Sean Penn was named CEO of Chandos Construction in 2024. He started as a carpenter and rose through the ranks, showing what is possible for careers in the industry.
08 Feature Project
411 Railway is an innovative mixed-use development in Vancouver’s historic Railtown. Etro Construction successfully delivered this complex project, earning two VRCA Silver Awards and a Gold Award.
Industry Focus
11 Open Shop
Construction Business is Strong 50 Years of Construction Success Building Stronger Futures in Open Shop
15 Skills Training
Tackling Skilled Labour Challenges
Paving the Road to the Future
Improving Skilled Trades Career Awareness
18 Wood
Mass Timber Project Delivery
Expanded Options for Wood Construction Key Lessons in Moisture
Cover Photo
411 Railway is an award winning mixed-use development in Vancouver.
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Photo: Ema Peter
A significant project that recently completed was the new $39 million Canfor Leisure pool in Prince George. The city is also seeing strong residential development, which has increased significantly over the last few years. Earlier this year, the city reported 2022 saw record-high building permit values at a little over a quarter of a billion dollars.
“In Prince George, we don’t have as many capital projects but residential is very busy,” says Bryant.
The NRCA represents 211 members including general and trade contracting companies, manufacturers, suppliers and professional service providers.
The association covers the largest geographical region in B.C., spanning from Williams Lake to the Yukon border and from the Alberta border to the West Coast.
MWhen Scott Bone announced his retirement in 2022, he encouraged Bryant to put her hat in the ring. He was at the helm of the association as CEO for seven years.
Labour Shortage Challenge
“Given my combined knowledge of business development and the construction world, I thought the position was a good fit,” says Bryant, who just completed her bachelor’s degree in marketing at UNBC in April and is now working on a post-graduate certificate in non-profit management at SFU.
While Bryant juggles a range of industry priorities, the issue of prompt payment is a major focus for the association.
demand grows. The situation is particularly acute in northern B.C. with the large number of major projects and small population.
Labour reports indicate B.C. will be short 23,000 skilled workers by 2029.
“ Our focus is filling that labour shortage and helping our members become employee of choice so that we can attract more people to the construction industry,” says Bryant.
y daughter graduated from high school this past June and as each student walked across the stage, their future plans were announced. While the majority of the plans were for postsecondary education, there were a number of students pursuing a trade certification — an electrician, an auto mechanic and more.
“ We are a staff of three and being a small team, we have to work twice as hard to pull off what we need to do to serve our members,” says Bryant, who knows the region well.
Born and raised in Prince George, Bryant was exposed to the construction industry at an early age through her grandfather. He had an electrical contracting company called Bryant Electric which he founded in 1960.
“I grew up in the industry and was involved in estimating and project management in both construction and manufacturing,” she says.
This was a pleasant surprise to hear, given the huge labour shortage challenge the construction industry is facing. Raising awareness and attracting the next generation is critical to fill the growing gap with not enough new bodies and impending retirements.
In this issue, we focus on the skilled labour shortage with many in the industry stressing more needs to be done to showcase the career
Before joining NRCA, Bryant was an account executive at Bell Mobility. She knew many of the NRCA members by offering services and education through an affinity partnership with the association.
“One of the top priorities province-wide is prompt payment,” she says. “It’s an important piece of legislation that’s been tabled time and time again. We are working to push that boulder uphill to see if we can get the attention of the provincial government. Construction is one of those industries where it can take up to 120 plus days to get paid. It’s time that changes.”
opportunities available in construction. Overcoming a culture where university education is still valued over working with one’s hands is a major barrier that requires a stronger collaborative effort by all stakeholders from governments to industry leaders.
For our profile, Chandos Construction CEO Sean Penn is a great example of what is possible once you enter the construction industry. He started as a carpenter and now leads one of the top contracting companies in Canada. Read how the company continues to innovate to successfully deliver projects.
Procurement practices are another area of concern where the construction industry continues to call for accountability, transparency and fairness.
“Contractors are bidding on prices good for seven days and the tender doesn’t get decided on for nine days so by the time the contract is awarded, those prices are out of date. That’s how volatile it is,” says Bryant.
A very special project graces our cover — 411 Railway in Vancouver. Etro Construction had to execute several high quality elements for this innovative mixed-use build -
Of course, labour shortage remains a pressing challenge and will increase in severity as project
ing, which earned them double VRCA Silver Awards and a Gold Award for this project.
The association launched its Women in Construction committee last year to address barriers that prevent women from getting into and staying in the construction industry. One of the initiatives was to host a construction camp last summer to provide young women with practical hands-on skills and other training.
Finally, in our annual open shop feature, read about the positive outlook for construction business and how ICBA is celebrating 50 years in 2025. From its humble beginnings, the organization has become a leading voice in the industry.
“ We conducted a high school youth building program where women came together to build a shed — planning, project management and construction,” says Bryant. “We will auction the shed at the awards gala. It’s an opportunity for them to take pride in the project.”
As the number of industry veterans hang up their hardhats over the next decade, recruitment and retention of skilled tradespeople from all underrepresented groups will be critical.
Cheryl Mah Managing Editor
“ We need to really empower our equityseeking groups, who are actively involved in construction or who want to be involved in construction, to see that it is a career choice. It’s not a boys’ club anymore. We’re looking at an equal and open environment,” says Bryant.
COLLABORATING FOR SUCCESS
BY CHERYL MAH
Chandos Construction CEO Sean Penn is a great example of the career opportunities available in the industry. He has spent most of his 30-year career at Chandos, starting as a carpenter and moving his way up the ranks until he was named CEO in 2024
“Hard work, perseverance, good timing can get you anywhere in this world,” he says. We’ve grown a lot of people internally through to senior roles within the organization and I am fortunate to be one of them.”
At a time when construction is struggling with a labour shortage, having good people has never been more important.
“You can’t grow without your people. People are the core of success,” says Penn. “I’m most proud of working with all our amazing people and helping them grow and develop their careers. If I’m doing my job right, when the next generation takes over, they will do even better.”
Growing up in Saskatoon, Penn always knew at an early age he wanted to be in the construction industry.
“I grew up working on my grandfather’s farm and was always around construction and building things so construction was my first choice,” says Penn, who attended Northern Alberta Institute of Technology and is a certified journeyman carpenter. He also obtained a project management degree from Stanford.
Canadian Canoe Museum
After a short stint with a small local company, he moved to Alberta where he joined Chandos’ Edmonton office.
“I joined Chandos Construction when I was 18 and completed my apprenticeship with them,” recalls Penn, who was then promoted to superintendent, vice president of operations and managing director. He served as COO for six years before being named CEO.
As the new CEO, he plans to guide the organization through its next chapter of growth.
“It’s an exciting time to be at Chandos. We’re going through a large growth cycle and my focus is on our next strategies as we continue to grow,” says Penn, who works with a leadership team who manages the day-to-day operations.
What started as a company with a single office in 1980 has expanded across Canada to eight locations (Calgary, Edmonton, Red Deer, Kelowna, Vancouver, Ottawa, Toronto and Chalk River). Chandos is 100 per cent employee owned with more than 700 field and office staff.
In addition to their strength in construction management, they take pride in being a leader in integrated project delivery (IPD), lean construction, sustainability and virtual design and construction.
In 2016, they became the first and largest B Corp Certified commercial builder in North America and remain one of only a few who hold this certification in the Canadian construction sector.
