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Good morning!  ⚽ Canada is just one month away from kicking off the FIFA World Cup. Construction crews are putting the finishing touches on BC Place upgrades, including the grass surface, right now. And a newly expanded BMO Field had a recent successful trial run, hosting Inter Miami.

⏰ Today’s read: 5 ½ minutes

MARKETS

Economy: CMHC is updating its reporting to include earlier indicators of homebuilding activity, such as residential building permit data and a new survey of preconstruction sales. Beginning in mid-May 2026, the CMHC will track the volume of outstanding permits and the time elapsed between permit issuance and project commencement to better identify delays caused by labor shortages or poor market sentiment. Additionally, a pilot program will monitor condo preconstruction sales in the GTA.

TOGETHER WITH PROCORE

Last chance to win: survey closes Friday

Your final opportunity to share your perspective on AI & construction technology — and enter for a chance to win a $2,000 golf and spa experience* — is coming up fast. Don’t wait, or the chance to win will pass you by.

*No purchase necessary. Open to Canada (excl. QC), 4/1/26–5/15/26. Total prize value: $4,296.70 CAD. Odds depend on entries. Void where prohibited. See here for full T&Cs. Sponsor: SiteMedia.

NEED TO KNOW

The week's headlines

⚛️ New nuclear: Ontario has officially moved forward with the Bruce C Nuclear Project, the province’s first large-scale nuclear expansion in over three decades, by authorizing a $300-million cost-sharing agreement for pre-construction activities through 2030.

🛠️ NAIT investment: Alberta is making a historic $384-million investment over the next three years to help fund a new $779-million Advanced Skills Centre at NAIT, the largest financial contribution in the institute's history.

🚃 Station ahead: Construction is well underway on all 8 stations for the $6B Surrey Langley SkyTrain extension, marking a significant milestone for the first rapid transit project south of the Fraser River in 30 years.

✈️ Airport expansion:  PCL Construction has officially broken ground on a massive satellite jetty project at YUL Montréal-Trudeau International Airport. The project includes the development of both a temporary four-gate jetty and a permanent 12-gate facility. It’s part of a 10-year, $10B capital program.

THE BIG STORY

Telecom’s bet big on AI across Canada

This month, Telus and Bell Canada both signaled massive shifts into the AI data center space, moving to build the high-density infrastructure required to keep Canadian data on domestic soil. 

The build-out: Leading the charge is Telus, with a three-site AI cluster in B.C. that includes an expansion in Kamloops and two new Vancouver facilities. Not to be outdone, Bell Canada has tapped industry veteran Grant Hipperson to lead a massive 300-MW expansion.

Powerful bottleneck: The growth of this industry hinges entirely on the electrical grid. A single AI data center can consume as much power as tens of thousands of homes. This is why B.C. has allocated 400 megawatts of capacity to data centres over the next two years, prioritizing projects that demonstrate the highest benefits for data sovereignty, job creation, and greenhouse gas reduction.

Heating up: This is likely why some facilities are shifting towards closed-loop liquid cooling systems—a significant change from traditional air-chilled designs. Vancouver facilities will recycle waste thermal energy into local district energy systems, providing clean heat for up to 150,000 homes and using far less water. 

Strategic autonomy: Why the rush for "sovereign" sites? Beyond the construction spend, this is a matter of national security. As global trade uncertainty grows, the Canadian government and private sector are prioritizing data sovereignty—the ability to keep intellectual property and citizen data under Canadian law.

The gold rush is on: We recently spoke with Regional Vice President, PCL Construction, Tyler Kautz, who was put in charge of PCL’s data centre construction blitz last summer. He says the potential in the space is immense, with the data centre market projected to balloon to $1.3 trillion by 2035. He says that those who can hit deadlines will win the work: 

“In the current market I believe clients are most focused on predictability. Because they are making commitments based on schedule, they are looking for a qualified team that they can rely on to deliver on time.”

EVENTS

Last chance to get CALIBRATED. Don’t miss it

CALIBRATED is taking over The Vancouver Club tomorrow.

This one-day leadership experience, carefully curated for executive women in high-stakes industrial and tech sectors, is going to have a major impact. 

If you're registered, we'll see you there. 

If you've been waiting for the final moment, this is it. There are limited spots remaining.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Doing the wave

Aqualuna is a sculptural residential development on Toronto’s waterfront that rejects the traditional tower-on-podium model. Designed by 3XN for Tridel and Hines, the building's dynamic aesthetic is defined by an expressive facade of angled balconies and terraces that mimic the waves of Lake Ontario. The project, built by general contractor Deltera (Tridel’s construction arm), integrates a double-height podium featuring ground-level retail and a community center.

PROJECT UPDATES

Work begins on second stage of Calgary’s feeder main replacement 

Lemur enclosure $500K over budget

BC Hydro expanding Mount Lehman Substation

6-month road closure for Broadway Subway work

New Grenfell work reaches 35% completion

Tiny home project for vets moves ahead after 4-year delay

Alberta regulators reject battery storage project

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

🍻 VIDEO RECAP: Industry Icebreaker returns to Edmonton

🎙️ PODCAST: Prefab financing gets overhauled

🛍️ READ: $6.5B Vancouver’s Oakridge project to open this month

⛏️ WATCH: Did we spend $1B on an unnecessary canal?

🏗️ PHOTOS: Architizer’s global A+Awards are full of Canadian projects

🏅 AWARDS: Don’t miss your shot. Nominate for 40 Under 40

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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.