CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS | November/December 2021

November/December 2021 Vol. 19 No. 1

NEW WESTMINSTER SECONDARY SCHOOL PM 40063056

DONNA GRANT, VRCA | CLIMATE CHANGE | CONSTRUCTION SAFETY

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Inside November/December 2021 | Vol. 19 No. 1

06 Connections Donna Grant, new president of VRCA, is laser focused on ensuring member value is the foundation for the association moving forward.

PUBLISHER

MANAGING EDITOR CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Dan Gnocato dang@mediaedge.ca Cheryl Mah Bill Black Jason F. McLennan Mike Morgan

08 Feature Project

Andrew Prior Kelsey Van Steele

The New Westminster Secondary School is the only secondary school in the city and one of the largest in B.C.

Hardy Wentzel

B.C./ALBERTA SALES

Dan Gnocato Tel: 604.549.4521

PUBLISHED BY

Industry Focus 12 Construction Safety Assessing Fall Risks Basic Training in Civil Rigging Needed Responding to COVID

16 Climate Change The Urgent Need for Change The Path to Zero Emissions Rethinking the Way We Build

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Departments 04 Message from the Editor 19 The Legal File Understanding Employment Law Case of Inflated Builders’ Lien Claim

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Cover Photo New Westminster Secondary School.

Photo courtesy of Graham Construction.

Construction Business is British Columbia and Alberta’s construction magazine. Each issue provides timely and pertinent information to contractors, architects, developers, consulting engineers, and municipal governments throughout both provinces. Complimentary copies are sent bi-monthly to all members of the Architectural Institute of B.C., B.C. Construction Association, B.C. Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association, Consulting Engineers of B.C., Construction Specifications Canada — B.C. Chapter, Greater Vancouver Home Builders’ Association, B.C. Ready-Mixed Concrete Association, Independent Contractors and Businesses Association of B.C., Urban Development Institute of B.C. and Vancouver Regional Construction Association.

Editor’s Note

Unforgettable Year

I

hate to end the year on a negative note. But 2021 was an unforgettable year in B.C. for all the wrong reasons. It’s difficult not to reflect on how extreme weather has wreaked havoc in our communities — raging wildfires, record breaking heat wave and most recently historic flooding. On top of all this, the challenges of the pandemic continue. B.C. has declared a state of emergency three times this year.

Climate change is real and B.C.’s climatechange-fuelled extreme weather events have been a devastating testimony to the effects of the way we are living. The loss of life, property, land and infra-structure has been unimaginable.

As I noted in the last issue, the construction industry must take a leadership role in combating climate change by embracing better ways of building to reduce carbon emissions. We put the

focus on climate change in this issue with experts sharing thoughts and efforts being made to disrupt the industry.

The ongoing pandemic, with the fourth wave and new variants, continues to put enhanced attention on health and safety. Companies have shown that they can rapidly adapt, improve hygiene, and adopt new technology. The Calgary Construction Association shares how members have responded to COVID in our construction safety feature. Also read about planning for the risks associated with working at heights.

For our profile, we speak with Donna Grant, the new president of the Vancouver Regional Construction Association. Grant is passionate about the association refocusing on member value and is excited to build the relationships needed to move forward.

The New Westminster Secondary School, on our cover, is a project that has been in the works for decades due to its poor condition and high seismic risk. The replacement school is one of the largest in B.C. and the only secondary school in the city serving more than 1,900 students.

Cheryl Mah Managing Editor

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CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS

November/December 2021

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Connections

DRIVING

MEMBER VALUE

BY CHERYL MAH

Donna Grant is a familiar face in B.C. construction circles. Many already know her as a board member, director, manager, advocate and volunteer with a variety of organizations. She has also been a keynote speaker and panelist at industry events.

Now as president of the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA), she has a new and powerful platform to provide meaningful advocacy and support to members.

“I couldn’t be more excited to work with the VRCA administrative team, board of directors, and especially our member organizations,” says Grant.

Since assuming the helm in June 2021, she has been busy laying the groundwork to help the association refocus on member value.

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November/December 2021

“Coming from industry, I understand an association’s importance to its members… so for me, the refocusing that I’m doing is 100 per cent on member value.

Everything we do here has to drive direct member value,” she says. “The association is not separate from the members — it is the members.”

The 57-year-old Alberta native brings a diverse background to the position with more than 30 years of experience as a marketing professional including 10 years within the construction industry.

Growing up in Fairview, Alberta, Grant had some early exposure to the industry. Her father owned a road construction company, a sawmill and a gas station.

“If he was alive, he would get a kick out of what I’m doing right now,” says Grant, whose family eventually moved to Kelowna.

Connections

Grant graduated from BCIT in 1989 where she studied marketing management. She went on to work for a variety of companies, creating educational programs and managing marketing departments. Prior to joining VRCA, she was proposal and marketing manager at Scott Construction Group.

While at Scott Construction, she became involved with Canadian Construction Women (CCW) where she served as director of community on the board until 2020.

Grant says she applied for the VRCA job at the suggestion of some friends and industry members including interim association president Jason Glue.

“I was hesitant at first because I didn’t know what was involved with being president. But I realized this was the chance to make some real change and have some real impact,” she says.

“It’s such a fantastic industry. And there’s so much good we can do.”

Overseeing a team of 14 at the VRCA office in Vancouver, she felt it was important to initiate a cultural change by giving greater ownership to the senior leadership for their ideas and the work they do.

“Every month, we have a member value brainstorming meeting among the senior team.

That was never done before. We get together and discuss ideas and collaborate. That’s going to make a big difference for motivation internally and results externally,” she says, noting like many other businesses, the association has adopted a hybrid workplace model.

As part of the effort to enhance member value, Grant has also made physical changes to the VRCA office. There is now a members’ lounge to facilitate meetings, coffee chats, device charging or just some downtime. Spaces have been updated to be brighter and warmer, especially the plan room which sees a steady stream of members.

“It struck me that we own the building and there’s nowhere for the members to go,” she says. “The lounge is brand new and free to members to use. We’ve also completely gutted our board room so that we can rent that room out, hold events or members can use it.”

Grant is actively getting to know members by inviting them to breakfast and listening to their concerns which include prompt payment, skilled labour shortage, COVID-19 and mental health.

“Mental health has been becoming a really important topic in the last few years, especially during the pandemic, with programs coming up across the industry that are making a difference,” says Grant, who served on Scott’s mental health committee and has spoken about the topic across the province. “While we have a long way to go to eliminate the stigma, it is getting better.”

Starting in January, VRCA will be adding a full time harm reduction coordinator to the team who will roll out a program of toolbox talks for members on topics such as substance abuse and toxic drug deaths.

“This is not a construction problem — it’s a society problem,” adds Grant. “We have to do our part and I’m excited and encouraged by the changes that are happening.”

The skilled labour shortage issue remains top of mind for members and with robust activity forecast across various sectors, the demand for workers will continue to put pressure on companies.

“If we don’t have the people to build the buildings, it doesn’t matter how many contracts we win,” says Grant. “I think too many people see the industry as being on the tools, which is fantastic, but there are so many other opportunities — estimator, HR, business development. It’s so much sexier than people really know.”