As the company has grown, so has the scale and complexity of its projects. Chandos undertakes a diverse range of projects from civil and new builds to renovations and special projects with annual construction volume in excess of $700 million. Projects include social and senior housing, postsecondary education, wastewater treatment plants, schools, fire halls and nuclear facilities.
“It’s quite busy and we’ve seen significant growth this year,” says Penn. “Demand has been fairly consistent in every market and we expect a strong 2025.”
Some current highlight projects include the Child and Family Centre for the Children’s Cottage Society in Calgary; University of Victoria’s National Centre for Indigenous Laws; and the Canadian Canoe Museum.
Construction of the 65,000 square foot Canadian Canoe Museum, which houses the world’s largest collection of canoes, required meeting highly complex and technical standards.
“ The museum had a number of unique challenges and we are proud of the work we did,” says Penn. “For the Children’s Cottage Society centre, we not only built an important community building but our team also raised $102,000 for the society at our first skeet shooting event.”
The National Centre for Indigenous Laws is the first-of-its-kind in Canada and showcases leading sustainable practices. Targeting LEED Gold certification, the project utilizes various sustainability approaches including mass timber, electric heat pumps, below slab HVAC and solar orientation.
Delivering projects successfully for Chandos means a high focus on being a leading technical builder that is committed to innovation, collaboration and sustainability.
Building Information Modeling (BIM) and virtual design and construction are used on the majority of projects, while 4D scheduling has helped the company to streamline construction processes and reduce costs.
As a socially conscious company, Chandos is engaged in social procurement to ensure the selection of low-carbon building materials and that products are ethically made.
“Delivering complicated projects in this changing environment is not easy. Collaborating with clients, communities and partners drives our success. Our goal is to be a leader in many areas - sustainability, technology, prefab, health and safety. Innovation is a core value throughout our organization,” says Penn.
Innovation was especially critical during the COVID outbreak, which required improved efficiencies across the industry to address the sud-
den changes and disruption brought on by the pandemic.
“ The amount of innovation we saw during COVID was incredible,” says Penn, who travelled across the country visiting different sites during that time to connect with teams. “We are still dealing with supply chain issues today. Cost escalation has gotten better, but construction costs aren’t coming down.”
To stay ahead of the labour challenge, Chandos has a strong internal apprenticeship program, believes in inclusive hiring and works with a number of organizations like Momentum in Calgary, Building UP in Toronto and EMBERS in Vancouver.
“ We dedicate a lot of resources to training and hiring apprentices. Our commitment to being innovators plays an important role in our recruitment and retention strategy,” says Penn.
Top: Child and Family Centre for the Children’s Cottage Society in Calgary
Bottom: University of Victoria’s National Centre for Indigenous Laws
A HIGH QUALITY JOB
BY CHERYL MAH
OOnce in a while, a project comes along that is special and stands out for a number of reasons. For Etro Construction, that project was 411 Railway, located in the historic Railtown neighbourhood of Vancouver.
“It was one of those really special projects where all the stars align and it works out,” says Mike Maierle, principal of Etro Construction. “Quality was the number one goal on the project and we achieved it.”
Completed in 2022, the mixed-use building rises six storeys with three levels of underground parking comprising nearly 112,000 square feet of restaurant, manufacturing, retail and office spaces. 411 Railway is one of the first buildings in Vancouver to adopt the recent I-4 District Schedule (Historic Industrial District), allowing the site to be used for creative products manufacturing.
The building is a part of a transformation of the area (old warehouses and factories) into a creative industrial hub for artistic studios, furniture shops, fashion, restaurants and more.
Designed by OMB (Office of Mcfarlane Biggar Architects + Designers) , 411 Railway is an impressive combination of wood and concrete that reflects the historic feel of industrial Railtown, while incorporating a modern, West Coast aesthetic. A highlight is the rooftop, where two communal terraces offer breathtaking views of the harbour and North Shore. It also provides additional space to the ground-floor restaurant for their own urban agriculture.
Prioritizing resilience and flexibility, the unique floor plan includes two core concrete structures, comprised of post-tensioned concrete slabs on concrete columns and walls. They are connected by five dramatic mass timber bridges, designed to allow for the seismic movement of the building. The glulam wood bridges, some weighing more than 10,000 lbs, criss-cross a central atrium which serves as a social hub connection for tenants.
Offsite prefabrication was key to achieving the wood bridges on time because of COVID challenges with shipping and material delays. It reduced the timeline from months to just two days.
“ We had to pivot quickly. We wound up building everything offsite and flying them in as fully fabricated units with service and piping. It was
Top: Five mass timber bridges connect the two concrete structures.
Bottom: Etro also undertook the complete fit-out of Aritzia’s head office which spans across four floors in the building.
our first foray into offsite manufacturing and first mass timber element,” says Maierle, noting prefabrication required extensive VDC coordination and BIM modelling.
Meticulous attention to detail was critical on this project, particularly in the selection and application of the high-quality concrete finish. Extensive mock-ups and test pours were conducted by
Etro and R-Four Contracting to evaluate various methods of concrete forming and placing in order to achieve the owner’s desired aesthetic.
Concise shop drawings for vertical and horizontal formwork were used to ensure strategically placed sheet lines and joints between forms.
“Meeting the concrete expectations and executing the level of finish was definitely the main chal-
Maierle credits their lengthy preconstruction services for successfully planning the envelope details to make sure everything “fit perfectly and seamlessly.”
lenge, requiring a significant amount of time and effort. Schedule sequencing was very difficult because of the architectural concrete,” says Maierle. “I think this is some of the best architectural concrete that this city has seen.”
Another challenge was the high-performance triple glazed building envelope. The custom unitized curtain wall system includes double and triple glazed units to mitigate solar heat gain and to meet the stringent energy performance requirements.
Maierle credits their lengthy preconstruction services for successfully planning the envelope details to make sure everything “fit perfectly and seamlessly.”
A collaborative approach with major subcontractors ensured a design that was attractive to the trades and could be built according to schedule and budget..
After completing 411 Railway, Etro also undertook the complete fit-out of Aritzia’s head office which spans across four floors in the building. The 61,820 square feet of space accommodates the growing Aritzia team for their second support office in the community.
The head office includes open concept office spaces, collaborative meeting rooms, four staff kitchens, a cafe, and a pilates studio on level 1. The fit-out project boasts extremely high-end exposed concrete, millwork, stone, and architectural finishes.
Challenges on the 11-month project included frequent design changes, working in an occupied building, and management and coordination of the owner’s subs. Many of the high-end finishes were sourced internationally, including marble from Aritzia’s quarry in Italy, as well as glazing system and crew from Italy.
The end result is a beautifully executed, specialty office interiors project representative of Aritzia’s high end reputation.
“ The design was highly detailed with super highend finishes and we had to source products from around the world. We had minimal deficiencies and the client was very happy with the result,” says Maierle.
For their efforts, Etro Construction won two 2024 Silver VRCA Awards for this project and a Gold Award in the General Contractors — $20 Million to $100 Million category.
“It’s fantastic that the industry is seeing us as a leader,” says Maierle about the awards. “It’s a reflection of the team that we’ve built here...without the exceptional people who work here, projects like this cannot be executed.”
The project also earned a 2023 AFBC Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Award and was nominated for an international concrete award.
“ This project had a fantastic design, a strong team and an amazing owner — Niels Bendtsen — who was engaged in the entire process,” says Maierle. “We built great relationships and a beautiful building that showcases how we excel in complex and unique work.”
