💰 Talent Thursdays: Double up

Together with

Good morning! Just 2% of Canadian business leaders say they’re realizing significant ROI with AI. According to a new report by KPMG, many companies are still experimenting, lack consistent methods to measure AI-driven outcomes, or aren’t deploying tools at scale. Experts warn that slow adoption threatens competitiveness and argue businesses need clearer ROI frameworks, stronger governance, and a holistic approach.

📈 BY THE NUMBERS

Canada’s housing starts dropped 17% in October to an annualized rate of 232,765 units, driven mainly by declines in Ontario and B.C., though stronger activity in Montreal, Calgary and Edmonton kept year-to-date totals above last year’s levels. CMHC and TD economists note persistent regional disparities, with Ontario weighed down by falling condo construction while purpose-built rentals support building elsewhere. Despite builders still starting units at a solid pace, analysts expect further declines ahead as slower population growth, soft rents and weak pre-sales dampen new construction.

👷‍♀️ PEOPLE MOVES

Rear Admiral (Retired) Steven Waddell, CMM, MSM, has been appointed Deputy National Director, Defence and Federal Government Relations at PCL Construction. Based in Ottawa, he will provide strategic leadership across PCL's Canadian Buildings and Civil Infrastructure divisions, leveraging his 35+ years of distinguished service in the Canadian Armed Forces.

Travis Perry has been appointed Vice President of Project Development at EllisDon.

Michelle Sotomayor has been promoted to Senior Vice President, Development, at Conwest Developments. She brings nearly two decades of experience in the Metro Vancouver real estate industry and has been with Conwest since 2014.

Desa Duric is starting a new position as Managing Director, Facilities Services at EllisDon.

Michael Cecchini P. Eng., PMP has been promoted to Manager, Construction Management at RAM. Since joining RAM in 2019, Mike has led major projects across municipal infrastructure, pipeline, energy, and First Nations developments.

Jeremy Koroscil has been appointed General Manager of Scott Builders' Edmonton branch. Koroscil previously spent 15 years with the company as a Project Manager before advancing to senior construction leadership roles managing complex projects and leading high-performing teams.

Jeffrey Swartz has been appointed as the first Senior Vice President of Crozier: Consulting Engineers.

Monique Staals is now Business Centre Operations Leader - Energy & Resources at Stantec. 

Alex Cain has joined Aarcomm Systems as Senior Account Executive, where he will lead efforts in building relationships with OEM partners and delivering solutions to enhance equipment performance and customer experience.

TOGETHER WITH LLSC AND VANMAR CONSTRUCTORS

Builders raise $400K to combat blood cancers

The Hard Hats for Hope Challenge, a Canada-wide initiative launched by construction leaders in 2020 to fight blood cancers, raised roughly $400,000 this year. Since its inception, it has spread all across Canada, reaching Vancouver for the first time this year. Organizers say the movement demonstrates the strong and genuine support the industry has for families facing a challenging diagnosis. Learn more about the impact you and others had on this year’s campaign in our story below.

🗞 HEADLINES

💰 Big bucks: B.C. is investing $241 million over three years to double skilled-trades training funding, aiming to ease labour shortages across construction, clean energy, mining and advanced technology. The province says the first major boost in nearly 20 years will expand apprenticeship seats, reduce waitlists, and support skilled-trades certification starting with crane operators.

✋ Slowdown: Canada’s Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot—once promoted for its six-month processing times—is now taking years, leaving refugees with job offers in Canada in limbo and businesses unable to fill critical roles. Processing delays have stretched to as long as 54 months, causing companies to scale back production and cancel projects. Advocates say the slowdown undermines a program that has approved over 1,200 skilled refugees since 2018 for roles in health care, engineering, agriculture, and the trades.

🏗️ Work begins: A new $12.7-million skilled trades training centre is now under construction in Walkerton, aiming to provide hands-on training for LIUNA Local 1059 members and young workers across southwestern Ontario. The centre will reduce the need for trainees to travel to London and is strategically located to support a decade of major regional projects, including Bruce Power’s ongoing nuclear refurbishment, potential new reactors, and the proposed Meaford pumped-storage facility.

👷🏻‍♀️ Board ruling: The workplace murder of 20-year-old welder Amber Czech in Cokato, Minnesota, has sparked urgent calls for stronger protections for women in the trades. Czech, a recent welding graduate, was allegedly killed by a male coworker. In response, trade organizations including the National Association of Women in Construction and North America’s Building Trades Unions are advocating for reforms.

🧠 INSIGHTS AND LEADERSHIP

Resources for professional development

• Building a culture of immediate response

• Subs vs. employees? This could make or break you

• Why a-frame houses don’t work

• Using AI to become a better speaker

• Steps to craft your own ‘every day carry’

• Why you’re attracting nightmare clients (and how to filter them)

💬 QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“Our entire property sector—all asset classes, all corners of this nation—is predicated on a known, historical land rights system. Private property rights are known, predictable and reliable. People investing capital, whether it be a homeowner buying a $500,000 condo or a major international corporation investing tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars in resource projects or infrastructure, need certainty of tenure.” - Ben Taddei, COO, Conwest Developments, on the Cowichan land rights case in B.C.

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Here’s to a great rest of the week!

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