In the meantime the industry will need to increase efforts for recruitment from groups traditionally underrepresented including women, Indigenous people and immigrants.

“We have to look at everyone who has barriers to entry or just as importantly, barriers to progress in this industry. How do we make sure we’re not overlooking people who would like to be in this industry but are facing barriers,” says Grant, who will start hosting a number of roundtables in 2022 to identify what VRCA’s future priorities will be including one on diversity, inclusion and equity.

Bringing in more people to the industry is critical because the industry is relied on to provide a range of essential services which were emphasized by the pandemic and most recently the severe storms that devastated parts of B.C. “Construction is an essential service in any emergency and any recovery. While many of our member businesses and families have been personally impacted by extreme weather, they also continue to show up to manage the impacts on roads, our infrastructure, schools,

hospitals, and all the structures we need to operate as a functioning society,” says Grant.

Like many organizations, VRCA had to adapt to the pandemic and shifted events and training seminars online. And while the virtual events have been well received, Grant says people still want the in-person networking.

“It was emotionally hard for the team to start working on in-person events only to have everything change when the fourth wave hit and the new provincial health orders came out,” she says. “For an association, we rely on our events to help fund the work that we do.”

VRCA was able to hold its first three indoor in-person events this year including its Christmas Luncheon. But the Awards of Excellence (cancelled in 2020 and rescheduled to October 2021), a highlight event for the industry, had to be moved to the new year.

“Because of COVID, we’re doing two years of awards in one event so it is going to be packed with the best of the best of our industry,” she says. “To take that moment to celebrate our industry together when we haven’t done that in a very long time, it will be a memorable event.”

Now that Grant has built a new foundation for moving the association forward, she feels she can start the real work as president.

“The focus for me is building relationships, sharing resources and collaborating with the people I need to know in order to create those bridges to support our members. The association needs to be relevant to everyone in the industry and be seen as a valuable resource,” she says.

“I want to still be here when we turn 100.”

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7

Feature Project

FULFILLING

A DECADES LONG VISION Photos courtesy of Graham Construction

A

s the largest school investment in British Columbia’s history, the replacement of New Westminster Secondary School has been a top priority for a number of years, due to the school’s poor condition and high seismic risk.

The 236,000 square foot secondary school opened to students in January, 2021 after decades of planning.

“Not only does this new school stand out because it’s the only secondary school in our district, but it will stand as a flagship school in this larger region and across this province for the innovative way collaboration has been designed into every hallway and 8

CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS

every classroom. This school has been built to support cutting-edge teaching and learning, and that’s going to allow us to better prepare our students for the changing and modern world they’re walking into,” said Gurveen Dhaliwal, board chair at New Westminster Schools.

The New Westminster Secondary School design-build is one of British Columbia’s largest school re-placement projects. The three-storey facility includes formal education components (general class-rooms, inclusive education classrooms, and science labs), career technical education spaces, a per-forming arts component, and physical education facilities.

November/December 2021

As the second largest secondary school in B.C., it is home for approximately 1,900 students in grades 9 through 12. The facility also serves as a community space for local New Westminster residents.

It features 56 classrooms, seven collaborative learning spaces, a 5,600 square feet grand commons foyer, 280-seat performing arts theatre, a fitness gym, a gymnasium with three courts and retractable bleachers to accommodate 500 spectators during games and events, and two outdoor sports fields.

Graham and KMBR Architects Planners Inc. were selected as the design-build team to replace the 70-year-old high school. The $78.8 million project took three and half years to complete. In addition

Feature Project to managing the project, Graham executed the concrete work and the general carpentry with its own forces.

At the start of construction, the biggest challenge was the scarcity of trades due to the hot building market. But all that soon spiralled into labour shortages, construction slowdowns, sub-contractor interruptions and murky supply-chain disruptions — all brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite these challenges, the building opened with minimal delay.

According to Justin Marchiel, Graham’s senior project manager, keeping the project from bogging down and getting it over the finish line on-budget and to its revised deadline was accomplished through quick responses to emerging issues and item-by-item problem-solving.

The diversity of features envisioned by the owners added another layer of complexity to the project. For example, complicated wiring was needed to support a network of devices and range of equipment — everything from woodworking tools and dust extraction, to theatre lighting and IT networking — as well as numerous wall finishes ranging from writable surfaces, wood art display walls, wood panel-ling and painted gypsum wallboards.

“We’ve successfully executed countless schools and other types of large-scale projects, so our company has a proven internal process in place to deliver on an owner’s vision,” explains Marchiel.

The Graham-KMBR team, says Marchiel, buckled down early in the 10-month-long design phase

The three-storey school is built to a LEED Gold green building standard and incorporates wood materials.

and put a lot of time into using the design-build opportunity to its full potential. “Vancouver-based KMBR has a longstanding history of doing educational facilities, designing many projects with many clients across B.C.,” he says.

Being hit by the pandemic during construction was challenging with shut downs, slowdowns and loss of workforce throughout the industry. The pandemic also impacted supply chain issues, delaying a number of items such as audio components, kitchen equipment, specialized wall finishes and writeable surfaces for the classroom walls.

We Care. We Help.

Graham responded by maintaining the extra resources brought in earlier. “We broke the building down into smaller pieces, and deployed sector-by-sector project managers and superintendents,” says Marchiel.

Designed by KMBR, the new school design takes its inspiration from the West Coast style of architecture, but reimagined for the needs of today and beyond. The design optimizes the use of glazing, bathing the interior with natural light and providing an open and inviting environment. The flexible learning spaces maximize collaboration and active learning. Technology is integrated to enrich the learning process and multi-purpose spaces.

1-888-437-1100 www.wmbeck.com info@wmbeck.com November/December 2021

CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS

9

Feature Project The new school provides a state-of-theart learning environment, designed to accommodate the most advanced learning tools and technology.

Seeking LEED Gold certification, features include energy-efficient boilers and HVAC systems, and water conservation measures.

The project also had the unique challenge of designing around existing burial grounds on the site, known to be the final resting place for Chinese pioneers, Sikhs, and Indigenous people. Both the Government of British Columbia and the New Westminster School District made a commitment to protect and preserve the historical significance of the site and to ensure that no construction would occur on any known burial areas.

The site design ensures the existing burial site is located in the playfield to the west of the gymnasium, and the building design ensures that the massing is

respectfully held back from the burial area, with landscaping and an open space between the building and the playfield.

Designed in accordance with B.C.’s Wood First Act, the school features structural timber in the form of glulam beams to the exterior and extensive use of timber as interior finishes within. A wood slat ceiling runs from the foyer through the grand commons, and right through the main promenade corridor that runs through the ground floor from east to west.

The wooden slat ceiling is modular in construction, which allows the owner ease of access to the main expanse of mechanical and electrical services.

With the new school complete, the deconstruction of the old high school is expected to start next

year. A memorial passive park will be established on the former school site. Planning for the park began in 2017.