Construction Business is Strong
BY JOCK FINLAYSON
The Canadian economy has been on a roller-coaster ride. After the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the economy rebounded in 2022 as the easing of pandemic-related restrictions, rock-bottom interest rates, and unprecedented government fiscal stimulus turbo-charged spending sparked a frenzy in many urban real estate markets. Unfortunately, the economic revival was accompanied by a dramatic surge in inflation, which hit 3.8 per cent in 2021 before reaching a four-decade high of 6.8 per cent the following year. This set the stage for the Bank of Canada — committed to keeping inflation in the vicinity of 2 per cent — to start cranking up interest rates in March 2022, with the monetary policy tightening process continuing for the rest of the year and throughout 2023.
The central bank’s plan worked: inflation fell as economic growth slumped in 2023-24, along with most categories of private sector investment. This occurred even as Canada’s population skyrocketed at a near-record pace over the last three years. Measured on a population-adjusted basis, Canada experienced a “per person” recession in 2023 — a trend that has persisted into 2024.
All provinces have been affected by the unusual post-COVID business cycle, which has featured strong immigration-fueled population growth, escalating interest rates and borrowing costs, record levels of household debt, subdued consumer spending, and a downturn in real estate activity.
After stripping out inflation, B.C.’s economy expanded by a tepid 1.6 per cent in 2023, with even weaker growth unfolding in 2024. Alberta also saw a marked decline in growth last year. However, Alberta is doing better than other provinces on most economic indicators, thanks in part to high levels of in-migration (the “Alberta is calling” campaign is working) and rising output and exports of crude oil following the completion of pipeline expansion projects and the coming-on-stream of new oil sands operations.
While the Canadian economy has cooled significantly, the job market was slow to get the memo. Most labour market indicators have weakened in 2024. Yet some industries — including construction — are still reporting challenges finding and retaining talent, notwithstanding a softening overall job market. The unemployment rate is now rising, and job vacancy rates are falling across the country. Moreover, in some regions — most strikingly, B.C. — the bulk of net new job creation over the last two years has been concentrated in the government sector, with a majority of private sector industries trailing a fast-expanding public sector in growing payroll counts.
Looking to 2025, ICBA Economics anticipates slightly better economic conditions, mainly due
to lower interest rates — which are expected to remain on a downward track through next year.
Canada should see real GDP growth of 1.5-2.0 per cent in 2025, up from a little over 1 per cent in both 2023 and 2024. B.C. will roughly match the national average in both GDP and job growth, after a very sluggish 2024. Alberta is likely to put in the strongest economic performance among the larger provinces, continuing the pattern established over 2023-24.
EYE ON CONSTRUCTION
Representing 7.4 per cent of Canada’s GDP and providing some 1.6 million jobs, construction is unusually exposed to the ups and downs of the economic cycle. The industry has felt the effects of Canada’s economic slowdown over 2023-24, particularly the residential sub-sector. But the industry is poised for better times.
ICBA Economics has an optimistic outlook for the sector over the medium-term, for four reasons.
The first is demographics. Since 2020, Canada has had the fastest growing population among all advanced economies, due to record immigration. While the federal government plans to modestly dial back its near-term immigration targets, Canada will continue to lead peer jurisdictions in the number of newcomers admitted as a share of
the population. That will have a positive impact on construction demand.
A second factor is the nation-wide housing shortage and the current policy focus on boosting housing supply. This should translate into a higher level of annual housing starts going forward.
A third factor is the broader public “infrastructure deficit,” amounting to hundreds of billions of dollars that will need to be allocated to building and refurbishing roads, bridges, public transit systems, municipal water and sewage systems, and much else besides. Many segments of the Canadian construction industry will benefit from increased infrastructure spending.
A final factor is additional construction demand stemming from the “green transition” sought by many policymakers. This will necessitate unprecedented investments to expand electricity generation and transmission systems together with vast sums for de-carbonizing existing industrial activity and reducing the carbon footprint of the built environment.
Add it all up, and the next decade should be a good one for the construction industry.
Jock Finlayson is chief economist at the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association. Follow his work at www.icba.ca/economics
50 Years of Construction Success
BY JORDAN BATEMAN
On Saturday morning, April 26, 1975, 163 independent contractors gathered at the Terra Nova Motor Inn in Trail, B.C. It was a historic moment for the construction industry, as these contractors and family business owners came together to fight against government policies that were shutting them out of public projects.
Among the speakers was Phil Gaglardi, legendary former B.C. cabinet minister and Pentecostal preacher, who told the crowd: “This is the start of one of the most powerful organizations ever to be organized in the Province of British Columbia.”
Flyin’ Phil was prescient, as usual. Fifty years later, the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA) is the largest construction association
in Canada, with more than 4,000 members and clients. It is the single-largest sponsor of trades apprentices in B.C., with nearly 2,500, offers an award-winning mental health program, and its group benefit plans are relied on by more than 170,000 Canadians.
As ICBA prepares to celebrate its 50th anniversary, its journey from that humble gathering in Trail to becoming a leading force in the industry is a testament to the power of advocacy, resilience, and a commitment to free enterprise.
THE FIGHT BEGINS: A CALL TO ACTION
ICBA’s origins trace back to the early 1970s, when the Dave Barrett NDP government introduced the Public Works Fair Employment Act. This legislation required all government construction contracts go exclusively to Building Trades-unionized companies, excluding hundreds of family-owned companies from even bidding on government work.
Led by figures like ICBA’s founding chairman Elmer Verigin, a delegation of contractors met with NDP Minister of Labour Bill King to plead their case. They represented the majority of the workforce, yet were locked out of government work because they weren’t affiliated with one of the building trade unions. King’s suggestion to their concerns? “You guys should organize.”
By April 1975, they had. ICBA was formally launched, and the fight for fairness in the construction industry had begun.
PROGRESS THROUGH ADVOCACY: A CONSTANT BATTLE
ICBA’s early years were focused on challenging the union-only bidding system that gave a small segment of the construction workforce a monopoly on government projects — work that was funded by tax dollars. The task wasn’t easy, but the association quickly gained momentum. Through strong leadership, relentless advocacy, a growing membership, and outstanding work by non-union builders, ICBA began to break the stranglehold the Building Trades had on public construction contracts.
From 1986 to 1991, and then 2001 to 2017, any company could bid on government work, and be judged fairly on their ability to do the work. But like a stubborn pebble in a shoe, the NDP continued to sole-source work to its Building Trades union supporters whenever they were in power. And now, 50 years after ICBA was founded, that same expensive and outdated monopoly has been entrenched by another NDP government.
In 2017, the NDP turned back the clock and reintroduced union-only bidding requirements under the name “Community Benefits Agreements” (CBAs). These agreements force workers on cer-
First open shop conference.
tain government projects to join one of a select group of NDP-affiliated Building Trades Unions, effectively sidelining 85 per cent of construction professionals in B.C., who work for companies that are open shop, or use employee associations or progressive union.
The cost to taxpayers is immense. Research shows that CBAs drive up construction costs by as much as one-third, adding hundreds of millions to major infrastructure projects. Worse yet, these agreements take away worker choice and restrict competition — values ICBA has fought to defend for 50 years.
A LEGACY OF LEADERSHIP AND SUCCESS
Despite these ongoing challenges, ICBA has become one of the most influential organizations in the construction industry, more than tripling in membership, apprentices and benefits clients since 2017, and featuring a staff of 60 people. By staff, balance sheet, services and members, ICBA is the largest construction association in the country.
At its core, ICBA has remained true to the principles that led to its founding in 1975: promoting free enterprise, defending worker choice, and ensuring a level playing field for all contractors, regardless of their union status. The association’s role as a leading voice for open shop construction has never been more critical.
