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



consensus can be reached on im-
provements to Bill 218.

As well, the WCA board agreed to
appoint a group made up of two
members from each the association’s
General Contractor, Electrical Con-
tractor and Trade Contractor Divisions
to meet with the Manitoba Prompt
Payment Coalition (led by the Me-
chanical Contractors Association) to
review the bill. This group will also
look at the recently adopted Ontario
Construction Act to see if ideas can
be borrowed from that legislation.

The intent is to provide a piece of
workable consensus legislation in
Manitoba. Hambley said the WCA has com-
mitted to providing members with
regular updates, like this, on the sta-
tus of Bill 218 and our conversations
with the Manitoba Prompt Payment
Coalition. ONTARIO
GTA IO and Metrolinx sign
$2.5 billion contract for
Finch West LRT project
Infrastructure Ontario (IO) and
Metrolinx have signed a $2.5-billion
contract with Mosaic Transit Group to
design, build, finance and maintain
the Finch West Light Rail Transit pro-
ject Mosaic will be responsible to de-
sign, build, finance and maintain the
11-km LRT in a semi-exclusive lane
along Finch Ave. This consists of a
below-grade terminal stop at Humber
College, 16 surface stops, as well as
an underground interchange station
at Keele Street that connects with the
new Finch West Subway Station on
the Toronto-York Spadina Subway Ex-
tension. The project also includes a mainte-
nance and storage facility for the light
rail vehicles and other required com-
ponents, such as trackworks, signal-
ing, communications, and public
infrastructure. Mosaic’s team includes:
• Applicant lead: ACS Infrastructure
Canada, Aecon Concessions – a di-
vision of Aecon Construction
Group, CRH Canada Group.

• Construction: Aecon Infrastruc-
ture and Management, Dragados
Canada, Dufferin Construction Co.

- a division of CRH Canada Group.

• Design: Arup Canada, Dillon Con-
sulting Ltd., DPM Energy, DTAH,
Perkins + Will Canada, Sener SES
Canada. • Maintenance: ACS Infrastructure
Canada, Aecon O&M – a division of
Aecon Construction Group.

• Financial advisor: RBC Dominion
Securities Mosaic is scheduled to begin con-
struction in fall 2018.

OTTAWA Hard Rock Casino receives
approval for $318-million
expansion project
Ottawa City Council has approved
Hard Rock Casino Ottawa’s plans to
expand the Rideau Carleton Raceway
and Slots.

The $318-million project includes a
redevelopment of the Rideau Car-
leton Raceway at 4837 Albion Rd.

The casino plans to build an enter-
tainment venue with a 2,500-seat the-
atre for live shows, restaurants, a
nine-storey hotel and a parking
garage for as many as 1,200 cars.

The investment is expected to cre-
ate approximately 3,100 construction
jobs. The multi-year project is sched-
uled to be complete by 2022.

QUEBEC Governments commit $70
million for Quebec City,
Trois-Riviers transit systems
The federal government and the
Government of Quebec have an-
nounced more than $70 million in
funding for capital and other projects
to support the municipal transit sys-
tems of Quebec City and Trois-Riv-
ieres. The May 7 announcement for
Trois-Rivieres covered 19 projects
being undertaken by the Societe de
transport de Trois-Rivieres (STTR).

The Government of Canada will pro-
vide $5.8 million for the projects and
the Government of Quebec will con-
tribute $4.6 million.

Besides the purchases of new
rolling stock, the STTR will build bus
shelters to serve the CEGEP, Trois-
Rivieres hospital, college Lafleche
and the University of Quebec at Trois-
Rivieres, indicated a media state-
ment. The total spend announced May
16 for Quebec City will be $60.9 mil-
lion for 24 projects being carried out
by the Reseau de transport de la Cap-
itale (RTC) under the Public Transit In-
frastructure Fund.

The Government of Canada will
provide $33.8 million for the projects
and the Government of Quebec will
contribute more than $27 million. The
RTC will provide the remaining fund-
ing. Among the projects receiving
funding are the rehabilitation of the
Lebourgneuf operations centre roof,
as well as work to refurbish the main-
tenance workshop, the statement
said. The RTC will also build a new
terminal, the Terminus de la Faune,
and a Park-o-Bus at the Quebec City
Airport. “The RTC is on the eve of a historic
development period and is thrilled
with this support from the govern-
ments of Canada and Quebec. These
contributions will allow the RTC to
start putting foundational infrastruc-
ture like the park and ride in place for
our future network, and to continue
improving the customer experience
and diversifying our bus fleet. Every-
one in the area will benefit from this
announcement,” said Remy Normand,
president of the Reseau de transport
de la Capitale, in a statement.

The Canadian Design and Construction Report — Spring 2018 – 29