🎒 Recess is over

Together with

Good morning!  🎤 Were you blown away by the Juno performances this weekend? You can give a standing ovation to the team behind a $300-million renovation of the TD Coliseum which served as the essential catalyst for Hamilton’s successful bid to host the awards by providing a modern, high-capacity venue capable of hosting a major national broadcast.

⏰ Today’s read: 5 minutes

MARKETS

Economy: Trans Mountain's twin pipeline system is operating at effectively full capacity in April and into May. It’s a milestone the Crown corporation had not expected to reach for several more years. The surge in traffic is being driven by growing Asian demand for Canadian crude as Iran's restrictions on the Strait of Hormuz disrupt roughly 20% of global oil supply.

EVENTS

Recess is over (and SiteSummit is back)

SiteNews is proud to present SiteSummit 2026 in partnership with EllisDon — returning June 23–24 to George Brown College waterfront campus.

And this year, we’re headed to Summer School.

That means less sitting and listening — and more choosing your own path through headline courses, smaller seminars, and a lineup of extracurriculars that turn this into something much bigger than a conference. Because the real value isn’t just what happens in class, but what happens everywhere else.

Think: A takeover of one of the Toronto Islands, featuring games, FIFA on the big screen, a DJ, and skyline views — and building on that same buzzing energy throughout the entire experience with moments designed for actual connection, not forced networking.

Show up, make your schedule, and be part of something that feels different from the second you step on campus.

Super early bird tuition pricing ends this week. Don't skip it.

NEED TO KNOW

The week's headlines

🏠 Relocated: B.C. Hydro will relocate approximately 85% of the 1,700-person Site C work camp near Fort St. John — including 21 three-storey dormitories, offices, and supporting infrastructure — to multiple sites between Prince George and Terrace this spring, where it will house workers constructing the North Coast Transmission Line across northwest B.C. 

🌲 Critical mass: Nelson, B.C.-based Spearhead is investing $60 million in a new mass timber production facility adjacent to its existing operation, housing a specialized glulam manufacturing line capable of producing straight, curved, and double-curved layups up to 80 feet in length — including zero-VOC glulam.

🚃 Preferred bidders: TramCité has named its preferred bidders for two major design-and-build contracts on the 19-kilometre Québec City tramway project. Tram Alliance and Quebec Connexion Capitale will be responsible for the design and construction of the civil works and systems for the TramCité network.

🏗️ One framework: Prime Minister Mark Carney and Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston have signed a Co-operation Agreement on Environmental and Impact Assessment, introducing a "one project, one review" framework that eliminates duplicative federal-provincial assessment processes for major infrastructure projects in the province.

THE BIG STORY

Ottawa and Ontario go all-in on housing

The federal government and Ontario just announced the most aggressive housing affordability package in a generation.

The numbers: Prime Minister Carney and Premier Ford unveiled an $8.8-billion joint investment, split evenly between Ottawa and Queen's Park, aimed at cutting new home prices in Ontario. The package has two main levers: slashing municipal development charges by up to 50% for three years, backed by infrastructure funding to offset what municipalities lose; and eliminating the full 13% HST on new homes. Officials say the move could catalyze 8,000 additional housing starts in Ontario next year alone and support 21,000 skilled trades jobs. 

Why development charges matter: For builders, the DC reduction is the headline. Development charges — the fees municipalities levy on developers to fund roads, sewers, parks, and water infrastructure — have ballooned in recent years. In the Greater Toronto Area, government charges now account for more than 30% of a new home's price, hamstringing builders. 

The HST relief unlocks frozen inventory: Toronto's preconstruction condo market has been in deep distress — roughly 7,000 newly built units are completed and unsold, with 15,000 more expected to hit the market over the next few years. By removing the sales tax for buyers of new homes up to $1 million, the governments are attempting to clear that logjam and get developers the presales they need to launch the next wave of projects. As Minto's CEO put it plainly: "We build if we can sell."

The conditions: The money doesn't flow unconditionally. Ford was blunt: municipalities that don't cut development charges won't see a dollar of infrastructure funding. The program targets municipalities covering 80% of Ontario's population, and provinces are expected to cost-match federal contributions. Other provinces are watching — Housing Minister Gregor Robertson signalled that similar partnerships are being pursued nationally.

The catch: Critics from both left and right have raised flags. Conservative housing critics argue the measures are too short-lived — one year for the HST rebate, three years for DC reductions — to meaningfully shift builder behaviour when projects take years to move from approval to completion. Progressive critics question whether cutting developer costs actually translates to more affordable homes for buyers, or simply restores margins. 

Why it matters for builders: After a 70%+ collapse in new home sales in major markets, this is the most concrete signal yet that governments are willing to restructure the cost environment for construction — not just promise more units. The combination of lower upfront fees, tax relief for buyers, and $8.8 billion in infrastructure investment could create conditions where stalled projects can restart and new ones can pencil out.

TOGETHER WITH NUFRAME

From strategy to execution: Nuframe’s next phase begins

Nuframe has closed the loop on a five-year growth plan with its latest acquisition — bringing together concrete, framing, and offsite panel construction into one fully integrated platform.

With JSN Construction now part of the fold and its owner stepping in as VP, the focus shifts to what this platform enables: stronger on-site performance, tighter coordination, and a new level of operational consistency.

Now, the company is turning the page — advancing into its next chapter with plans for tech integration, geographic expansion, and continued evolution across the business.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Specialized care

The Regina Specialized Long-Term Care (RSLTC) facility is a five-story, 240-bed development located south of the Saskatchewan Polytechnic Regina campus, specifically designed to support seniors and residents with complex needs such as dementia and brain injuries. Constructed by Graham Design Builders LP, the facility features a "resident neighborhood" model centered around social hubs, incorporating private rooms, a therapy center, and Indigenous spiritual spaces to foster a home-like environment.

PROJECT UPDATES

Final construction begins on the Team Gushue Highway

Construction to begin on University Bridge in early April

Train de l’Ouest project still on agenda

Development group issues tenders for housing at Tartan Downs

N.B. government spends $31 million to upgrade Five Rivers school

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

👷‍♀️ READ: People Moves for March just dropped

🏝️ PODCAST: Ontario goes on HST holiday

🚙 READ: U.S. closes historic Border Road to Canadian traffic

💥 VIDEO: Explosion reported at Toronto construction project

👷‍♀️ READ: People Moves for March just dropped

🚁 VIDEO: Get an aerial tour of Canada’s tallest building

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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.