“It’s always a wonderful experience, after ‘living’ a project for several years, and you’ve learned every last detail, all the ins and outs, and then to have people walk into the finished facility and see their eyes get big, them looking every which way and expressing awe at how great it turned out, how awe-some it is, that’s very gratifying,” says Marchiel. “It’s wonderful to know that New Westminster Secondary School is a great piece of new infrastructure that’s embedded in this community and will serve tens of thousands of people for many decades.”

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November/December 2021

Construction Safety

Assessing Fall Risks

BY KELSEY VAN STEELE

C

onstruction and building maintenance are known to be among the most dangerous professions. In a recent study, fatality rates in these industries were found to be several times higher than the national average. A significant factor attributed to this is the risk of falling from heights. While awareness of this risk has been increasing in recent years, along with mandatory baseline training requirements, there remains a number of challenges associated with assessing fall risks.

Current methodologies used for assessing risks rely primarily on qualitative methods. However, these methods are often unreliable since people perceive risk differently. For example, I was once in a hot air balloon while on vacation and for most of the trip, I was terrified. Contrarily, another passenger seemed to have no fear at all as I watched him sit on the edge of the basket until the appropriate height was reached and jump out of the basket only to deploy his parachute seconds later.

Given these differences in perception, there is strong motivation among safety professionals to develop quantitative methods to assess fall risks. The goal of this is to normalize the definition of risk by considering environmental and workerspecific factors.

In a given work setting, there are many complexities, yet there can often be a common misconception that there is a standard “recipe” or solution. However, this is often not the case as system equipment, components and subsystems need to be constantly evaluated for compatibility and site-specific environmental conditions. A common misconception relates to harnesses and lanyards certified to CSA standards for a particular product type. Oftentimes, people believe that these systems can be used interchangeably on another site or in a different work scenario. This is not the case since equipment must be selected by a competent person for each situation and hazard.

Basic training in fall protection principles provides workers with a general idea of the concepts of fall arrest, travel restraint and working at heights. Through this training, workers may learn how to don a harness and the general guidelines for “safe” work practices, however may still be ill equipped to manage hazards once on site. Fall protection comes in many forms and the reality is that fall hazards and risk vary with differences in work activity and locale.

One challenge with adequate planning is determining who is responsible for assessing fall hazard risks and developing an appropriate plan to protect the worker. With the advent of a comprehensive and quantitative risk assessment tool supported by new legislation, we can move one step forward in creating safer workplaces.

The regulatory framework in Canada for fall protection is not defined in the National Building Code. Rather, the legal framework is set by federal and provincial health and safety legislation. For example, in existing facilities, there are often hazards present in the workplace despite best efforts towards the

implementation of safe work practices. Existing infrastructure along with evolving work activities and procedures can sometimes be at odds with the demands of new regulations. As such, safety managers are often challenged with balancing upgrading costs and level of risk mitigation.

Risk assessment theory and methods are discussed and outlined by a variety of safety standards, guidelines, and operational risk management systems. Safety professionals are expected to be familiar with these documents in order to achieve acceptable risk levels and minimize residual risks to the greatest extent possible. The general approach to risk assessment is, however, ultimately left to the judgement of the safety professional or delegated competent person.

To aid in risk analysis and priority-setting processes, procedures to standardize quantitative risk assessment have been developed (see Fall Hazard Risk Assessment Methodology, RJC Engineers, International Society for Fall Protection, New Orleans, 2019). This is intended to assist safety professionals with a systematic approach to identification, cataloguing, and prioritizing of hazards for a given location and work activity. Each item can be assigned a relative risk score calculated from the product of consequences (i.e. estimated economic loss and loss of life potential) and vulnerability (i.e. probability of occurrence, frequency of activity, and required skill). Once each hazard at each location has been assigned a risk score, an optimized plan can be developed to allocate effort and money towards addressing the higher risks first.

In arriving at a risk score, the safety professional must become familiar with the site and also engage in consultation with all stakeholders to achieve an accepted balance between risk and practicality. The advantage of taking this approach is to optimize an organization’s risk management procedure by having a comprehensive database of hazards and level of risk.

Planning for the risks associated with working at heights can be challenging.

Whether this challenge is delegated to a safety officer, consultant, or external service provider, all organizations, large and small, should be able to address and mitigate risks in a consistent manner. Today, further standardization of risk assessment and work planning methodologies for working at heights are being developed. For example, the Canadian Standards Association is developing the new CSA Z1009 Management of Work at Height Standard, which is intended to serve as a guide for establishing effective work at heights management systems.

Ultimately, adequate planning, preparation, and training to address risks will help remove avoidable injuries in the workplace.

Kelsey Van Steele, BASc., P.Eng., PMP, LEED AP is an associate with RJC Engineers. She specializes in fall protection and building maintenance access system design and consulting. For more in-formation on jobsite safety and fall protection, please contact her at kvansteele@rjc.ca or visit rjc.ca November/December 2021

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Construction Safety

Basic Training in Civil Rigging Needed

BY MARK JH KLASSEN

INTRODUCTION No one wants to be the family member who gets that call at the end of the day saying, “I’m sorry, but there was an accident on the job today, and your loved one was injured.”

It happens far too often.

Whether on construction sites or civil jobs where workers are engaged in load lifting, there is a need for basic training in civil rigging.

“There are way too many workers out there who are inadequately trained to complete the tasks they are assigned, so they’re taking unnecessary risks with their lives every day,” says Ralf Notheis, manager of Bigfoot Crane’s training academy, who wants to make good training in civil rigging more available to more people.

Notheis’ concern for safety is shared by many others, from company owner and managers to safety officers and countless workers.

lifting device. It also refers to the equipment used to do that, such as slings, hooks and shackles. The rigger, then, is the person who is trained to calculate weight, centre of gravity, and sling configuration so that they can ensure that materials are effectively and safely moved.

“When the job is done right,” says Nothei, “everyone is safer, whether it’s the workers themselves or the public around them.”

Even if workers are told that they have the right to refuse unsafe work, many don’t know what exactly is unsafe about the work they are doing. So they continue to put themselves and others at risk. They are simply unaware of the hazards.

The right training empowers workers with knowledge so that they can be confident on the job.

With adequate training, they can perform their work with the kind of self-assurance and professionalism that is required in a high-risk environment.

THE SAFETY OF WORKERS “It starts with the workers themselves,” explains Notheis. “Everyone who does any kind of mechanized lifting, using equipment like excavators or backhoes to move loads into place.”

Rigging, of course, refers to the process of securing a load so that it can be elevated and moved by some

THE RESPONSIBILITY OF MANAGERS Effective civil rigging training not only prevents accidents and ensures safety for workers, but it also alleviates the legal and corporate pressures of carelessness on the part of managers and owners.

“Accidents cost lives—that’s the biggest thing we

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November/December 2021

want to avoid,” says Notheis. “But the mistakes that untrained workers make also cost companies and cities huge amounts of money in lost time and wasted revenue.”

Whether it’s safety risks, damage risks, legal liabilities, or loss of work, the cost of accidents is enormous. If a mishap takes away a worker’s life or livelihood, the cost skyrockets. Even if a worker quits their job, conservative estimates state that the loss will cost the company upwards of $33,000.

