Ministry Releases Results of Tower Crane Blitz

A blitz of tower crane inspections across the province last year resulted in 245 orders and 15 stop work orders being issued to contractors and owners. The figures were released recently by the Ministry of Labour (MOL). Inspectors checked more than 30 construction projects in the Greater Toronto and Niagara areas last June. They checked […]

A blitz of tower crane inspections across the province last year resulted in 245 orders and 15 stop work orders being issued to contractors and owners.

The figures were released recently by the Ministry of Labour (MOL).

Inspectors checked more than 30 construction projects in the Greater Toronto and Niagara areas last June. They checked that tower cranes were erected and inspected properly, maintained in good condition and safely operated.

The month before the field visits, ministry inspectors and engineers met with 30 owners and suppliers of tower cranes to ensure they understood their responsibilities under the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA) and the Regulations for Construction Projects.

Of the 245 orders that were issued:

  • 32 orders (13 per cent) were for violations involving tower crane erection, inspections and testing;
  • 32 orders (13 per cent) were for fall protection violations;
  • 17 orders (seven per cent) were for electrical safety violations; and
  • 10 orders (four per cent) were for fire safety violations.

The 15 stop work orders were issued for serious health and safety concerns that presented an immediate danger to workers.

The last tower crane inspection blitz was in 2007. Inspectors visited 120 project sites between April and September that year and issued 1,415 orders, including 151 stop work orders.

The MOL says the fact that fewer orders were written in the 2011 blitz period indicates a trend towards improvement in health and safety compliance.

The condition of tower cranes in Ontario is a concern as there have been a number of serious incidents at construction sites in recent years.

The MOL says inspectors will continue to inspect tower cranes at construction projects and industrial establishments such as shipping yards and pre-cast concrete operations.

Local 793 Office Hours Are Being Extended

Local 793’s head office and all district offices will be open a half hour longer on Fridays. The new Friday office hours will be 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. The change takes effect Friday, March 2, 2012. The change was made as a result of a new collective agreement with Local 343 of the Canadian […]

Local 793’s head office and all district offices will be open a half hour longer on Fridays.

The new Friday office hours will be 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The change takes effect Friday, March 2, 2012.

The change was made as a result of a new collective agreement with Local 343 of the Canadian Office and Professional Employees Union, which represents office staff at Local 793 offices.

Working Families Coalition Wins U.S. Award

The Working Families Coalition has won a prestigious U.S. political award for its advertising campaign during the last Ontario election. The Coalition recently received a 2012 Reed Award for excellence in the category of best international campaigns from Campaigns & Elections (C&E) magazine. Working Families is a coalition of unions that includes Local 793 of […]

The Working Families Coalition has won a prestigious U.S. political award for its advertising campaign during the last Ontario election.

The Coalition recently received a 2012 Reed Award for excellence in the category of best international campaigns from Campaigns & Elections (C&E) magazine.

Working Families is a coalition of unions that includes Local 793 of the International Union of Operating Engineers.

C&E covers the strategies, techniques and personalities of modern politics.

The award is named for C&E founder Stanley Foster Reed.

To read more about the award, click here.

Training Minister Says Unions Deserve Respect

Ontario is a great place in which to live and raise a family largely because of unions, according to Training, Colleges and Universities Minister Glen Murray. He told an audience at Local 793’s banquet hall on Feb. 9 that unions deserve respect, not criticism from politicians. “We’ve lost respect for labour and hard work in […]

Ontario is a great place in which to live and raise a family largely because of unions, according to Training, Colleges and Universities Minister Glen Murray.

He told an audience at Local 793’s banquet hall on Feb. 9 that unions deserve respect, not criticism from politicians.

“We’ve lost respect for labour and hard work in our society,” he said. “But we shouldn’t begrudge people who have pensions and security for their families.”

Murray was keynote speaker at a fund-raiser for Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn, who is his parliamentary assistant.

About 250 people attended the event, many from Local 793 and the construction industry.

In a speech, Murray, who is MPP for Toronto Centre, said unions are the reason today’s workers have decent wages and weekends – and Opposition parties don’t seem to respect that.

Other political parties, he said, want to freeze the wages of unionized workers, but they aren’t too concerned about their banker friends who are making big money.

Instead of a race to the bottom, he said, the Liberal government prefers that today’s workers and young people get proper wages.

