In 2015 the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) embarked on a series of “Quality of Documents” workshops across Canada to explore and discuss the issue of poor quality documentation, its potential causes, and, perhaps most importantly, potential solutions to address the issue. CCA is pleased to publish a summary report of both the workshops and the surveys conducted. Read more.
Why Not BIM! Come join AECO industry leaders and practitioners in an open discussion about BIM. We will host a series of presentations and panel discussions aimed at addressing this central question: Why Not BIM? A lot has been said about BIM; its purpose, its value, but now it’s time to discuss the direction of BIM in Canada’s Eastern Provinces and how this technology will affect your business.
• What are the key issues surrounding BIM for the various stakeholders?
• What does the next two to five years look like?
• What are your options when adopting BIM?
• What risks do we face from lagging behind other regions and countries?
• What impact does a lagging BIM adoption have on our workforce in Atlantic Canada?
This event will be the best opportunity to participate alongside industry leaders, stakeholders and decision makers in one room. You will not want to miss the opportunity to participate and perhaps ask the questions that affect you most. Register now!
April 28 is the Day of Mourning – a day to remember those who lost their lives or were injured because of their work. The website DayOfMourning.ns.ca features a powerful new video about a young Nova Scotia man named Kyle Hickey. His tragic story, told by his family and friends, is an emotional reminder of the importance of workplace safety.
There are several ways to commemorate the Day of Mourning in your workplace:
• Visit dayofmourning.ns.ca to view a powerful new video about Kyle Hickey, a young Nova Scotian who died in a workplace tragedy in 2008, and share the video with your employees.
• Make an online tribute and encourage your employees to do the same.
• Observe a moment of silence and attend a remembrance service.
• Lower flags to half-mast.
• Follow our Day of Mourning Facebook page.
• Use the Employer Toolkit page for more ideas to commemorate this special day.
We encourage you to take a few minutes this April 28 to share Kyle’s story with your employees, and make them more aware and more focused on the importance of working safely.
WHEN: Thursday, 28 April 2016 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM (ADT)
WHERE: Halifax World Trade and Convention Centre – 1800 Argyle Street, Halifax, NS B3J 3N8,
This one-day Contract Security Workshop has been created to teach you what you need to know and most importantly, what you need to do, when your organization is considering bidding on a government contract that has security requirements.
For more information on the Contract Security Program, click here.
ST. JOHN’S, N.L. — Tina Andrews woke Tuesday to the lingering smell of smoke and the knowledge that settled on so many residents of Bay de Verde, N.L.: it wasn’t just a nightmare. Their sprawling fish plant, an economic engine for the pretty seaside town on Newfoundland’s eastern edge, really was a smouldering ruin after a fierce blaze erupted early Monday. Read more
Loblaw is planning to build dozens of new stores and renovate more than 100 others this year, creating thousands of retail and construction jobs. Loblaw says that overall, it will erect about 50 new stores and renovated 150 existing ones, including projects that started in January. Read more
Although it’s a tool, it’s also a new paradigm that fosters a collaborative process, he said Bob Hildenbrandt, chair of Institute for BIM in Canada (IBC). The industry can be resistant to change, he added, but invested in BIM is like investing in a computer in the past. It’s going to become a necessary component, and other parts of the world are racing ahead of North America. But BIM is active in Canada in pockets, Hildenbrandt said, and is being used in virtual design in construction, lean construction, and integrated project delivery. Read more
Marku Allison, the director of engagement and strategy at Chandos, walked the audience through the challenges of adopting lean construction methods to a project his team recently worked on. He said that construction tends to lump things into “done and “not done” categories, but there is more granularity to the process. Read more
Ken Melax, a Calgary-based engineer, said the ‘big room’ has the power to break down silos across a project. Cathy Hopkins, a continuous improvement specialist with NOvaTel Inc., said every implementation of a big room has its own unique characteristics, but there are certain consistencies. Read more
Paul Blaser, the principal architect of RBM Architecture, began by explaining how he was tasked to help revamp the entire Saskatchewan health care system using lean construction principles. He said while touring hospitals he spotted building inefficiencies that slowed doctors down as they did their rounds, which drove design decisions for his firm when renovating health facilities. Read more