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The OGCA Board of Directors deliberate a great deal about poor, and at times utterly ludicrous, tender and contract language that is continually being issued from the public buyers of construction. And just when you believe you have seen the absolute worst set of contract documents ever written, yet another public buyer steps up and demonstrates that they can outdo their peers. I have surmised that in order to reach this level of absurdity, each public procurement group must consciously decide that they know better than any other of their peers and that they know how to best procure construction services.
The OGCA is very excited about the new collaboration that we have with the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) and their Specialized Trades Exploration Program (STEP) to ICI Construction Program. The STEP to ICI Construction Program allows students to gain hands-on experience in ICI construction while earning their high school diploma. This program has been developed to improve school-to-work transition for high-school students by providing them with the essential skills they need to prepare for future construction careers. This program is a link for employers and potential new youth to enter into construction.
To register for this event, please click here. Use discount code S10-397-397L22.S
Industry News
The 40 essays featured in Alternative Dispute Resolution in the Construction Industry in Canada are written by renowned, award-winning and distinguished judges, lawyers, ADR advocates, neutral facilitators, academics, engineers, and chartered surveyors – all experts – who have shared their dedicated expertise, professional experiences, illuminating war stories and ingenious tricks of the trade. In addition to articles written by Harvey J. Kirsh, other expert contributors include The Rt Hon. Beverley McLachlin (former Chief Justice, Supreme Court of Canada); Hon. Neill Wittmann, Q.C. (former Chief Justice, Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta); David I. Bristow, Q.C.; Allan J. Stitt; Jack Marshall, Q.C.; Duncan W. Glaholt; Stephen R. Morrison; and Joel Richler. The Foreword is written by The Right Honourable Richard Wagner, P.C., Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada. If anyone is interested in purchasing a copy (you can click here to see the cover of the book), you can call the publisher at 1-800-255-5174 or send an e-mail to sales@lexisnexis.ca.
Last week, the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development announced that Ontario's safe employers are receiving a rebate of up to $1.5 billion as Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) surplus funds are returned under the Working for Workers Act, 2021. The rebate will return approximately 30 percent of their annual premium payments in 2019 or 2020, whichever is higher. For a business with 80 to 125 employees, this could mean receiving approximately $28,000 to reinvest in their business and workers.
innovation Corner
Construction sites across the globe are improving productivity and safety on site through the use of new and emerging technologies. Our virtual broadcast will showcase industry leading technology companies focused on automating heavy equipment, improving efficiencies through offsite prefabrication and onsite robotics. Don't miss this opportunity to hear from our innovative tech start-ups and industry leaders! The virtual broadcast will be on Thursday, February 24 at 11:50 a.m. - 3:45 p.m. EST. 
Member News
Please click here to read the full press release. Associate Partner News and Events
Life gets busy. We get it. It’s easy to let our daily demands overshadow our health and wellbeing. That’s why we’re hosting a lunchtime webinar series to give you simple tips on how to boost your mental and physical wellness. Join our free 30-minute lunchtime webinars on your lunch break to learn something new and have your questions answered by a clinical expert! Each quarter, we’ll cover popular health topics to make it easy for you to feel your best. First session is on Coping with Burnout: Spot the Signs and Manage It - February 28. Click here to register. March 8 & 9 2022. Concrete Ontario is offering this online course. The premier concrete course, hosted by Ontario concrete industry technical leaders, about all aspects of concrete fundamentals and construction. Please click here for information and to register.
You can learn more about CPO’s prevention strategy for 2022, H&S rep training updates, and earning rebates from WSIB Excellence and Ontario’s SOSE program. Please click here for more information and to register, click here. WeirBack! WeirFoulds Construction Lawyers Krista Chaytor and Jeff Scorgie return with Tools for Success: Season 3 - A comprehensive four-part practical webinar series designed to highlight the latest changes and developments that impact the construction industry. Join us for a discussion about the use of technology in the construction industry. You will also hear from Ashley Kielbratowski and Jeff Kielbratowski the Co-Founders at Harbr, a software company focused on automating and streamlining payments in the construction industry. To register, please click here.
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 2021, please contact Mary Wademan at OGCA. Clarity in Contracts
Missing a limitation period recently proved disastrous for an Ontario contractor. After the contractor sued the Town of Tavistock for road, sewer and sidewalk work, the court threw out the entire $134,502.71 claim. The court found that the contractor had brought the claim three weeks after the limitation period expired.[1] In order to avoid falling into this trap, contractors should always consider how limitation periods affect their claims. We set out below the key facts about how limitation periods work, benefits and pitfalls of changing the limitation period, and tips on how to manage your limitation periods so they do not expire. Please click here to access the full article by Laura Brazil, Annik Forristal and Donia Hashem, McMillan LLP Education & Events
Now that things are starting to open up in Ontario, I wanted to remind everyone in the construction industry of some of the best free resources available to help workers and employers with Substance Abuse on the jobsite. Because of COVID-19, most 12 Step Fellowships were online and doing limited outreach due to restrictions. That will be changing in the next month or so as restrictions lift.
Calendar of Events
April 7-9, 2022, at the Blue Mountain Resort. Registration is still open, but the Early Bird Rate has expired. Click here to get a copy of the registration form. Fill it out and email it back to mary@ogca.ca. If you are interested in sponsoring this in-person LIVE event, please reach out to Mary Wademan for more information. There is still space left for sponsors, and we look forward to seeing you all at Blue Mountain! 
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ONTARIO GENERAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION
180 Attwell Drive, Suite 280 | Toronto, Ontario M9W 6A9 Tel 905-671-3969 |
President Giovanni Cautillo invites you to attend this upcoming session presented by the Canadian Institute February 24-25, 2022. Among the highlights of the event are:
Kiwi Newton Group Ltd. is pleased to announce the successful completion of the NAMAHF (New Adult Mental and Addiction Health Facility) Parking Structure. Implementing the company's CANADACAR parking structure system, the Newfoundland team completed the designing, manufacturing, and construction of this five-level, 297, 116.22 sf gross floor, 1,000 stalls, 3-bay parking structure was cleared for occupancy in just 13 months.
Our Associate Member 4S Consulting Services Inc. is hosting a free webinar with CPO, MLTSD and WSIB on March 24, 2022 from 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. EST.
