🤑 Shadow budget

Good morning! 🧑‍🚒 The general manager of Fairmont’s Jasper Park Lodge, has been named Historic Hotels Worldwide’s 2025 Hotelier of the Year for his decisive leadership during the 2024 Jasper wildfires. When flames threatened the resort, he ordered generators to power sprinklers, creating a moisture barrier that experts say likely saved much of the property.

⏰ Today’s read: 5 minutes

MARKETS

Economy: Canada added 67,000 jobs in October and the jobless rate fell to 6.9%, despite pessimistic forecasts. However, year-to-date employment in goods-producing sectors is down 54,000, largely from losses in construction and manufacturing. October’s gains were entirely part-time and most industries shed positions. Over September–October, the country added 127,000 jobs, offsetting the 106,000 lost in July–August. The Bank of Canada, which cut its policy rate to 2.25% in September and October, is widely expected to hold in December.

AWARDS

Site Service Awards: 9 days remain to nominate your peers

Only 9 days are left to get your nominations in for the Site Service Awards. We are looking for jobsite rockstars who go above and beyond. They are the ones you wish you could clone. Maybe it’s a master carpenter who solves problems before they are problems, an estimator who’s a wizard with numbers or an HR leader who can build all-star teams. If that sounds like someone on your team, nominate them today using the link below (before it’s too late).

NEED TO KNOW

The week's headlines

🏗️ New slate: Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Ottawa will unveil a new slate of fast-tracked projects later this week in Prince Rupert, B.C. The initiative, managed by the new Major Projects Office, aims to speed approvals and cut red tape for major energy, mining, and infrastructure developments, following earlier approvals of six projects including LNG expansions, a small modular reactor, and new mines.

✅ Lansdowne: Ottawa City Council has approved the $418.8-million Lansdowne 2.0 redevelopment plan in a 15-10 vote, paving the way for a new 6,600-seat event centre, 12,400-seat north-side stands at TD Place, and two residential towers with 770 units by Mirabella Development Corp. Construction will begin in 2026 and continue into the 2030s, with city events and markets set to operate during the build. 

⚡ Switching it up: AtkinsRéalis Group Inc. has been selected by Hydro One to provide multi-year Owner’s Engineer services for expanding the Bowmanville Switching Station, which will double capacity, add 30–40 acres, and support the grid connection for four Small Modular Reactors at Ontario Power Generation’s Darlington New Nuclear Project. The work includes a new 500 kV switchyard, breakers, disconnects, and a multi-purpose control building.

⛽ LNG acquisition: The Haisla Nation has agreed to acquire the permits, licences and remaining land tenures for the cancelled Kitimat LNG project from Chevron and Woodside via Bish LNG GP Ltd., subject to approval by B.C.’s Environmental Assessment Office. No redevelopment plans for the Bish Cove site have been announced; the proponent told regulators it does not contemplate significant changes at this time.

THE BIG STORY

Alternate vision: Cons layout budget criticisms

Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre slammed Prime Minister Mark Carney’s budget this week, arguing that rather than creating new bureaucracies to manage key issues like housing, obstacles to development and construction need to be removed.  

Key differences: Poilievre argued home construction shouldn’t be taxed and plans to do away with sales tax on some new builds for first-time buyers are too little too late. 

Here’s how he put it while addressing Toronto business leaders: “They believe in adding new obstacles for all of you, and then asking you to go to them and ask for a handout to help you get over those same obstacles.”

Free market approach: Japan achieved stable home prices and low homelessness rates with nationally permissive zoning, by-right approvals, frequent code updates, and lots of private development (often integrated with private rail). Tokyo has allowed massive, steady additions to the housing stock for decades, which has kept rents and prices comparatively moderate for a megacity.

Public housing approach: Singapore’s government plans, builds and sells most homes on long leases; public land assembly, below-market pricing for citizens, and mortgages channeled through public schemes. Roughly 80%+ of residents live in government flats, and homeownership sits around 90% - a level achieved through direct state delivery. It is credited by some as being a core reason for the nation's wealthy society. 

The bottom line: At 6 million, Singapore is much smaller than Canada and Japan’s building stock was devastated by World War II. Yes, there are differences, but both cases demonstrate that a consistent, long-term policy framework, whether market-driven or state-led, is a key component of delivering affordable housing supply. Some, like Austria, have even adopted a hybrid approach with municipal housing plus a big “limited-profit” developer sector that builds and operates at cost, supported by land policy and long-term finance.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Outdoor dip

The City of North Vancouver, in partnership with Swim Drink Fish, has announced plans to build an ocean swimming deck off Waterfront Park in Burrard Inlet, funded by a $16-million donation from the Weston family and $5 million from the city. Concept plans include an accessible ramp, protected swim areas, a shallow pool, 50-metre lanes, diving platforms and seating, with the city responsible for design, construction, operations and maintenance.

PROJECT UPDATES

Iconic aquatic centre indefinitely closes after falling concrete

Jacob Bros completes an epic overpass lift in Burnaby

Manitoba boosts Brandon project with $1M 

Construction on Regina's 11th Avenue finishes for the year

Fire Station 8 work begins in Greens Neighbourhood

London fast tracks transit hub apartment tower

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

🏠 LISTEN: Land rights remain uncertain in B.C. 

🐀 READ: Construction might be causing rat sightings to surge

🏅 AWARDS: Drilling robot secures world record

👷🏻‍♀️ READ: Making the case for project coordinators 

📉 READ: Has construction productivity stagnated?

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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.