🔧 Women with wrenches

Good Morning! ⛪ It’s hard to remember that six years ago, one of the biggest news stories was a fire at the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. Suffice it to say a few major world events have happened since then. After years of work, the iconic structure is set to reopen to the public next year.

While that celebration can wait, this week all eyes are on the women who help build our country. Keep reading to learn about some early trailblazers and get some tips on being an inclusive employer.

MARKETS

*Stock data as of last market close; currency, oil and crypto data as of 10:30 PM ET March 6th, 2023.

Economy: Canadians are taking on more credit and late payments are rising as financial pressures increase. The data comes from TransUnion’s Q4 2022 Credit Industry Insights Report which found that late payments have steadily increased over the past three quarters. The report assessed depersonalized and aggregated credit data from more than 29 million Canadian credit consumers. The report noted that many borrowers are now facing “payment shocks” due to high inflation and high interest rates.

THE BIG STORY

Celebrating the women who are building Canada

People are highlighting and celebrating all things female for Women in Construction Week. While there are many amazing women in Canada’s construction sector, the industry has long sought to bring more into the fold. According to BuildForce Canada, less than 13% of the total construction workforce is female. Roughly 5% are on the tools.

Trailblazers:

• After first training to become a cake decorator, Nova Scotia’s Maggie Budden went in a different direction and became Canada’s first female red seal ironworker.

• Alice Charlotte Malhiot is believed to be the first Canadian woman to graduate from an architecture school.

• Marcia Braundy was the first woman to join B.C.’s carpenter’s union, despite facing discrimination during her schooling. She went on to write books, conduct research, help found organizations and even advise the federal government - all to advance women.

• Nearly one quarter of this year’s 40 Under 40 in Canadian Construction were female and held a variety of high-level positions in the industry.

Getting better: Even in the past few months, the industry has been working to make jobsites more welcoming for women. An Ontario workwear company has released PPE line for expecting mothers, the Ontario government is investigating ways to improve women’s washrooms and free money is available right now for B.C. construction employers who hire female apprentices. You are also seeing companies like Aecon develop their own programs to attract women to the sector.

Some tips for being an inclusive employer:

• Organize a women’s committee so workers feel less isolated and can network.

• Develop a pre-delivery/birth maternity benefit.

• Ensure that women have access to clean/private bathrooms and changing rooms.

• Offer flexible hours so families can coordinate childcare.

• Provide workers with training to prevent bullying/harassment.

• Have clear policies/procedures in place to address bullying/harassment.

NEED TO KNOW

The week's headlines

🕳️ A Toronto project is stuck in a hole. Clearway Construction has been awarded a nearly $9 million emergency contract by the city of Toronto to rescue a boring machine that’s been stuck underground in the west end for nine months. The machine became tangled in steel wires while digging for a new storm sewer.

💰 Saskatchewan’s NDP is asking the province to scrap PST on construction work, arguing that it hurts economic activity. PST was applied to construction work and other services in 2017 to help balance the budget and bring in $325 million in revenue.

🛣️ Aecon Group has entered into an agreement with Green Infrastructure Partners Inc. to sell its Aecon Transportation East (ATE) roadbuilding, aggregates and materials businesses in Ontario for $235 million in cash. ATE does work for municipalities and private clients. It has a workforce of roughly 1,000 employees.

📉 SNC-Lavalin is considering drastic measures as it undertakes a strategic review of its business. The Associated Press reported that the firm is considering an asset selloff as it continues to shift focus to engineering and consulting services and away from lump-sum projects.

PROJECT SPOTLIGHT

Art gallery expansion design unveiled in Ontario

Zero Carbon Art: Officials have released the design of a major new addition to the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO). The Dani Reiss Modern and Contemporary Gallery project is being designed to operate without burning fossil fuel. The all-electric mechanical plant will use no operational carbon and create no emissions while seeking Zero Carbon Building certification. It will also be built to Passive House standards, with exceptional insulation for maximum heating and cooling efficiency. From the exterior, the expansion aims to complement the AGO’s existing built environment, respecting the scale of the surrounding neighbourhood. It will be the seventh expansion that the AGO has undertaken since its founding in 1900. The project is currently engaged in a municipal and public review process.

PROJECT UPDATES

The province of B.C. announced $250 million in funding for a major water treatment project

Construction has begun on Winnipeg’s $52-million St. Vital Bridge rehab project

Haven adjusts mid-rise proposal into 2-tower community for Toronto

Committee formed to advance multisport fieldhouse for Calgary

Burnaby finds site for new school in Brentwood neighbourhood

WHAT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT

STUDY: ♥️ Google Street View data shows how sidewalks impact public health

VIDEO: 🏡 This is what aspiring Vancouver home buyers were saying in 1989

READ: 🏗️ Crane operator gives 15 tips for other women in construction

READ: 🪵  A B.C. developer is halfway to building 1,000 mass timber homes

VIDEO: 👀 POV, you are a log turning into lumber

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INTERESTING READ

If you are enjoying SiteNews, we think you will also love Construction Yeti newsletter. It is project manager Matt Graves' documentation of his curious exploration into all things construction. His goal is to help cut your construction management learning curve in half.

He does this through the informative and entertaining weekly Construction Curiosities Newsletter and The CM Mentors Podcast with cohost Kyle Grandell. Each issue is meant to make you think, smile, and become a better, more well-informed construction professional. Make sure to check it out!

Here's to a great rest of the week!