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CONTENTS

THIS ISSUE

12 U B rock commmons C

MANITOBA HYDRO

O LINX R T E M

IOS

CEMEN TAT ION

K E E Y A S K

56 C A L G A R Y I N T E R N AT I O N A L A I R P O R T

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electricity comes from reliable, self-renewing water power.â&#x20AC;?

Canada and exports surplus electricity to utilities through its

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CONTENTS

C A R RE VIE W

VOLVO 28 CANADA

GLOBAL ECONO MY G LO BA L E CO N O M Y

L A B O GL

An infrastructure plan can boost our economy An infrastructure canit boost our economy - if weplan get right

- if we get it right

he crescendo of dialogue around the need to spend more he crescendo of ondialogue infrastructure around the continues to build. It’s need to spend more clear that Canada has a profound on infrastructure infrastructure deficit—particucontinues to build. It’s clear Canada has a profound larly forthat urban and transportainfrastructure deficit—particution infrastructure. In addition, larly for urban and transportathe wobbly economic situation tion addition, has ledinfrastructure. to increasing In demands the wobbly economic for federal and selectivesituation provinhas led to increasing demands cial fiscal stimulus, most approfor federal and selective provinpriately in the form of investcial fiscal stimulus,and most approments in education skills priately in the form of investdevelopment, and infrastructure. ments in education and skills The Canadian economy could development, and infrastructure. use a nudge from fiscal stimulus Theshort Canadian could in the term, economy but there’s usea along-term nudge from fiscal stimulus also need to boost in the short term, but there’s innovation and productivalso a long-term to boost ity—both of whichneed are areas of innovation and productivchronic underperformance. As of which are areas weity—both shift toward a deeper com-of chronic underperformance. As mitment to infrastructure investwe shift toward a deeper comment, the Conference Board mitment to infrastructure investbelieves decision-making should ment, the Conference Board be based on past Canadian and believes decision-making should global best practice to ensure be based on past Canadian and Canadian governments set the global best practice to ensure right infrastructure investment Canadian governments set the priorities that provide the highright infrastructure investment estpriorities possiblethat economic providereturn. the highThere are a number of return. considest possible economic erations. There is clearly politiThere are a number ofa considcalerations. dimension, since the ultimate There is clearly a politisuccess of government investcal dimension, since the ultimate ment aimed at improving immesuccess of government investdiate and long-term economic ment aimed at improving immeperformance can be undermined diate and long-term economic byperformance short-term political interests. can be undermined Around the world, publicinterests. investby short-term political Around the world, public invest-

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ment programs have resulted in “bridges to nowhere”, and some educational investments have in ment programs have resulted yielded neither appropriate skills “bridges to nowhere”, and some development, nor appropriate educational investments have innovations. yielded neither appropriate skills While it’s easynor to say and hard development, appropriate toinnovations. do, possible political advanWhile it’s not easybe to the say driver and hard tage should for to do,infrastructure possible political advanpublic projects. tage should not be consultation the driver for Transparency, open public infrastructure projects. and independent review of fundTransparency, openare consultation ing and investment needed. and independent review of fundNext, any proposed public ing and investment are should needed. investment opportunity Next, any proposed public clearly address not only immediinvestment opportunity should ate needs, but the longer-term clearly address not only immedisocial and economic impact. ate needs, but the longer-term “Shovel ready” projects to help social and economic impact. governments step up their “Shovel ready” projects help infrastructure investmenttoare governments their to not always the step best up projects infrastructure investment are undertake. not always the best projects to The federal government undertake. should be examining the planThe federal government ning context that led to specific should be examining the planproposed projects against the ning context that led to specific reason a given project is being proposed projects against the prioritized. What problem or reason a given project is being opportunity is being addressed? prioritized. What problem or Will it yield an economic return opportunity is being addressed? toWill justify the public expendiit yield an economic return ture? The for to justifyostensible the public reason expendiproceeding with this round ture? The ostensible reasonoffor stimulus funding is economic, proceeding with this round of sostimulus let’s ensure there a wellfunding is is economic, defined economic justification so let’s ensure there is a wellfor each element. defined economic justification Moreover, there could be for each element. larger economic benefits from Moreover, there could be a larger well-designed set or portfolio economic benefits from ofa public investment projects, well-designed set or portfolio of public investment projects,

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compared to the alternatives. For instance, is there a potential to investtointhe innovation and compared alternatives. skills development that will For instance, is there a potengenerate a bigger economicand tial to invest in innovation impact from infrastructure skills development that will investment? Wouldeconomic two public generate a bigger impact from infrastructure transportation projects yield Wouldimpact two public ainvestment? more significant if transportation projects yield in they’re undertaken together more significant aacoordinated way?impact if they’re together Similarundertaken focus could also bein a coordinated way? applied in educational and Similar focus could also be innovation funding to ensure applied in educational and we are addressing societal innovation funding to ensure and economic “needs” rather we are addressing societal than “wants”. Over the last and economic “needs” rather decade, businesses have comthan “wants”. Over the last plained about major labour decade,mismatches businesses between have commarket plained about major labour the skills being developed market mismatches between and those required. Matching the skills being developed the supply of skills to what andmarket those required. Matching the is demanding the supply of skills to what should be key when assessthe market is demanding ing possible human capital should be key when assessinvestments. ing possible human capital Similarly, while public investinvestments. ment in basic research is reSimilarly, while public investquired, one of our largest issues ment in basic research is rein innovation is moving from quired, one of our largest issues original “discovery” research toin innovation is moving from ward the commercialization original “discovery” research of tothese for economic ward discoveries the commercialization of and social benefits.for economic these discoveries Finally, while there may be a and social benefits. short-term economic gain be from Finally, while there may a appropriate investments in the short-term economic gain from current economic circumstancappropriate investments in the es, these projects are going current economic circumstancto funded through deficit es,be these projects are going spending. Ultimately, bonds to be funded throughthe deficit spending. Ultimately, the bonds

G LO BA L E CO N O M Y

Y M O N O C E issued to fund these fiscal deficits will need to be serviced and repaid. The added public debt burden associated with fiscal stimulus, and related investment in infrastructure and human capital, simply reinforces the

importance of setting priorities based on the expected positive economic impact. The road ahead on public investment in infrastructure and education won’t be easy—nor should it be, if we’re to realize

benefits as an economy and society. Successful public “investments” in the economy, rather than just “expenditures,” will require significant rigour in selecting and implementing projects and areas for public funding.

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GLOBAL ECONOMY

GLOBAL What could the EU-Canada free trade deal tell us about Brexit?

ETA, the recently concluded free trade agreement between the EU and Canada, is increasingly cited by the ‘Leave’ camp as a possible model the UK could adopt for its relationship with the EU after Brexit. Open Europe’s Vincenzo Scarpetta discusses the pros and cons of the EU-Canada deal and how easily it could serve as a template for Britain. The free trade deal between the EU and Canada, known as the Comprehensive and Economic Trade Agreement (CETA), is attracting growing interest as it is being increasingly cited by the ‘Leave’ camp as a possible template the UK could follow for its relationship with the EU after Brexit. As London Mayor Boris Johnson put it last week, I think we can strike a deal [with the EU] as the Canadians have done based on trade and getting rid of tariffs. It’s a very, very bright future I see. Overall, CETA is the most comprehensive and ambitious free trade deal the EU has negotiated to date. However, it is still some way from replicating the level of access to the single market the

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UK currently enjoys as a member of the EU – particularly in services and financial services. Let’s take a look a bit more in detail. The bright side First of all, trade in goods. The EU and Canada have agreed to scrap 100% of tariff lines on industrial and fisheries products – nearly all of them upon entry into force of CETA, and the rest after transition periods of up to seven years. As regards agricultural products, the EU and Canada will eliminate 93.8% and 91.7% of tariff lines respectively – again, nearly all of them on the day CETA enters into force and the rest after seven years. Second, public procurement – an area that is sometimes undervalued but is potentially worth hundreds of billions. CETA brings about significant liberalisation, particularly on the Canadian side – since European companies will be allowed to bid for public contracts in Canada at all levels of government (with some limitations in the Provinces of Québec and Ontario). Third, CETA does not involve Canada paying into the EU budget or signing up to EU rules on the free movement of people in return for increased market access. The dark side Now for the not-so-good stuff.

Some agricultural products deemed sensitive (e.g. eggs or chicken and turkey meat) are not covered by CETA, while for some others (e.g. beef or sweetcorn) duty-free access will only be granted for limited quantities. In other words, under a Canada-style relationship with the EU after Brexit, UK farmers would be partly exposed to EU tariffs – a step backwards from the current situation. More generally, with some limited exceptions (e.g. for Canadian carmakers), trade in goods under CETA will be largely based on EU rules of origin – which are used to determine whether a sufficient proportion of a product is actually ‘Made in Canada’ and can therefore benefit from reduced or zero tariffs in the EU. Outside the EU’s customs union, UK exports of goods would need to comply with extra bureaucratic customs checks, which could raise costs particularly for those firms with complex supply chains. Furthermore, the UK would also lose its vote over the setting of EU regulations and product standards. These are all important points, given that the EU would continue to be the UK’s largest trading partner for the foreseeable future no

G LO BA L E CO N O M Y

ECONOMY matter the outcome of the June referendum. But arguably the biggest challenge the EU-Canada deal poses as a potential model for UK-EU relations after Brexit is that it only grants limited services liberalisation – by no means comparable to being a member of the single market. While CETA does introduce further openings in areas such as mining, postal services and maritime transport, hundreds of pages are devoted to listing ‘reservations’ to liberalisation commitments – that is, Canadian and EU carve-outs from the deal. As regards financial services

more specifically, CETA does not prevent the EU and Canada from keeping a number of regulatory and licensing requirements in place. In order to take advantage of the EU financial services ‘passport’, for instance, Canadian firms will have to establish a presence in the EU and comply with EU regulations. Therefore, the ‘Canadian model’ could ultimately make it harder for UK-based financial services firms to sell into the EU market. Between the UK and the EU, it can’t be just about trade Looking at the bigger political picture, one final point is worth

making. Not least for geographical and historical reasons, the UK’s economy is a lot more integrated than Canada’s with the rest of the EU. Just think about how many Brits currently live and work in other EU member states, and vice versa. This means that any UK-EU agreement after Brexit could not be just about trade – it would inevitably need to cover other aspects. Therefore, the EU-Canada deal could only ever serve as a template the UK could build upon – certainly not as the ‘Holy Grail’ of models for post-Brexit UK-EU relations. CANADA