LOOKING AHEAD: THE ROAD TO THE FUTURE
The reintroduction of union-only bidding through CBAs has reinforced the need for continued vigilance in the fight for fair competition and worker rights. Yet, the association’s success over the past five decades is a powerful reminder that progress is possible.
“Our mission is to ensure that every contractor and every worker has the freedom to operate in a fair and open market,” says Chris Gardner, ICBA president. “We’ve come a long way since that meeting in Trail, but there’s still much work to be done.”
The construction industry makes up 10 per cent of B.C.’s economy, building the infrastructure that drives growth and prosperity. ICBA’s members build the roads, schools, hospitals, and housing that communities depend on. As Gardner says, “Our members don’t just build projects—they create the future of British Columbia.”
Jordan Bateman is vice president of communications at ICBA.
Top: Newspaper clipping from 1984 showing Kerkhoff
Building Stronger Futures in Open Shop
Anyone who has ever built something — whether it’s a complex skyscraper downtown or a nightstand from IKEA — knows that navigating through someone else’s plans and vision of how something should be done can be challenging.
Building skills and capacity in the construction industry is no different. Government has layered an incredible amount of red tape and complexity onto a task that should be relatively simple: attracting more people to the trades and equipping them with what they need to be safe and successful.
Enter the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA) Apprenticeship Program, designed to bridge the gap between apprentices, employers and SkilledTradesBC, providing support, expertise and guidance to everyone involved in a worker’s journey to a Red Seal designation.
The ICBA Apprenticeship Program offers opportunities for people looking to start, or formalize, their careers in construction. Our model is working: with more than 2,100 apprentices currently under ICBA sponsorship, ICBA is not only the largest single sponsor of apprentices in British Columbia, but also the single largest sponsor of both female and Indigenous apprentices.
Employers are critical to this process, as they
provide on-the-job training and mentorship to apprentices, while ICBA handles the administration involved. In short: ICBA does the tedious and complicated government paperwork, while the open shop construction professionals teach the next generation the skills they need to do the work.
The program is free for ICBA members, and apprentices with companies who participate in ICBA’s industry-leading group health benefits programs are eligible for generous bursaries. Every year, ICBA awards nearly $200,000 in bursaries to workers seeking their Red Seals.
Graduates who are certified under the ICBA Apprenticeship Program are celebrated at the beginning of each year at ICBA’s annual Red Seal celebration dinner. ICBA brings together the former apprentices, their employers, and other industry professionals to recognize their achievement with dinner, speeches, and an onstage presentation of their Red Seal certificates, to recognize this outstanding achievement. It’s the largest “graduation” ceremony in B.C. for new journeypeople, and a wonderful opportunity for families and friends to celebrate their graduate’s accomplishment.
ICBA is committed to fostering diversity and inclusion within the construction industry, and actively encourages participation from
underrepresented groups, including women, Indigenous peoples, and newcomers to Canada. By creating a welcoming and supportive environment, the program helps to break down barriers and provides opportunities for individuals who may not have traditionally considered a career in the trades.
This commitment to diversity is reflected in ICBA’s outreach efforts, which include partnerships with community organizations, schools, and other stakeholders to promote the trades as a viable and rewarding career option for all.
The industry desperately needs those new workers. A recent Desjardins Economics report notes that one of every five Canadian construction professionals is over the age of 55. In fact, there are twice as many workers over 55 than under age 24.
Construction has several clear pathways to a rewarding and stable career, complete with opportunities for advancement and personal growth, no matter the trade. ICBA connects people looking for work with B.C. companies hiring through its Employment Network.
In addition to apprenticeship support, ICBA offers the largest industry professional development program in Western Canada with more than 900 courses on the calendar each year and nearly 6,000 people trained annually. This continual training ensures workers don’t fall behind, keeping them current with safety tickets, technical changes, code updates, leadership skills and more.
The courses are quality assured and audited on a regular basis to ensure participants always receive the best training possible. In addition, many of ICBA’s courses come with CCA Gold Seal and BC Housing CPD credits.
For contractors in the painting industry, ICBA’s Painter and Decorator Interprovincial Red Seal Exam preparation course has been a huge success. The 14-week program allows participants to work through the content for level 1, 2 and 3 with online courses, virtual classroom sessions, video demonstrations, and live labs. ICBA has successfully run five cohorts thus far and the vast majority of the students are now Red Seal certified.
Workers do not need to take time off for the program as it takes place in the evenings. With only one school in the province currently offering the technical training necessary to become a Red Seal Painter and Decorator, ICBA is helping its members, and their experienced workers achieve their journeyperson certification through a different channel. Other Red Seal trades challenge courses are in the works.
ICBA continues to work with the open shop construction industry to recruit and develop the workers we rely on to build the communities and infrastructure B.C. relies on.
Tackling Skilled Labour Challenges
BY CHERYL MAH
Demand for skilled labour continues to be a pressing issue across the construction industry. While solutions have been identified, barriers remain.
The industry is grappling with an aging workforce, a negative image, lack of diversity and immigration hurdles. A lot of progress has been made to tackle the labour shortage over the years, but there’s still a long way to go.
Many of these issues and what needs to be done were discussed by a panel of industry experts during a webinar on the skilled labour deficit.
The general consensus was that the industry is not doing a good enough job of selling the potential for rewarding careers in construction.
“There’s an onus on us to sell the business. Somewhere along the way, the industry forgot to sell this as a viable career path to people in primary and secondary schools,” said Myke Badry, vice president and district manager at PCL Construction. “There is a general lack of awareness of what is a construction career.”
VRCA president Jeannine Martin suggested the industry needs a rebrand. “We need to bring sexy back to construction. We need to bring attention back on the industry as a viable career. There are so many different paths — from the office to the field.”
Increasing education and funding programs in schools to raise awareness and expose young people
to construction is key, according to Bill Ferreira, executive director, Buildforce Canada. “Most young people have no idea how to join this industry. We need to do better about educating them about the pathway.”
Both the industry and all levels of government need to collaborate and provide more support for young people to join the construction sector.
Unless someone knows other people already in construction, there is a lack of awareness and interest.
Addressing the skills shortage needs a more holistic approach where everyone is on the same page, according to Barry Murphy, director of business development at EllisDon.
“If we’re all doing our own things...we’re not going to win. We’re not going to get where we need to be,” he said, noting, “We have to recognize the demographic we’re targeting is very different from the demographic when I entered in the 90s. We can’t approach with old methods.”
With an estimated 350,000 workers needed over the next 10 years in Canada, recruiting domestically can only do so much to fill that demand. Changes are needed to Canada’s immigration system because the process is taking too long and is not doing a good job at matching skills gaps.
“We’re not moving fast enough. We’re not cutting the red tape fast enough,” said Martin.
Current labour market information also does not take into account the additional workforce needed to deliver on key public-policy priorities such as building new home construction and infrastructure and the move towards electrification.
“We need to see the workforce increase dramatically,” said Ferreira.
He shared that the construction sector has seen a significant decline in admissions of individuals with the necessary trade skills experience since the early 2000s. Landed immigrants now make up a large percentage of the overall workforce in Canada and “construction needs to get its share of landed immigrants,” he said.
Improving strides towards achieving diversity, equity, and inclusivity is another way to shrink the skilled labour gap. While larger companies have the ability to invest in diversity efforts, it is a challenge for smaller companies which make up the bulk of the industry, said Murphy. Not all companies have the education, resources or funding to invest in it.