As well, Notheis emphasizes that untrained and unqualified managers can be a major liability to construction companies and city work crews.

“This training is for supervisors and foremen as well as workers,” he said. “Everyone needs to be aware of the risks involved in the work. They all need to understand the value of training.”

CONCLUSION According to Notheis, the need for basic training in civil rigging is obvious in the industry. Courses need to be made available for more cities and companies across the province and across the country.

“For everyone involved, there’s huge value for better training,” says Notheis. “Everyone sleeps better at night when they know the job has been done right.”

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Construction Safety

Responding to COVID

BY BILL BLACK

• CCA also collaborated with BILD and NAIOP who were also seeking to respond on a broad scale within their membership and BOMA also shared the document with their members • The document was also featured in local conversations with the City of Calgary, with Alberta OH&S and other provincial groups with one city official commenting that, “The construction industry should be teaching others how to respond to COVID.” and, “The construction industry may just be the safest place to work during a pandemic.”

T

he construction industry focuses on safety first and then we build.

The safety professionals that work across the industry are dedicated, well trained and are experienced in continually assessing the risks and implementing protocols for universal application and for site specific scenarios. We therefore had the inherent skillsets and aptitude to respond quickly to the COVID challenge.

There are three realities that bore significantly on this challenge as far as construction is concerned. We sometimes overlook these in the industry because they are just “the norm”: 1. Our industry is inherently dangerous. We

work at heights, we operate dangerous equipment and tools, we hoist loads several stories in the air and we do all this, and much more outdoors, at the mercy of mother nature, ground conditions and other natural and man-made hazards.

2. We also build something we have never

seen before every day and often do so in circumstances that are working against us.

3. If projects are to maintain schedules these

matters have to be dealt with quickly, decisively and it all occurs real-time.

Despite these daunting realities we succeed time and time again.

Against such a backdrop, COVID was another safety concern, hazard assessment and a project challenge that had to be tackled head-on without delaying progress.

When the global pandemic hit, the Calgary Construction Association (CCA) immediately reached out to a number of local industry 14

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leaders and a group of more than 25 local construction leaders assembled via Zoom to discuss the overall situation as an industry.

There were senior leadership and business owners on the call that spanned a range of large to smaller sized organizations including general contractors, trades and suppliers.

The overall pressing question was: “How do we keep our people safe and allow them to keep working on the sites and how do we mobilize on an industry scale?”

In an unprecedented show of collaboration, information and resources were shared and CCA consolidated the content in one document for industry-wide release. Version 1.0 of the Pandemic Planning Document was published via the Alberta Construction Association (ACA) and it was shared across the province.

The leadership calls continued several times a week so that industry could share what was being learned from daily experience on sites and compare notes. As the protocols continued to evolve based on these events, the material continued to be shared by each company and the Pandemic Planning Document was updated continually eventually reaching Version 4.0.

Subsequent addendums were also added dealing with back to office recommendations and other developments over the course of the pandemic.

Originally intended as a local and then provincial “open source” response, the document spread nationally and was utilized by many different groups locally and across Canada who were all dealing with the same challenge.

• Calls from B.C. and PEI, among others, showed that the document was making a difference for many.

November/December 2021

Of course, enforcement is key and we cannot relax or take our foot off the pedal for a second.

This is an ever-present risk, as are all the others, and the industry has continued to ensure that these measures are in place and being maintain consistently.

There have been no known cases of site-based transmission in Alberta to date but we are far from out of the woods.

As the fourth wave moves through Alberta, more and more public and private owners and construction firms of all sizes are introducing their own vaccination policies etc for sites and for employees, and we will likely see this practice continue in the months ahead.

Many offices have remained open with reduced staff and COVID measures in place throughout the crisis and many organizations have found that they have been able to function well and continue to support their sites and their businesses well despite the increase in remote work. The spirit of collaboration has continued through Zoom and other such platforms and, despite some conference call fatigue, many have learned new ways to be highly effective and some habits will likely be forever changed.

The COVID industry leaders calls are still occurring regularly and with the example of collaboration experienced to date and the commitment shown on an industry scale, there is little doubt that the leadership taken right from the start will be able to respond to any further matters that arise and continue to make safety the priority it should be for all in the industry.

As construction seeks to fulfil its natural role as a major engine for economic growth in Alberta post-COVID and beyond, the lessons learned through this crisis have made us stronger than ever before and form a strong foundation for the future.

Bill Black is president and COO of the Calgary Construction Association.

SPECIAL ADVERTORIAL FEATURE

Supporting the Trades During the Opioid Crisis

New resources to support employers and employees on workplace safety and substance use People working in the trades and construction are being disproportionately affected by the opioid overdose crisis. Repetitive stress injuries and chronic pain can lead to workers managing their pain with opioids and other substances, whether prescribed or not. This can increase their risk of experiencing the harms of substance use.

To support employers in these sectors, the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction partnered with Health Canada to produce an online toolkit of resources to help people in these professions. Substance Use and the Workplace: S uppor ting Employers and Employees in the Trades is a collection of tools to give you the information you need to help workers and support workplace health and safety.

Employers across Canada can find ready-touse resources from more than 30 organizations to reduce risks related to substances and substance use disorders. The toolkit also provides guidance to assist their employees

who may be experiencing the harms of substance use.

The toolkit includes posters, videos, podcasts and more to: • Educate employers and employees about substances and their effects; • Minimize substance use risks and harms; • Address harmful employee substance use through policy and practices; • Provide information on the harmful effects of stigma and substance use; • Find services and supports; and • Access information about organizations that can help.

The toolkit is designed to help with many

different types of substance use, including alcohol, cannabis and opioids. However, we recognize that construction workers and those working in jobs with many physical demands may experience injury or chronic pain at a higher rate. Without proper guidance, those who use opioids or other substances to manage this pain may be at an increased risk of experiencing harms.

In addition to the construction, trades and transportation industries being heavily affected by the opioid overdose crisis, there are significantly higher rates of opioid-related deaths among men than women. As well, men are less likely to reach out for help with health issues. The stigma of substance use can make seeking help even more difficult.

Having accessible resources, such as those provided in this toolkit, available to employers and employees is a key step in reducing the harms of substance use.

Download the toolkit at: CCSA.ca/workplace-safety

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Climate Change

The Urgent Need For Change

BY JASON F. MCLENNAN

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uildings and construction are the number one causes of the climate crisis, accounting for 39 per cent of global emissions. The industry is continuing to grow at an alarming rate; by 2060 the world will be adding the equivalent of New York City monthly — in new construction. With the magnitude of impact the industry has on the world there is an immediate and urgent need to make a fundamental change to how we design and build everything. We don’t have a choice but to move to a place of disruption in the industry.

The recent extreme weather events around the world — heat waves and increasing forest fires, rising sea levels and global droughts — is proof of the now, evident runaway climate effects of the way we have been living our lives for the past century. We must realize these crises are no longer in the future for other generations to solve. We need to disrupt the industry and look to deep green construction methods to make positive changes through innovation and technology.

Compared to other industries, the construction industry has been slow to change. There have been incredible innovations in the airline, automobile, telecommunications and computer industries over the past 50 years, but the building and construction industry has stayed largely the same. We are still mainly building buildings using the same on-site processes that we have used for the past 100 years.

