🛠️ Engineering empathy

Together with

Good morning!  Wab Kinew made Canadian history this month after getting elected as the premier of the Canadian province of Manitoba. He is the first First Nations leader to hold the post. Manitoba has the highest proportion of Indigenous people in the country. Census data shows in 2021 there were 164,289 registered and 63 different First Nations in the province alone. Congrats, Wab!

In this issue:

🧠 Using “systems thinking”

🪵 Khupkhahpay’ay building embraces mass timber

👀 Vancouver calls out view cones

MARKETS

*Stock data as of last market close; currency, oil and crypto data as of 11:30PM ET October 9th, 2023.

Economy:  In September, Canada's job market exceeded expectations, adding 64,000 positions, while the unemployment rate remained steady at 5.5%. This rate is below pre-pandemic levels despite a slowing labour market, thanks to strong population growth. The increase was mainly in part-time roles in educational services and transportation/warehousing, while jobs were lost in finance, insurance, real estate, construction, and information/recreation.

THE BIG STORY

Engineering with empathy

One bad design decision can cause ripples for decades.

Engineers in the 1970s found out this the hard way when they replaced an aging Vancouver Island bridge with a culvert. 

The consequences: Gravel and sediment shifted, killing off wildlife in the creek or shifting it away from where local First Nations people harvest it. Canoe access was blocked, destroying traditional trips where intergenerational knowledge was shared. 

A new approach: The story was told to engineer Eric Wilson by a First Nations elder. Wilson believes it illustrates why engineering education should include a “systems thinking” process that analyzes broader problems and their causes rather than just technical engineering solutions. He says this approach is particularly useful when applied to the complex challenges Indigenous communities face. 

In the field: Wilson has partnered with RJC Engineers and the IISAKK OLAM Foundation to apply the systems thinking approach to First Nations communities. They are currently working on plans to rebuild a community impacted by flooding in 2021. The project involves extensive engagement with local families and even addressing economic development and environmental stewardship as well. 

Why it matters: Construction and design have a part to play in the work towards truth and reconciliation. Teaching engineers how to listen to Indigenous communities, understand their needs and work with them to achieve their goals could bolster these efforts. 

NEED TO KNOW

The week's headlines

⛽ Keyera Corp. celebrated the official opening of its Key Access Pipeline System (KAPS), a 575-kilometre pipeline in Alberta which will increase transportation capacity to natural gas producers in Western Canada.

💵 There is a hefty bill to be paid in order to easy Canada’s housing crisis. Economists with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation estimate it will cost $1 trillion to build enough homes to bring prices down to affordable levels by the end of the decade. 

🏒 All parties have formally signed final agreements to design and build a new events centre in Calgary. Beginning this fall, the development manager, CAA ICON, will begin utility and site preparations to make room for the community rink, public plazas and event centre.

⛰️ Vancouver officials have voted to reconsider a decades-old policy designed to protect views of the ocean and mountains at 26 specific locations within the city. Opponents of the policy say it has limited the size and location of construction projects.

TOGETHER WITH ICBA

Training tomorrow’s construction leaders

Canada is facing a major shortage of construction leaders that is forecast to only get worse. The ICBA’s Construction Leadership Program was created to begin training workers that are on track for leadership roles.The program is flexible, allowing students to work at their own pace and take courses online or in person. It offers specialized streams to train Project Estimators, Site Supervisors, and Project Managers so companies can get up-and-coming employees the skills they need for leadership roles.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

‘Cedar tree’ planned for Vancouver

The Khupkhahpay’ay Building is a $47.5-million, nine-story social housing initiative designed for First Nations community members in Vancouver. It includes communal spaces for gatherings, an on-site sweat lodge, and a rooftop area designed for children and resident-led food cultivation. The building’s name, “Khupkhahpay’ay” is the Squamish name for “'cedar tree”. The project is seeking Passive House designation, aligning with Indigenous principles of sustainable and respectful utilization of natural resources.

PROJECT UPDATES

Two massive projects received green light in Canmore after an appeal

Calgary schools advocate for more capacity following record enrolment

Finch West LRT wraps guideway, track slab, and duct bank work

Stryke planning 10-acre redevelopment for Penticton 

SolarBank wins contract for Ontario battery energy system storage work

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

PHOTOS: 🏠 3D printer to create homes for Siksika Nation

STUDY: 💼  Companies with CEOs who admit mistakes perform better

READ: 🏦 Bank of Canada calls out businesses for fueling inflation 

PHOTOS: 💻 AI helps reimagine Irish cliff faces with buildings 

READ: 🔎 Evergrande’s founder, Hui Ka Yan, is under investigation

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Here’s to a great rest of the week!