With women making up 50 per cent of the available workforce, more has to be done to recruit and retain that group in construction. Women account for just five per cent of the onsite construction workforce in 2023.
“As far as we’ve come, it’s not far enough,” said Martin. “Job sites are not welcoming for these groups. Behaviours have not changed enough to create a draw to make [women] want to stay in the industry. When we condone those behaviours, they continue. You have to take action when things are inconsistent with company values.”
Ferreria agreed that working conditions are less than favourable for inclusive and diverse environments in construction.
“We’re still fighting about whether we should have separate washrooms for women or not on worksites. Women are still not being provided with proper PPE. We focus on recruitment but retention is just as critical. There is still a lot of improvement that needs to happen,” he said.
Without an adequate workforce to deliver key projects, Canada also risks losing economic competitiveness and investments.
“We’re going to start losing investment to other countries. If we want to continue to remain at the forefront of investment, we need to be able to build faster,” said Ferreira. “The industry is doing its best to implement new technologies to try to accelerate construction to overcome some of the skill labour challenge but there’s only so much we can do.”
Stakeholder collaboration, more government action and a stronger education push to inspire the next generation is critical. “If not, we will be living in a country in 10 years where the infrastructure won’t be keeping up with population growth,” said Badry.
Paving the Road to the Future
BY MATT PITCAIRN
The ripple effects of British Columbia’s labour shortage have been felt across the trades, where the need for new skilled workers spans every sector — from residential construction to highway and road maintenance.
With several major infrastructure projects scheduled for the years ahead, there’s never been a better time to consider a career in road building. The BC Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association is leveraging its role as industry advocates to raise the profile of careers in the sector, and the RoadShow is a key initiative in this effort — a mobile talent-attraction experience putting people in the driver’s seat to learn about careers in road building and highway maintenance.
A CRITICAL TIME FOR RECRUITMENT IN TRADES
Demographically, every industry is seeing a huge wave of retirements on the horizon. Over the next few years, tens of thousands of workers will age out of the trades, and the road building and highway maintenance sector is no exception. With nearly 50,000 kilometres of highway to upkeep across B.C., the industry needs to do everything it can to attract the workers of the future, today.
The RoadShow gives potential job seekers a realistic feel for what it’s like to operate heavy machinery. Comprised of a 34 foot trailer with four state-of-the-art simulators, the interactive experience includes the opportunity to test out a snowplow, excavator, wheel loader, rock truck, and many other pieces of heavy equipment.
As the recipient of grant funding from the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction, the trailer began its tour in March, and has travelled from Powell River to Vanderhoof and everywhere in between. The RoadShow will continue its cross-province adventure for the next two years, visiting high schools, job fairs, trade shows, and private events on its mission to reach new demographics, with a focus on women, Indigenous communities, and other underrepresented groups.
CAREER TRAINING PROGRAMS
In addition to funding initiatives like the RoadShow, the BC Road Builders fosters career pathways into the sector by partnering with career training programs, like the Abbotsford School District’s Heavy Equipment Operator (HEO) program.
Quentin Ansley is one of the many success stories to have come from the program. After graduating, he was quickly hired by TYBO, a civil construction company based in Langley, and a member of the BC Road Builders. Ansley is no outlier. With an impressive 90 per cent of graduates offered job placements after completion, the program has been a huge success in its 15 years of operation.
Michael Pearson, district vice principal of the Abbotsford School District Career Programs, says the RoadShow has been well received by students and experienced operators and would like to see it become a permanent fixture in the HEO program.
“There are huge advantages to using the simulators prior to using the actual equipment,” he says. “It forms a bridge between the theoretical knowledge and helps them get a sense of what the real-life scenario is like. That makes them safer future operators.”
When it comes to using simulators in conjunction with recruitment, “There’s nothing better to get young people excited about road building as a career pathway,” he says.
CONNECTING CANDIDATES WITH CAREERS
Shane O’Donnell, principal and chief operating officer at TYBO, thinks initiatives like the HEO program and the RoadShow are a great way to introduce people to an industry they might not have otherwise considered. Besides educating people about opportunities in the sector, participating in these programs can connect job seekers directly with employers, like in Ansley’s case.
Following a talk O’Donnell gave to his HEO class one day, Ansley introduced himself. “After talking for a few minutes, he handed me his resume. I could tell immediately that he had a great attitude, a strong work ethic, and was eager to get to work,” says O’Donnell. After graduating, Ansley got the chance when TYBO offered him a job as a Junior Operator. Five months into his role, Ansley is enjoying the seat time and the rewards of seeing a day’s work on the road in front of him. Having transitioned from a simulator to operating the real equipment, he believes the RoadShow offers a valuable learning experience for those new to heavy machinery — and thinks people will get a kick out of the realistic sounds and movements of the simulators.
Matt Pitcairn is president of the BC Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association. Learn more about the RoadShow and find it coming to a community near you at www.bcroadshow.ca.
Improving Skilled Trades Career Awareness
BY REMI RYEL AND DEBBIE DE SOUSA
It’s not a new story — the headlines for the last few years have been shouting from the rooftops about the shortage of skilled trades workers and how it will affect Canadian businesses. According to Employment and Social Development Canada — about 700,000 of the four million Canadians who currently work in the trades are set to retire by the end of the decade. It leaves us wondering who, exactly, is going to fill the gap?
And while that pinch is being felt across the skilled trade industry, construction is particularly vulnerable. There’s no shortage of initiatives to help address this challenge — trade programs and funding backed by industry and government, sponsoring new Canadians to fill gaps and other upskilling initiatives. And it’s working, to some extent — helping to build a pipeline of diverse talent and encouraging a whole new generation of skilled workers to the construction trades. But is it enough? To really move the needle, we need a multi-faceted approach. It starts with a fresh perspective of what a career in the skilled trades looks like.
WE HAVE A VISIBILITY ISSUE
The skilled trades career path has evolved significantly even over the last 10 years, yet to many the industry is still perceived as second-rate. We can look to a culture which still values university education over working with one’s hands. Knowledge over skills. Outdated terms like “blue-collar” are still being used to describe an industry with high paying salaries. Construction isn’t traditionally encouraged as a career path for kids. But we are starting to see more grassroots initiatives like high school co-op programs or college outreach making a big difference in reaching young people.
The reality is, construction and many other skilled trades careers offer competitive salaries, benefits, and flexible hours, not to mention the range of career opportunities, mentorship and training available. Think about all the jobs needed to keep a construction site moving that don’t involve hard labour. There’s the mechanics needed to fix equipment, electricians working on new batteries, machine operators, and the drivers that keep things moving.
Then there’s niche industries like equipment rental. Many people are unaware of the opportunities in equipment rental, despite its stable and recession-resistant nature and anticipated growth. The Canadian Rental Association projects the rental industry will reach $7.5 billion by 2027, with an expected growth at a rate of 3.4-3.6% per year in the medium term, but most individuals have little awareness of the opportunities available.
THERE IS NO ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL APPROACH
So how do you combat current labour shortages AND build a future pipeline of workers? You need
to think about your short, medium and long-term strategies. Sponsoring or partnering with local organizations is one way to bring visibility to the nontraditional roles available in construction and the skilled trades industry in general. This could involve internships, apprenticeship programs, scholarships and other training to help to inspire the next generation of workers.