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GLOBAL ECONOMY

GLOBAL ECONOMY Infrastructure:

“We will develop some processes that bring in more accountability and also more Grow the economy, transparency.” That will include better create jobs and make explanations to cities about why the country more a project proposal was rejected, sustainable. and set new service standards like speeding up application row the economy, create processing times. jobs and make the country “If we make a commitment to a more sustainable. project, and if a project has been Canada’s new infrastructure sitting on our staff’s table for six minister says projects that are months, that’s unacceptable,” shovel-ready and meet the Sohi said. Liberal government’s national The Liberals have promised to objectives will get some of the increase infrastructure spending billions in new federal cash being by an average of $6 billion a year made available. over the next 10 years, raising the Infrastructure Minister Amarjeet federal investment to $125 billion Sohi says those big objectives during that time. are threefold: grow the economy, The extra money is supposed create jobs and make the country to be spread equally to more sustainable. public transit projects, green Sohi says shovel ready projects infrastructure, such as wastewater mean a municipality has done facilities, and social infrastructure all the relevant studies, public like affordable housing. consultation and planning — to Sohi said the government plans qualify for financial help from the to refocus the government’s federal government. marquee infrastructure program, He accused the Harper the New Building Canada Fund, announcing Conservatives of to focus on more cross-country money for projects that weren’t projects like highways, ports, and reap could they so begin to ready border crossings to help speed some political capital. up the flow of commercial goods “We want to create a process and trade. where I don’t go out and make Sohi didn’t say whether the announcements without even new money the Liberals are consulting with my departmental promising would top up a suite staff or getting their input or not of existing funding programs at even having an application in Infrastructure Canada, or add a for that project,” Sohi said in an new program on top of what is Press. interview with The Canadian already there to pay for upgrades

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to water and wastewater systems, social housing, seniors’ facilities, and infrastructure in aboriginal communities. “You can’t fit all of those in one policy,” Sohi said. “You have to design your program in a way that it acknowledges the uniqueness and then we have to adapt different approaches to meet those unique needs.” The Liberals made running deficits of up to $10 billion a year to pay for the infrastructure program a key election promise. They hope the money will jolt the economy and raise federal revenues, helping to pay for their spending promises and balance the budget in four years. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau turned to Sohi, a former Edmonton city councillor, to oversee the program. Sohi defeated former Conservative cabinet minister Tim Uppal in the Alberta riding of Edmonton-Mill Woods by 92 votes in the Oct. 19 election. Sohi takes a broad definition of infrastructure: It is anything, he said, “that allows you to be part of your community.” That includes public transit to get to a job or school; a shelter for a woman escaping domestic violence; affordable housing for someone living on the street. “You can’t talk about infrastructure without talking about the community aspect of it. It is a means of building

GLOBAL ECONOMY

strong, sustainable, livable communities that we all want to be part of,” he said. The reason for that definition lies in his personal background: After Sohi immigrated to Canada from India in 1981 at age 17, he took the bus in Edmonton to the library and then later classes to learn English. He later worked for the city’s disabled transportation system and drove a bus for a time. “Infrastructure is a way to opportunities,” he said.

Infrastructure for economic and social development, and a more sustainable world The need for infrastructure development is the great global challenges of our time. For a better, greener, safer and more sustainable world the infrastructure community must unite, says ACE vice chairman Gavin English. The need for infrastructure development is the great global challenges of our time. There is an essential and growing demand for infrastructure to address critical global issues such as climate change, energy demands, water and food shortages, mass urbanisation and economic and social development. To satisfy this need effectively and deliver lasting economic and social development the world needs the collective leadership, experience and creativity of the infrastructure community. There is clear evidence that Investment in infrastructure leads to the growth of a countries

economy and the improved wellbeing of its people. The McKinsey Global Institute recently estimated that over the next fifteen year the world needs to spend $57 trillion on infrastructure to realise global economic growth ambitions. In the UK alone infrastructure spending may need to run at £40bn to £50bn each year up to 2030 to meet demand. “For a better, greener, safer and more sustainable world the infrastructure community must unite at national, regional and global level to deliver the global sustainable infrastructure we need.” Around the world Investment in infrastructure has always played a leading role in economic development, from the roads and aqueducts of ancient Rome to the railway boom in Britain in the mid 19th century. Basic infrastructure – roads, railways, airports, for energy generation and supply, water supply, sanitation, etc. underpins sustainable development and economic transformation of emerging economies. A few months ago KPMG published a list that showcased 100 of the most ambitious and exciting infrastructure projects from around the world. All the projects listed will contribute to the economic growth in the countries in which they are based and improve the lives of millions of people. Infrastructure investment is needed in developing countries to expand: transport systems (road, rail, airports, ports, waterways, etc.); energy generation, supply and transmission; water collection and supply; sanitation systems; communications systems

(telecommunications, internet, etc.). Such investments will lead to very rapid economic and social development. In developed countries the economic and social improvements are not quite so pronounced because they are starting from a higher position in terms of the national economy and social conditions but there are still clear improvements. In particular at times of recession or economic downturn when investment in infrastructure is often used to create jobs and stimulate the economy. “The human suffering and financial costs of the impacts of climate change are enormous, affecting both rich and poor countries alike.” Climate change is a reality and the consequences are devastating – rising sea levels, decreasing fresh water resources, extreme droughts, storms and flooding, etc. The human suffering and financial costs of the impacts of climate change are enormous, affecting both rich and poor countries alike. In 2005 Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans causing over $125 billion of damage, killing over 1000 people and displacing whole communities. But it is developing countries that lack the infrastructure and resources to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change and it is the world’s poorest people that suffer more than others when disasters hit such as the earthquakes in Nepal in 2015, Haiti earthquake in 2010, the Indian Ocean Tsunami of 2004, Bhola cyclone 1970, Huang He floods of 1930, etc. CANADA

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GLOBAL ECONOMY

Mining:

In Canada’s far north, warm weather threatens vital ice road

Contributing to climate change are the critical levels of atmospheric CO2 levels which will continue to grow with increasing global energy demand unless action is taken. Appropriate sustainable infrastructure is needed to: mitigate and adapt to the consequences of climate change; and to develop and deploy clean energy technologies to energy efficiency to make substantial and long term reductions in global greenhouse gas emission. “Infrastructure investments can also help improve peace and security by enabling, sustaining and enhancing societal living conditions” Infrastructure investments can also help improve peace and security by enabling, sustaining and enhancing societal living conditions and the welfare of people in developing countries.

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Infrastructure connects communities and countries with market, health and education facilities, gives access to clean water, sanitation and power, and improves livelihoods and generates employment creating the conditions for lasting peace. For a better, greener, safer and more sustainable world the infrastructure community must unite at national, regional and global level to deliver the global sustainable infrastructure we need. We must all collaborate and take a lead in the financing, planning, designing, construction, operating, managing and maintenance of major future global infrastructure programmes

Each winter, in the far reaches of Canada’s north, a highway of ice built atop frozen lakes and tundra acts as a supply lifeline to remote diamond mines, bustling with traffic for a couple of months before melting away in the spring. This year, the world’s busiest ice road is running late. Unseasonably warm weather has set back ice formation on the Tibbitt to Contwoyto Winter Road, named after the first and last of hundreds of lakes on the route. The road is still expected to open on schedule in late January, but if current weather patterns continue that could mean more work for crews trying to build the ice or cut the road’s already short period of operation. Since its first season in 1982, the road has been vital to a handful of mines scattered across Canada’s Northwest Territories (NWT), cut off by a maze of water and spongy tundra, otherwise only reachable by air. Running 400 kilometers (248 miles), it links to three diamond mines, stretching as far as 600 km when it supplied a nowshuttered gold mine. A shorter season could mean extra costs and inconvenience for moving what amounted last year to 9,000 truckloads of diesel, machines and mining supplies from the NWT’s capital city, Yellowknife. To climate scientists, this year’s late freeze could be a harbinger of winters to come. It also raises the alarming prospect of thawing

GLOBAL ECONOMY

permafrost - the frozen layer of soil covering nearly half of Canada’s landmass - which traps methane, a greenhouse gas, which would only hasten warming. This year’s warmer temperatures may be connected to the El Nino climate phenomenon, a periodic warming of Pacific Ocean waters that has far-reaching effects. It is Yellowknife’s second warmest December on record, said David Phillips, a senior climatologist at Environment Canada, Canada’s national weather service. So far, the average temperature for this December is just above -15 Celsius, marginally cooler than the -13 Celsius for December 2005, but well above the mean of around -22 Celsius. The NWT falls largely within the Mackenzie River Basin, an area where winter temperatures have warmed by 4.5 degrees Celsius over the last 68 years. “That’s a sea change,” said Phillips. “It is just runaway warming.” For Ron Near, a retired Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer who manages the road for a group of mining companies, slow ice formation is a transportation problem. Despite the warmer weather, he said it is not “panic time,” and said he expects the road to start operating by the end of January, with the heaviest loads waiting until a harder pack of ice at the beginning of March. “It has affected us some, but we’re still within guidelines of previous warmer years,”he said.“It’s just going to take considerably more management this year to have success.” ALTERNATE ROUTES Ice roads cross eight Arctic countries, and Canada alone has 5,400 km of them, critical to unlocking mineral wealth from remote, harsh regions. In the NWT, a vast land covering more than 1.3 million square km

