💀 Talent Thursdays: Raising the dead

Together with

Good morning! ☕ Stop and smell the roses. The global coffee community is getting introduced to Canadian biophilic architecture. Vancouver-based Nemesis coffee has been named the 15th best coffee shop on the planet. Designed with biophilic principles, the location mimics a giant flower and serves as a "living organism" that mirrors organic petal geometry.

📈 BY THE NUMBERS

New data from Statistics Canada shows that In 2024, overall spending on infrastructure climbed to $141 billion, a nearly 4% increase driven largely by a massive surge in public transit and electricity projects. While the completion of major transport hubs in Alberta and British Columbia caused a temporary dip in those regions, the rest of the country saw double-digit growth. Public transit was the biggest winner, with spending jumping over 36% as Ontario and B.C. ramped up construction, while electricity upgrades in Quebec and Ontario further fueled the national investment boom.

TOGETHER WITH ICBA

50% off your ticket, 100% of the connections

On March 19, ICBA Alberta’s Meet The Generals will bring 400+ construction professionals to Calgary’s BMO Centre for a power-packed reverse trade-show.

This day is dedicated to direct connections with 25+ top General Contractors — and their procurement, estimating, and leadership teams. Attendees will discover upcoming industrial, commercial, institutional, civil, and multi-family projects, forge high-value partnerships, and supercharge business development… all in a single afternoon.

Use code MTG_50 below to claim an exclusive 50% discount and secure your spot at this can’t-miss event. (Because your next great partnership is waiting.)

👷‍♀️ PEOPLE MOVES

Nic Labelle-Giugliani is now Vice President of Sales at WECO Waste Solutions.

Chad Montgomery is now full-time with Pixel BIM Services Ltd., after three years with Scott Construction Group.

Don Lindsay has been appointed as the new Chair of the Board of Directors at Trans Mountain.

Daniel Lessard is relocating to Vancouver to take on the role of Senior Vice President - Civil & Infrastructure – Western Canada at Pomerleau.

Fengate Asset Management announces two leadership promotions: Kevin J Reid, CFA, has been promoted to Chief Operating Officer, and Greg Buxton-Forman, CA, has been promoted to Executive Vice-President, Operations & Strategic Initiatives.

Michael Tropea has joined Reserve Properties Ltd. as Director of Construction.

🗞 HEADLINES

🪖 Housing deployment: The Department of National Defence has launched the second phase of a historic military housing expansion, a $3.74 billion initiative managed by the Canadian Forces Housing Agency to deliver approximately 7,500 new units across 25 nationwide locations. The program utilizes modern, sustainable construction methods and modular systems to accelerate delivery and reduce carbon footprints. 

💦 Making a splash: After five years of delays and a budget that ballooned from $34.5 million to nearly $50 million, the Oceania aquatic complex south of Montreal is finally set to open its doors this Saturday, February 28. Despite setbacks including pandemic disruptions, rising construction costs, and the theft of specialized European equipment, the 135,000-square-foot facility in Beloeil will serve as the region's only indoor water park, featuring a surf pool, lazy river, and slides. 

🏗️ Gateway to Surrey: Vancouver-based developer Onni Group has unveiled an ambitious, eight-phase master plan to transform the 1970s-era Regency Gardens in Surrey’s Whalley neighborhood into a high-density, transit-oriented community spanning over 30 years. Situated near Gateway and Surrey Central stations, the project will deliver 2,705 residential units

💀 Back from the dead: TC Energy spinoff company South Bow Corp. is considering reviving the long-stalled Keystone XL project by repurposing its "stranded steel" and permitted corridors. A recent application by Bridger Pipeline to build a 550,000-barrel-a-day line through Montana to Wyoming suggests a strategic move to link Canadian crude with U.S. infrastructure via the original Keystone XL border crossing.

EVENTS

The 2026 Site Service Awards are officially sold out

That’s a wrap!

Tickets to the 2026 Site Service Awards have officially been snapped up. 

We couldn’t be more excited to celebrate a full room of the leaders, innovators, and problem-solvers who are powering Canada’s construction industry.

Thank you to everyone who secured a seat — we’re looking forward to an unforgettable evening together. See you soon.

🧠 INSIGHTS AND LEADERSHIP

Resources for professional development

• Communicate like a CEO

• Has AI ruined job hunting?

• Talk to your client about money (without killing the deal)

• Starting out? Here’s construction admin 101

💬 QUOTE OF THE WEEK

“All those factories that seem to go out of business making factory housing, it’s because you don’t have enough consistent volume to keep your machines going all the time,” he said. “We need all the government levels aligned, federal, provincial, municipal, on housing choice, housing continuum, housing product.” - David Wolstenholme, president of TerraPartners, on modular construction.

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Here’s to a great rest of the week!

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