✌️ Second chances

Good morning! 🐒 Don’t forget to monkey-proof your infrastructure. Officials in Sri Lanka have issued a nationwide apology after a wandering monkey caused a power outage that impacted the entire country. The monkey contacted a grid transformer, causing the outage.

⏰ Today’s read: 5 minutes

MARKETS

*Stock data as of last market close; currency, oil and crypto data as of 8:45 PM ET Feb. 11, 2025.

Economy: U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, including from Canada. Catherine Cobden of the Canadian Steel Producers Association warned that the tariffs would severely impact both economies, affecting sectors like energy, construction, and defense. Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne vowed to defend Canadian workers and industries, emphasizing Canada's critical role in U.S. supply chains.

NEED TO KNOW

The week's headlines

New experiment: 🔬 Infrastructure Ontario has invited three teams to bid on designing, building, financing, and maintaining a new Ontario Science Centre at Ontario Place, following a competitive qualification process. The original 1969 centre, known for its Brutalist architecture and hands-on exhibits, is set for demolition due to structural deterioration and high maintenance costs.

City landlord: 🏠 Vancouver is launching a pilot project to develop market rental housing on city-owned land through the new Vancouver Housing Development Office. The first project, a pair of towers at Hornby and Pacific, will provide 1,136 rental homes for households earning between $90,000 and $190,000. Four additional sites are planned for future developments.

Pain and gain: 🚃 Edmonton is accelerating roadwork along the Valley Line West LRT route to complete construction by fall instead of in two years, aiming to reduce long-term disruptions. The $2.6-billion project, now in its fourth year, will see phased road closures from April to November, affecting major corridors like Stony Plain Road, 156th Street, and 87th Avenue. 

Too much work: 🏗️ The Nova Scotia government has delayed construction of a new Cape Breton seniors' home for up to two years after receiving only one bid, which exceeded the budget. Officials cite high construction activity in the region as a likely factor in the low response. Despite the setback, the province remains committed to the project as part of its broader long-term care expansion plan.

EVENTS

SiteNews hosts construction leaders in Abbotsford

Construction leaders descended upon SiteHQ in Abbotsford last week to celebrate the construction sector’s most innovative companies. The event, which drew more than 130 leaders from some of the nation’s biggest industry firms, was the final part of this year’s 25 Innovators in Construction awards program. Check out our full event recap below.

THE BIG STORY

Second chances: Trade war spurs economic projects

Ongoing threats from the U.S. to wage a costly trade war have Canadian leaders eager to reinforce Canada’s economic infrastructure. This includes taking another look at shelved projects and accelerating work on others. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called Trump’s tariffs the most serious industrial threat Canada has ever faced and summoned business leaders to brainstorm ways to reduce the nation’s reliance on the U.S.

Back on the table: In response to the threat, provinces are rethinking project decisions. The Quebec government is reconsidering the LNG-Québec project, which was scrapped in 2021. There’s renewed discussion federally about an oil pipeline project from Alberta to New Brunswick. In Alberta, officials are working with Enbridge to expand pipeline capacity. 

Full speed ahead: In B.C. Premier David Eby has unveiled a plan to expedite $20 billion in resource projects. The initiative includes mine expansions, natural gas infrastructure, and renewable energy projects, aiming to boost B.C.’s economy, particularly in remote regions vulnerable to trade disruptions. Business groups support the move, emphasizing the need for long-term investment and competitiveness amid U.S. incentives for business. 

Getting it done: For business leaders, the urgency has been encouraging. Canada ranks well behind most other developed countries when it comes to how long it takes to obtain construction permits, for example. The latest international comparison by the World Bank, from 2020, found it took 249 days to obtain a permit to build a warehouse in Canada, more than three times longer than in the U.S.

Sharpening up: Calls for independence aren’t new. Former Liberal Cabinet Minister Mitchell Sharp proposed reducing U.S. economic and cultural influence on Canada in the 1970s. He believed this “Third Option” policy could be achieved through trade diversification and industrial self-sufficiency. While ultimately deemed a failure, some see recent provincial and national actions as a revival of Sharp’s ideas and warnings. 

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Pumped up

After 14 failed attempts to revive Winnipeg’s historic James Avenue Pumping Station, 5468796 secured its preservation through private investment by presenting a strong business case. Their design treats the pumphouse as a “found object,” integrating its structure into a vibrant public space within the Exchange District. The project includes two residential blocks flanking the repurposed pumphouse, now an office and restaurant. The project is a finalist for the Mies Crown Hall Americas Prize

PROJECT UPDATES

Tower cranes at new Dawson Creek hospital build removed

New elementary school open for Surrey students

Construction of new Guelph school begins soon

Construction starting on new Penticton Okanagan College dorms

Bitdeer acquires gas power project in Alberta

Manitoba announces school project near Devonshire Park

Get our full breakdown of the week’s project updates in the link below

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

READ: 🚦 Yonge-Dundas square has a new name 

WATCH: 🏠 Quebec container village tackles homelessnes 

READ: 📉 Precon condo buyers left in the lurch as value falls

PHOTOS: 🏗️ The engineering underneath Vancouver’s ‘Hive’ project

READ: 🦫 Czechs scrap project after beavers finish the job

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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.