📊 Talent Thursdays: Condo takeover

Together with

Good morning! 🔨 Forget a hammer or some nails? Just like a hamburger and fries, Canadians can now order construction supplies on DoorDash. RONA, which has partnered with the delivery service, says customers can order tools, hardware, cleaning supplies, seasonal and home decor, and small appliances.

📈 BY THE NUMBERS

In September, the total value of building permits in Canada rose 4.5% to $11.7 billion, with gains in both the residential (+4.8%) and non-residential (+4.0%) sectors. Residential construction reached $7.3 billion, driven by increases in multi-family projects in Alberta and Quebec and single-family growth in Ontario, despite declines in British Columbia and other regions. Non-residential permits climbed to $4.4 billion, led by commercial and industrial projects, while institutional permits fell sharply.

👷‍♀️ PEOPLE MOVES

Robert Peabody, former President & Chief Executive Officer of Husky Energy, has been appointed to the ATCO Board of Directors, effective immediately.

Angela Sahi has been appointed President and CEO of Morguard Corporation, Morguard Real Estate Investment Trust, and Morguard North American Residential REIT. K. Rai Sahi assumes the role of Executive Chair.

Fergal Duff is now Partner at Larkspur Projects. With over two decades of international experience in architecture, real estate, and development management, Fergal has overseen the successful delivery of over $6 billion in capital projects. 

Sharon Choi has been promoted to Manager, Marketing & Communications at RAM. Since joining RAM in 2019, she has been instrumental in shaping the company's marketing strategy and will continue to elevate RAM's marketing presence across existing and new markets.

Sally Morse has been named the Calgary Construction Association's 2025 Person of the Year in recognition of her leadership, vision, and lasting impact on the construction industry. 

Michael Parker, P.GSC has joined Renokrew as Senior Manager, Pre-Construction, transitioning from his previous role at Jancon Construction.

Mike McSweeney is retiring as Executive Director of OSSGA, concluding his tenure effective November 14, 2025, after two years of strengthening the industry's standing with government and developing a strategy to protect and guide the cement, road building and aggregate industry.

Greg Armstrong has joined Scott Builders as General Manager, Service & Maintenance. With over 20 years of leadership in construction management and real estate development, Armstrong will oversee strategic planning, project management, and client relations for the company's Service & Maintenance operations based in Edmonton.

TOGETHER WITH FORWARDPATH AI

Q&A: Tech CEO Josiah Shelley on how to get the most out of AI in construction

ForwardPath’s team is using technology to transform the construction process in a bespoke way. Their customized AI tools surgically solve problems that trim a multi-week task down into days. In some cases, they’re seeing 60-80% time savings in workflows. Learn more about their approach and how you can squeeze the biggest impact out of AI at your firm today.

🗞 HEADLINES

🏠 Future condos: Metro Vancouver projects that apartments will make up 55% of all homes in the region by 2051, up from 46% in 2024, while single-detached houses will decline to 14%. The region expects about 1.7 million total dwelling units by mid-century, adding roughly 20,500 homes per year under a medium-growth scenario. Apartments are forecast to account for about two-thirds of new housing.

📱Wellness app: The Calgary Construction Association (CCA) has partnered with Headversity to launch the Workforce Resilience App, a new mental health and resilience training tool for construction workers and leaders. Designed to provide real-time, evidence-based support on and off the jobsite, the app helps users manage stress, build resilience, and foster healthier workplace cultures.

🪨 Rocking it: Nova Scotia’s Environment Minister has approved the expansion of the Mount Uniacke quarry from four to 40 hectares, allowing it to supply essential aggregate for roads, buildings, and local construction projects. Northumberland Capital Corporation received environmental assessment approval, subject to 38 conditions designed to protect water, wildlife, air quality, and noise, as well as ongoing community engagement through a liaison committee. 

🔋Breaking battery: Ontario Premier Doug Ford and leaders of the Algonquins of Pikwakanagan First Nation broke ground on the Skyview 2 Battery Energy Storage System in Edwardsburgh/Cardinal, eastern Ontario, set to become Canada’s largest such facility. Developed in partnership between Potentia Renewables and the First Nation, the system will store electricity during low-demand periods and release it when needed, powering nearly 400,000 homes. 

🧠 INSIGHTS AND LEADERSHIP

Resources for professional development

Mythbuster Adam Savage HATES flathead screws

Cleanliness and visuals build construction culture

Should you switch from goals to systems?

Build an active recruitment strategy

Neuroscientist: Stressed out? Try this

💬 QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“The team hadn’t fully budgeted for ‘low-probability, high-consequence’ risks. After 20 years in design and construction, I’ve seen this pattern too many times. To save costs, we trim contingencies, delay ramping up staff, or skip early investigations, and end up paying for it many times over.” - Veteran director of development Christa Strand on the Site C dam’s Lesson’s Learned report.

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Here’s to a great rest of the week!

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