We are also starting to see an increase in workforce diversity. If we want to encourage the younger generation to pursue a career in construction, representation is important. People want to see workers who look like them and have experiences they can relate to. There are many organizations that are supporting this cause — Jill of all Trades provides hands-on experience and an engaging learning environment to young women as a way to expose them to the trades. Others like Women in Steel Toes are actively working to support women already in the industry, providing a platform for women in construction to share their stories and experiences.
While we can expect Canadians to fill a portion of the skilled trade jobs of the future, many will go unfilled. We need world-class talent to build a stronger Canada for generations to come. This is why many companies are starting to recruit abroad. Hiring skilled foreign workers helps tap into a wider talent pool. In the past few years we have had great success bringing in skilled mechanics from all over the world, including
New Zealand, Mexico, and Zambia. Many of these individuals are also open to moving to places where we struggle to fill positions, such as smaller towns.
THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX
There’s a high demand for skilled labour — and every company is looking for the same people. What are you doing to set your company apart? Is your organization the type of place people want to work? Opening up opportunities for everyone, whether they are just getting started in their career or seasoned veterans, will be key to addressing future labour challenges.
At the end of the day, everyone wants to contribute to something worthwhile. They want to do well, be compensated and treated fairly, and go home safely to their families. There is a big opportunity here to redefine the term “higher education” so young people can learn about the full range of options available to them. Governments across Canada are investing millions to encourage people to pursue careers in the construction industry and skilled trades. Meanwhile, we in the construction industry need to continue to speak up and show them what’s possible.
Remi Ryel is director of people and culture at Cooper Equipment Rentals. Debbie De Sousa is talent acquisition manager at Cooper Equipment Rentals.
Mass Timber Project Delivery
BY CHELSEA OLSON
The industry is grappling with an aging workforce, a negative image, lack of diversity and immigration hurdles. A lot of progress has been made to tackle the labour shortage over the years, but there’s still a long way to go.
The construction industry is quickly adopting mass timber, and for many good reasons. Mass timber buildings are something unique — and incorporating the following considerations can help bridge gaps during design and construction to improve mass timber project delivery.
ENGAGE MASS TIMBER EXPERTISE EARLY
Engaging with suppliers and mass timber specialty engineers early in a project can allow for ‘design assist’ opportunities that can help steer the design approach. Through design assist, it is possible to set a project up for competitive bidding, reduce questions and uncertainty once the project is out for tender, as well as identify early cost saving opportunities (all of this translates to time savings too). This role can be
as simple as periodic design meetings or an external peer review, or can involve early delegated design scope to parcel out entire portions of the design.
COMMUNICATE DELEGATED DESIGN SCOPE
The design of mass timber connections and architecturally sensitive timber details is often delegated to the mass timber supplier (and their specialty engineer), after the base building design is complete. This is beneficial as it allows coordinated design strategies by engineers with specialized timber experience, and highly detailed design solutions which are tailored to the supplier’s preferences, machine capabilities, and installation requirements.
Base building engineers must clearly identify the delegated design scope on the base building drawings, to eliminate guesswork. Factored design forces must be provided, along with other design information such as fire rating, ductility requirements, governing load combinations (i.e. seismic, wind..) and service conditions.
AVOID COSTLY CONNECTIONS
In the world of mass timber connection design, kilonewtons matter. When delegating connections to the supplier, base building engineers should avoid rounded-up blanket forces and try to stick to a ±5kN level of precision where possible. It can make the difference between a simple screwed or woodto-wood connection vs needing a pre-engineered connector or custom steel assembly. Avoid moment connections wherever possible — they will result in significantly more design complexity and cost.
Mass timber buildings are a series of connections separated by timber members. In many cases, the connection design may govern the member size, not the member stresses themselves. Base building designers should be wary of specifying connection forces which are close to the capacity of the member, as significant reinforcement or member upsizing may be required to make the connections work.
CLEARLY DEFINE SUPPLIER SCOPE
From the supplier’s side, clear and logical scope delineation is essential. This can be driven by the
base building designers (in tender documents), by the supplier in how they bid the work, or both. Where timber components connect to other materials (concrete, steel, masonry), there is a scope interface between trades that is often poorly managed. Who supplies the bolts? What about the knife plates? Is the concrete placement within mass timber tolerances?
If a part of a connection touches a mass timber element, in most cases it should be within the mass timber supplier’s scope (this includes bolts, pins, knife plates and pre-engineered connectors). The mass timber supplier knows their tolerances and has their fabrication model to make sure this is well coordinated. The scope interface — whether a field weld, post-installed anchor, etc. — should land outside of that, and should include vertical and horizontal adjustability for site tolerances.
Unless there is very good communication with other subtrades, expecting another trade to supply connections to the level of precision that mass timber requires is unrealistic.
PRIORITIZE FABRICATION MODELLING
The construction industry is in a strange transition period, where our contract documents are typically still 2D drawings, but (mass timber) construction most often occurs based on a 3D model and largely automated CNC fabrication. A detail that works in 2D often yields some surprises once pulled into a 3D model where slopes, skews and geometry conflicts become apparent.
Most mass timber projects involve a 3D fabrication model, essentially a digital twin of the project with all the members, connection info,
With the 3D fabrication model, there is a lot of control early on to identify conflicts between timber components.
framing and tolerances modeled. This model can be used to export machine files for CNC fabrication and can include other information for further down the line such as install sequencing, load planning, weights and pick points for rigging. It can also be referenced by the installers on site to understand how each piece comes together.
An essential part of this workflow is ensuring that all parties can access the model, and lowering any barriers to entry with a user-friendly, low-cost platform that works for everyone.
COORDINATE WITH SUBTRADES
With the 3D fabrication model, there is a lot of control early on to identify conflicts between timber components. For the same to hold true at scope interfaces, it’s important to coordinate with other suppliers throughout the process. Steel fabricators usually have a 3D model as well, so the two models should be shared as early as possible (and on an ongoing basis through the fabrication design process) to ensure steel and timber scopes are well coordinated.
Mechanical and electrical information, if provided early enough, can be incorporated into the mass timber model as well so that penetrations are planned for and cut in the shop.
Since concrete components are still very much a site-built item, there is seldom a ‘fabrication’ model for the concrete works. However, as-built surveys can be incorporated or cross-referenced with mass timber fabrication models to identify discrepancies.
The general contractor plays a key role in driving these coordination efforts across team members, and will realize the benefits in reduced coordination challenges in the field.
CONCLUSION
The conversations surrounding scope, design approach and detailing complexities are easier to have when it’s all under one roof — but that shouldn’t prevent more dispersed teams from doing the same. Forego the linear workflow of the past and open those lines of communication early. With early engagement, clear scope delineation, a team commitment to realize the potential of 3D models and open lines of communication, the rest will fall into place
Chelsea Olson, M.Eng., P.Eng. is a structural engineer and mass timber structures lead at ISL Engineering and Land Services.
Expanded Options for Wood Construction
BY DEREK RATZLAFF
Housing affordability remains a pressing concern across Canada, sparking constant dialogue in both economic reports and everyday conversations. The need to build more homes at an unprecedented pace is clear, with Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) estimating that 5.8 million new homes will be needed by 2030 to restore affordability — far exceeding the current capacity of the construction sector. The sector, already grappling with immense complexity, must embrace innovative approaches and new ways of thinking to meet this demand.
Wood construction has long been a cornerstone of Canadian home building, rooted in the country’s vast natural resources. In fact, wood remains the material of choice for more than 90 per cent of new homes built in Canada. As we face the need for scalable, sustainable housing solutions, wood’s role is more crucial than ever.