with just 43,000 residents, diamonds were the biggest contributor to the economy last year. It is no surprise that the territorial government has been pushing a partial all-season road on the southern end of the mine supply route, which could extend the ice road’s duration to three months. The C$170 million project may find favor with Canada’s recently elected Liberal government, which has pledged to spend about C$10 billion annually on infrastructure for the next three years. But it is a long way from the ambitious idea first mooted in the late 1950s by then-Prime Minister John Diefenbaker, who campaigned for a “road to resources” running through NWT’s Mackenzie Valley and connecting to the Arctic coast. More than a half century later, that vision for a Mackenzie Valley Highway remains elusive. There is a road in the south that extends as far as the town of Wrigley, and a C$300 million road is being constructed to connect the far north town of Inuvik with Tuktoyaktuk on the Arctic coast. But there is no road connecting those two ends, a highway that proponents say would assert Canada’s Arctic sovereignty, but would likely cost more than C$1.7 billion to build. And advances on the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk project are slow because construction occurs only in winter to minimize permafrost damage. More than half the NWT permafrost is sporadic, or discontinuous. It is easily disturbed, which in turn produces ground thaw and instability. Some 1,700 gigatonnes of carbon are held in permafrost soils globally in the form of frozen organic matter, researchers from the universities of Cambridge and Colorado said in September. If that methane and carbon

dioxide were released, it would increase the risk of catastrophic weather, or loss of agricultural land, causing up to $43 trillion in economic damage globally by 2200, the study calculated. By mid-century, rising temperatures may reduce the land in Canada suitable for ice roads by 13 percent, or 400,000 square km, concluded researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles in a 2011 study published in Nature Climate Change. RISKY FUTURE The consequences of those warming temperatures pose an additional risk to mining companies in the NWT, where a half dozen planned mines are on hold due to multi-year low prices for gold, rare earths and other metals. A taste of the trouble warm winters cause came in 2006, when the road closed after just 36 days. Miners spent more than C$100 million to charter flights for fuel and began talking seriously about options like hovercraft and blimps. To make the most of winter’s cold, lightweight groomers are now clearing snow that insulates and slows ice growth. Later, amphibious tracked vehicles, called Hagglunds, will tow ground-penetrating radar to measure ice thickness. Crews may need to flood more of the road than normal to quicken the freezing process this winter to overcome the warmer weather, Near said. The road, tracked by global positioning system technology, now allows longer trailers that haul heavier loads and even has‘express’lanes, so returning trucks with empty loads can exceed the 25 km per hour speed limit. “We think about climate change all the time,” said Near. But he said he “learned a long time ago you can’t control the weather. You just have to be able to plan for it.” CANADA

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UB C UB C

UBC UBC

A Wooden Way Forwards A Wooden Way Forwards

n Vancouver, Canada, the local community has recently been united as the University of British Columbia commences the construction of TheCanada, Studentthe Residence at Brock Commons. This n Vancouver, local community has recently been majorunited new project started in November of last year and aims the as the University of British Columbia commences to beconstruction completed by 2017: ‘Everything is currently ofSeptember The Student Residence at Brock Commons. This running to schedule’ according to John Metras, Managing Director major new project started in November of last year and aims of Infrastructure Development at the University of British Columbia. to be completed by September 2017: ‘Everything is currently This innovative willaccording stand a staggering 53 metres high. Director running toproject schedule’ to John Metras, Managing The 18 building,Development when completed, be amongst the Columbia. of storey Infrastructure at thewill University of British tallestThis wood structures in thewill world. Housing approximately innovative project stand a staggering 53 metres400 high. students, thestorey campus building will completed, also involvewill numerous different The 18 building, when be amongst the local tallest communities; from the in sourcing of raw materials, to research400 wood structures the world. Housing approximately opportunities UBC faculty staff students. students,for thethe campus building willand also involve numerous different local communities; from the sourcing of raw materials, to research opportunities for the UBC faculty staff and students.

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UBC

CANADA

UBC

This towering wooden structure will utilise an increasingly popular composition of materials. The two types of laminated timber used in the Student Residence at Brock Commons are glulam

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columns made with douglas fir and Cross-Laminated Timber (CLT) floor panels made with SPF, (spruce, pine and fir). The wooden structure layout has been rigorously designed and reviewed to address potential

risks, with the University of British Columbia evidencing a meticulous focus upon safety. John Metras described how a conservative approach was taken to the actual design and that, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;a rigorous regulatory approval process was undertaken to ensure the safety of the building.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; The safety measures in place are extensive. Structurally, the foundation, first storey, elevator and stair cores are constructed in concrete to provide enhanced seismic reinforcement. The wooden elements of the design are encapsulated in up to three layers of fire-rated gypsum wallboard in order to provide an increased fire separation over typical building code requirements. Another measure in place for enhanced safety is a backup water tank, which

UBC

is located in the basement as a contingency plan to supply the sprinkler system in the event that the main water supply becomes unavailable. Undertaken was a peer review of the building design by an independent panel, consisting of building scientists, structural engineers, fire safety experts and firefighters; overseen by the Provincial Building and Safety Standards Branch. The focus is primarily safety with this construction. The decision to use a hybrid wood structure was not only to encourage innovation; demonstrating the practical use of wood in a high-rise building application, but was also

chosen due to its environmental advantages. Wooden structural products have less embodied energy and are responsible for a lower air and water pollution output and thus have a lighter carbon footprint compared to other, more commonly used building materials. The structural wood components for the building are being manufactured in Penticton, British Columbia; using BC sourced timber, thus benefiting the local economy and reducing the carbon footprint associated with transportation of materials for the building. Also, using renewable wood products from a forest that has been responsibly managed, like the local forests of

British Columbia, consequently reduces carbon atmospheric output for the longevity of the structure. As John Metras adds that the benefits continue not only for the duration of its use but, what is more, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;even longer if the wood is further reclaimed and repurposed at the end of the buildingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lifecycle.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Furthermore, in addition to the environmental benefits from this innovative structure, the students themselves will be directly involved and learning from the project. The building will be monitored by faculty researchers and graduate students in the University of British Columbia Faculty of Forestry and Faculty of

Centura Building Systems LTD 1 - 460 Fraserview Place Delta, British Columbia V3M 4H6 Canada T: 604.522.4980 F: 604.522.1604 TF: 1.866.378.2288 info@centurabuilding.com

At Centura, our team of professionals have been in the business for over 35 years. During that time, we have developed an excellent reputation in Western Canada for providing high quality services, products and workmanship at reasonable prices. Untitled-1 1

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02/03/2016 11:02

UBC

Applied Science both during the construction stage and moreover post occupancy. The sensors for these observations are being installed in the wood structure in order to measure moisture content, as well as vertical movement and vibration. The building therefore is aiding in research for the future of structural wooden constructions. Wood structures are already being used in some of the other buildings within the UBC campus, such as the Earth Sciences Building and the Bioenergy Research and Demonstration Facility. The Brock Commons project is thus the next step in the evolution of innovative wood structures at UBC. With success using these environmentally friendlier construction materials on previous buildings, the

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University of British Columbia has future projects in mind. John Metras disclosed that future projects involving substantial wood components include both the Indian Residential Schools History and Dialogue Centre, in which wood structural elements will be included, and the Sports Medicine Centre, which will not contain structural wood elements, but will however feature an exterior torched wood cladding system. The Brock Commons project is estimated to cost 8% more than a comparable concrete building. This â&#x20AC;&#x153;innovation premiumâ&#x20AC;? is due to first time costs associated with research, design, approval and implementation of one of the first buildings in the world at this height. As wood structures and laminate wood compositions become more widely used they are expected

to become very cost competitive with conventional building materials. The additional costs for the Brock Commons project are being funded by external agencies so will not be felt by the students who will be inhabiting the premises. The University of British Columbia has ensured that the accommodation will be rented at the same rates as current campus accommodation. Funding contributors to the project include: Natural Resources Canada (Federal Government of Canada), Province of British Columbia (Ministry of Forests, Forest Innovation Investment) and the Binational Softwood Lumber Council. Many of these benefactors are local, evidencing further the local impact of The Student Residence at Brock Commons and how invested the

UBC

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02/03/2016 11:02

METROLINX Power For the People

Minvelibeaque vel magnimp oreicienda ducipsam a volenda nim quamenectur audaeca borersp ernam, eic tem sit doluptati tem aut doluptatius eum aliqui doloratur, quam rem comni is eaquiatur alibus ex et re et est haruptia sendit doloria ipsant eum, nulla as dolor suntior apieniet quis samusda eruptur, od maioratem facest fugiaero magnienihil et laborepudis aut ut quiaesto offictur si occusa ni aliquia corepel ligentiunt, utectem porepror audiore hendem uta quas eum reiume omnimpor aut latempe reptaque vent fuga. Nusam rae doluptatem fugias mint apidel eniscid enis et fuga. Et prat. Utemporro est, quos aut hariam voluptur sit vit quis dolorernatur solorecerunt etus ut eaquiam quatem ut volorib ustiunti doluptas estempo rporrori blam, sin provit autatiae event, se as doluptium intibusdae possitatur? Quissedis explaborit ea sit

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vent ad undam, omnistrum velecus rem untur alis senim et eatur? Quis erum ipsantur min repra illicia ectureprem nulpa volore, eriaspelicil ium ut minis iliam quos sequiduntem dio beatem quunt, con nobit vel ea sequist, quostot aeratus ma doluptiatquo cus, suntibus, cus alit evernam rae. Harchit aut et aperia audanti istiossi auta qui aditatus simaio ex et et harcia nonsequi conecer iatur, quodipicti tes pel in eremperro imincient la apit, tem fuga. Nem fugia volorio beruptat. Mus nimagnis ad quam aut di occupta spediti re, se quas maxima digenis con perunt que que vid et ent repe modi quame verum ea consequibus, se volest explaceatem quo eos num acerferum latur? Agnis es et resequi accae culpari omnimi, que resed quo venis isquiandi quas del etus. Nam, et rate autati accus dias aceribus sapissunt

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quam quiam in et officto to endi volor repro dolorro explibus, nihilla ntoratist, simus, con res eum fugit, sinveliquis aut alici dolest, ut quam nest ommolut enis dolorrum acienim agnihit vellor ressit as cum quatiora cusam, quos verestem culpa ditis molestem quat alictassum lanimporum quia velent atem vendaestio doluptat quat. Voluptiori ipic tem auta ium et autet aut andandes a estiam inciet omnis mint molor aut liquia elitaquia dolut landest restiur? Volores tenimusdant, cum aliquos anderio que aut quam quam accusap eruptasperem iumque moluptatur moluptas acidend essitem. Ut ullis doloremque veliquodi omnis am que ea con pro dolor mi, qui con niae. Mostio occulparum hil min comnimporum non cusam as et la ventiam si odis as simenturera dolut pa quamendis exerum fuga. Exerro quatemo qui tem aute remporro endellupta cor molorro conectem lab intias alibusa picatus, ium hiliqui officid ut at evelige nisquis re corum eate venim alit adi berit que vellore rorerciae suntota testrum laboresci se re nis most imus aut ature, volorerumque perum a quas enis untiorum libus aut velit omnis que consed milignis rerchillab ima qui rem. Porumento eaque num voluptur, tectur rerepta quatibus et volentur aboriorum facimolupta dellant quost, que que volorep elendi rendi offic