If we really want to make significant change and combat the damaging effects the industry has on the planet, we need to start doing things differently and push back on the resistance coming from within the industry — from typical developer mind-sets and from individual attitudes that have resulted in the industry being hugely risk averse and preferring to stick 16

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to established minimum codes rather than looking at innovative new approaches.

Companies such as Nexii, a green construction technology company, have to prove that it is ok to do things differently. They have started their journey, but there is still a way to go to break down the attitudinal resistance and convince the industry that we need to design and build with the end goal of creating a truly sustainable building.

The pandemic allowed us to have more clarity on the big issues going on in the world. It gave us time to pause and think differently about everything.

Many issues that were not being properly addressed in the world started to get a lot of attention such as social justice, political issues, and climate change.

Hopefully, while the world starts to go back to a new kind of normal, people will not forget the importance of addressing these key issues and we will still be able to see significant changes in industries around the world. In 2006, I created the Living Building Challenge Program and a few years later launched the Living Future Institute to provide a vision and direction to the design and building community and hopefully inspire them to move towards a healthier, greener future. We have seen some progress in this space, but we need to do much more to make a real difference.

This is where my collaboration with Nexii comes in, creating buildings that are more resource and energy-efficient with less waste, less embodied carbon, and a smaller carbon footprint. Often innovation is impacted by the price of a project because each building is essentially a bespoke process, even when it does not make sense to be. If you treat a building more like a product in terms of how it is built and its build components, you can take out a lot of the risk while enhancing performance.

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My vision is to transform the world to support the health and well-being of every person and all living things. And I’m doing that by instigating and implementing new models in design and construction. By working with Nexii as their impact architect, I will be able to provide advice on ways to maximize the environmental benefits of Nexii architecture, using its breakthrough proprietary material, Nexiite, which has comparable properties to concrete, but contains no Portland cement or lime, significantly reducing end-to-end carbon emissions.

This work with Nexii is critical. However, it will take substantial innovations from many entities to truly disrupt the construction industry. If it were just one thing we would have already changed our direction. It’s a lot of things — some little and some immense.

Certainly, building standards are important and regulations can help. And the market is slowly starting to shift to make it economically easier for builders to justify making substantive changes. Things that used to be expensive are now cheaper, and when something is costcompetitive, it is easier for people to adopt them. For example, the economics of scale for products such as photovoltaics, LED lighting, batteries, and advanced window systems are now more substantial, so these items are being used more frequently due to cost-effectiveness.

There’s also familiarity and habits to change.

The more buildings that are made using leadingedge technologies, the more likely they are to be adopted.

Jason F McLennan is CEO of McLennan Design and founder of the International Living Future Institute. He is also impact architect at Nexii.

Climate Change

The Path to Zero Emissions

BY CHERYL MAH

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s the urgency to act on climate change continues to grow, cutting carbon emissions for new buildings through regulations and policy is critical. Climate policy, specifically focused on reducing green-house gas emissions (GHGs), is driving some of the biggest changes in the construction industry.

By 2030, all new construction in Vancouver will be zero emissions buildings. To achieve this ambitious goal, the city introduced the Zero Emissions Building Plan (ZEB) and most recently the Climate Emergency Action Plan. Both have specific targets and actions that will be phased in, changing construction standards of all new buildings.

“All heating and hot water systems in new buildings should be zero emissions by 2025,” said Sean Pander, green building manager for the City of Vancouver. “The other thing that is going to really start impacting the construction industry is moving towards low carbon materials and construction practices.”

Pander was a speaker during a climate policy webinar organized by the Vancouver Economic Commission, Vancouver Regional Construction Association, and the Zero Emissions Building Exchange.

The Zero Emissions Building Plan and the B.C. Energy Step Code are the two most important regulatory tools for buildings and carbon pollution. Through increasing levels of energy efficiency, all new buildings must eventually meet a zero emissions standard.

Pander provided an overview of the ZEB plan along with what’s next in the green building policy for rezoning in Vancouver.

He explained some of the initial goals of the plan include obtaining real and reliable greenhouse gas reduction, future proofing buildings and clarity of requirements near and long term. Both ZEB and the energy code start by focusing on reducing net heat loss through the envelope and ventilation, which reliably reduce energy use at the time of construction.

Understanding that 70 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in Vancouver were from space heating applications, it was important for the plan to focus first on these two areas and get it right, said Pander.

Phase 1 of the ZEB plan established greenhouse gas limits and thermal energy demand intensity (TEDI) along with window/wall ratio, envelope and mechanical requirements.

This led to design and construction changes such as more efficient heat recovery ventilation and moving space heating to electric baseboards in more budget developments or air source heat pumps in condos, said Pander, and more attention to glazing transitions and moving insulation outboard of the slab edge.

Opened in 2021, the City of Vancouver’s Gastown Childcare Centre is a Passive House zero emissions project by Acton Ostry Architects. Photo credit: Michael Elkan

“What we’re seeing is the glazing industry, locally especially, is leading the way within North America and really coming up with these improved glazing systems for window wall and curtain wall assemblies,” he said.

Looking ahead at Phase 2, the focus is moving to zero emissions heating and hot water, which tar-gets 3 kilograms of carbon per meter squared per year.

“It allows gas use for peaking… allows some gas use for cooking but really what it starts to do is drive to the electrification of domestic hot water and make up air unit systems,” said Pander.

Improving climate resilience and reducing overheating limits will require an even greater focus on fixed shading to address solar heat gain in the summer, operation windows for natural ventilation and lower solar heat gain coefficients and more mechanical cooling solutions.

“The climate is getting warmer so we’ve had a history of overheating in the buildings as the envelopes get tighter. It could be exacerbated without better passive design measures,” said Pander. “We know the temperature is going to increase and we want to make sure that these buildings remain desirable places to live and work into the future.”

A significant change will be moving from reporting embodied carbon to meeting embodied carbon reduction targets (currently under consultation). Pander said embodied carbon goals can be met by measures such as low carbon concrete mixes, mass timber, using off-site assembly and reducing the use of spray foam and foam plastic insulation materials.

Other areas of opportunities include reducing concrete parkade spaces, and to not

just reuse buildings and preserve buildings but also to reuse the materials — to facilitate deconstructability.

By 2030, Vancouver expects to reduce the embodied emissions from new buildings and construction projects by 40 per cent compared to a 2018 baseline.

To support market transformation, Pander said the city is committed to leading by example and sharing lessons learned, with all new city facilities and affordable housing required to be built to the Passive House standard.

“We’ve also created development incentives for Passive House constructions in multifamily buildings — five percent density bonus in areas with defined density,” he said, adding wall thickness and heat recovery ventilation space exclusions in buildable floor areas are also available.

He recognized fostering industry buy-in is key to the transition to zero emissions. Institutions like the Zero Emissions Building Exchange allow the industry to learn from leaders on what works and what does not.

“We’re policy makers. We don’t know the challenges and opportunities and we realize industry learns best from each other,” he said.