RECENT CODE CHANGES
With recent updates to the BC Building Code there are now more options for high-density wood construction in the province. The expansion of Encapsulated Mass Timber Construction (EMTC) has increased height limits for wood structures, providing owners and developers with more options when it comes to building taller for residential, commercial, and other occupancy types. The Ontario and Quebec governments are also expected to follow-suit, opening up new opportunities across the country.
In March, B.C. revised its mass timber code provisions, raising the maximum height limit from 12 to 18 storeys. Height limits vary by occupancy, with types A-2, C, and D — covering apartments, hotels, offices, libraries, and community centre now possible up to 18 storeys. Additionally, wood construction is now allowed for building types like assisted living facilities, supermarkets, warehouses, and laboratories, with heights up to 10 storeys.
These changes also impact low-rise buildings, making wood a more cost-effective, viable option. Provisions now permit exposed wood surfaces at reduced height limits, cutting costs associated with non-combustible interior finishes like drywall. This not only simplifies construction but also enhances design. By incorporating exposed wood, biophilic design fosters a connection to nature, promoting human well-being. This approach appeals to businesses looking to attract employees back to the office and showcase sustainable practices through natural aesthetics.
WOOD CONSTRUCTION STRATEGIES
For low-rise buildings, light wood-frame construction is a highly cost-effective and widely adopted method. Five- and six-storey wood-frame residential buildings are increasingly recognized across Western Canada as one of the most affordable options for high-density housing. While this approach is still gaining traction in other regions, it accounts for a significant portion of new construction in B.C. for several compelling reasons: the abundant availability of wood materials from numerous distributors facilitates easy procurement, and the local labour market has developed the expertise needed to support this construction method.
Prefabricated systems incorporating wall and floor panels, or fully modular approaches, are also gaining popularity for their ability to reduce construction time by allowing quick installation with fewer labour resources compared to traditional methods. These off-site construction strategies can also reduce risk associated with delays due to weather and promote worker safety by reducing manual tasks associated with exposed, piece by piece construction. When prefinished weatherproof elements are used, buildings can be enclosed faster and allow interior services and finishes to be installed earlier, providing time and cost savings for the project.
With earthquake forces a significant design driver for light wood-frame buildings in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, research to support higher capacity wall systems is underway. Designers are also finding innovative solutions to address the safety and rigidity requirements for modern earthquake resistant structures by reinterpreting traditional plywood shearwall systems.
In the hi-rise market, mass timber panels, particularly for floor and roof systems, represent a growing segment in building construction. Point-supported cross-laminated timber (CLT) panels have already been utilized in three buildings ranging from 12 to 18 storeys in B.C., with more in development. This type of EMTC system can be ideal for buildings requiring smaller residential unit sizes, making it an attractive option for high-density housing projects. Post and beam systems with mass timber components remain a popular option for institutional buildings for both community use and education. The recent code changes will allow for these systems to be used on taller buildings to support the densification of urban communities.
LOOKING AHEAD
As we look to the future, it’s evident that in addition to cutting red-tape and incentivizing building, that quicker and more efficient construction methods will also be essential to meeting housing demands. Prefabricated, off-site wood construction systems of all types are poised to play a major role in accelerating timelines, reducing labour costs, and lowering carbon emissions across the sector. The use of mass timber in non-traditional markets, such as tall residential and commercial buildings is expected to continue to expand as the construction industry gains more experience and capacity with these systems.
Finding ways to increase use of wood in local construction is also critical to support a forestry sector that has faced significant challenges in recent years, with mill closures and rising export costs. Now is the time for the construction industry to embrace forward-thinking strategies. We must continue to innovate, using wood and other sustainable materials, to create solutions that not only meet housing demands but also support a thriving, resilient economy. Whether through mass timber or other prefabricated construction techniques, the future of affordable, sustainable housing will be shaped by those willing to challenge the status quo and lead the way.
Derek Ratzlaff, P.Eng., Struct.Eng., PE, is technical director, WoodWorks BC. Derek has extensive structural consulting experience, having worked in all types of wood construction, including single family, multi-residential and community buildings.
Key Lessons for Managing Wood Moisture
BY GRAHAM FINCH AND SAVANNAH GILLETTE
Mass timber buildings offer two key benefits: they produce significantly lower carbon emissions, and the exposed wood has substantial aesthetic appeal. However, the execution of a mass timber project can be costly and time-consuming if moisture is not carefully managed during construction.
Mass timber structures dry out a lot slower than light wood framing, and elements that are wetted on one side cannot always dry out fast enough to avoid fungal growth and damage. Water that is inadvertently trapped within layers of roof and floor assemblies during construction could show up later as structural damage to the wood or connections, resulting in costly repairs.
Sanding and refinishing efforts can only go so far if moisture staining and damage are extensive or the wood is irreversibly checked by uncontrolled drying. Therefore, it is crucial—for both the long-term durability and aesthetic appeal of the building—to keep mass timber dry during construction and then allow any dampness to dry out before finishing floor and building enclosure assemblies.
To limit aesthetic issues, wetting needs to be reduced in frequency and duration. Careful attention should be paid to protection methods and details of connections, and wood should be separated from certain other construction materials such as bare carbon steel, construction debris, and oils.
Much can be learned from the many successful mass timber buildings constructed to date as well as those that experienced moisture challenges during construction.
Every project is different, so no single moisture management solution can be applied to every project unless that solution keeps the wood completely dry with robust membranes or tenting over the entire building (which can be costly and not currently practical for large or tall building sites).
Like a lot of risk management efforts, mass timber moisture management comes down to the owner’s or contractor’s risk tolerance and available budget. To be widely applicable and effective, industry guidance for mass timber moisture management needs to include both passive and active measures that can be adapted in practical ways to specific projects and schedules.
While mass timber building components may be exposed to moisture at any point after they leave the controlled factory environment, the on-site exposure to moisture after the structure has been erected is the most challenging to manage.
At this stage of construction, the five big risks associated with unmanaged moisture and entrapment within mass timber include: 1) schedule delays to dry out wetted wood 2) wood staining and construction damage 3) wood movement and swelling 4) fungal growth and 5) wood decay.
These risks can be addressed with a good construction-phase moisture management plan that includes both passive and active measures. The best plans are put together by the design and construction team before construction starts, even as early as design development or the construction documents phase. The team should seek input from the general contractor, mass timber supplier, mass timber erector, and subtrades including the roofer.
An effective moisture management plan includes, at minimum, considerations for protecting mass timber from its supply, assembly, connecting, and assembly layering up to the completed building through the entire schedule.
Passive measures typically include factory-or field-applied coatings or membranes to the wood. These measures have varying levels of protection effectiveness (e.g., water resistant/repellant to fully waterproof) and different lifespans and durability. Cost often drives this approach: the more that passive protection is applied, the less that active measures will be needed on-site. A low level of passive protection or no protection will require more rigorous, active management and labour.
Active water management measures include regular removal of water, snow, and ice with squeegees, shop vacuums, industrial floor scrubbers, or other means, since most mass timber structures are flat and will not self-drain. Temporary drains and a drainage plan for water removal from each floor is necessary to avoid wetting the floors below. In addition, active measures include provisions for heaters, fans, dehumidifiers, moisture monitoring sensors, and equipment to dry out wetted wood.
Large and slower-schedule projects with large volumes of mass timber are exposed to wetting over many months. This extended time frame often leads to labour attrition and turnover, creating challenges
for maintaining active moisture management. In such cases, moisture will inevitably get into the wood and require a drying intervention or extra schedule time. The faster the wood can be installed and protected by the permanent building enclosure and roofing, the better the wood will look at the end.
