NEWS BRIEFS
BRITISH COLUMBIA
BC engineering/construction
GDP rises 48.7 per cent in
2017: StatsCan
The engineering and construction
sector are fueling B.C.'s economic
growth and Gross Domestic Product
(GDP), says Statistics Canada
(StatsCan) data. In fact the growth
last year reached a staggering 48.7
per cent.

For the first time since 2011, GDP
by industry increased in every
province — rising 3.3 per cent in
2017 — following declines for two
consecutive years, according to the
latest StatsCan data. B.C.’s economy
had the second-highest growth rate
at 3.9 per cent, trailing only Alberta,
StatsCan reports.

StatsCan section chief Guillaume
Dubé said the growth related to new
projects including a natural gas ex-
pansion project in Dawson Creek and
a Prince Rupert propane export termi-
nal. Fifteen out of 19 subsectors saw
increases — but wood product manu-
facturing, the largest manufacturing
subsector in B.C., declined 2.1 per
cent, Dubé said. He explained that
many sawmill and wood-preservation
operations were forced to shut down
during last year’s wildfire season, the
worst in the province’s history since
1958. Dubé said that GDP doesn’t take
into account the distribution of
wealth or whether the wealth of indi-
viduals is growing.

ALBERTA Alberta carpenters union
signs on as a sponsor for
SCNC 2018
Skills/Compétences Canada (SCC),
a not-for-profit organization that ac-
tively promotes careers in skilled
trades and technologies, says the Al-
berta Regional Council of Carpenters
and Allied Workers (ARCCAW), has
partnered with it in support of the
Skills Canada National Competition
(SCNC). The next competition will be
June 4 and 5 at the Edmonton EXPO
28 – Spring 2018 — The Canadian Design and Construction Report
CONSTRUCTION ACROSS CANADA
Centre. ARCCAW will be sponsoring the
Launch Pad at SCNC, where students
are introduced to the competition
through a cutting-edge, youth fo-
cused, audio-visual experience that
leads them to a career exploration
event. SCNC is an opportunity for youth
to discover many of the career op-
tions that are available to them in
these sectors.

“With Alberta’s economy rebound-
ing and diversifying, we want to en-
sure that young people know that a
career with the union is a great way
to make a good living,” said ARC-
CAWA executive secretary-treasurer
Derrick Schulte. “We offer quality and
safely performed work in return for
good family supporting jobs, and
Skills Canada is a natural partner –
and one we are proud to support.”
Through the support of its many
sponsors and suppliers, SCC is able
to raise awareness of skilled trade
and technology careers at SCNC. At
the 2018 Skills Canada National Com-
petition, representatives from indus-
try, government, and labour, along
with educators and youth will gather
in Edmonton. More than 550 sec-
ondary and post-secondary students
will compete for the title of national
champion in more than 40 skilled
trade and technology contest areas.

In addition, there will be more than
50 interactive Try-A-Trade and Tech-
nology activities to give the approxi-
mately 7,500 visiting students the
opportunity to learn about careers in
the skilled trade and technology in-
dustries. ARCCAW will be hosting a
large Try-A-Trade and Technology ac-
tivity at the Carpentry Skill Area dur-
ing SCNC.

(raymond for image see
https://youtu.be/GxRgVqDtdGc) SASKATCHEWAN
Saskatchewan’s Ministry of High-
ways and Infrastructure has placed
24 highway projects for tender in late
May, worth an estimated $65 million.

“Safety is the most important pri-
ority on our provincial highway sys-
tem,” highways and infrastructure
minister David Marit said in a press
release. “We are pleased with this year’s
spring tender plan and the continua-
tion of passing lane expansion
throughout the province.”
In addition to the passing lanes,
the tenders cover the twinning of
Highway 7 around Vanscoy.

Construction start dates depend
on when the tender is awarded, con-
tractor availability, and weather.

Combined with the tenders re-
leased in September 2017, there are
over 130 Saskatchewan highway pro-
jects in progress, with an estimated
value of million $285 million.

MANITOBA WCA president speaks out
about prompt payment
legislation Winnipeg Construction Associa-
tion (WCA) president Bill Hambley
says the province's prompt payment
legislation, Bill 218, "needs some sig-
nificant amendments before it will
work as intended."
In a note to members, he writes
that the WCA has met with the bill's
sponsor, Progressive Conservative
MLA Reg Helwer.

"He advised there is currently a
window of opportunity for the indus-
try to come together, discuss practi-
cal solutions to the payment issue
and present a unified position on the
draft legislation," Hambley wrote.

In response, Hambley says WCA’s
General Contractor and Trade Con-
tractor divisions held meetings in
early May and agreed they would
work together with the Manitoba
Prompt Payment Coalition to see if