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tem lab iusam, expe prature ctaesseque etur sedia nisimin comnia nonsequae nus. Iquatio resseditem. Optae odi officia temquasitat et lab inciis quis sim volorum il iliquis voluptum sit ab inveni imporis ut volorpore, ut odissequam quiantus aut autendus experit, qui dignam que ad modis sin esti ommodit ut laboren imporae lantis dem quaturibusa solorum fuga. Net ex erum et fuga. Pa int odis minullu ptates quiam as am faccus et iur? Eniaecae nobis dolupta niet as nost intinct emollantiam rehendam et doluptae dia dolesen imillam vereres enisi berumet quod ex endit, solorpore im inum etur acculla sandae nonsequati quiam quo modi dolore, occuptatiam vid quosapid maioribus nat. Is sum cum qui quamusdanist magnimus planderunt, sed eos simi, nonsecab is ma il et iliquid qui rerferrum la pedi dolo cullestiis es quae doluptat laborep tatemod itatio inihicietur, offic te voluptae excepudi ditatiist quiae eosti dolore quam cus dit dia deliquat. Dolore consequia vendita tiaectur, sequunti bearchi llaccae. Um quam hillaut es es audipic iendion sequatur ra doluptatur? Liam ratibusciis anientius di vende odictaessit officilia pori te nonsequat officient. Dus mod moles volore optaspiscite peribus.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Commitment to moving the people of Ontario efficientlyâ&#x20AC;?Eque culloratur? Quia dolupta tincia dolupit et mint providebis magnam aliqui diam noneture mi, a solest quae as nonsequi qui aci offictatur? Ehenimus pariate venitionetum fuga. Itatessit, vel in re dipisi denihil magname ipsantem auta sitiistio officius autem ipsunte turiscient id ut ad ut exerum fugitin re arum quunt, expernamet, optium haruptus repero blaborpores ipide sita quam, opturia sequam quibus a quam, totatur, sit quam duntiatis magnimi, odi deliam, et ea sinulluptas arum aut quis dolorectur? Quis debit inum eatis imporem poremquae. Ibus qui tem ratistio incit eture doluptatem exerestiur re num, sit quunt etur aut quatis nonsedigname nimet quissitate volupis exeri simus. Fuga. Ut ut fugitat ibusdae nes dictatem que el ipicabo. Itatibus ditem erunte volesequas dolu-

pid ipsanih ilibus ant et arum archill estionseque se vitionse sinctioribus everum quam, occus asimiliti cus ipsam samusam, volorepudios ut ex expeliquost quiaepreptae quament ut qui cus del eosam, to in cus ad quias amus molecat. Acienis sequati oressun turionse volo modigentis vene volorera dusdamus et et expedis imporibus, quas aturepe et iderum iusda vellor alique nus et imoluptasped quamus, id ea porestia dunt fugia voluptas num quia coreptat opta niminulpa comnihil ma consed quiders periberiti se id eatus et pa autem quidiae omnimi, tent qui cus nus, sollorporia in con pro offictur ad ea quatur rem volut alia aut labor alissim num ditiunt rempe perion re rero ommodicidia sim lab in rentorehent, officimet in eos expliae videbitius volorae rumquo dionsequi quiaecu lluptassum ea doluptatur, sequas ipit, sunti autae dio dolupiCANADA

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Us. Se ipsaectiam dollabor si sed quos inctem id quuntioria velestias dolupti quam acepudit que pliquiamus invene voluptate reptatus autet pere delia posae ellaborum qui dis quiatiasi asit hillandes aut is volorehendae venditis adis ma coreni con estium rempore volorro endelignam fuga. Ut eiuscil ignam, occullo rempores serspit qui ad mosaecto tenisquatur, vitat. Venda dolupta ssintotati ut eaturecus dus delendebis nonsequam latem ius volupta vendest quunt earum quame paruntem et qui aut proritatus. Sed qui dolores equatemqui in consentota con-

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seque eiciati orupturiam, nihicide volut as alit exerum quiam que eicienimil int harum audi re, inverorecte nis modiam exceatinciis volupta tionsed icipsum venisci volo de corerer ectempossin eossit hillumque maximincti con eossus dolores nobitium etur am et quam dolorro blam ipsamus re eum litatemporem auditassitam repe dolor aut quodi tem vitionecta nobitae verro mo maximperchit laut quoditam, ullam susae. Nem qui intibusa core nos core reptas dolupis quam ipsandae simagnihit fugias sollorit a plibus, eaquo quatemp eribusdam et hario. Exces pre vidit esti nonsequia doluptae pe-

UBC

Centura Building Systems LTD 1 - 460 Fraserview Place Delta, British Columbia V3M 4H6 Canada T: 604.522.4980 F: 604.522.1604 TF: 1.866.378.2288 info@centurabuilding.com

02/03/2016 11:02

CANADA

Vermont Electric Power Company Inc.

rum alis volendit autecestrum fugiae volendaecae cum facea con rem verest, qui nonse con nihil con nos de presequis ipsum nobis estium essimpo minimus, ulluptatur as ab imusapidunt. restiorum iuntius sintion placearum vella dunt in Esto eum este re, eos is non pa cumquam era cori cum qui que latquam, omniendus dolorro vitat. id que aut porat. Nihit quodic totatquam sitatur, que prem volorem Diciaepel idi dolorum atis ea aut quodit etur? olupta vendemp oreium qui quiatia andit eicit Ximuscia volupta turent et haribus eicatis ciment exceati voluptur, sandi disimodi ullictis nonet qui minctatur sitatur simus dolum doloruptis dolorer conecus suntem suntio cum, ipsam am sum es spelic torrum reptur? Luptati asperspero explatur? solutions to two often-conflicting issues. One of the hard at. Artificial roads for the delivery of materials rem verro moluptassita nos erum adi que nus Milibus, imus ilitia eatet velliciur? Bit, volorerferum biggest public concerns is the appearance of the to the construction sites are built using fiberglass or apid quis quas sit que sam, si repra venis et aut eveniaest, omnimodignis inci berehenis endenihil transmission lines in the landscape. “The idea is to wood mats. Once the work is completed, the mats amusam, oditae esti aditis ipit idenda volligenias ium fuga. Item fugitae cus entia dis am et molmake the power lines as invisible as possible. And are simply removed, leaving minimal damage. “We que od ma dipis eostibus resciis inusdae ped mos orro volupta volorest eum cusant ad modio. Aliqui we do that by routing them away from roads, hiding take extra care on wetlands,” Donleavy says. “We sume doloriae aliquo et, corum est, tem harume ilibus. them between ridge lines and valleys, and by using use everything including helicopters to minimize our quat. Lo quam et magnimo ea quis voluptate noneser short poles.” Yet this often conflicts with the need impact on the environment.” El ipit ut modi unt elestis cietusam con remo mo rovita es acil in pro quas ditat odipienimil ipsae Over the past four years the company has grown to reduce the environmental impact and protect veni reped quiassit a voluptatum quiscie ndunda atem estet rae nissusae comnite veliatur, sitates wetlands and endangered species. In general, this is from 94 to 144 people, but Donleavy sees this as aut es re nullaborum, occatem qui ne cus alitatio. modiorr ovidem fugitatint, conetur? Qui nullam best done by routing away from sensitive areas and just the beginning. “We’re at a strategic crossroads Ut omni debis qui blam volupta tquistium rem ven- fuga. Nam enda ipsa sitio beatem fugiam, volores using very high poles. “So we model the proposed in the electric utility business; communications are ditasin nimpe cum aciam velibusam ex et odi rem volor seque placcatiosa quatet laut volorem re eat. lines and run simulations. When I arrived here, the being married to the electric infrastructure, and we’re comnimin ped quia dolectati a ius est voluptatur? Ut am vid quasinu scillam ullaccum eat. route for the NRP project had already been defined, deeply involved in the so-called smart grid. Right Qui is exceatiore doles molorisci optatem andus but we were still able to design the detail.” Almost now we’re running 1,000 miles of fiber optics to make repe nosam et anihit, tem ium rest, sedi odi sum pole by pole, these decisions were made. “Now when sure we have connectivity to every substation in the ipis iumqui omnis exceariam, id expelenim faceyou drive up Route 7, you won’t see the transmission state to enable the smart grid communications in the pelis mod mos quassequi ant oditaquibea volupfuture,” he says. Having created a responsive and lines, except where they have to cross the road.” taquist am nis dolland andunt. Reducing the environmental impact during well-organized company, he has laid the foundations Axim il et, assit molendi oratur, occumque audiconstruction is also something the company works for an exciting future. cie nditia et exerci sed modit is dolupictatis est, tecupta pligendis et, con rempores nimolo ellam,

CANADA

CAR REVIEW

Volvo V40 R-Design D2 2.0 Diesel – AUTO - GT By: Daniel Edwards Comparable cousins

This medium-sized family hatchback stands alone in its sector, slightly cowering in the shadow of the upmarket popular German alternatives, such as the Audi A3 and VW Golf. The BMW 1 Series and Mercedes A-Class come a close second, but to be honest if you want to be predictable and stand in line and you aren’t enthusiastic about “the usual suspects,” then the classy Volvo V40 is a very worthy alternative. You’ll be even more impressed with the price tag of around £22K compared to its European neighbours.

6 ENDEAVOUR

CAR REVIEW

“When I think of Volvo, I think Swedish tank, safe as houses, flat pack furniture and ABBA”

CANADA

CAR REVIEW

Outside the box thinking

The Euro NCAP rating is naturally five-star, which translates to “safe as a Swedish-built house, complete with flatpack furniture.” Its innovative driving assistance ensures lane discipline and no slow vehicle collisions, it has faultless connectivity and enough airbags and sensors to detect the smallest thing that could impair your journey, which is everything you’d expect and more. Volvo have aptly named these as Drive-E, SENSUS and IntelliSafe. Now, with these bold names for driving, once

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C AR RE VIE W

rear headlights have been positioned to ensure maximum vision for other drivers who dare to get too close.

