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The members of the OGCA are witnessing an ever-increasing epidemic that is slowing proliferating procurement departments throughout Ontario. No, it is not the COVID-19 global pandemic that we are seeing; that is somewhat more manageable than what is currently occurring. What I am referring to is the growing instances of public buyers of construction opting to ignore standard procurement practices in lieu of sole-sourcing projects.
Ontario’s construction industry has managed to operate safely under COVID-19 restrictions, and as a result, it is operating fully open under the third wave lockdown. However, the experience with the variants of the third wave is much different.
April 14, 2021 Projects will enhance health and safety protection for students and staff OTTAWA — The governments of Canada and Ontario announced $656.5 million in funding to provide critical infrastructure upgrades to protect students and staff from COVID-19 in the province's schools. Please click here to read the full press release. If you missed out or couldn’t attend our virtual symposium, please click the links below to see the recorded videos of each session:
Kindly share your feedback about the Symposium here and help us to improve our event in the future. Your feedback is important to us. Thank you again for your attendance. We hope the best for you and success in your future.
Industry News
CCA is pleased to publish a white paper on sustainable infrastructure and climate change and to release three documents for your feedback:
Please click here to read the press release and other links. The Trenchless Technology Road Show is a partnership between Benjamin Media, Inc. (BMI) and the Centre for Advancement of Trenchless Technologies (CATT), at the University of Waterloo. For 2021, the TRS is going online with the platform Pheedloop, allowing for a seamless experience from registration to the virtual exhibit hall!
The Skills Ontario Competition is an incredible display of our future skilled workforce! It’s also a chance for Ontarians to connect with employers and advocates and a great way to support the skilled trades and technologies. We’ve been running our competition in-person for over 30 years, and we’re proud to deliver this event in a virtual format in 2021.
The April issue of the Canadian Construction Association is now available for viewing. Please click the link below to access it. April 2021 CCA newsletter – Annual and Quarterly Reviews (cca-acc.com) It is an honour to Chair the CCA Board for 2021-2022. As we all continue to work through the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, CCA’s focus on getting on with the job continues. This is a very brief update on the recent Board meeting and the many people who are involved across Canada in making CCA work for members and stakeholders. CCA’s 2021/2022 Board of Directors met briefly on March 18, 2021, via Zoom, my first Board meeting as CCA Chair. Some important elections and appointments were on the agenda to start the year. On behalf of the members and stakeholders of CCA, I would like to thank everyone noted here for volunteering to bring their experience and commitment to the national table. Please click here for the full article. Ray Bassett 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. 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. Now is the time to purchase your tickets for the gala on May 13, 2021. Click here to purchase group tickets.
innovation Corner
It has been over two years since the changes to Ontario’s Construction Act came into effect, and those first effective changes have modernized the construction lien itself, the rules regarding holdback, and most importantly prompt payment of invoices and the introduction of adjudication. Navigating these changes is simplified with a new accounting software platform, CONSTRUCTR. Designed specifically for the Ontario construction industry, CONSTRUCTR tracks invoices and payments and ensures your business is compliant under the new Ontario Construction Act. Once an invoice is entered, CONSTRUCTR tracks all relevant invoice dates and even creates custom dispute forms if you need them. Savvy contractors are making themselves aware of the implications of the Act and are taking control of their payments, but you don’t need to do this alone! CONSTRUCTR is easy to use, gives visibility into your payments and can easily integrate with your existing financial system. For more information about Constructr, visit www.constructr.ca or contact Erich Schmidt at erich@ogca.ca. Construction continues to demonstrate incredible leadership during these unprecedented times, and we, as an industry, continue to adjust our practices according to the rules that are laid out before us.
Member News
Canadian construction company BLT Construction Services (BLT) is proud to officially announce a donation of $500,000 through their fundraising campaign, Building Blocks of Hope (BBOH). The aim of BBOH is to provide support to local charities that provide resources, community supports and access to housing for people experiencing homelessness and housing instability in Ontario and Quebec.
Associate Partner News and Events
OGCA is pleased to say thank you to Alliance Creative Marketing for shipping the packages to our members in advance of Educate Me! an OGCA Virtual Symposium. Items from some of our Associate Partners were included in the packages. Alliance, through the direction of Liza Tam and Michael Chow, inserted the items into the boxes and covered all the costs for shipping the packages. Thank you, again! BuildingPoint SiteDocs Safety Management Software
Are you a Safety Champion? Do you know a Safety Champion? Do you know a company who would be a great addition to the LOC? Have you considered joining the League of Champions? If you have any questions or want to learn more about the League of Champions, just let us know. We are here to help. If you have any questions or concerns or want to learn more about becoming involved with the LOC, please contact us directly by email judith@theloc.ca or call us at 905.671.3969 x 7. 
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. 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. Education & Events
Firstly, I’d like to thank you for your continued involvement with Skills Ontario. We truly couldn’t reach and inspire youth without your support, and we’re so excited to deliver this year’s Skills Ontario Competition and Career Exploration Showcase virtually!
We hope you enjoy our April 2021 edition of Management Counsel (attached). Our newsletters and briefing notes are published several times a year to highlight important issues in Canadian employment and labour law. In this edition of Management Counsel, we address two topics: Refusal to Mask: Human Rights Tribunal Rejects Creed-Based Request for Accommodation and Addresses Disability and Breach of COVID-19 Protocols Cause for Termination
Health and Safety Week begins May 3. Just before this, on April 28, is our National Day of Mourning for workers killed, injured or who have suffered illness while on, or because of, the job.
I am pleased to invite you to attend our firm’s Fitness for Duty Webinar on April 27, 2021, dealing with alcohol and drugs in the workplace. Preventing and managing of substance abuse in the workplace is a critical challenge for employers in the construction and mining industries in Ontario. Too many high profile accidents, from VTC Industrial Coasting in the 1990s to the Metron Construction in 2009, both resulting in four fatalities and had deceased workers under the influence of illegal drugs. We will also address extreme fatigue and how to develop a Fitness for Duty Policy in our Webinar. Please take a look at the Webinar outline and can register with this Link: Drugs and Alcohol in the Workplace | Upcoming Events | Fasken. Feel free to contact me if you have questions or would like to have this webinar presented to your organization. Regards, Norm Keith P.S. Please click here to find a link to purchase my book, Alcohol & Drugs in the Canadian Workplace: Alcohol & Drugs in the Canadian Workplace – An Employer's Guide to the Law, Prevention and Management of Substance Abuse, 3rd Edition | LexisNexis Canada Store Norm Keith*, LLM, CRSP 
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ONTARIO GENERAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION
180 Attwell Drive, Suite 280 | Toronto, Ontario M9W 6A9 Tel 905-671-3969 |
Let CONSTRUCTR do the heavy lifting!
