📈 Transit transforms cities

Good morning! Starting today, possession of illicit drugs in B.C. is not a criminal offense. The move is part of a three-year pilot project that exempts the province from federal drug laws. Advocates believe that this could help remove the stigma substance users face and save lives.

Substance use and mental health are some of the biggest issues facing construction's most precious resource: people.

In an effort to celebrate the men and women who work in the industry, we are launching a new monthly feature, People moves, which tracks all the industry’s major professional comings and goings.

- Russell Hixson, editor

MARKETS

*Stock data as of last market close; currency, oil and crypto data as of 10:00 PM ET Jan 30th.

Economy: Manufacturing and industrial construction starts are helping the U.S. industry weather shaky economic times. According to Dodge Construction Network, total construction starts jumped 27% in December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.185 trillion. During the month, nonresidential building starts increased 51%, non-building starts increased 30%, and residential starts rose less than 1%. Across 2022, total construction starts were 15% higher than in 2021.

THE BIG STORY

Transit projects are poised to transform Canada's cities

Transit projects are leaving the station in Canada on a massive scale. Once they wrap up they could transform cities across the country for years to come.

Where the work is:

Ontario

Ontario's transit agency recently announced tunneling work has begun for the Scarborough Subway Extension. The project will extend the Danforth Line 2 subway northeastward beyond the current Kennedy terminal. Crews are also tunneling for the equally massive Eglinton Crosstown LRT. On the horizon is the massive GO Rail Expansion - On-Corridor Works project, which announced its project team last year.

B.C.

Tunnel work is underway for Vancouver’s Broadway Subway line, a 5.7 km extension of the Millennium Line. The $2.8-billion project will provide SkyTrain service to B.C.’s second largest jobcentre. The province also recently shortlisted two teams looking to design, build and finance an extension of the SkyTrain from Surrey to Langley.

Quebec

Work is underway on the Réseau express metropolitain (REM) which will be a new integrated network. REM’s South Shore branch is scheduled for commissioning this spring. Also expected this year is the contract award for the Montreal Metro Blue Line East Extension which will add six kilometres of track and five new stations to the current system.

Alberta

In Calgary, SNC-Lavalin was recently selected as delivery partner for the first phase of the Green Line LRT. There are also major efforts underway to test and develop a high speed hyperloop between Edmonton and Calgary.

Why it matters:

According to the Canadian Urban Transit Association, this kind of development can have major benefits:

• The economic benefit of Canada’s transit systems is at least $19 billion annually.

• The transit industry directly employs 59,600 and transit capital investment creates an additional 65,000 jobs.

• Each year transit reduces vehicle operating costs for households by about $12.6 billion and reduces the costs of collisions by almost $3.2 billion.

• Transit reduces annual greenhouse gas emissions by 4.7 million tonnes and saves about $137 million in annual health care costs related to respiratory illness.

NEED TO KNOW

The week's headlines

🚧 It never pays to cut corners. During the past decade, China has given out massive international loans as part of Beijing’s Belt and Road initiative, intended to develop economic trade and expand China’s influence. However, a number of these mega projects have become plagued with construction flaws. This includes Ecuador’s $2.7 billion Coca Codo Sinclair hydroelectric plant which now has thousands of cracks.

🚺 The CEO of the Construction Safety Nova Scotia has a plan to recruit more women into the industry. It includes creating a harassment-free environment, educating young women about the financial opportunities construction careers offer and shifting young people’s perceptions of who works in the industry.

🏠 Victoria, B.C. is implementing a new approach to create the ‘missing middle’ of housing stock. The new policy is designed to encourage medium-density options — such as houseplexes, small apartment buildings and townhouses — rather than detached single-family homes and high-rises. The policy has gotten strong criticism from some city officials and it will be reviewed in the coming months.

⛈️ An extensive investigation by the Globe and Mail shows that Canada’s building code regulations are not robust enough to deal with extreme weather. The investigation found that the current system was based on old, poor-quality data that doesn't include the full impact of climate change.

RUNNING THE NUMBERS

• $1,258 - The average monthly rent for a purpose-built, two-bedroom apartment in Canada. Vancouver (at $2,002) and Toronto (at $1,779) remain the most brutal markets.

• 23,500 - The number of payroll employees construction has gained in the past three months. The increase was led by utility system construction, other specialty trade contractors and residential building construction.

• 8.1 - The number of litres of pure alcohol consumed per capita in Canada during the year. Recent research suggests drinking is far more harmful than once thought.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Innovation centre design showcases concrete

Head of the class: University of Toronto’s plans for the 15-storey Schwartz Reisman Innovation Centre is getting top marks when it comes to concrete design. It was given the award for best education/university building by the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Institute (PCI). The facility will be used as an incubator for start-up companies and researchers in the fields of artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies. PCI judges noted that the building design breaks from the typical designs used for commercial towers by introducing two double-height winter gardens on the south and north facades. The architecture team includes Teeple Architects and Weiss/Manfredi. Cole Engineering Group is the engineer of record.

PROJECT UPDATES

Aecon has been put in charge of an Ontario nuclear reactor project

Replacing Vancouver’s Stanley Park seawall could cost $250 million

Exxon’s renewable diesel facility in Alberta will cost $720 million

A 19-storey skyscraper is taking shape in downtown Winnipeg

The project team has been selected for a UFV student housing project

WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT

TWEET: ⬆️ This chart shows why it’s so hard to find housing

PODCAST: 🎙️ SiteNews hits the airwaves with The Site Visit podcast

VIDEO: 🏠 Why 2024 could be a disaster for the housing market

TIKTOK: 😂 This is the life of a superintendent

VIDEO: 🛩️ Drone gives sprawling view of Gordie Howe Bridge progress

SWAG REVIEW

🧦 Tim Spindlove is a senior search consultant for DMC Recruitment Group and an unofficial sock tester for SiteNews. What is his review?

“Look good, feel good, work good! Appreciate the socks! Like walking on construction clouds.”

Get your pair by getting five newsletter subscribers through your personalized referral link below. 👇

🙏🏻 Thanks for reading!

But before you go, there's one more thing. It’s the last day for our Construction crib submissions. We are looking to highlight companies that have crafted their ideal work environment. Do you have an office or do you know someone with an office that was built to be exceptional? Let us know!

Here's to a great rest of the week!