(Image courtesy of RCCAO) The Ontario government has awarded a contract for the detail design of the western section of the Bradford Bypass, a new four-lane, 16-kilometre highway north of Toronto, to AECOM Canada Ltd. The province says that the roadway is needed to relieve gridlock, save commuters time and keep goods moving across the Greater Golden Horseshoe. “As Ontario grows at a historic rate, there has never been a more urgent time to get shovels in the ground and build new highways and roads,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, the province’s minister of transportation. “Not only will the Bradfor ..read more

Forty newly certified journeypersons have been recognized by the Manitoba government for achieving top marks in their respective trades. The 32nd annual Apprenticeship Highest Achievement Awards ceremony was held at the provincial legislative building to reward the academic accomplishments and on-the-job performance of the award recipients. “Your determination while maintaining high performance in your respective trades is admirable and I am honoured to have been able to present awards to this distinguished group,” said Economic Development, Investment, Trade and Natural Resources Minister Jam ..read more

(Photo courtesy of PCL) PCL Constructors Canada Inc. (Toronto) was recently recognized for its employee fundraising efforts and community support at United Way Halton & Hamilton’s annual Evening of Celebration. The company was honoured with the Step Up for the Community Award in recognition of its efforts and dedication in running a successful fundraising campaign in support of United Way. The award is presented to United Way partners who have grown their support of the charity and its programs. PCL Toronto, one of eight organizations to receive the award, stepped up by growing funds rai ..read more

Trimble has acquired privately held Flashtract, a company delivering specialized technology to streamline the flow of payment and compliance information between construction general contractors and subcontractors. Flashtract technology is used to manage payment applications, lien waivers and other compliance and billing documentation electronically, eliminating back-and-forth communication and cumbersome document transfers. The technology, now branded as Trimble Pay, integrates with the capabilities of the company’s Viewpoint Vista ERP solution for construction, extending the conn ..read more

(Photo courtesy of Oshkosh Corporation) Oshkosh Corporation, parent company of JLG, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire AUSACORP S.L. (AUSA), a privately held international company and manufacturer of wheeled dumpers, rough terrain forklifts and telehandlers for the construction, material handling, agriculture, landscape and specialty equipment industries. Upon closing, AUSA will become part of the Oshkosh Access segment. “AUSA’s history of producing high-quality, purpose-built equipment aligns with our ‘Innovate. Serve. Advance.’ strategy, allowing us to broaden our product o ..read more

(Photo courtesy of Hexagon) Digital reality solutions provider Hexagon has added Xwatch Safety Solutions to its portfolio of companies. Hexagon combines sensor, software and autonomous technologies for its digital platform, while Xwatch provides machine control hardware and software technologies designed to enhance safety protocols on construction sites. Xwatch technologies include height control, slew control and rated capacity indication (RCI) for heavy machinery, which allow operators to limit an excavator’s height and set side boundaries to define a working zone, significantly increasing ..read more

Brokk has opened a distribution centre in Hamilton, Ont. The 4,000-foot space will house the full line of Brokk demolition machines along with attachments and parts inventory. It will be the main distribution centre for Canada. (Photo courtesy of Brokk, Inc.) Brokk has increased its presence in Canada. While the brand has had a sales presence in Canada for more than 30 years, the manufacturer of remote-controlled demolition machines only recently opened a distribution centre in the country. Located in Hamilton, Ont., the new facility marks an expansion of its network, says the company. The d ..read more

(Image courtesy of the Electrical Safety Authority) As Powerline Safety Week approaches, Ontario’s Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) is on a mission to educate construction and trade workers in the province that staying clear of power lines is paramount to staying safe. Over the past decade, the ESA has recorded nearly 1,400 incidents involving overhead powerlines. Sixty per cent occurred in the construction sector, with eight fatalities being registered. A recent ESA survey of trade workers raised some alarming red flags. Only 18 per cent correctly identified three metres as the safe distan ..read more

(Photo: Rapeepat Pornsipak / iStock / Getty Images Plus / Getty Images) Building on its previous four Working for Workers acts, the Ontario government is introducing the Working for Workers Five Act, 2024, which contains a suite of measures to support workers, including mandating that jobsite washrooms are clean and sanitary, and requiring that menstrual products be provided on larger construction sites. The legislation will be the first of its kind in Canada and would make the skilled trades more accessible to women and support women at work, says the province. “Under Premier Ford, our gove ..read more

Building construction price indexes, quarterly change, first quarter of 2024. (Source: Statistics Canada, Table 18-10-0276-02.) Statistics Canada reports that the first quarter of 2024 marked the slowest quarterly growth in residential and non-residential building construction costs since 2020, but prices continued to rise nonetheless. Residential building construction costs increased 0.8 per cent in the first quarter, following a 1.1 per cent increase in the previous quarter, while non-residential building construction costs also rose 0.8 per cent in Q1, following a 0.8 per cent increase in ..read more