Family values

Taking the family out is a little tricky as the car is less roomy than its European counterparts, but front and rear seating is very generous and delivered me to my destination comfortably and refreshed. The boot comes out a skinny 335 litres, compared to a VW Golf, which delivers a huge 380 litres. But to be honest, if you need more room for your flat-pack, hire a van instead.

Impressive strides

I got behind the wheel of the V40 I hoped that even with my experience these features would keep me on the road despite any day-to-day distractions.

Prepare for battle

Once behind the wheel you’re thrust into Volvo’s carefully thought-out cockpit. Taking your seat, the driving position is comfortable and gives a defined view of everything around you. Once you push the central command START/STOP button, all of the car’s bells and whistles leap into life. Even the huge list of accessories (if you need any more that is) needs its own website. The EPAS (Electronic Power Assisted Steering) engages and the steering wheel is light to even the heaviest touch. Once the infotainment system engages, with no prompt from me, the Bluetooth connectivity immediately

6 E6NDEAVOUR I www.evolutionbusinessmedia.com

ensures I’m contactable and legal; the web browser helps me find my nearest flatpack furniture outlet, closely followed by the postcode, punched into the intelligent touch screen SAT NAV.

Swedish perspective

When you pause for a moment, you’ll realise you’re actually in a sporty Volvo, two words not normally appearing in the same sentence. But Volvo have got it right. The interior has been adorned in chrome and blue defined R-Design livery throughout, making the car refined and elegant – and far from a grandad mobile. The day running lights are sharp and defined, the honeycomb grill sitting in the wider shoulders of the V-shaped bonnet is crisp and classy, which is synonymous with Volvo’s new branding and style. Even the high placed,

Once out on the road, the ride, handling and power tells me I’m not in your average hatchback. It’s dynamic and charismatic in the corners but plays its safety trump card at all times. The power is there with uncompromised ease and keep its impressive MPG intact. Even changing lanes, overtaking, parking and driving at speeds between 10mph and 70mph are all monitored as if you have your very own personal driving guardian angel, which is impressive. Volvo have succeeded in keeping the build quality, safety and styling as a finely tuned, no-nonsense every day classy motor.

Signing off

After having this car for around five days, I encountered all weathers and all road types. I found the Volvo to be an excellent addition to any family, couple, new or senior driver. Its overall picture painted by Volvo made me appreciate the hard work gone into getting the balance of this car right. Although the name Volvo didn’t inspire me before this road test, I can safely say that the Swedes have got it spot on and it gets the thumbs up from me. Score 4/5

CAR REVIEW

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MA N I TO BA HYD R O

MANITOBA HYDRO

A unique utility, with some powerful projects

ack in the 20th century, when the Manitoba Power Commission and Manitoba Hydro Electric Board united to form Manitoba Hydro, pushing out into far reaches of the Canadian province was no easy business. Now, says public affairs manager Scott Powell, the world has opened up somewhat but the ingenuity, expertise and sheer determination required to see the corporation’s current projects through to fruition still necessitates an equal measure of drive. “Like Quebec, parts of northern Manitoba are extremely remote and we face a number of huge challenges even today,” he points out. “There are the extreme climates: the very hot summers and the long, cold winters, and then the access to the sites in

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By: Abigail Saltmarsh order to be able to break ground. “When we began working on our first major northern projects back in the 1950s, there were no roads and there was very little infrastructure. But, even today, we are working in locations that are really quite unique - and we still require critical infrastructure for our current projects, such as Keeyask and Bipole III.” “Unique” is a term that is frequently applied to Manitoba Hydro, one of the largest and longest-standing energy utilities in Canada. The history of the electrical industry in the region goes back to the late 19th century, with the formation of the Winnipeg Electric Railway Company and the Manitoba Electric and Gas Light Company. Over the decades these and other companies evolved until Manitoba Hydro became the sole supplier of electricity. Today it remains a crown

corporation, a publicly owned utility that is responsible to the provincial government, but operates as a separate entity. It is one of the largest energy utilities in Canada, with capital assets-inservice of more than $17 billion at original cost. Vertically integrated, it is involved in the planning, design, construction, operation and maintenance of all elements of electricity and natural gas infrastructure, serving almost 562,000 electricity customers and nearly 275,000 natural gas customers in Manitoba. “What is unique for us as a utility is that over 95 per cent of our electrical energy comes from renewables,” Mr Powell continues. “We do have some natural gas generation as a back-up and purchase some wind power from independently-owned wind farms, but nearly all our

MANITOBA HYDRO

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MA N ITOBA HYDRO MA N I TO BA HYD R O

current pioneering projects are Canada and exports surplus electricity comes from reliable, Keeyask andpioneering Bipole III. projects are utilities through its self-renewing water power.” current Canadatoand exports surplus electricity comes from reliable, electricity The Keeyask Project participation in three wholesale Manitoba Hydro’s energy is Keeyask and Bipolewill III. see electricity to utilities through its self-renewing water power.” the creation of Manitoba’s fourth markets in Canada and US. generated at 15 hydroelectric The Keeyask Project will see participation in three wholesale Manitoba Hydro’s energy is largest generating station. It will It is also the major distributor stations, most of which are on the creation of Manitoba’s fourth markets in Canada and US. generated at 15 hydroelectric be situated at Gull Rapids, some of natural gas in the province, the stations, Winnipeg, Saskatchewan largest generating station. It will It is also the major distributor most of which are on kmsituated north-east of Winnipeg, taking it out togas nearly 100 andthe Nelson rivers. Saskatchewan It is among at Gull Rapids, some of natural in the province, 725be Winnipeg, on the lower Nelson River, and communities in the province. the and lowest cost providers of 725 km north-east of Winnipeg, taking it out to nearly 100 Nelson rivers. It is among will be a source of renewable Among the corporation’s domestic electricity rates in on the lower Nelson River, and communities in the province. the lowest cost providers of will be a source of renewable Among the corporation’s domestic electricity rates in 4 I www.evolutionbusinessmedia.com 6 4EINDEAVOUR www.evolutionbusinessmedia.com

MA N I TO BA HYD R O

energy, providing approximately 695 megawatts of capacity and producing an average of 4,400 gigawatt hours of electricity each year, explains project manager Dave Bowen. “One of the things we are particularly proud of is that Keeyask is a collaborative effort between Manitoba Hydro and four Manitoba First Nations: Tataskweyak Cree Nation, War Lake First Nation, York Factory First Nation and Fox Lake Cree Nation, working together as the Keeyask Hydropower Limited Partnership (KHLP),” he says. “Manitoba Hydro is responsible for project management during construction, and will own at least 75 per cent of the equity of the partnership. The four First Nations, known collectively as the Keeyask Cree Nations, together have the right to own up to 25 per cent

of the partnership.” The $6.5 billion Keeyask Project has three major components: the Keeyask Infrastructure Project, Keeyask Transmission Project, and the Keeyask Generation Project. Construction on the infrastructure project began in early 2012 and was substantially completed in July 2014. Work began on the generation project following that, and the first generator is expected to come online in 2019, with all units online by 2020. “The infrastructure project saw work on access road construction and camp development: the site is remote and we basically had to construct a town. Along with the weather, one of our greatest challenges is attracting and retaining the labour we need to build Keeyask – our on-site workforce will peak at

approximately 2,000 people. We are competing against other remote Canadian projects and our best in class camp provides workers a safe and comfortable home away from home,” Mr Bowen stresses. “We also have to ensure we maintain our focus on minimising environmental impacts throughout this project. It is about working in ways that minimise any environmental impact at every stage.” The Bipole III Project faces many of the same challenges as Keeyask – rugged terrain, severe climate, attracting and retaining skilled workers, as well as environmental considerations. And here again, the creation of high quality staff facilities is a priority. Bipole III, explains deputy project manager Alastair Fogg, is a $4.6 billion transmission

Proud builders of the Keeyask Generating Station. Manitoba.

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MA N I TO BA HYD R O

reliability project with a projected in-service date of 2018. “What is unique again about Manitoba Hydro is that 75 per cent of the electricity used in Manitoba is generated at our northern generating stations. This energy travels south, through the Interlake region, down two high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission lines known as Bipole I and II, which run side-by-side,” he explains. “The idea behind Bipole III was to provide an alternative path.” Being in such close proximity to each other, he continues, the Bipole I and II lines are susceptible to being impacted by a single weather incident, such as a major ice storm or tornado, or forest fire event, causing major power outages. They also rely on a single converter station in the south to convert the direct current power back into alternating current for distribution into the provincial power grid. The Bipole III Reliability Project includes two new converter stations. One of these, the Riel Converter Station, would be in the south to provide another major point of power injection into the transmission and distribution system. The other would be in northern Manitoba, northeast of Gillam (the Keewatinohk Converter Station). As with Keeyask, Mr Fogg insists, the traditional knowledge of the people living in the area was incorporated into project planning. “Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge (ATK) is valued for the contribution it made to providing complementary understanding about the environment and people” says Mr Fogg. “We recognise the value of ATK and that this knowledge was incorporated during the CANADA

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planning and environmental assessment process”. Angie Adams, vice-president of major capital projects at the corporation, stresses Manitoba Hydro’s continued success as a whole is linked to the economic and social sustainability of the communities in which it operates. The aim with both Keeyask and Bipole III is to provide early business opportunities for northern Aboriginal people, and other northern and Manitoba workers, and that - as the projects progress - there will be continued training and long-term prospects for career development. “Our corporate social responsibility philosophy is to ensure best practices and to work closely with all communities where we operate,”

she says. “And moving forward our aim is to ensure that we continue to conduct our business in this way. “I do believe that we have built a strong relationship between Manitoba Hydro and its partners, and this will serve to put everyone involved in these projects in a good position for the future.” As Manitoba Hydro heads towards fruition on its current projects, Mr Powell concludes, there are also other lessons to be learned from Keeyask and Bipole III. Not only is environmental and social best practice at the corporation evolving but the process of planning and constructing the projects is resulting in invaluable knowledge, knowhow and experience at every

The Keeyask Generating Station will produce an average of 4,400 gigawatt hours of energy per year

Powering Manitoba The Keeyask Generating Station is Manitoba Hydro’s state-of-the-art facility that will put local people to work—including First Nations—and will produce enough electricity to power 400,000 homes. We are proud to be chosen to deliver final engineering and design services for this project, continuing our 50 years of service in Manitoba.