The ZEB plan requirements are now the minimum in the city’s building bylaw effective June 2021. Pander noted the requirements apply to multi-family, high rise office, retail, hotel and mid-rise MURBs. As of January 1, 2022, the building bylaw will require zero emissions equipment for space and hot water heating in new low-rise residential buildings (up to three storeys).

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Climate Change

Rethinking the Way We Build

BY HARDY WENTZEL

invest an additional $2 million in its Mass Timber Demonstration Program. This follows up on the commitment Premier John Horgan previously made to expand the use of mass timber as a means to drive economic growth and achieve the province’s own sustainability goals.

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he National Building Code of Canada is due for an update in 2025, and we already have a pretty good idea of what changes to expect. The National Research Council has said that the next edition of the code will include new standards to protect buildings and their occupants against floods, wildfires, and extreme weather events that result from climate change.

Making buildings more resilient in the face of high winds, and basements more resistant to flooding? These are excellent ideas, and this seems like a sensible starting point for addressing the effects of global warming. What our building codes should be addressing, though, is the causes of climate change.

To do that, we need to think bigger — and taller.

It all starts with wood. Mass timber is a renewable building material that can be regenerated through sustainable forestry practices, and harvested timber helps mitigate climate change by storing its carbon throughout the life of the building. Mass timber construction can help move the needle on carbon emissions, but for that to happen we need to modernize our building codes to allow for wood structures taller than the currently mandated 12 storeys.

HOW WE BUILD IS HURTING US Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, Canada committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. According to the World Green Building Council, buildings are currently responsible for 39 per cent of global energyrelated carbon emissions. Operational emissions — from energy needed to heat, cool, and power buildings — account for 28 per cent, with the remaining 11 per cent from materials and construction.

Efficiency Canada, a research and advocacy organization at Carleton University, released a report last year that noted a disconnect between Canada’s climate targets and our building codes.

The organization called on various ministers to issue a joint directive clarifying the role of building codes as “a tool for market transformation”. Efficiency Canada hopes to see building codes that “encourage 18

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the construction of new buildings more likely to mitigate emissions” as well as “incorporation of embodied and operational carbon to help Canada meet its climate objectives”.

WE KNOW IT CAN BE DONE Several years ago, my company supplied materials for a project called Brock Commons Tallwood House.

When Tallwood House opened in the summer of 2017, it was the tallest mass timber structure in the world, standing 53 metres high. The 18-storey student residence at the University of British Columbia is exceptional — literally, in that it was an exception to the B.C. building code, which at the time limited wood buildings to six storeys. Getting it built required special permission and two structural reviews.

Although it was built on a concrete podium and does contain some steel elements, the frame of Tallwood House was built of engineered wood, with cross-laminated timber floors supported on gluelaminated timber columns. The amount of avoided and sequestered greenhouse gases from the wood used in Tallwood House is estimated to be equivalent to taking 511 cars off the road for a year. Using wood products over other materials reduced carbon dioxide emissions by 2,432 metric tons.

Tallwood House is a major reason that both B.C.’s code and the National Building Code of Canada were amended to allow construction of wood buildings up to 12 storeys.

THE POLITICAL WILL EXISTS In recent years, Tallwood House has had to relinquish its “world’s tallest” title to Mjøstårnet, an 85.4 metre, 18-storey mixed-use building in Brumunddal, Norway, completed in March 2019. That’s due to be nudged out of the top spot next year by Ascent, a 21-storey building in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, that will soar to 86.5 meters.

What’s stopping us from reaching similar heights here in Canada? We know that the political will exists, especially here in B.C. This summer, the provincial government announced that it will

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CONFIRMING WHAT WE ALREADY KNOW Our provincial and federal governments are certainly to be commended for the progress they have made in approving the construction of wood buildings up to 12 storeys. To get even taller projects into the codes, however, will require government-sponsored research to confirm what the industry already knows about mass timber’s properties in several key areas, including: • Fire resistance: When exposed to fire, the outer layer of mass timber chars and acts as a protective coating, which insulates the wood underneath. Cross-laminated timber (CLT) was first recognized in the 2015 International Building Code (the standard followed by most jurisdictions in the U.S.) after a test of a five-ply CLT wall. The wall was exposed to a fire that reached over 980 degrees Celsius. The building-code provisions required a two-hour fire rating, but the test specimen lasted just over three hours.

• Earthquake safety: Mass timber structures weigh approximately one-fifth of equivalent concrete buildings, and that lightweight nature helps reduce seismic forces, which are proportional to weight. Wood-frame construction also exhibits ductile behaviour, which essentially means it can bend without breaking.

DEMAND WILL MOVE THE NEEDLE That research is not likely to happen, however, unless architects, engineers, and developers demand it. In particular, it is up to architects and designers to break out of their concrete-and-steel comfort zones and embrace wood.

Public education will also be important, with the main takeaway being that, from an environmental and safety standpoint, wood is good. Developers will make the buildings that consumers want, and if those consumers start asking more questions about sustainability in design and construction, that’s what will really move the needle.

If we expect to live up to our Paris Agreement commitments and hit our ambitious climate targets, we clearly need to rethink the way we build, and especially what we build with. Renewable materials such as mass timber are the future of construction, and the future is looking up — way, way up.

Hardy Wentzel is CEO of Structurlam Mass Timber Corporation located in Penticton, B.C.

Legal File

Understanding Employment Law

BY ANDREW PRIOR

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mployment law issues span across all industries, but some issues are especially relevant to the construction industry. This article will discuss common legal issues facing employers in the construction industry. If you are facing any of these circumstances, we recommend you reach out to your legal advisor to obtain more information and advice on how to resolve the issue or minimize your risk.

WRITTEN EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS Many employers and employees begin their employment relationship on nothing more than a handshake. However, a written employment contract provides several benefits.

Firstly, a written contract provides a record of the rights and obligations of both parties.

This provides clarity and certainty of the terms of the employment relationship.

An employment contract can also limit liability. Employees who are terminated without cause are entitled to notice of termination, or pay in lieu of notice, pursuant to the Employment Standards Act (the Act) and the common law. The common law notice entitlement can be up to 24 months.

An employment contract can limit this notice to what is required by the Act, which may be three weeks or less, depending on the circumstances. However, without clear language to indicate such a limit, an employer may be liable for pay in lieu of notice significantly exceeding the requirements under the Act. An employment contract may also provide an employer with the right to make changes to the employment relationship, such as changing work duties, business restructuring, and other changes. Without a proper contract providing this right, employers will risk constructively dismissing employees when making changes. A constructive dismissal is treated as a termination without cause, and the employer may be liable for significant pay in lieu of notice.

If your employees work under an oral employment contract, it is advisable that you speak to a lawyer about implementing a written contract with your current and future employees.

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS Another key issue is the distinction between employees and independent contractors. This distinction has significant impacts on the legal obligations of the employer. Simply naming an individual an independent contractor is

Employees who are terminated without cause are entitled to notice of termination, or pay in lieu of notice, pursuant to the Employment Standards Act... not sufficient to cement their status, and parties often fail to consider whether the facts of the working relationship support a designation as independent contractor.