A good construction-phase moisture management plan will also include contingencies for stain cleaning and removal, sanding, repairs, and refinishing the columns/beams and undersides of floor/roof panels. Many different proprietary wood cleaners and acids (commonly acetic acid/vinegar for organic stains and oxalic acid for iron stains) are commercially available. Trial and error with multiple applications may be required. Even with care, the finished cleaning may be accidentally bleached out or imperfectly blended with the untouched wood, causing aesthetic concerns for the owner or architect.
Cleaning and refinishing work, including the contingency cost and schedule delays, will be significantly reduced by committing to effective moisture management at the start.
Graham Finch, Dipl.T., M.A.Sc., P.Eng., is a principal and senior building science specialist with RDH Building Science in Victoria. He is an expert in mass timber building enclosure design and moisture management through project experience, research and product development.
Savannah Gillette, B.Eng., is a building science engineer (EIT) in the Seattle office. She has worked on several mass timber projects and been involved with the research and co-authoring of industry guidelines.
For more information on managing moisture risk in mass timber structures, see RDH’s guide: Moisture Risk Management Strategies for Mass Timber Buildings V2.
Exposed mass timber columns and beams at the Catalyst Building in Spokane, Washington. The authors provided building enclosure and mass timber moisture management consulting services for the design and construction of the innovative prefabricated mass timber façade panels and enclosure of the building. Architect: MGA. Photo by Benjamin Benschneider.
Complying With Contractual Notice Provisions
BY CHARLES BOIS
With rare exception, Canadian courts have repeatedly enforced a party’s obligation to comply with contractual notice provisions in construction projects and have ruled against parties who fail to provide proper or adequate notice of a claim in accordance with their contractual obligations.
The importance of complying with the notice provisions in a construction contract was recently reiterated by the Court in the case of Elite Construction Inc. v. Canada. The Ontario Superior Court of Justice dismissed the Plaintiff, Elite Construction Inc.’s (“Elite”) claim seeking $4.1 million for additional compensation because Elite failed to comply with the contractual notice requirements. This decision highlights important lessons for contractors and owners regarding the importance and role of notice provisions in construction contracts, as well as the consequences of failing to comply with such provisions.
ELITE CONSTRUCTION INC. V. CANADA
In 2011, the federal government (Canada) awarded Elite with a $16.9 million contract (the Contract) to upgrade a correctional facility in Kingston, Ontario (the Project). Elite worked on the Project past its scheduled completion date, primarily due to delays arising from the large number of change orders issued during the Project. Canada paid Elite an extra $1.3 million for additional work completed under the change orders. Elite sought an additional $4.1 million for alleged extra work done on the Project and in June 2016, Elite commenced an action against Canada seeking the additional payments. Canada filed for summary judgement, submitting that Elite was barred from bringing its action as Elite did not comply with the notice provisions in the Contract for additional compensation. Elite argued they provided this notice via several Contemplated Change of Notice summaries and various emails sent throughout the course of the Project.
The Court found that Elite failed to give Canada proper notice of their claims in accordance with the notice provisions set out in the Contract and denied Elite’s claims for additional compensation. The Contract terms stated that, “If the Contractor incurs or sustains any extra expense or any loss or damage that is directly attributable to any neglect or delay that occurs after the date of the Contract on the part of Canada […], the Contractor shall give Canada written notice of intention to claim for that expense or loss or damage within ten working days of the date the neglect or delay first occurred”. Elite failed to meet this ten-
day timeline and further, none of the documents submitted by Elite referenced their contractual requirement to make a claim or provided any details of said claim.
The court determined that Elite’s failure to notify Canada of its intention to claim for additional compensation meant that none of the communications provided by Elite amounted to proper notice. The Court reviewed the communications provided by Elite and found that they were essentially the “grumblings of a contractor” and were “not sufficient to constitute notice”. In reaching this conclusion, the Court considered the B.C. Court of Appeal’s decision in Doyle Construction Co. v. Carling O’Keefe Breweries Of Canada Ltd (Doyle). In Doyle, the Court stated that proper notice will be found where the communication shows an intention to claim, provides enough particulars for the other party to assess its position and consider corrective measures, and is given in a timely enough fashion to allow the other party to take guarding measures if they so choose.
In reaching its decision, the Ontario Court was referred to three seminal decisions, comprising of Doyle, Corpex v. The Queen in Right of Canada, and Technicore Underground Inc. v. Toronto (City). These cases emphasize the importance of complying with contractual notice provisions when seeking to advance any sort of claims, and the consequences of failing to provide such notices.
The Elite decision confirms several long standing principles regarding the need to comply with contractual notice provisions:
First, Courts have widely considered contractual notice provisions to be for the benefit of both parties to the contract, as the function of such provisions is to allow the parties to understand and take timely corrective or mitigative actions to address, and potentially resolve, the immediate dispute while the rest of the contract work continues without disruption.
Second, compliance with the notice provisions is generally a necessary condition (a “condition precedent”) that must be satisfied when a party wishes to advance a claim for additional compensation, including by way of litigation.
Third, courts have held that failure to provide written notice in accordance with the contract terms, within the time period set out in the contract, can be sufficient on its own to bar a party’s claim for additional compensation. In other words, the party against whom the claim is made does not need to show they were prejudiced by the opposing party’s failure to provide notice in order to rely on this failure as a defence.
ARE THERE EXCEPTIONS?
While Canadian courts strictly enforce adherence to the requirements for written notice in construction contracts, there have been some exceptions.
Courts have waived strict compliance requirements in situations where a party has “actual or constructive” knowledge of the other party’s additional claims. This can occur when, even though formal written notice of additional claims was not provided, the claimant presented other evidence that demonstrates that the notice requirement in the contract was satisfied because the party in question either knew or ought have known about the claims. In such circumstances, the onus is on the party making the claim to provide sufficient evidence to demonstrate the other party’s knowledge of the claims. This evidence can include, for example, written and email communications between the parties regarding the underlying basis for the claims, and minutes of meetings, provided such minutes discuss the claims in sufficient detail to demonstrate knowledge.
Courts will also consider whether one party, through their conduct, has varied the terms of the notice provisions of the contract. If the Court finds that the parties varied the contractual notice provisions, they may be barred from relying on strict adherence to them. This exception generally arises where evidence is presented demonstrating “a pattern of conduct by which the parties had varied the terms of the contract”, where the other party has shown an “unequivocal and conscious intention to abandon” their right to rely on the notice provisions. For example, in Colautti Construction Ltd. v. Ottawa, the court found that the parties had varied the terms of the contract through their conduct. Evidence demonstrated that the owner repeatedly paid the contractor’s bills for extra charges without the contractually required written authorization and by doing so, had effectively varied the contract terms and could not later rely on its strict provisions to avoid liability for further additional costs.
CONCLUSION
While there have been exceptions, parties to a contract would be wise to review and understand the notice provisions in the contract to ensure that they adhere to and comply with them, and ensure they deliver a proper and fulsome written notice of claim in accordance with the methods and within the timelines set out in the notice provisions
Charles Bois is a partner in the Vancouver office of Miller Thompson LLP.
COR® certification:
• improves safety outcomes
• reduces workplace injuries
• demonstrates commitment to safety
This voluntary program recognizes contractors dedicated to occupational health and safety, offering benefits like increased project opportunities, improved employee retention, and potential annual incentive payments from WorkSafeBC. Lower injuries may also lead to reduced WorkSafeBC premiums, resulting in additional savings.