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level within the utility. “A lot of the other infrastructure Manitoba Hydro relies on was installed after the second world war, when the first major rural electrification programmes took place,” he points out. “Much of this will need to be renewed over the next 10 to 20 years and we will also have to add new capacity to meet the growing needs of our customers. “The experience we gain on projects such as Keeyask and Bipole III will serve us well in the long-term as we move full speed into renewing, rebuilding and expanding our existing assets as they come to the end of their service lives. Being able to continue to provide our customers with reliable service at affordable rates is always our goal.”

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MA NITO BA HYDR O ENERGOLD

ENERGOLD A sensiti v e appr oach to drilling

By: Abigail Saltmarsh

lobal specialty drilling company Energold may have propelled itself to the leading edge of its sector with steely determination in recent years but its explosive expansion has also seen an unyielding refusal to compromise on social or environmental impact. The operation, which is headquartered in Vancouver, has seen growth from some six drilling rigs in 2006 to more

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than 240 in 2015, in some 25 countries across the world, explains CEO Fred Davidson. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Energold was initially founded as an exploration company, which pushed itself forward through its small, highly portable drilling rigs but, when the global recession hit, it was decided that we needed to move beyond frontier drilling to become a much more diversified and global solutions provider, for customers across the mining, oil and gas, water and geotechnical industries,â&#x20AC;? he points out.

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REFLEX REFLEX is the leader in realtime, sub-surface intelligence solutions for the resources industry. REFLEX develops innovative, game changing technologies for drilling, data collection, management and analysis within the global minerals industry. REFLEX’s technologies are acknowledged for their reliability, ease of use and accuracy and are complemented by unrivalled expertise in geoscientific data analysis and interpretation. REFLEX HUB is a secure cloud based data management and analysis solution that provides access to relevant, reliable information for critical decision making, anywhere and at any time. REFLEX has a global network of strategically located offices and support centers to provide local assistance to our clients around the world.

“This we have successfully achieved but alongside our growth, minimising social and environmental impact has remained a critical part of what we do here: we are proud to be at the leading edge of our industry while maintaining high levels of commitment in these areas.” Today internationally recognised for its approach, Energold provides a comprehensive range of drilling services from early stage exploration to on-site operations for minerals, metals and energy sectors. It has also become an established drill rig manufacturer. The company embarked on the implementation of its strategic goal by acquiring UK-based Envirodrill Ltd in 2009. This was followed by the takeover of Dando Drilling International Ltd, also in the UK, and then Canadian Bertram (AB), both in 2011. These moves brought manufacturing and energy services expertise into the fold, broadened the company’s range of products and services, and saw a substantial increase in its international footprint. “Looking back 15 years, we had about 12 people working for the company – now we have around 1,100. We provide a comprehensive range of drilling services, from early stage exploration to mine site operations, and we are present in North America, South America and Central America, as well as Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe.” Energold first made its name with its mobile drilling rigs. Aiming to conduct exploration programmes in remote locations, with limited infrastructure and access to heavily forested areas, the company came to the conclusion that existing mineral CANADA

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drilling technologies and services available in the market were inadequate. It developed a new specialised drilling rig, which manages to be highly mobile while leaving almost no environmental footprint. “What we came up with was the concept of building a modular rig, where the pieces are simply carried in down paths no wider than one metre in heavily forested areas (which means we do not have to create a road infrastructure) and are then assembled on site,” says Mr Davidson. “These rigs are very effective but it was a case of educating our customers to show them that what we were offering them could be efficient and yet manage to leave an area of disturbance of no larger than 4m by 5m at the end of the project.” Local people are employed to assist on projects and here, again, Energold’s insistence on social responsibility is paying off. Members of the local community can be taken on to transport the rig and to assemble and disassemble it, among other duties. If they show aptitude during the project they may then be provided with an opportunity to become drillers and drill supervisors. “It is so much better to have a community participating in a project so they have a real understanding of it and so we can comprehend their needs. But it also gives us the opportunity to train local people up and employ nationals,

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which has enormous benefits for the company. These people speak the language and have a real awareness of the local issues - in Mexico we now employ about 400 nationals.” Other examples Energold’s emphasis on corporate social responsibility saw it donate materials for the construction of a much-needed bridge in Haiti. It also created three wells within impoverished communities, which were suffering from a lack of water supply, in the state of Chihuahua, Mexico. Whether dealing with local communities, members of staff or the company’s broad customer base, honest dialogue is always vital, according to Mr Davidson. “We try to keep the lines of communication open, from the driller right up to senior management, within Energold, and then liaising with the customer as often as possible to ensure that if there is an issue it

is resolved quickly.” As the company moves forward it also sees more partnerships and projects with non-profit and nongovernmental organisations worldwide on water related projects. Through Dando and the company’s relationship with the UN and the World Bank this is already an area of key focus in countries within Africa and the Middle East. “We are seeing significant growth in water,” Mr Davidson stresses. “I don’t believe we have ever realised our potential in this area before but with the softening in energy we have come to understand that we can redeploy some of our rigs in this way. We are also seeing more activity in geotechnical, especially in Europe – in the UK, of course, with projects such as HS2.” Geographically, there may well be European growth for Energold in the future, along

with further expansion in Asia, Africa and North and South America. There are also possible takeovers on the horizon, Mr Davidson admits. After all, he points out: “A bear market is an ideal market for acquisitions – and Energold is much better financed than many of its competitors.” The company will continue to invest in its people and its technologies, and as it does it will continue to seek both high efficiency and low environmental and social impact. “We like to retrain and redeploy our people as necessary because that makes the company as a whole stronger and more efficient,” he insists. “It is a huge market out there and our aim is to continue to grow. “We have seen success so far by being flexible and our goal is for this to continue – and within the next five years we have forecast that we will be number two in our sector worldwide.”

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CEMENTATION A

s with most industrial activities, mining is a hazardous business but the credentials of Canada’s $54billion mining sector are impressive in this respect. The protection of the industry’s 380,000 employees is deeply engrained in Canadian mining culture, and the 3,400 companies which provide engineering, geotechnical, and environmental services to the country’s mining operations must align their business activities with a responsible approach to staff health and safety, as well as local communities and the natural environment.

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By: Djamil Benmehidi - ER Magazine Nevertheless for all the health and safety commitments, protocol, and government regulation the fact remains that the mining industry is one which, even to this day, is challenged with hazards, and it is widely acknowledged that of all the mining disciplines, underground mine development and the process of shaft sinking, in particular, can be hazardous if not carried out safely. The construction of the vertical shafts which are needed to shuttle mine workers and ore to and from the underground mine site often occurs under great pressure from clients who,

conscious of the massive capital costs that they are incurring, and that mine access depends on completion of the shafts, request that shafts be completed sooner rather than later. This time pressure combined with a hazardous working environment, in which men work at height and alongside heavy equipment, meant that back in the 60s it was a given that a life would be lost for every 100m sunk – even as recently as 35 years ago, it was expected that there would be a loss of life for every 1000ft. Fortunately a great deal has changed, thanks to the herculean efforts of the underground mine

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“Mining and construction is pretty old school and it’s hard to convince clients to try something new - when we do, we have to deliver” contracting and shaft sinking community, who have overseen vast improvements to risk management and health and safety procedures. Nowadays the incidence of fatalities and serious injury in Canada is minimal, and within Cementation Canada, virtually non-existent – something which Roy Slack, the highly regarded and long-serving President of Cementation Canada, is delighted about. Having presided over one of Canada’s premier underground mining contractors since taking up the reins in 1998, he has worked tirelessly to build the company into what it is today: a big-project player with an outstanding reputation for safety, and a place where his workers know that they are viewed as people, not assets. “As you go through your career you see the things that are done right and the things that could be

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done better. When we started up Cementation Canada, we set out to do something different – to change the way mine contracting is carried out. When we started the company, we aligned our vision to focus on safety. Our target is to be a zero-harm company because that is what we feel the industry should be – this is why we were recognised last year as the safest employer in the Canadian resource sector. We’ve done well but there is always room for improvement – our commitment to the safety of our staff is absolute. It’s about looking after your people and treating them right, it’s pretty basic stuff.” Roy Slack’s emphasis on employee safety is smart, not only from an ethical viewpoint but from a hard-nosed business angle. A poor safety record costs serious money, and can ultimately dictate whether a

company thrives or fails. If there is serious injury or loss of life during a project, work grinds to a halt – if work stops, then revenue will soon dry-up. On the other hand, a good safety record can only create a positive snowball effect, in terms of staff recruitment and retention, and building a good reputation. Cementation Canada’s reputation for setting the standard with regards to safety is indicative of the company’s wider overall manner in which it conducts its affairs. As is to be expected of a company bearing the Cementation name – a name which is synonymous with a century-long mining heritage, innovation, and mining success - Cementation Canada is known to be one of the biggest and best direct hire underground mining contractors in the business, not only in Canada but across North and South America.