“This government won’t tolerate paying young people low wages,” he told the audience.

Instead of attacking unionized workers, Murray said the focus should be on providing opportunities for a more skilled workforce.

That, he said, is one of the reasons the Liberals are behind the newly established College of Trades.

The College was set up to help modernize the province’s apprenticeship and skilled trades system.

Murray noted that in the last eight years the Liberals have opened the doors for more young people to have careers, and Ontario now has the most highly skilled workforce in the world.

On a political note, he said the province does not want to go back to the dark days of the Tories when hospitals were closed.

“We must never forget that the Conservatives gutted this province when they were in power.”

After Murray’s speech, Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher thanked the audience, in particular the building trades and those from the construction industry who attended the event.

He said Local 793 and other building trade unions appreciate the investments that the Liberals have made in training and are pleased to work with the minister on the College of Trades.

Gallagher reminded the minister that unions south of the border are fighting right-to-work initiatives, something they shouldn’t have to do, and in Ontario unions want to make sure their contractors do not lose infrastructure contracts to large offshore companies.

Canadian Building Permits on the Rise

Canadian municipalities issued building permits worth $6.9 billion in December, up 11.1% from November, according to a report by Statistics Canada. The figure is the highest level since June 2007. The value of building permits was up in five provinces, led by Ontario, Alberta and Quebec. British Columbia reported the largest decrease. Both the industrial, commercial, institutional (ICI) […]

Canadian municipalities issued building permits worth $6.9 billion in December, up 11.1% from November, according to a report by Statistics Canada.

The figure is the highest level since June 2007.

The value of building permits was up in five provinces, led by Ontario, Alberta and Quebec. British Columbia reported the largest decrease.

Both the industrial, commercial, institutional (ICI) and residential construction sectors recorded permit value increases.

In the ICI sector, the value of permits grew 2.8 per cent to $2.4 billion in December. Alberta posted a large increase, which more than offset declines in most provinces.

Permits in the commercial component of the ICI sector increased 41 per cent to $1.6 billion in December. The increase was largely attributable to higher construction intentions for office buildings and warehouse facilities in Alberta, as well as hotels in Ontario.

Permits in the industrial component decreased 24 per cent to $353 million in December. The decline was mostly due to lower construction intentions in all provinces except Quebec.

Permits in the institutional component declined 42 per cent to $402 million. The largest declines were in construction intentions for educational institutions in Ontario, health care facilities in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and government buildings in British Columbia.

In the residential construction sector, meanwhile, the value of permits increased 16.1 per cent to $4.5 billion. It was the second consecutive monthly increase. Ontario accounted for much of the growth recorded at the national level.

Plans for Pan-Am Athletics and Aquatics Centre Moving Ahead

Short-listed teams have submitted their bids to build a multi-purpose aquatics and athletics facility for the Toronto 2015 Pan-Parapan American Games. The proposals will be evaluated over the next several months by Infrastructure Ontario, the Games committee, the City of Toronto, and the University of Toronto. The successful project team will be selected and announced […]

Short-listed teams have submitted their bids to build a multi-purpose aquatics and athletics facility for the Toronto 2015 Pan-Parapan American Games.

The proposals will be evaluated over the next several months by Infrastructure Ontario, the Games committee, the City of Toronto, and the University of Toronto.

The successful project team will be selected and announced this summer. Construction is expected to begin shortly after that and the facility will be completed in 2014.

The value of the contract will be announced publicly following financial close.

The facility will be built at the University of Toronto Scarborough campus and include:

  • A Pan American Aquatics Centre: The aquatics centre will seat approximately 6,000 people and feature two 10-lane, 52-metre pools and a five-metre-deep diving tank.
  • A field house: The field house will seat approximately 2,000 people and feature an indoor recreational track, fitness area and flexible gym space for training.
  • A Canadian Sport Institute Ontario: The Institute will provide coaching and training facilities.

Infrastructure Minister Bob Chiarelli said the announcement brings the province one step closer to breaking ground on the facility.

“This project will not only serve as a focal point for competition during the Toronto 2015 Pan-Parapan American Games, it will provide long lasting benefits to the community as a hub for local activities, university and high-performance sport once the Games are over.”

The Games are one of the world’s largest international multi-sport events, held every four years for athletes of the 41-member nations of the Pan American Sports Organization.