🤲🏻 Take backsies

Good morning!  🥇 Go, Canada, Go! As we begin the second week of Olympic action, hockey almost didn’t make it due to ice rink construction delays. But it was delivered (with literally no time to spare). A fresh paint smell still hung in the air just one day before the opening ceremony. Players noted the ice was usable but warmer and slightly softer — a function of how it was installed over concrete.

⏰ Today’s read: 5 minutes

MARKETS

Economy: New Statistics Canada data shows that newly certified journeypersons earned a record-high median income of $58,090 one year after certification in 2023, up 1.8% from 2022 and the highest level recorded for this group since the series began in 2008. Most trades saw year-over-year gains, led by equipment and transportation roles such as agricultural equipment technicians, heavy-duty equipment technicians and truck and transport mechanics, while a few declined, including machinists and powerline technicians.

EVENTS

Last tickets released: your final chance to attend the 2026 Site Service Awards

Guess who's back, back again?

Due to high demand, we’ve released a final exclusive batch of tickets for the 2026 Site Service Awards — but there are limited seats available.

So, if you want to celebrate Canada’s top construction talent with an unforgettable evening of recognition, networking, and industry insight, now's the time to secure your spot. This is the last chance to be part of the night everyone in the field will be talking about.

NEED TO KNOW

The week's headlines

🖥️ AI hub: Montreal is establishing a downtown artificial intelligence hub in Ville-Marie to develop and test “urban innovation” solutions aimed at reducing the disruption caused by construction, particularly around site management and mobility. The lab will use tools such as planning simulations and a “digital twin” to model construction scenarios, improve safety and accessibility, and enable real-time monitoring and adjustments.

🛢️ No pipeline: Enbridge CEO Greg Ebel has announced that the company will not assume the financial risk of developing a new oil pipeline from Alberta to Canada’s West Coast, citing the "trauma" of past regulatory failures like the cancelled Northern Gateway project. He said Enbridge is unwilling to spend hundreds of millions on development in jurisdictions where political shifts can "pull the rug out" before a project even begins.

💧 Plant upgrade: The first phase of Winnipeg’s $3.2-billion upgrade to North End Sewage Treatment Plant is nearing completion. It’s the most expensive in the city’s history and includes a new headworks and power supply building. With existing capacity expected to be exhausted within four to six years, the upgrade aims to improve reliability and efficiency, as the city prepares to begin the next phase later this year, while still seeking $1 billion in funding for a final nutrient removal stage.

🤝 Secret meeting: Tensions over the Gordie Howe International Bridge intensified this week following reports that Matthew Moroun, owner of the rival Ambassador Bridge, met with U.S. Commerce Secretary just hours before President Trump threatened to block the new crossing’s opening.

THE BIG STORY

Is Trump’s tariff wall starting to crack?

New reporting suggests the Trump team is quietly looking for exits on his hardline tariff strategy, even as the White House publicly insists nothing changes unless Trump says so.

Steel carve-outs are on the table: Reports indicate the administration is reviewing the steel/aluminum tariff product list and may exempt some downstream items, halt list expansion, and pivot to more targeted national-security probes. The rationale is blunt: officials believe the tariffs are hitting consumers. The White House dismissed the rollback chatter as “speculation” and emphasized a “nimble and nuanced” tariff agenda that protects domestic production. 

Feelings over facts: Despite a whole bevy of changing complaints, recent events have also reinforced Trump’s tariffs aren’t based on strategy. It’s about feelings. This week he described raising Switzerland’s tariff rate after a call because he “didn’t really like the way she talked to us,” and pushed the rate from 30% to 39% before later moving to something “more palatable.” This again speaks to his waning resolve when facing backlash.  

Republicans revolt: The U.S. House just passed a resolution to end the Canada tariffs tied to Trump’s national-emergency declaration — a largely symbolic move given a likely veto, but still a notable rebuke in a Republican-led chamber. Six Republicans joined Democrats, signalling that tariff politics are becoming riskier for GOP members heading into midterms. In response, Trump vowed to hurt their reelection chances.

The economics are biting: It might be just simple economics. Research summarized this week says American firms and consumers are bearing the overwhelming share of tariff costs, with the CBO estimate often cited as roughly 95% landing domestically rather than on foreign exporters. When the cost shows up as higher input prices, it’s not just shoppers who feel it — it’s manufacturers, builders, and anyone buying equipment with steel and aluminum in the bill of materials.

Why Canada should care: If Trump starts carving out metal products, it won’t be because he’s gone soft — it’ll be because the politics and price impacts are catching up. For Canadian construction, even partial relief on downstream steel/aluminum items (appliances, equipment, building components) could matter. With the U.S. midterm elections on the horizon, the pressure could continue to mount as Republicans worry that their days are numbered if the economy doesn’t improve. 

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Integrated terrain

The Nunavut Inuit Heritage Centre in Iqaluit, rooted in the 1993 Nunavut Land Claims Agreement, will repatriate more than 200,000 Inuit “belongings” and strengthen language and cultural connection. Led by the Inuit Heritage Trust and designed by Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter, the 55,000-square-foot facility will be carved into a hillside overlooking Frobisher Bay, blending into the tundra while housing exhibitions, cultural spaces, and community facilities.

PROJECT UPDATES

BC Hydro begins Island Highway maintenance

N.S. wind farm gets environmental assessment approval

Aecon wins Niverville wastewater treatment facility contract

800 Granville project approved by Vancouver

Lloydminster completes $80M wastewater plant under budget

Stalled Langford development leaves hole at risk of collapse

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

🎙️ PODCAST: The real reason Trump is blocking Gordie Howe

🗼 VIDEO: Why this skyscraper is ruining Paris

⛳ READ: Unauthorized golf course has Quebec CEO in the rough

🏠 STUDY: Institute says Alberta policies bad for homebuilders

🏗️ READ: Meta begins building $10B U.S. data centre

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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.