Whether an individual is an employee or independent contractor will depend on the following: a. Whether or not the individual works exclusively for the company; b. The degree of control the company has over the individual’s work (such as when, where, and how the work is done); c. Whether the individual supplies their own tools and equipment; d. Whether the individual has the chance to obtain profit or risk loss; and e. The degree of integration between the individual and the business.

If an individual is in fact an employee, the Act will apply to the relationship, including employee entitlements to vacation pay, overtime, and statutory severance upon termination. The employer will be liable for payroll taxes and may face penalties for failure to deduct and remit income taxes. Further, upon termination, the individual may have a claim for pay in lieu of notice, which can cause the employer to be liable for up to 24 months of wages.

If you intend to retain an independent contractor, but any of the above considerations are engaged (especially if you are the exclusive employer), contact your lawyer to ensure that the facts support this designation and that your contracts are drafted accordingly.

TEMPORARY LAYOFF Employers may lay off employees for up to 13 weeks in a 20-week period. To do so, typically the employee must consent to the layoff in writing. Consent can be provided at the outset of the relationship in a written employment agreement, or it can be provided in writing in advance of the layoff.

Once the maximum layoff period is exceeded, the employer must pay severance

as if it were a termination without cause.

Notably, under section 65(1)(e) of the Act, employers whose “principal business” is construction are not required to provide statutory notice of termination under the Act for employees who are employed “at construction sites”. However, if the employer does not have an employment contract in place to limit the notice entitlement, it will be liable for pay in lieu of notice pursuant to the common law, which can be significant.

OVERTIME AVERAGING Overtime averaging agreements are useful in the construction industry, where timelines may require employees to work long hours.

Such an agreement allows the employee’s hours of work to be aver-aged over a period of one to four weeks for the purpose of determining overtime pay, potentially saving the employer from an expensive payroll.

However, an overtime averaging agreement must comply with section 37 of the Act, meaning it must: a. Be in writing; b. Be signed by both parties prior to the start of employment; c. Specify the number of weeks over which the averaging agreement applies; d. Specify the work schedule for each day covered by the agreement; e. Specify the number of times the agreement may be repeated; and f. Provide a start date and an expiry date for the weeks over which it applies.

While overtime averaging agreements may be a useful tool, in practice they are seldom compliant with the Act, which can result in significant liability for overtime pay. We recommend you speak to your legal advisor if you intend to use an overtime averaging agreement in your workplace.

Andrew Prior is a commercial litigation lawyer with Pihl Law Corporation in Kelowna.

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Legal File

Case of Inflated Builders’ Lien Claim

BY MIKE MORGAN

and concrete fill portions of his subcontract, performing no further steel stud work.3

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recent decision1 from the B.C. Supreme Court effectively provides a roadmap for what not to do when a dispute between a subcontractor and a general contractor arises on a commercial construction project. It provides a cautionary tale for how matters can spiral out of control and result in substantial and significant legal fees and damages being incurred when a contractual dispute is not addressed in a timely and reasonable manner.

The subcontractor in this case, a steel stud framing and drywall subcontractor on a residential condominium project, walked off the job after a payment dispute. It then issued bogus invoices and filed an inflated claim of builders’ lien on title to the project. It proceeded to pursue its inflated claims through an eight day trial only to concede in closing argument that its inflated invoices were not in fact what had been agreed between the parties as the amount owing at the relevant time.

The court granted judgment to the general contractor for the increased costs incurred to complete the subcontractor’s work and, in a separate decision2 regarding costs, also ordered “special costs” against the subcontractor meaning that the subcontractor has to indemnify the general contractor for the reasonable legal fees the general contractor incurred in defending the subcontractor’s claims through trial.

The end result is that the subcontractor is liable not only for the judgment against it of over $130,000 but also is liable for the general contractor’s actual legal

fees which will likely be tens of thousands of dollars more and may in fact approach the amount of the judgment itself. In addition, it will have paid its own lawyer as well. In the end, it will likely be out of pocket several hundred thousands of dollars all arising from a dispute that perhaps could have been addressed for a fraction of that amount if the subcontractor had taken a more practical and reasonable approach.

In terms of the inflate invoices, the court stated as follows in the costs decision about the evidence of the contractor: [7] In his direct evidence at trial, the plaintiff agreed that there had been a meeting on December 18, 2015, but he denied that any agreement was reached limiting payment for the steel stud work performed on the first four floors. Further, despite Invoice No. 7801 appearing on its face to have been in respect of steel stud work on those floors, he contended that invoice was only in respect of “extras”.

[8] In closing argument, the plaintiff — without explanation — abandoned his position that Invoice No. 7801 was for “extras”. Further, he accepted the defendants’ position that he had, during the December 18, 2015 meeting, agreed to the value of the work he had performed on the first four floors; that he agreed to issue an invoice to reflect that agreement; and, that he agreed he would continue to work only on the drywall

1. Kang v. My Gastown Development Limited Partnership, 2021 BCSC 1861 2. Kang v. My Gastown Development Limited Partnership, 2021 BCSC 2242 (the “Costs Decision”) 3. The Costs Decision, supra. note 2 at paras. 7-8

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At paragraph 10 of the costs decision, the court found that the subcontractor knew his claim was grossly inflated which it knew to be substantially untrue. That finding lead to the extraordinary and unusual result of special costs against the subcontractor as the court held the subcontractor’s deceit was calculated to “drive the general contractor from the judgment seat.” In other words, by pursuing knowingly inflated claims, it attempted to force the general contractor to drop its claims.

What could the subcontractor have done instead when the payment dispute arose? Clearly, issuing false invoices and filing an inflated claim of builders’ lien was entirely inappropriate. Aside from not engaging in that wrongful conduct, a potential better course of action for the subcontractor to have taken could have been: (a) when the payment dispute arose, the subcontractor should not have walked off the project. By doing so, it breached the subcontract and became liable to the general contractor for the costs incurred in finding a replacement subcontractor. Instead, it ought to have attempted to resolve matters with the general contractor before leaving the site; (b) if it believed the general contractor was in default by failing to pay amounts properly due and owing, it perhaps ought to have issued a notice of default instead of unilaterally terminating the subcontract by abandoning the site. Once the subcontractor left, the general contractor had no other option but to hire a replacement subcontractor; and (c) if either of the above did not resolve the matter, the situation could still have been resolved at an early stage if the subcontractor had not inflamed the situation by, among other things, filing an inflated claim of builders’ lien. By doing so, the general contractor was forced to defend its position and pursue the claim through trial at tremendous expense, all of which became the responsibility of the subcontractor.

Accordingly, as always, where a contractual dispute arises in the middle of an ongoing construction project, obtaining timely legal advice is critical before things escalate and before the parties become entrenched in their positions.

Mike Morgan is a partner in the Vancouver office of Lawson Lundell LLP practicing commercial litigation with an emphasis on construction disputes.

Industry News

AFBC Architecture Awards

Vancouver House

Full House

Nanaimo Airport

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he AFBC Architectural Awards of Excellence are the highest level of architectural awards in B.C. The jury reviewed more than 106 submissions in order to select the recipients. The jury measured the overall quality of each submission based on the following criteria: Theory and Design Principles, Program and Client, Context and Site, Budget and Time Constraints, and Sustainability Principles.

The Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia Awards in Architecture recognizes excellence in completed architectural projects led or designed

by AIBC members. Four projects received the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia Award in Architecture — Medal: • Nanaimo Airport by the office of mcfarlane biggar architects & designers inc. in association with Checkwitch Poiron Architects Inc. • Full House by Leckie Studio Architecture + Design Inc. and Gaile Guevara Studio Ltd. • Vancouver House by DIALOG BC Architecture Engineering Interior Design

Pearl Block

Planning Inc., in association with Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), and James K.M. Cheng Architects (advising architect).

• Upper Skeena Recreation Centre by John Hemsworth Architecture Inc. Seven projects received a Design Excellence Award: • Nanaimo Airport by the office of mcfarlane biggar architects & designers inc. in association with Checkwitch Poiron Architects Inc. • Full House by Leckie Studio Architecture + Design Inc. and Gaile Guevara Studio Ltd. • Vancouver House by DIALOG BC Architecture Engineering Interior Design Planning Inc., in association with Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG), and James K.M. Cheng Architects (advising architect).

• The Shipyards by DIALOG BC Architecture Engineering Interior Design Planning Inc. • Clayton Water Reservoir by Local Practice Architecture + Design Ltd. • Pearl Block by D’Arcy Jones Architects.

• Upper Skeena Recreation Centre by John Hemsworth Architecture Inc. The Emerging Firm Award went to Stark Architecture Ltd. The Innovation Award went to 1 Lonsdale by John Hemsworth Architecture Inc. and the Unbuilt Award was given for Prototype Infill Station by Perkins + Will Canada Architects Co. Three Equity Awards went to Tsawwassen First Nation Youth Centre by Mackin Architects Ltd.; Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification Cost Comparison Feasibility Study by hcma architecture + design; and NƏC’AMAT CT Strathcona Library / YWCA Cause We Care House

by DIALOG BC Architecture Engineering Interior Design Planning Inc. Three Special Jury Awards went to: Gastown Child Care Centre by Acton Ostry Architects, SoLo by Perkins + Will and Shift House by Measured Architecture Inc.

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Industry News

The Working Group is developing options for contingency transport and logistics for essential goods and materials. As infrastructure gradually reopens, the Working Group will prioritize and advise on the best routes and use of limited capacity for the movement of goods across all transportation modes, while balancing community needs and national economic interest. Furthermore, together they will consider options for diverting traffic or establishing new logistics chains in the province.

ROAD BUILDERS RESPOND TO FLOODING The BC Road Builder & Heavy Construction members are working tirelessly to assist the provincial and local governments to safely re-open transportation corridors for communities impacted by the re-cent storm and flooding.

Highway maintenance and heavy construction members from across the province have stepped up, notifying the province and local government and emergency services with equipment and operators ready and willing to assist in any way necessary. Public safety is the top priority at this time.

The association said that roadways have to be not only cleared, but safe for use.

Experts from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure are actively assessing the scope of the damage, and members are ready to get transportation corridors and infrastructure working and open for public use again.

“If anyone had any doubts about the challenges of climate change, the extreme weather and wildfire events of 2021 have certainly demonstrated the seriousness of the challenge that lies ahead, especially for our highway maintenance members,” said association chair Paul Simpson.

Highways, bridges and roads are vital to communities across the province, connecting British Columbians to each other, facilitating the delivery of essential goods and services, and connecting the province to the rest of Canada.

The association said members are dedicated to ensuring safe transportation infrastructure in the province is maintained and restored after the effects of the storm, and standing ready to help in any way possible.

SUPPLY CHAIN RECOVERY GROUP FORMED The federal and B.C. governments announced the creation of a joint Federal Provincial Supply Chain Recovery Working Group to restore the flow of goods through the province after devastating flooding in November 2021.

Those invited to participate in the Federal / Provincial Supply Chain Recovery Working Group include several Government of Canada departments, Government of British Columbia ministries, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, the Vancouver International Airport Authority, the BC Marine Terminal Operators Association, the BC Trucking Association, the Retail Council of Canada, the Canadian Fuels Association, representatives from British Columbia’s tow boat industry, the Gateway Council of BC, the BC Chamber of Shipping, CN Rail, and CP Rail, among others.

This Working Group is a first step in what will be an ongoing effort by all orders of government to en-sure that the supply chain is re-established in a way that gets Canadians the goods they need and help mitigate against future incidents.

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November/December 2021

MINORU CENTRE WINS INTERNATIONAL PRIZE The Minoru Centre for Active Living in Richmond has received the 2021 Architecture Prize for Accessibility from the International Olympic Committee, International Paralympic Committee, and International Association for Sports and Leisure Facilities.

The annual Distinction for Accessibility Award aims to increase the accessibility of all sports and lei-sure facilities and architectural structures worldwide so that everyone has an opportunity to practice and view sport freely and without barriers.

The city’s new state-of-the-art fitness and aquatic facility, which opened in 2020, received the honour for its integration of accessibility features such as: • Design features in the aquatic centre to enable easy and dignified access to the various pools such as ramps and gentle steps as well as infinity edges and mobile lifts.

• Multiple drop-off areas to facilitate accessible transportation modes.

• Barrier-free front doors and accessible reception centres.

• Change room facilities that significantly exceed width requirements. For example, oversize shower and changing stalls to accommodate a family with young children or individuals using an assistive device.

Designed by HCMA, the Minoru Centre facility boasts a spacious 790 square metre (8,500 sq. ft.) fitness centre with a full complement of cardio, strength and stretching equipment as well as a large 176 square metre (1,900 sq. ft.) fitness studio that hosts a variety of group fitness classes.

FIRST NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PLANNED FOR BURNABY A new proposed master plan for the redevelopment of the Willingdon Lands in Burnaby will see the creation of a mixed-use, contemporary Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh urban village. It will provide approximately 5,000 housing units and include a film studio and a childcare centre.

The master plan was unveiled by Musqueam Indian Band, Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Aquilini Development.

The site’s design will incorporate a number of elements inspired by the nations’ history, culture, and connection to the lands and waters such as entry portals, artwork, native plants, a medicine garden, and wayfinding signage in hən ̓q ̓əmin ̓əm ̓ and English. At the heart of the development will be a Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh cultural centre and an outdoor hearth that will serve as a gathering place for both the nations and the wider community.

Located on the southwest corner of Willingdon Avenue and Canada Way, the Willingdon Lands lie on the shared territory of the Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh nations. In 2014, the Musqueam and Tsleil-Waututh nations along with Aquilini Development purchased the lands from the provincial government.

SKILLS CANADA NATIONALS 2022 SET FOR VANCOUVER Canada’s most talented post-secondary students and apprentices will compete at the 2022 Skills Canada National Competition (SCNC) in Vancouver in May. Scheduled for the Vancouver Convention Centre, SCNC is the only national, multi-trade and technology competition for students and apprentices in the country. More than 300 competitors from all regions of Canada will participate in 37 skilled trade and technology competitions from May 26-27.

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