⚓️ Dock deadlock

Together with

Good morning! Saskatchewan courts have ruled that texting a “thumbs up” emoji is enough to solidify a legally binding contract. Associations are warning that this signifies the reality of modern communication in the industry.

That said, we aren’t afraid to give a big 👍 to the 890+ subscribers that joined SiteNews in the past week. Welcome to the best newsletter in Canadian construction!

⏰ Today's reading time is 6.5 minutes.

MARKETS

*Stock data as of last market close; currency, oil and crypto data as of 11:10 PM ET July 10th, 2023.

Economy: Experts say another rate hike is on the horizon from the Bank of Canada. The move would come a month after the bank decided to restart interest rate hikes. Economists say this is despite the continuing decline in inflation and mixed signals about the strength of the economy. According to the bank, despite encouraging inflation data, the economy is still experiencing excess demand.

THE BIG STORY

Port strike kneecaps Canadian supply chains

Billions of dollars worth of economic activity hang in the balance as a strike at Canada’s western ports entered its 10th day.

The bad news: Employers estimate that up to $775-million a day in trade has been disrupted during the strike by 7,400 dock and warehouse workers. Vessel tracking data shows four box ships waiting off Prince Rupert and nine off Vancouver. As of Monday, there were 15 container ships bound for Vancouver and nine container ships bound for Prince Rupert.

The good news: The BCMEA and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada (ILWU Canada) returned to negotiations this weekend with federal mediators after previously breaking things off.

What’s at stake: One of the major issues of the strike is the beginning of a shift towards automation at ports. A recent report had this to say:

• Fully automated ports don’t exist yet.

• Globally, 53 container terminals are somewhat automated, often in the container yard.

• These automations have not led to significantly more productivity.

• The cost/safety case for port automation is also not entirely clear.

Government intervention: So far, Ottawa has shied away from legislation to force the union to get back to work despite pressure from industry. Instead they have encouraged both sides to continue working towards a deal.

NEED TO KNOW

The week's headlines

🛒 A new trend is taking off in Toronto: transforming old shopping malls into multi-tower communities. Developers cited the rise of online shopping as a major contributing factor in the redevelopment efforts. Roughly a dozen mall redevelopment projects are underway in the region.

💼 Office vacancy levels are the highest they have been since the early 1990s, new data shows. Commercial real estate firm CBRE said the national office vacancy rate rose to 18.1% in the second quarter, up from 17.8% in the first quarter.

👷‍♀️ While overall employment is up by 60,000 jobs, the construction sector shed 14,000 jobs. According to new data from Statistics Canada, the June increase in employment was the largest since January. Some experts noted that the numbers show unemployment actually increased as the economy wasn’t able to absorb additional workers looking for jobs. They explained that this mixed data shows a softening of the labour market.

🌿 Ontario is making moves to go greener when it comes to power. This month the province revealed its strategy to prepare for future demand increases. The next steps involve looking for new wind, solar and hydroelectric power. Part of the plan also includes recently announced expansions of nuclear power facilities.

TOGETHER WITH SALUS

Simplifying safety: do more with less effort

Are you still utilizing legacy systems like Dropbox, Google Drive, and email to oversee safety documentation? It's time to consider SALUS, the easy-to-use safety platform designed to help you bring it all together in one place.

Whether you're operating in the field or stationed at a desk, SALUS bridges gaps, demolishes silos, and gets your whole team on the same page.

Here's how SALUS can streamline your safety:

• Address safety concerns promptly: Get real-time notifications on incidents, assets, and workers; assign corrective actions; track follow-ups; and reduce repeated incidents.

• Manage subcontractors: Empower subs to submit their own forms or complete yours as needed. You’ll know at a glance who’s compliant and where to follow up if needed.

• Achieve adoption in the field: A mobile-first platform that focuses on adoption from the field out. SALUS adapts to existing workflows and provides a dedicated customer success manager to drive adoption across your entire organization.

Don't let your safety management remain a puzzle of fragmented systems. SALUS can bring together the pieces for an efficient, clear picture of your safety practices.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Honeycomb design sweetens mass timber

At its core: There’s a buzz around 2150 Keith Drive, a hybrid mass timber commercial office building in Vancouver’s False Creek Flats neighbourhood. The 10-storey project’s design from DIALOG features a unique honeycomb-shaped exterior. Due to its wooden braced-frame system on the exterior, the design eliminates the need for an interior concrete core, thereby reducing its environmental impact. The project recently received $3.5 million in government funding.

PROJECT UPDATES

Federal officials are considering funds for a deep water Nova Scotia port 

B.C. reaches new milestone in Coquihalla Highway rebuild efforts

Car makers and Ottawa reach funding deal to resume work on $5B EV plant 

Massive nuclear plant expansion is being planned for Ontario 

Burnaby plans to build a $163-million RCMP facility

LAST CALL FOR AWARD APPLICATIONS

This is your last week to apply for the 25 Innovators In Construction Awards.

The awards aim to celebrate and shine a spotlight on Canadian companies driving progress in our industry. Not only do winners get to attend our celebration dinner in Vancouver to network with other innovators, they will be featured by SiteNews for all to see.

Applications for the awards close July 14th and winners will be announced Sept. 7th.

The inaugural awards are possible thanks to its presenting sponsor, Procore Technologies.

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

PHOTOS: 🌞 $2.3-billion Las Vegas dome is the world’s largest screen

READ: 🗞️ Why SiteNews thinks Bill C-18 hurts media and our audience

VIDEO: 🪜️ This ‘rolling’ bridge is a clever solution for pedestrians

LIST: 🏛️ Need architecture? These are Canada’s top 25 firms

READ: 🏠 The city of Ottawa has a 7-point plan to boost housing

HOT JOBS

🔥 Check out the best roles up for grabs in construction right now:

• Senior Project Manager - Toronto, Ont. - Turner & Townsend

• Director of Low Carbon Strategy, Development Execution - Toronto, Ont. - Enbridge

• Manager, Strategy and Operation Excellence - Montréal-Ouest, QC - Pomerleau

• Environmental Protection Manager - Mississauga, Ont. - Hatch

• Project Manager - Halifax, N.S. - Modern Niagara

• Project director, Field Services - Cambridge, Ont. - BWXT Technologies

• Director, Process Technology - Pickering, Ont. - Koch Industries

• Senior Design Engineer - Saskatoon, Sask. - Rockford Engineering Works

• Strategy Manager - Calgary, Alta. - AECOM

• Senior Project Manager - Toronto, Ont. - CDM Smith

Check out all roles at SiteNews Jobs or put your job post in front of tens of thousands of construction professionals here. . Hurry up before our free trial ends!

Struggling to fill a role? send us an email at [email protected] to connect with one of our specialized recruitment experts.

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Here’s to a great rest of the week!