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“The easiest way to say what we do is this: we build mines. We specialise in underground mine construction and development but, importantly, we’re also a direct build and a design-build contractor – this is something which isn’t offered by most businesses in our field. Offering a complete designbuild service in-house means that we gain a better understanding of our clients and their needs – there are a lot of benefits to this model, which is why we’ve used it since the beginning. Traditionally, different groups and companies would work on different project stages – our model has allowed us to establish continuity and one-point accountability through a strong engineering service within our contracting group.” This policy of using a designbuild model to complete projects has seen Cementation Canada offer an unrivalled level of bespoke service which, inturn, has given the company the opportunity to provide innovative solutions and fixes to client problems. That said, although such fixes can save clients considerable amounts of time and money, persuading clients to take a risk in an industry as conservative as the mining sector is no mean feat. “Mining and construction is pretty old school and it’s hard to convince clients to try something new - when we do, we have to deliver. For example, when we were working with AuRico Gold at their YoungDavidson project in Matachewan in Ontario a few years back, we proposed a unique solution to them which cut their capital costs in half, saved them about $40million, and cut the schedule right down. We knew it could be done, but it hadn’t been done before so they took a leap of faith – they felt we could deliver.” In other words, as Roy alludes

to, it’s about building trust between your company and the service user, and to build trust you must forge strong and enduring relationships which can stand the test of time – this is another area where Cementation Canada excels. “Our relationships with our clients are one of the keys to our success, which is why we’re structured in a way that fosters open dialog between ourselves and our clients– we can build a solid understanding of our clients and avoid adversarial relationships. This is at the heart of what we do because really understanding what our clients want from a project standpoint and aligning ourselves with these goals is crucial.” This three pillar focus on safety, relationship building, and an efficient, integrated approach to project management has served Cementation Canada well. Based in North Bay, Ontario, the company now employs over 1,200 staff and boasted revenues in the region of $300 Million in 2014. Certainly, the company has come a long way since its inception in 1998 when Roy Slack was first approached by Cementation’s owners in the UK, who were keen to utilise his extensive mining background and have him take the helm of the re-establishment of operations in North America. “I’d already worked in the mining industry for a number of years and had my own consultancy firm when I was first approached by Cementation UK. They were interested in gaining a foothold in Canada and approached me about evaluating possible acquisitions,” says Roy Slack. “After review of the possible acquisition targets they tabled another option, they asked me to set-up a new start-up from scratch – I was the first company employee.” CANADA

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The reason for this rapid ascent from one-man band to industry leading underground mine contractor is simple: Roy focused on pushing Cementation Canada forward for the big projects from the very beginning. “I recognised that start-ups in our business often get caught up in a trap where they take on the small projects at the beginning, with the intention of working up to the bigger ones later. The problem with this is that start-ups who do this will usually find that they get pigeon-holed by clients as being small project outfits. We did it differently here and went straight for the biggest projects we could get. We had a great engineering team with a lot of experience who were up to the challenge.” Cementation Canada quickly developed a reputation as the go-to company for some of the biggest names in North and South American mining, and the company’s project portfolio makes for impressive reading – it is a veritable who’s who list. To date the company has worked with mining heavyweights, Goldcorp, Vale,

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and Xstrata on a number of their projects, and others such as Penoles, Nevada Copper, Hecla Mining Company, AuRico Gold, PCS, Lundin as well as, Rio Tinto’s world-class Diavik diamond mine in the Arctic. The cultivation and development of relationships with such a client base has been hard-earned but is has given Cementation Canada access to the best projects on the market, something which is especially important at such a time as this when all of the mining sector continues to grapple with the mining downturn. Nurturing firstnation partnerships with clients such as Rio Tinto has been critical for the company. With regards to what the future offers, Roy is optimistic. Cementation Canada has taken the bold and yet sensible decision to steadily invest in the company over the downturn years and it is now well-placed to capitalise when the market inevitably picks up – the mining industry is a cyclical beast, after all, and many experts believe that the downturn is unlikely to continue for very much longer. “We’re anticipating growth in

the not too distant future and we’re looking at potential future acquisitions. Also, we’ll soon be setting up a new Cementation division in Salt Lake City, Utah – there are exciting times ahead,” Slack told us. He continued: “We’ve taken a conscious decision during the downturn to hire and develop our people rather than lay staff off. There is a lot of talent available and we have taken on engineering and support staff who will be invaluable when the upturn comes. We’ve also taken on big international projects with sister Cementation companies located in countries around the world, as well as on our own we’ve done work in Russia, China, Australia, Africa, Asia, and Europe – our local partnerships across the world give us access to these global markets. This is the benefit of being Cementation Canada, part of a global Cementation Group.” The message is clear: Cementation Canada is both ready and capable, in spite of the challenging market, and is perfectly poised to capitalise when the storm clouds break.

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Can you work through decline? The Workforce of Canadian Mining.

he past few years have been far from kind to the global mining sector, as economic volatility, declining commodity prices and a catastrophic lack of investor confidence have all combined to create a perfect storm which has decimated the mineral ecosystem. Canada’s own $54billion mining sector which, due to its size and scale, benefited hugely during the boom years, has suffered greatly at the hands of this crisis, which is unprecedented in its wretchedness, and long standing service providers, like IOS Services Geoscientifiques, are positioned to witnessed

the far reaching consequences of the slump. As the president of IOS said, “Less capitals were overall raised in 2015 by junior companies in Québec than our 2012 revenues!” “Everybody hopes we’re at the bottom of the trough, but we need to be realistic,” Rejean Girard, President of Quebecbased IOS Geoscientiques Inc, said quietly. “The whole industry is in a very, very difficult place now. Things have been challenging for a long time and still will be. We need to just stay calm and poised for opportunities to come.” As an industry veteran with over thirty years of experience, twenty-three of

which running one of Canada’s elite geological services firms, and with involvement in more than 1300 projects, Girard is experiencing his fourth industry downturn. And yet, despite the severity and doggedness of the present crisis, Rejean has been astounded by the resilience of the explorer against the situation, which has slowly strangled the mining world in recent years. Massive layoffs, expansion delays and the indefinite shelving of projects has become depressingly commonplace in recent times. But thus far, IOS’ reputation and standing in Quebec, coupled with its team’s aversion to making the panicked kneejerk CANADA

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continued, “keeping your skilled workforce is what will set you apart from the rest of the pack when the cycle turns and the industry starts to pick-up again. Hiring new workers does not instantly result in a coherent team; you have to build it through time, through tough times. At the onset of a rebound, it is too late! By losing our expertise, we are jeopardizing our industry as a whole in the medium to long-term.” “Companies invest humongous amounts of money in exploration projects, and typically less than 10% of the total budget goes into paying their professionals; the geologists and those people who are needed to make decision and turn the project into success. The rest is mostly swallowed up by drill rigs, labours, analytical and logistic costs. So when you try to save money on that 10% by swapping highly skilled and experienced guys for low-wage, less-trained people, you are at risk of seeing

the project derailed and in danger of losing the other 90% of your investment. I’ve seen this happen again and again and again. Whatever they say, mines are not found by sheer luck; you need experience as well. The mining industry is competing against other industries to access the best staff. If we do not treat them properly, they reorient their career, and it’s a net loss for the industry… But I agree, the question is complex.” This is perplexing stuff – doubly so, when you consider that the vastly higher machine costs are also the most elastic. Drilling cost has decreased by more than 50% in recent years, mostly by using experienced drillers who are simply efficient at work! Same logic should apply to the geologist, but it seems a quandary. An employee of a necessary calibre is the cornerstone to overall cost reduction, as Rejean reiterates. Cost saving comes from innovations and head-scratching, not through

undercutting workers. There are mechanisms available to spread the cost of manpower; they just need a more refined and innovative practice. So, what shall we do? Even a major recession as ruinous as this one can present great opportunities for those with sufficient vision to seize them – and the benefits of being ready for the next boom overshadow the risk currently taken. First, do not expect employees to be faithful if you are not faithful to them. Be benevolent of them and make sure they are both valued and appreciated. Secondly, have a contingency plan in place if projects dry up. For exploration companies, this means to have mining data, industry intelligence or compilation work always handy on the shelf. It does not cost much, and can be applicable as flow-through or exploration credits if properly managed. It provides you with both staffs and projects ready for the next ride. Sending staff to training programmes can also be hugely beneficial. For a service company as IOS, this means reorganising the scientific and technical staff into research projects: we are scientist after all! There is plenty of subsidies and leveraging for such. Just with the tax credits, 80% of the salaries can be covered. Your money will stretch much further. Additional to this is the plethora of programs, where you partnership with universities and government organizations. For sure, R&D is risky, it may not work, but if it is successful, you are in a quantum leap! For example, there is way to send your employees fully subsidized back to university for master or doctorate studies, where their research is in direct relation with your in-house research. Slow markets are beneficial in the sense they free the staff and the mind to conduct

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such product development. If you try such in boom-time, you are wasting precious resources which needs to be dedicated to profitable production. Furthermore, in Rejean’s view, “when you get into a recession whereof others divest their human resources - just seize their missed opportunity”. He continued: “In current time, it’s very easy to cherry pick top guys. Curiously, they are resilient and are less demanding than those of a lesser calibre can be. They know what they worth and they understand the industry. “It might be counterintuitive to invest in them, even if you are struggling to get work, but in two years, you will congratulate yourself!” In the last recessions, two generations of geologists were sacrificed. About 50% of the active geologists leave the industry after each recession. This as lead to a situation now where only few geologist with ten to twenty years of experience are left, and the industry is being populated with old timers dedicated to corporate work, and younger employees with insufficient experience. Experienced geologists, who still have the passion to do fieldwork, are precious and will be the cornerstones of the next boom. Rejean explains: “You’ll have then a severe shortage of the very skilled people - not for the labour, not for the guys running the trucks, but the project managers. To train an expert geologist takes about ten years, and it will be necessary to rebuild this expertise. As industry, we

shall capitalize on these guys. If we do nothing, they will exit the industry permanently, should the current cost-cutting policies continue.” The overarching problem when you sacrifice highly skilled geologists and engineers is that it is hard to entice them back into the inevitable instability of the mining industry. It goes without saying that this could impact heavily on the quality and capability of Canada’s world-renowned mining industry in the long-run. “When you’re young, you’re ready to travel, you take risks and can be mobile, but if you get a stable life for a few years then you build up your life accordingly. It is very difficult to then go back to working at the end of the world”, Rejean adds jokingly, “The wives learn what it’s like to have the geologists home.” In addition, he adds; “When you hire somebody, it takes about a year before they are efficient in your business, no matter how skilled they are beforehand, so to be ready in two years for the next boom, you need to invest now.” The simple, forward thinking view of longserving industry veterans, such as Rejean, is this: despite the challenging economic climate, now is the opportune moment for investment and retention. “Don’t be scared to spend money to maintain the right guys at work. You shouldn’t see them as an expense, but as an investment.” “An accounting system simply doesn’t show the true value of your investment in staff.” CANADA

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CALGARY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

Capacity and Communications Are Crucial

By: Sarah Loiuse Brooks

ibrant international airports are a vital resource and contributor to the economic climate of a country. Canadaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aviation sector is both competitive and efficient, and without it, the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business networks and social institutions would not function to their maximum potential. International airports create essential links to trade by connecting to new and thriving markets such as China, as well as providing many jobs directly from the airports themselves. Calgary International Airport (YYC), a vital contributor to the economy of Alberta, is an example of this. In February of this year, The Calgary Airport Authority, which manages and operates YYC, received recognition for the seventh time as one of the top employers in Alberta. The award recognizes workplaces that create a vibrant and rewarding working environment. This shows how the Authority employees are proud of the unique place in which they work and how they contribute to the Calgary and Alberta communities.

