💔 Bad friends

Together with

Good morning! 🪵 It doesn’t get any more vintage than this. A log of wood believed to be 50 million years old has been hauled up from below ground at Diavik diamond mine in the N.W.T. At 300 pounds, the log’s size is extremely unusual for its age, which has researchers excited.

⏰ Today’s read: 4.5 minutes

MARKETS

*Stock data as of last market close; currency, oil and crypto data as of 11:00 PM ET March 31st, 2025.

Economy:  Copper prices have surged to record highs due to a combination of tariff threats, tightening supply, and increased global demand, particularly from China’s economic stimulus efforts. The price spike poses challenges for industries reliant on copper, including construction and manufacturing, as higher material costs could contribute to inflation and reduced consumer spending..

TOGETHER WITH ELLISDON

5 days left for Early Bird tickets

Planning to attend the industry event of the year? Grab your tickets while they’re still available. Two days of hands-on demos, sharp conversations, and real connection with the people moving construction forward—May 26–27 at the Polygon Gallery in North Vancouver. Oh, and there’s a brewery crawl. Brought to you by SiteNews and EllisDon.

NEED TO KNOW

The week's headlines

🏗️ Big initiative: The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) has launched the Construction for Canadians campaign. Backed by 57 construction associations, the initiative urges the next government to invest in trade-enabling infrastructure, workforce development, and modernized procurement to address industry challenges like underinvestment, labor shortages, and outdated policies.

🗣️ Better communication: The Yukon Contractors Association Home Builders' Caucus is urging the City of Whitehorse to improve communication regarding building permit requirements after last year's approval delays, which were exacerbated by new National Building Code compliance measures. In response, city councillors have been discussing solutions, including amending the building and plumbing bylaw to clarify confusing regulations

 ⛏️ Striking gold: Construction has begun on a new gold mine near Lynn Lake, Manitoba, marking the province’s first new mine in 15 years. Operated by Toronto-based Alamos Gold, the project will span 27 years, creating over 600 jobs during construction and sustaining about 450 jobs once operational. The Manitoba government highlights a partnership agreement between Alamos and the Marcel Colomb First Nation, ensuring revenue sharing, local hiring, and job training.

🚧 Safety shift: Alberta is overhauling its Automated Traffic Enforcement (ATE) program, banning photo radar on provincial highways and limiting its use to school, playground, and construction zones. The province is also launching a $13-million Traffic Safety Fund to support road safety improvements.

THE BIG STORY

Bad friends: Carney begins economic transformation

The latest from Prime Minister Carney in the U.S./Canada Trade war speaks for itself: “It is clear that the United States is no longer a reliable partner. It is possible that, with comprehensive negotiations, we will be able to restore some trust, but there will be no turning back.”

First step: Shortly after, Carney pledged $5 billion for new infrastructure, calling it a Trade Diversification Fund to help goods get to market. But it is a tall task. 

Here’s a snapshot of how deeply entangled we are with our neighbour: 

• The U.S. imports roughly 28 million cubic metres of lumber. 

• Canada is the largest foreign supplier of steel to the U.S.

• There is substantial trade in items like cranes, excavators, and loaders.

• Canada imports approximately $3.5 billion in glass products, $3.1 billion in major appliances, and $2.2 billion in hardware from the U.S.

Energizing the economy: Don’t forget the fuel. The vast majority of Canadian oil and gas exports go to the U.S.—about 98% of crude oil exports and over half of natural gas exports. Energy executives, Carney and unions are urging the approval of major energy and pipeline projects to cut this reliance down.

Big moves: On Monday, Carney’s Liberals proposed doubling annual home construction to 500,000 units through unprecedented public-private cooperation, modeled after WWII-era efforts. A new agency, Build Canada Homes, would oversee development and provide over $25 billion in financing for prefabricated housing.

The bottom line: The election’s final stretch has become a policy sprint. The U.S. trade war, housing targets, and energy proposals are forcing daily announcements from all parties—each framed as existential for Canada’s future. April 28 will decide which crisis response voters trust.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Float your boat

The Neil Campbell Rowing Centre, by MJMA, showcases how simple, respectful design can support diverse uses while meeting net-zero energy and zero-carbon benchmarks. Serving as a competition venue and year-round training facility, it continues the site’s legacy of competition since 1903. The building’s form is defined by a mass timber roof, made with GLT and CLT.

PROJECT UPDATES

Highway 1 lanes closed in Hope for sinkhole repairs

Westbank planning 14-storey condo project

Construction begins on Kitchener roundabout 

Cladding Begins as ROQ City Rises

Details shared on new Calgary event centre

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

WATCH: 🧱The 7 coolest modular companies

REPORT: 🏠 The GTA had its worst February home sales ever

READ: 🍁 Are we getting a new official PM residence? 

WATCH: Amazon’s industrial robots up close

READ: 🪵 Chinese researchers change cellular structure of wood

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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.