👷🏻‍♂️ About 40 Under 40 ...

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Good morning! ❤️‍🩹 Ontario wants to keep construction workers ticking. The province is set to mandate automated external defibrillators on construction sites with at least 20 workers and projects exceeding three months as part of new labour legislation.

⏰ Today’s read: 5 ½ minutes

MARKETS

Economy: Canada’s economy and construction sector both contracted 0.6% in Q4 2025, as a sharp global oil price surge to $100 per barrel and rising structural steel costs  pressured margins. While a 9.8% quarterly rebound in building permits offers a stronger base for 2026, the industry must navigate a projected shortfall of 108,300 workers by 2034 and significant trade uncertainty stemming from the CUSMA review and U.S. metal tariffs.

TOGETHER WITH PROCORE

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NEED TO KNOW

The week's headlines

🛢️ Keystone 2.0: U.S. President Donald Trump has authorized the Bridger Pipeline project, a joint venture between Canada’s South Bow and the U.S.-based Bridger Pipeline, to transport Canadian crude from the border to Wyoming. 

🎁 Care package: Ottawa has announced a $1.5 billion relief package designed to provide liquidity and market-pivot support for the domestic manufacturing sector. The initiative includes $1 billion in low-interest BDC loans and a $500 million boost to a regional response fund.

🚃 Hamilton LRT: Hamilton leaders and Ontario officials celebrated a significant milestone for the city's long-delayed $3.4 billion light rail transit project, announcing that Aecon has been awarded the contract for extensive infrastructure and utility work.

🚫 Flatlined: Citing a record $13.3 billion deficit and bids exceeding projections, the B.C. government has cancelled construction contracts for five major health-care projects, including the Burnaby Hospital redevelopment and four long-term care facilities.

THE BIG STORY

40 Under 40 just got bigger…

40 Under 40 has undergone an industrial revolution. 

Back for its 7th year, the program is expanding beyond construction for the first time — opening up to leaders across mining, manufacturing, energy, and the broader industrial ecosystem. Nominations are open right now.

Why we did it: These industries were never really separate. The people building mines, powering data centres, and producing steel are part of the same ecosystem, facing the same pressures, competing for the same talent. By bringing together all seven SiteMedia publications behind one program, we're finally recognizing that full picture.

Who we are looking for: Previous years have featured individuals who have led major initiatives, presided over explosive growth, pioneered new approaches and given back to others through mentorship. Honourees have been architects, contractors, designers, engineers, equipment operators, estimators, executives, safety pros, tradespersons, and many more in the consulting, law, finance, and technology communities.

How it works: All eligible nominees must be professionals in the industrial sector who are 39 years or younger, a resident of Canada and currently working in Canada. They must have their name and details submitted through the official 40 Under 40 Industrial Leaders website. Only nominations that have been submitted through via this process are eligible. You may choose to either nominate yourself or someone else. You may also submit nominations for more than one person.

Choosing the winners: In considering each candidate, a diverse panel of judges will consider a nominees professional achievements, leadership pedigree, impact on the industry and more. Their scores will be tallied and the top 40 nominee scores will be this year’s winners. 

Why it matters: Honourees carry the 40 Under 40 title for life. For a young professional, it's a career-defining signal. For the industry, it's a statement that heavy industry is a place worth building a future in.

EVENTS

Last. Call.

Industry Icebreaker: Cask & Keys is happening this week, taking over the Blatchford Field Air Hangar in Edmonton on May 7th. 

It’s an evening of curated whiskey and wine, live piano, and golf simulator challenges. It’s a room full of Alberta's top construction and industry leaders.

Informal, intentional, and — frankly — impossible to replicate in a boardroom.

We don’t want you to miss out. If you feel the same, you're in luck — we've made a small number of last-call tickets available.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

First impressions

Quebec City is celebrating the completion of the $84-million Espace Riopelle – Pavillon Michael Audain at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec, a dedicated space for the world's most extensive collection of works by influential abstract artist Jean Paul Riopelle. Les Architectes FABG won a design competition for the project, which was developed with SNC-Lavalin and LEM experts-conseils.

PROJECT UPDATES

Ontario plans $35M art gallery expansion

Alberta is investing $400M to build continuing-care spaces

Construction begins on new Winnipeg library

Regina invests $147M in construction projects

Ottawa breaks ground on Afghanistan memorial

Ottawa commits $20M to cobalt refinery

Alto CEO rules out Ottawa stop

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

 💼 READ: All the biggest business moves from last month

💻 READ: AI boosts Caterpillar revenue forecasts

📷 WATCH: AI is not the future of architecture imagery

🧊 WATCH: How the world’s longest ice road works

🤝 READ: Trade unions join tech giants for AI push

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Here’s to a great rest of the week!

Disclaimer: SiteNews is an independently-operated news website. Views expressed are that of the editorial team and are based on publicly available information unless otherwise noted through sponsored content.