👷Talent Thursdays: 30 by 30

Good morning! 👷🏽 At the end of the work day, the hard hats come off … unless you are Toronto-based construction videographer and software professional Ala Abdelhamid. This month he slipped into a tux and tied the knot with his hard hat on. Congrats to Ala!

📈 LABOUR BY THE NUMBERS

In 2024, Ontario lost nearly 1,300 residential construction jobs, a 2.1% drop compared to 2023. This was the biggest drop in Canada. When looking at the three-year period, residential construction jobs in Ontario declined further than in the rest of Canada.

👷‍♀️ PEOPLE MOVES

Antonio Muñoz Garrido is now North America Managing Director for Acciona Construction. He has been with the company for more than 20 years. 

Efrain Rodriguez has started a new position as Vice President, Business Development, for Acciona’s Water Division. 

Neil Martin is now Head of Retail Investments at Astria Properties.

Philip Ristevski has joined Amazon as its Senior Development Manager, Global Strategic Properties. 

Dick Cousineau and Michael Atkins have been inducted into the mining supply hall of fame. Atkins founded Laurentian Publishing, which produced Northern Ontario Business. Cousineau is Co-Owner at OCP Construction Supplies and Cousineau Concrete Pumping.

Sean Wilcock has joined Stream-Flo Industries as President of Operations. 

Alexandre L’Heureux, CEO of WSP, has been named Canada’s Outstanding CEO of the Year for 2024. 

John Tagle has been appointed Executive Vice President, Sales and Business Development, for ZS2 Technologies. He joined the company in 2022.

Byron Conroy, owner of Yeti Refrigeration; Randy Callaghan, formerly of PCL Construction; and Ruairi Spillane, Founder and CEO of Outpost Recruitment, have joined the Construction Foundation of BC as board members. 

Brett Rutledge, a Co-Founder of SiteNews, is now the publication’s Chief Product & Marketing Officer. 

SitePartners saw several big new hires and promotions, including: 

• Laura Boyer is now Vice President of Client Success at the marketing firm as part of its acquisition of BlackBean. 

• Trevor Wales has been promoted to Director, Communications and Engagement.

• Michelle Hughes was promoted to Director of Digital Marketing. 

• Andrew Grant was promoted to Vice President, Strategy

TOGETHER WITH GLOTMAN SIMPSON

Glotman Simpson grows institutional work

Glotman Simpson isn’t just helping build iconic high-rises. They are also reinforcing them with the schools, hospitals, sports facilities and other institutional infrastructure around them that create great places to live and grow. UBC Sauder School of Business, the Vancouver Convention Centre, Richmond Oval, Penticton Regional Hospital and more—Glotman Simpson’s team has a growing impact on the public buildings that serve Canadians. Learn more about the firm’s public sector project strategies below.

🗞 HEADLINES

Steel resolve: The United Steelworkers union (USW) is calling on the Canadian government to prioritize domestically produced materials in the construction of the newly announced high-speed rail network between Toronto and Quebec City. Amid U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, USW leaders stress the importance of using Canadian-made products to protect jobs and strengthen domestic industries.

National campaign: 👷‍♀️ Canada is launching the next phase of its National Skilled Trades advertising campaign to address the growing demand for skilled trades workers. The initiative promotes trades as valued and rewarding careers in sectors like construction, transportation, and manufacturing. Targeting youth and young adults through digital ads and interactive exhibits in high schools and malls, the campaign provides information on career paths, in-demand trades, and financial support. 

30 by 30: Engineers Canada launched the 30 by 30 initiative in 2014 to increase the percentage of newly licensed female-identifying engineers to 30% by 2030. As part of this effort, the conference brings together engineering regulators and employers to tackle the underrepresentation of women and barriers to inclusion through networking, collaboration, knowledge-sharing, and accountability.

New gear: ⚒️ Ottawa is investing over $1.5 million in seven regional organizations across Nova Scotia to enhance training for skilled trades, addressing the growing demand for workers in construction, electric vehicle repair, welding, and more. The funds will help organizations acquire modern equipment to meet industry standards and train the next generation of tradespeople.

🧠LEADERSHIP

Resources for professional development

• This architect 4X’d his income with his steamy ideas

• Automating months of work almost got him fired

• A plan is NOT a strategy

• Why respecting others is key for construction success 

• AI tools to save you time in 2025

💬 QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Buildings should serve people, not the other way around." – John Portman, American neofuturist architect

🔥 HOT JOBS

IPD Project Manager - Edmonton, Alta. - ISL

Vice President, Project Development - Canada - First Nations Major Projects Coalition

Director, Real Estate Development - Vancouver, B.C. - Starlight Investments

Senior Construction Estimator - Windsor, Ont. - Fortis Group

Operations Manager - New Westminster, B.C. - Mainland Construction Materials

🔥 Check out all roles up for grabs right now at SiteNews Jobs or put your job post in front of tens of thousands of construction professionals here.

Struggling to fill a role? send us an email at [email protected] to connect with one of our specialized recruitment experts.

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Here’s to a great rest of the week!

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