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The issue of mandatory vaccinations is proliferating the entire construction industry, and since this requirement is stemming from individual buyers of construction demanding this on their sites, the entire construction industry is left without a clear directive and completely fragmented. Public health has left the ultimate decision up to the construction industry to navigate, but this lack of clarity has led to the downloading of responsibility to individual business owners. This move has in turn created an unfortunate division of the industry and more confusion than clarity, with minimal positive impacts on vaccination rates of workers.
The OGCA and industry partners are surveying construction companies to determine the industry's exposure to COVID and promote best practices. Provincial data shows that men aged 19 to 39 have the lowest vaccination rate and, therefore, construction may have a higher exposure to the current 4th wave outbreak.
To honour Canada’s first day of National Truth and Reconciliation, the OGCA met with Pete Beaucage from Praztek Construction to better understand how we can work toward bridging the gap between indigenous workers in the construction industry. Praztek Construction was founded by Pete Beaucage and is a certified Aboriginally-owned General Contracting company located in Northern Ontario. Beaucage’s indigenous roots stem from his mother who is of the Kutunaxa (Kootenay) indigenous peoples. The Kutanaxa people originate from southeastern British Columbia and have occupied the land for over 10 thousand years.
Industry News
As we head into the fall of 2021, the COVID-19 pandemic remains a serious threat to our personal health, the health of our families, friends, colleagues and business partners. As a fourth wave of infection has affected many areas of Canada, health authorities across the country continue to recommend measures to mitigate the risk to individuals and to those with whom they may be in contact. Health authorities are broadly recommending a full range of measures, including hand washing, wearing masks, social distancing, testing, self-isolation and full vaccination. Please click here to read the full article from CCA.
innovation Corner
Aon, a leading global professional services firm providing a broad range of risk, retirement and health solutions and Latium Technologies, a leading Industrial IoT firm, today announced a strategic alliance to introduce Latium’s Job Site Insights® (JSI®) Internet of Things (IoT) application and suite of products as a foundational risk mitigation tool for contractors and owners.
September 22, 2021, has come and gone, and on that day, instead of lamenting the province’s new vaccine certificate program as I’m sure many did, I chose to celebrate the birthday of my eldest daughter. Yes, the same one who got married in April when I mused on how the wedding and event industry that prides itself for the ability to plan and execute events was not nearly as organized as construction.
We are very happy to introduce our newest Champions: If you have any questions or comments, please contact Judith Reda 
Safety
Safety plan builder and 100 new health and safety inspectors will be crucial in educating businesses and keeping people safe from COVID-19. Please click here to read the full news release. 
Member News
The COVID-19 pandemic has swept the world and changed each of our lives in different ways. As we continue to move forward, we must continue to work diligently in our efforts to promote health and safety in the workplace. Getting your vaccine is crucial and a valuable part of keeping you and your loved ones safe. The OGCA presents #WhyIGotTheShot, to share our member's stories and to focus on the “good” during the final stretch of this pandemic.
Associate Partner News and Events
Norcat We are proud of our recognized ability to listen to our customers, develop relevant training content and curriculum, and implement training solutions that will have a meaningful and lasting impact. For more information on Norcat, please click here. Gallagher For more information on Gallagher, please click here. Our Associate Member 4S Consulting Services Inc. is hosting a free webinar on October 7, 2021, exclusively for OGCA membership. By attending the webinar, you can learn more about COR challenges from IHSA External COR Auditors, ISO 45001:2018 Lead Auditors, and experienced consultants supporting over 90 construction businesses in Ontario in maintaining COR.
KPMG LLP has provided us with a review of Federal (national and international corporations and federal government) and provincial updates on mandatory vaccine policies.
Legislative & Legal Updates
Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau won enough seats on September 21 in the 44th general election to form another minority government. The OGCA has been hard at work with its partners in Ontario and across the country to advocate for our industry's critical issues. During the election, the CCA (Canadian Construction Association) and GCAC (General Contractors Alliance of Canada) were strong advocates for fair procurement practices, infrastructure investment and solutions to the skills deficit. These issues remain top of mind after the election.
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 March 2020, please contact Mary Wademan at OGCA. A new initiative spearheaded by the Canadian Construction Documents Committee (CCDC) to address your frequently asked questions about standard documents will begin in October. CCDC Document Webinars is a series of webinars designed to provide simple, yet comprehensive answers related to the suite of standard documents. The webinars are short to fit easily into your schedule and will focus on the basics to ensure easy and comprehensive use.
Education & Events
I participated in an IHSA webinar September 13 that focused on RTW for workers after drug and/or alcohol treatment or a positive drug test. I am going to share some of that information in this article. An important point I made is that companies need an established protocol to assess workers who test positive on a substance screen, are removed from the site for suspicion of, or are returning to work after treatment for, substance abuse.
Two occupational health care experts who served as panellists at a recent Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA) webinar on mental health said not only does an accessible mental health program at workplaces lead to more focused, efficient, productive and loyal workers, it could save lives. The OGCA joined with Alberta-based workplace health services provider Medcor Canada on September 15 to present a session billed as Understanding Mental Well-Being in Construction. The presenters were Medcor president Rob Hastie and Koren Roth, manager of mental health and well-being with the firm. Please click here to read the full article. This is a reminder that RESCON is hosting its Second Annual Addressing Racism in Construction Event on Tuesday, September 28, 2021 | 1 p.m.– 2:30 p.m. RESCON, through its Anti-Racism Roundtable, has taken a leading role in combating racism and discrimination on and off the job site. This event is an excellent opportunity to:
Please show your support for Roundtable members and speakers at the webinar, Chris Campbell and Raly Chakarova by RSVPing and sharing the invite within your networks. To register for the webinar, please click HERE, or contact Ahd AlAshry If you have any questions regarding the event, please contact Amina Dibe or Ahd AlAshry Staying ahead of the competition in a rapidly evolving industry is a challenge. We recognize that you need to make decisions quickly and effectively without wasting time or money! The 2021 Educational Program at The Buildings Show promises to be the most cutting edge yet with expert-led seminars, informative panels and thought-provoking roundtables, both online and in person. Expand your knowledge base, become a leader in your field and earn continuing education credits from BOMA, OAA, OBEC and CAHPI in a safe and secure environment. Sign-up before November 12 to take advantage of the early bird discount. Please note that former President of the OGCA Clive Thurston will be presenting two sessions at the Buildings Show. Access the Early Bird Rate by clicking here. View the Full Program by clicking here. There have been a number of important COVID-19 updates within the past few days. We’ve summarized them in the attached Briefing Note. To learn more and/or for assistance with any COVID-19 related issue in your workplace, contact your Sherrard Kuzz LLP lawyer, or any member of the Sherrard Kuzz team at info@sherrardkuzz.com. We’ll respond promptly.
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ONTARIO GENERAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION
180 Attwell Drive, Suite 280 | Toronto, Ontario M9W 6A9 Tel 905-671-3969 |
