work of our Safety Leaders.

We are very excited to have site visits planned with many of our Champions (of course, all are tentative depending on Provincial COVID-19 regulations at that time). If you would like to schedule a site visit from the LOC team, email judith@theloc.ca for details.

The League of Champions is actively supporting the Steps for Life 2021 Walk.

It’s inspiring to see so many of our members and patrons get involved in this meaningful annual event. We at the LOC strive to empower leaders to be Health & Safety Champions, and this year we are walking to raise awareness that working safely is all of our responsibility. If you haven’t already done so, we encourage you to join us in spreading the message of Safety Excellence and Prevention. If you aren’t interested in a 5km walk but want to support this great cause, you can donate to our fundraising efforts by clicking Steps for Life 2021 - Toronto: Judith Reda - Threads of Life

To learn more about getting involved with the LOC and the Steps for Life walk, contact judith@theloc.ca or call us at 905.671.3969 x 7.

The LOC is very happy to welcome our newest Champions:

• Cooper Equipment
• Salit Steel 
• Snyder Construction

We welcome you to the League!

Minister Monte McNaughton opened day one of our three-day offering, which focuses on industry experts and safety professionals providing you with the information you need to meet your safety challenges.

On March 12 and 19, the series will provide you with the vital updates that the Leadership Conference is known for, including day 2 and day 3 panels that will focus on leadership during a crisis and building a winning prevention strategy.

Please review the agenda by clicking here, and you can register by day below.

Day 2 (March 12)

Day 3 (March 19)

If you are a member of the Associate Partner Program, don't forget to check your emails for the ZOOM link to attend the Annual Meeting, which is being held on Wednesday, March 10 at 10 a.m. The Agenda is as follows:

1. Overview of APP
2. Listing of APP members
3. Initiatives, events (sponsored)
4. Other promoted campaigns for APP (i.e. member spotlight, education content)
5. Open forum - Questions, ideas and considerations.
6. New committee member - vote.
7. Closing remarks

I have attached a copy of the Nominees for the 2021 APP Committee so you can review it in advance of the meeting. If you don't have the ZOOM invitation, please contact me directly. 

Borden Ladner Gervais LLP
Borden Ladner Gervais LLP is one of Canada’s most specialized and highest ranked construction law firms. Our national presence, unsurpassed knowledge and expertise gives us a solid foundation from which to give clients practical, efficient and consistent advice on construction — particularly in the areas of project delivery and dispute resolution. Our award-winning team of practitioners, litigators, solicitors and engineers work hand in hand with clients through every stage of the construction process. Click here to read their profile page.

Stephenson's Rental Services 
Proudly Canadian for over 65 years, Stephenson’s prides itself on being a truly full-service construction tool and equipment rental provider that is committed to supporting its customer’s changing needs. As one of the oldest and largest independent Canadian rental companies, Stephenson’s extensive experience in supporting residential, commercial, industrial, infrastructure and engineering projects across Ontario & Alberta is unmatched and uses a consultative approach to provide its partners with safe, reliable and cost-effective solutions to meet their projects specific needs at every stage. Click here to review their profile page.

WeirFoulds Construction Lawyers Krista Chaytor, Faren Bogach and Jeff Scorgie present Tools for Success: a comprehensive six-part practical webinar series designed to highlight the latest changes and developments that impact the construction industry. 

The first session is Prompt Payment and Adjudication 
Thursday, April 1, 2021 | 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. EST
Join us for a discussion about the practical implications of prompt payment and adjudication. You will also hear from Matt Ainley about his experiences with prompt payment as an adjudicator with ODACC. Matt is a construction executive with over 39 years’ experience in construction in Canada. 

Agenda

1. What is prompt payment and how is it speeding up the payment cycle?
2. Market trends for managing prompt payment in contracts.
3. Using adjudication to resolve disputes in a quick and cost-effective way. 

Click here to RSVP.
 
Next session is April 15, 2021.

December 4, 2019, the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) passed a new regulation related to the management of excess soil from new and existing sites. The goal of the new regulation is to reduce soil management costs and promote brownfields redevelopment while protecting human health and the environment.

In June 2020, MECP delayed the implementation of these regulations in order to give developers and municipalities more time to gradually apply the new rules while prioritizing their COVID-19 response. The first phase has now taken effect as of January 1, 2021. McIntosh Perry has a team of Qualified Persons (QP) under the Regulation and would be pleased to discuss this regulation and your Site questions.

Please click here to read the full report.

On February 26, 2021, the Office of the Chief Medical Officer of Health for Ontario updated its COVID-19 Screening Tool for Businesses and Organization (Screening Workers) and its COVID-19 Screening Tool for Businesses and Organizations (Screening Patrons). Under the Reopening Ontario (A Flexible Response to COVID-19) Act, 2020 and its associated regulations, every business or organization to which the screening tools apply must ensure these tools comply with the updated requirements.  

Learn more in the attached Briefing Note.

For more information on additional workplace screening requirements, please click here.

The latest issue of the Ontario Legislative Reports is now available on the OGCA website. Please click here to access the latest issue.

The Ontario Legislative Report is updated every two weeks and explains the intention and status of legislation and regulations that could impact the construction industry. For issues prior to January 2020, please contact Mary Wademan at OGCA.

Sponsorships are now open for EDUCATE ME! a virtual OGCA symposium, being held on Friday, April 9, 2021 starting at 8 a.m.

There are three levels of sponsorship - Overall Sponsor (one only), Session Sponsors and Table Sponsors, and they are offered at APP Member pricing and non-APP pricing.

We are using a new program called Airmeet as the foundation for the sessions and the networking or social lounge. This program allows us to offer better networking for you and the sponsors. 

More information including the schedule and the sponsorship form can be found by clicking here. Please email Mary Wademan if you have any questions.

To register for this event, please click here. If you have any issues, please review this short Youtube video.

As March 8 was International Women's Day, the timing for this is perfect.

East Northumberland Secondary School is working hard to break down barriers for young women entering the trades.

They are hoping to connect with women who are currently working in a variety of trade careers. Kimberly Leger is the Cooperative Education Lead Teacher, and she would like to reach out to them to inquire if they might be interested in helping promote the trades.

Authenticity is essential – hence she is looking for the pioneers who have already blazed this trail and broke down the gender barriers!

If you would like to reach out to Kimberly, she can be reached at kim_leger@kprdsb.ca

The Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance is bringing together industry experts in March for a series of free Dig Safe Workshops.

The half-hour long sessions will take place from 8 a.m. to noon, March 9, 11, 16, 18, 23 and 25. The sessions allow attendees to bounce in and out, to stay for as long as needed, and attend on different days to meet individual schedule and needs.

Please click here to get more information.