Ontario’s Construction Outlook Remains Positive

An annual survey of 500 industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) contractors across Ontario reveals that the business outlook for 2012 remains positive, but less so than in previous years. The survey was done by Ipsos-Reid for the Ontario Construction Secretariat (OCS), which represents the interests of the organized building trades and their signatory contractors in […]

An annual survey of 500 industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) contractors across Ontario reveals that the business outlook for 2012 remains positive, but less so than in previous years.

The survey was done by Ipsos-Reid for the Ontario Construction Secretariat (OCS), which represents the interests of the organized building trades and their signatory contractors in the ICI sector.

Thirty-three per cent of the contractors surveyed expect to conduct more business this year while 14 per cent expect to conduct less business.

Work expectations were strongest in northern Ontario where 80 per cent of contractors in the region rated the current economic situation as good. With nearly $5 billion in investment slated to begin this year, northern contractors have significantly upped their expectations for 2012.

Conversely, work forecasts were weakest in southwestern Ontario, consistent with their bleak appraisal of their current economic situation.

Contractors in the GTA and central Ontario tempered their expectations the most versus 2011.

Firms in eastern Ontario were the second most positive when rating their work expectations.

By sector, contractors who do work in the industrial and institutional segments are expecting to do less business this year, while those in the commercial sector expect to be busier.

Meanwhile, another report by the OCS forecasts that construction will continue to be a leader in employment growth over the coming years.

The report, called Construction Looking Forward, forecasts that 120,000 new workers will be required to meet increased demand and retirements by 2020.

New entrants to the trades will fill about one-half of those positions, the report indicates, which leaves a gap of approximately 60,000 workers.

Crane Operator Profiled in The National Post

The National Post newspaper recently profiled crane operator George DeFreitas and interviewed Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher. The story appeared in the paper on Saturday, April 21. To see the story and photos, click here.

The National Post newspaper recently profiled crane operator George DeFreitas and interviewed Local 793 business manager Mike Gallagher. The story appeared in the paper on Saturday, April 21.

To see the story and photos, click here.

National Construction Employment Expected to Remain High

Construction employment is expected to remain at record-high levels in Canada for at least another decade. That’s the assessment of a new national forecast of labour supply and demand released recently by the Construction Sector Council (CSC). Canada will need an estimated 319,000 new construction workers between 2012 and 2020 to keep pace with increasing […]

Construction employment is expected to remain at record-high levels in Canada for at least another decade.

That’s the assessment of a new national forecast of labour supply and demand released recently by the Construction Sector Council (CSC).

Canada will need an estimated 319,000 new construction workers between 2012 and 2020 to keep pace with increasing demand from the industry and to compensate for the rising number of anticipated retirements, says the forecast called Construction Looking Forward.

CSC business co-chair Tim Flood said industry stakeholders are drawing on past experience to find ways to meet future demand.

“Recruiting for the projects is the first priority, but there is a second critical challenge related to training and retaining workers to meet current needs as well as long-term needs.

“The industry is working to ensure that investments in apprenticeships and other types of training and support systems keep pace with demand.”

According to the forecast, the national construction labour force is expected to rise by 100,000 workers between 2012 and 2020 to meet demand associated with increased construction activity. Meanwhile, the workforce is aging and baby boomers are expected to retire.

An estimated 219,000 construction workers are expected to retire Canada-wide in the next decade, meaning that the industry will need to replace more than 20 per cent of its current workforce in the same time period.

CSC labour co-chair Robert Blakely, director of Canadian affairs for the AFL-CIO Building and Construction Trades Department, said another major challenge for human resource managers will be tracking the mobility of skilled trades workers across regions as they’ll be needed in specific areas for mining, oil and gas, pipeline, electrical generation and transmission projects.

“Many of these projects are in remote northern locations, but the scale of this work generates significant demand requirements across many provinces,” said Blakely.

He said mapping the proposed start-up of major projects in some regions and the winding down of projects in others will be critical for assessing the inter-provincial mobility to meet peak demand requirements.

Meetings Arranged for Members at KAP Project

Local 793 has arranged for monthly membership meetings to be held in May and June for operating engineers working on the Kiewit-Alarie Partnership (KAP) project on the Lower Mattagami River. The first meeting will be held on Thursday, May 10, 2012. Two sessions have been scheduled. One is at 4:30 p.m. and the other is […]

Local 793 has arranged for monthly membership meetings to be held in May and June for operating engineers working on the Kiewit-Alarie Partnership (KAP) project on the Lower Mattagami River.

The first meeting will be held on Thursday, May 10, 2012. Two sessions have been scheduled. One is at 4:30 p.m. and the other is at 6:30 p.m.

The second meeting will be held on Thursday, June 14, 2012. Times have yet to be determined.

Both meetings are being held in the conference room at the permanent camp.

The meetings are for the 100 union members employed on the KAP project.

Local 793 members from all areas of the province are working on the KAP project.

College of Trades Reviewing Ratios

The Ontario College of Trades has begun its journeyperson-to-apprentice ratio reviews. Submissions are presently being accepted for four groups of trades. One of the groups is for hoisting engineer: mobile crane operator-Br1; hoisting engineer: mobile crane operator-Br2; and hoisting engineer: tower crane operator. The deadline for written submissions is May 18 at 2 p.m. (EDT) […]

The Ontario College of Trades has begun its journeyperson-to-apprentice ratio reviews.

Submissions are presently being accepted for four groups of trades.

One of the groups is for hoisting engineer: mobile crane operator-Br1; hoisting engineer: mobile crane operator-Br2; and hoisting engineer: tower crane operator.

The deadline for written submissions is May 18 at 2 p.m. (EDT)

The College believes that the open and transparent review of these ratios is an important step in promoting fairness and safety in the workplace.

The College of Trades was established to help modernize the province’s apprenticeship and skilled trades system.

To learn more about the review and make a submission, click here.