ON THE COVER

From left to right: Serenity Atatahak, student at Dickinsfield School; Ryan Christensen, Delnor Construction, ECA Board of Directors and ECA Career Pathways Committee; Brittaney Down, ECA Education & Corporate Services Coordinator; Brad Mielke, NAIT and ECA Career Pathways Committee; Eric Wleh, student at Dickinsfield School.

106

Edmonton region’s construction sector is building a low-carbon economy

114

Leading by example: Emerging Leaders Institute builds the skills of nextgeneration construction leaders

122

Bringing together industry: The Infrastructure Owners Forum discusses the most important construction-related issues today 126

Building bonds on ice: PEG kicks off 2023 with

Empowering women in construction: WomenBuild kicks off its third

142

Reflecting on a lifelong career: Edmonton architect Jan Pierzchajlo retires after over 30 years in the industry

145

Supporting the community: United Way is helping students build strong, stable futures

148

How an Edmonton construction business opened their doors at the worst time possible in modern history –and succeeded

150

Assisting with the transformation of Edmonton: Visco Demolition celebrates 55 years in Edmonton

153

Index to advertisers

ECA Breaking Ground

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2023 ECA BOARD

Board Chair

Derek Ciezki

Vice-Chair

Jen Hancock

Treasurer-Secretary

Bert DeBruin

Directors

Dustin Bennett

Ryan Christensen

Bert DeBruin

Leah Marchon

Daniel McAllister

Steven Oosterhof

Peter Osborne

Andrew Sharman

Sean Tymkow

Ben Wagemakers

Darryl Wiebe www.edmca.com

Message from Derek Ciezki, ECA Chair

I extend greetings from the ECA board of directors to our member firms and industry partners. I hope this message reaches you in good health, filled with the rejuvenating spirit of spring and the exciting possibilities that await you.

As we prepare for the next few months with ECA events combined with summer vacations and maintaining project schedules, the results of an election are looming with anticipation. What will the results mean for the industry and economy? How will the government continue to support the industry and help attract new talent to the market?

I am optimistic the outcome will be positive, given the strength of our collaborative relationships in Edmonton. We can also reflect on the challenges and successes of 2022 as we all worked through the fallout of the pandemic and adapting to new ways of work.

I also continue to remember our past chair, Doug Hansen. Doug was an inspirational leader for both the board and the construction industry, and leaves a legacy that will continue to be admired.

Some of the ongoing challenges facing our members include supply chain interruptions, material pricing increases, and labour shortages, as well as seeing sustainable capital funding on projects.

Over the next few years, the board will prioritize government relations and advocacy efforts in collaboration with the ACA and other associations. The ECA has adopted a more proactive and engaged approach to political advocacy. We are working closely with a boutique government relations firm to assist in formulating a provincial advocacy strategy. In addition, our consultant will offer strategic governance advice to the board and provide tactical advocacy support to the senior leadership team. The goal is to establish a strategy for the board to effectively engage with the Alberta Government, including the Ministries of Infrastructure and Skilled Trades and Professions, to name a few.

We have deemed this to be a priority in order to advocate better for member needs by creating and building a stronger relationship with government. With our newly formed Government Relations Committee, we have successfully met with elected officials and Infrastructure Minister Nathan Neudorf on various occasions to discuss some of the challenges and opportunities for our industry, how businesses want predictable and sustainable project funding, as well as support for our growing labour concerns. The industry is becoming more transparent, and we will need to continue to build on these relationships through the election and beyond.

Our ECA board of directors have been working extremely hard on ensuring that the key pillars of our renewed strategic plan continue to be delivered to each of our member firms.

Through our collaboration pillar in advancing the industry, our Owners Forum kicked off recently with another great session and discussions. Topics included implementing more collaborative project delivery models like IPD, and the City of Edmonton demonstrated how it has reduced a significant amount of red tape through delivery, while increasing collaboration and sharing both risk and reward with team members. Our industry needs to find new ways of delivering projects and continuing to be innovative relative to procurement of services.

An emphasis on renewal work and sustainable design with climate change strategies will need to take priority in the coming years. With the cost of energy

NO MISSION STATEMENT. NO VISION STATEMENT. JUST VALUES.

FREEDOM & TRUST

MUTUAL ACCOUNTABILITY

ENTREPRENEURIAL ENTHUSIASM

INTEGRITY & MUTUAL RESPECT

COMPLETE OPENNESS

INCLUSIVE DIVERSITY in our province, we are challenged to find new ways to develop new forms of energy for buildings while maintaining aging infrastructure. Renewable resources, including solar, as well as recent discussions around hydrogen and electrifying buildings, will be a cornerstone of discussion as Alberta is well positioned in the global market, which will attract a lot of investment to our province and create opportunity. It’s for all of the industry, but an opportunity nonetheless that needs to be explored further as we need to reduce our carbon footprint and find new ways to design and build.

Our Education Working Committee has also been active in ensuring new and improved training is available to member firms to continue to enhance our knowledge, provide tools for providing professional and technical development.

BuildWorks is also looking at a refresh to ensure there is continued member value in this service and delivery across Edmonton and Alberta.

I would also like to acknowledge the ECA who make this association an amazing one to be a part of. Led by David Johnson, president, and his leadership team, including Matt Schellenberger, Caroline Bowen, Bev Christensen, and Wendy Billey, among other team members, who are always working hard to ensure the ECA provides a high level of engagement; whether it be golf, networking opportunities, procurement, and educational opportunities, to name only a few.

Our Builders Connect Luncheon was a huge success and a great turnout with over 600 people in attendance. Our recent Hub of Construction Expo in early May was also a big success being the first with excellent speakers and sessions, as well as a trade exhibition. We hope to build off of this experience in years to come.

With mental health concerns at an ultimate high, the need for support and connection is key. Through our education seminars and networking events we provide opportunities for industry to connect and share experiences.

We are

We never say good enough as we strive for premier service and continue our relationships through unparalleled support

We communicate with the “big 4” (Telus, Shaw, Rogers, Bell) on your behalf

We negotiate Fiber & Telecom construction costs

We will coordinate the electrical infrastructure installation

We broker the best deal for your client from all providers to get the best “bang for their buck”!

We are the one-stop-shop for all things business communication (Phone systems, Network solutions, Wi-Fi management, cloud services, and more)

As we approach the summer months of 2023, we anticipate the results of the election and what projects and opportunities will arise. As businesses, we need to adapt to the changes that lie ahead and create opportunity where it didn’t exist before to be sustainable.

New business opportunities are more available to our member firms than in recent years, with anticipation of continued growth in Edmonton and the capital region’s construction market.

The ECA wishes each of you all the best in 2023.

Wishing you and your families a safe and successful summer.

Warmest Regards, Derek

Ciezki, P.Eng.