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the economic development This contribution is evident in prospect for the city and we want the economic footprint of the airport, which is $8.3 billion a year to make sure the region is set up in terms of GDP. Subsequently, this for continued growth.’ Economic prosperity has supports 48,000 jobs in the region. community benefits. YYC is There are 24,000 people working not only beneficial to the local directly on airport lands, as well economy, but also rewarding to as approximately 12,000 people those it employs locally. ‘Nothing employed inside the terminal building itself. Mr. Stephan Poirier, is completed without people; if you don’t have great people the Senior Vice President and then you don’t have a company Chief Commercial Officer of The and being a top employer is a Calgary Airport Authority, points priority for us’, explains Poirier. The out that airports are not simply Authority offers various benefits nice things for a city to have, they E NDEAVOUR in order to attract the best people. are a necessity: ‘If we do not build Examples of these incentives for future capacity, we are stifling

include ongoing opportunities for professional development, a one-year orientation program, as well as purposeful student work opportunities and peer-to-peer recognition programmes; demonstrating a clear commitment to its staff. Mr. Poirier depicts pride in his staff: ‘Training and developing people, in not only their personal desires but additionally in a variety of skills is extremely valuable to the company in the long run and as it ensures that we have the best talent for our team.’ As well as developing staff, the CANADA

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into the terminal’s construction were sourced regionally. This evidences how financially beneficial the project has been to the surrounding communities. Finally, not only is the new International Terminal economically beneficial for the local communities, it also incorporates a range of sustainable features. The new terminal is a green building, with 660 km of in-floor radiant heating tubing, including co-generation power that will generate electricity and heat, saving 4,900 tons of CO2 each year. Stephan Poirier elaborates further on an additional environmentally friendly inclusion within the new terminal: rainwater for low-flow plumbing fixtures. He explains: ‘The new terminal will harvest 500,000 litres of rainwater, about a third of what is needed to operate the terminal in terms of flushing toilets, etc. We will be

using this as opposed to water from the municipal supply system. By storing and recycling the rainwater falling onto the roofs in tanks, we are helping to reduce the carbon footprint of the airport.’ In addition to having an environmental edge to its competition, Calgary International Airport also boasts a large cargo capacity. Not only were passenger volume records set in 2015, with 15.48 million passengers, but the cargo volumes passing through the airport amounted to 134,695 tonnes. Expanding the airport’s cargo capabilities is also planned for this year. Further substantial expansion plans this year also include the introduction of a non-stop scheduled passenger service, connecting YYC with Beijing, China beginning June 30, 2016. Calgary International Airport is focused on maintaining its growth in a sustainable

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manner. Stephan Poirier adds: ‘If you expand too fast by adding too many seats, the market cannot sustain it. We are conscious of this, therefore we focus on ensuring all of our routes are very successful.’ To conclude, with a focus on connectivity and reacting to the demand for increased capacity at the airport in regards to both terminal size and cargo capacity. Mr Poirier finalises: ‘We are growing strategically, focusing on business on the connecting traffic. By providing proper infrastructure for the airlines to operate, we are providing the platform in which traffic connectivity is simple and convenient.’ With continual focus on growth and development and partner and passenger satisfaction, The Calgary Airport Authority is doing all it can to ensure that 2016 is another successful year for Calgary International Airport.

AIRPORT ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION AIRPORT ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION NEW CONSTRUCTION TO REHABILITATION NEW CONSTRUCTION TO REHABILITATION Tristar’s broad experience in helping to ensure the safety of some of Canada’s busiest airports has earned it a solid Tristar’s broad experience in helping to ensure safety of some of Canada’s busiest earned it a solid reputation for success across the entire airport the lighting segment—from runways and airports taxiways,has to aprons, reputation for success across the entire airport lighting segment—from runways and taxiways, to aprons, high‐mast lighting and approach systems. high‐mast and approach systems. Regardlesslighting of project size, scope, or urgency, Tristar’s dedication to value, quality, efficiency and safety remain steadfast. Regardless of project size, scope, or to value, quality, efficiency and safety remain steadfast. Take a look at the porfolio of Tristar’surgency, work—itTristar’s speaksdedication volumes about its experience, capabilities and commitment. Take a look at the porfolio of Tristar’s work—it speaks volumes about its experience, capabilities and commitment.

THE CONVENIENCE OF A TRUSTED SINGLE-SOURCE PROVIDER - VALUE-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS THE CONVENIENCE OF A TRUSTED SINGLE-SOURCE PROVIDER - VALUE-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS The most complex construction and infrastructure development The mostbegin complex and infrastructure development projects withconstruction one simple acton: listening. Tristar delivers projects begin with one simple acton: listening. Tristar delivers measurable, bottom‐line value by first gaining a thorough measurable, bottom‐line value by first gaining aonly thorough understanding of clients’ needs and objectves; then does understanding of clients’ needs and objectves; only then does work begin to start crafting a soluton designed to exceed work begin toatstart crafting to exceed expectations every stage.aTosoluton ensuredesigned high customer satsfaction, expectations at every stage. To ensure high customer Tristar principals oversee each project, regardlesssatsfaction, of size. The Tristar principals oversee each project, regardless size. The systems and procedures used were developed for of quality systems and procedures developed for quality assurance and guaranteeused that were clients receive end assurance and guarantee that clients receive end products of the highest standard. products of become the highest standard. that a pilot can Literally fly Aircraft have so sophisticated Aircraft have become so sophisticated a pilotthe can Literally fly blind in the most appalling conditions.that But even most blind in the most Butwhen evenhe thedrops mostthrough experienced pilotappalling breathes aconditions. sigh of relief experienced pilot breathes a sigh of relief when he drops through the cloud cover and catches the welcoming sight of the airfield the cloud cover and catches the welcoming sight the airfield lights in the distance. And if that pilot is flying intoofToronto – lights in the distance. And if that pilotnumber is flyingofinto Toronto Pearson International Airport or any other major– Pearson Airport or any number other major CanadianInternational airports, there is a good chance thatofthe lights he sees Canadian airports, thereElectric. is a good chance that the lights he sees were installed by Tristar were installed by Tristar Electric.

TRISTAR ELECTRIC INC.

ENDEAVOUR TRISTAR ELECTRIC INC.#1, 6068 Netherhart Road, Unit

6068 Netherhart Road,L5T Unit1N3 #1, Mississauga, Ontario. Ontario. L5T 1N3 tel:Mississauga, 905.670.1642 fax: 905.670.1932 tel:E‐mail: 905.670.1642 fax: 905.670.1932 info@tristarelectric.ca E‐mail: info@tristarelectric.ca

CANADA

C A LG A RY I N T E R N AT I O N A L A I R P O R T

most significant new investment for Calgary International Airport is the construction of a new terminal. The new international terminal is due to be completed by fall of this year and according to Mr Poirier, ‘everything is running to schedule’. The new terminal will add approximately two million square ft. to YYC and will include 24 new aircraft gates for both U.S. and International destinations. With over 10.2 million hours worked by construction organizations on the new terminal, some of the most recent milestones reached include the completion of 20 out of the 25 of the passenger boarding bridges, as well as the new baggage handling system being completed and into the stage of testing the facility. With the project nearing completion, Mr Stephan Poirier explains the difficulties with the final touches: ‘Many meetings are conducted in the final stages as the small details are of equal importance to us. Various activities are ongoing at the end of a project such as this one and coordination is essential to ensure we are managing well.’ The most significant economic impacts of the new terminal concern expansion, in regard to both connection and capacity. YYC is Alberta’s aviation hub of choice, doubling in both structural size and passenger volumes over the last 20 years. In 2015 it welcomed 15.48 million passengers and in order to meet the increase in demand, this $2 billion expansion is the largest in the company’s history. The new terminal is not only significant in terms of investment size, but additionally, it includes innovative systems, designed

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to give the best customer experience possible to the passengers. These include a new Connections Corridor and connections processes, as well as a new gate system, which will mirror the modern process already in practice in airports such as Heathrow, London. In regards to the logistics of passenger experience, the gate announcement will be made in the central departures hall, which is surrounded by retail outlets, allowing passengers to relax before moving to the gate to board their plane. Mr Poirier explains there are two important advantages from this systems implementation: ‘This process increases passenger satisfaction, as you are able to enjoy the offerings of the central departures area, with additional comfort and retail opportunities. Secondly, it will increase operational flexibility, as for example in busy periods, this process eliminates the changing of gates throughout the boarding process.’ In the central departure areas of the new terminal, the local community have an important involvement. The YYC expansion programme reached out to local concessions, the food and beverage operators, and upon the opening of the terminal, there will be a great mix of local operators as well as international players in terms of the food and beverage choice available to customers. Stephan Poirier noted: ‘There is a big footprint for local vendors inside the terminal to provide a taste of who we are and what we do.’ Equally, the local community has also participated in the construction of the terminal itself in terms of the sourcing of raw materials. Wherever possible, the construction materials that went

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ENDEAVOUR CANADA

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Williams Form Hardware and Rockbolt (Canada) Ltd. has been a leader in manufacturing quality products for the construction and fastener industries for over 50 years. We have been the supply leader in hundreds of projects from transmission lines, wind foundations and hydroelectric Coast to Coast. We provide our product line complete with engineering, installation and testing equipment with on site technical support available. Contact one of our technical consultants for more information.

670 Industrial Road London, Ontario N5V 1V1 Phone: 1519-659-9444 |Toll Free: 1-800-265-3322

www.williamsform.com

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