Friday, September 27, 2024 
Palari and Flat announce partnership to serve customers in West Coast markets
Palari, a builder of sustainable homes and communities utilizing innovative construction techniques, and Flat, a fast-growing home management software company that combines the convenience of technology with hands-on services, recently announced a partnership that will help Palari’s new homeowners increase and…
New Residential Building Products Demand Meter Unveiled
John Burns Research and Consulting and Home Innovation Research Labs recently released their inaugural Building Products Demand Meter. This industry-first data product tracks current and historical US residential installed product volumes (final demand) for major building product categories. The Building Products…
Construction to Break German Dependence on Russian Gas Hits a Snag: Wartime Bombs
In the wake of the war in Ukraine, the port at Wilhelmshaven has emerged as a critical hub for German efforts to break the country’s dependence on Russian energy. It is there, on the North Sea coast, that officials would like to…
Ontario’s Ministry of Labour proposing to introduce heat-stress regulations to better protect workers
With global temperatures increasing each year around the globe and here in Canada, Ontario’s Ministry of Labour is taking steps to better protect workers from heat exposure while on the job. New heat stress regulations are being proposed under the Occupational…
Ontario pledges $3.6M to train more women, young people as construction workers
The Ontario government says it will spend $3.6 million to provide free training and attract more women and young people to work in the construction industry, as the province seeks to address a labour shortage that could put its housing goals at risk.…
ORBA Announces New Leadership Team
The Ontario Road Builders’ Association (ORBA) recently announced the appointment of Walid Abou-Hamde as Executive Director of ORBA effective August 1, 2023. On behalf of ORBA, President, Mario Villeneuve expressed “the Board’s pleasure that Walid has accepted this exciting and pivotal…
2 years after Kelowna deadly crane collapse, B.C. considers safety improvements
British Columbia is considering new rules for tower cranes two years after a collapse in Kelowna killed five people WorkSafeBC has proposed new regulations, including stronger requirements that supervisors are qualified and rules that safety experts say could bring more inspections…
More newcomers needed to stem construction labour shortage and build more housing, RBC says
The construction sector is short a whopping 64,000 jobs, posing a significant problem for an industry that must produce enough housing to meet demand from Canada’s ever-growing population — and the best workers for the job are newcomers, a recent RBC…
B.C. traffic company ordered to pay $1.5M for defaming Richmond competitor
One of B.C.’s largest traffic control service companies, Valley Traffic Systems (VTS) has to pay $1.5 million after its defamation campaign caused a competitor to lose out on a lucrative BC Hydro contract. VTS and Richmond-based Ansan Group were competitors a…
Auditor General report finds selection of lands removed from the Greenbelt was biased and dismissive of effective land-use planning
“Provincial government actions in 2022 to open parts of the Greenbelt for development failed to consider environmental, agricultural and financial risks and impacts, proceeded with little input from experts or affected parties, and favoured certain developers/landowners,” Auditor General Bonnie Lysyk said in a…
Calgary’s Construction Industry Grows as Skilled Labour Shortage Persists
According to Statistics Canada’s Labour Force Survey for July 2023, 97,800 people in the Calgary Census Metropolitan Area were employed in the construction industry – up from 84,200 in July 2022. This figure represents a remarkable growth rate of 16 percent…
22 deaths on Quebec roads mark deadliest construction holiday in over a decade
Quebec provincial police have released their final accident report for the province’s annual, two-week construction holiday — and the numbers are grim. The Sûreté du Québec (SQ) says 22 people died in vehicle crashes during this period — the deadliest in more than a…
Toronto’s largest private construction project reimagines the office tower
Canadians who have been working from home are slowly trickling back to offices, but the designers of an ambitious new project in downtown Toronto hope to direct that flow into the Well. The Well is a giant mixed-use development at Spadina…
Canadian building permits increase 6.1% in June
Statistics Canada reports that the total monthly value of building permits in Canada increased 6.1% in June to $11.6 billion, with a notable 67.2% monthly increase (+$619.3 million) in the institutional component. On a constant dollar basis (2012=100), the total value of building permits went…
A hurricane supply kit can prove to be essential for worker wellness or even survival
The peak timeframe for Hurricane Season has started and at First Onsite we believe preparedness is key. There are various steps you can take and an emergency kit is good place to start. With ample warning and tracking, hurricanes (and tropical…
