Canada Post Publications Agreement Number: 40609661 WESTERN EXTERIORSThe voice of the building envelope industry in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba Fall 2019 Buildin g a Lasting LegacyWESTERN EXTERIORS Fall 2019 5 WESTERN EXTERIORS The voice of the building envelope industry in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba OPENING REMARKS 07 British Columbia: BCCA Gives Snapshot of B.C. Construction Industry 11 Alberta: New Ideas and New Opportunities for a Resilient Industry 13 Saskatchewan: Optimistic Economy: The Future of the Construction Sector 15 Manitoba: Has the Time Finally Come for Whole Building Airtightness Testing? 16 BRITISH COLUMBIA SANDWICHING AESTHETICS AND SUSTAINABILITY This September, Simon Fraser University in Surrey, B.C., is opening the doors to their captivating Sustainable Energy and Engineering (SE3P) Building. Already sparking interest with its “unique façade,” the SE3P will be a welcoming hub for students, faculty, and the community itself. PROJECT SPOTLIGHTS 20 ALBERTA A NEW LEASE ON LIFE Edmonton, Alberta’s 130-year-old Strathcona Hotel is undergoing renovations, bringing in the new while still preserving the old, to keep its story and spirit alive for the next 100 years. 24 SASKATCHEWAN ONE-OF-A-KIND INDEPENDENCE The brand-new Input Housing condominiums going up in Regina, Saskatchewan, will give future residents a one-of-a-kind chance to live just like everybody else. 28 MANITOBA BUILDING A LASTING LEGACY In the heart of Winnipeg, Manitoba’s Exchange District, a building of cutting-edge design is on its way up. Soon, the RIC will dazzle pedestrians and employees while acting as a hub for agri-food research and product innovation. FEATURES 31 Balconies on Stantec Tower are Helping Residents Keep Warm in Edmonton’s ICE District 33 Challengers in Energy Efficiency 34 Zinc Roofing Protects Heritage of Vancouver Church 35 Skills Gaps, Skills Mismatch, and Skills Shortages: What Can We Do? SCAN THIS QR CODE WITH YOUR SMART DEVICE TO AUTOMATICALLY BE DIRECTED TO THE WESTERN EXTERIORS’ WEBSITE. ALL PROJECT SPOTLIGHTS WRITTEN BY STAFF WRITER PAUL ADAIR. Published by Matrix Group Publishing Inc. Return Undeliverable Addresses to 309 Youville Street Winnipeg, MB R2H 2S9 Toll Free Phone: (866) 999-1299 Toll Free Fax: (866) 244-2544 www.matrixgroupinc.net Canada Post Mail Publications Agreement Number: 40609661 President & CEO Jack Andress Operations Manager Shoshana Weinberg sweinberg@matrixgroupinc.net Publisher Jessica Potter jpotter@matrixgroupinc.net Editor-in-Chief Shannon Savory ssavory@matrixgroupinc.net Senior Editor Alexandra Kozub akozub@matrixgroupinc.net Junior Editors Jenna Collignon, Kaitlin Vitt Finance/Administration Lloyd Weinberg, Nathan Redekop accounting@matrixgroupinc.net Director of Marketing & Circulation Lloyd Weinberg distribution@matrixgroupinc.net Sales Manager - Winnipeg Neil Gottfred Sales Manager - Hamilton Jeff Cash Sales Team Leader Sandra Kirby Account Executives Albert Brydges, Andrew Lee, Bonnie Petrovsky, Brenda McPhee, Brian MacIntyre, Cheryl Klassen, Colleen Bell, Frank Kenyeres, Jim Hamilton, Julie Welsh, Kevin Harris, Mackenzie Carare, Marlyn Beek, Renée Kent, Rob Gibson, Tanina Di Piazza, Tenisha Myke, Terri Erkelens Layout & Design Kayti Taylor Advertising Design James Robinson ©2019 Matrix Group Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Contents may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the publisher. The opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Matrix Group Publishing Inc. LIKE us on Facebook. Search Western Exteriors Magazine. OPINION 36 The Revolution that Will Change Modern Construction 38 INDEX TO ADVERTISERS COVER DETAILS Richardson International has invested more than $30 million to develop a new innovation centre in the heart of Winnipeg. The Richardson Innovation Centre (RIC) will feature state-of- the-art technology and equipment for research and product development. Photo courtesy of Number TEN.WESTERN EXTERIORS Fall 2019 7 OPENING REMARKS BCCA GIVES SNAPSHOT OF B. C. CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY To celebrate the launch of Construction Month, the British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA) and its industry partners released fresh sta- tistics and survey results to give a snapshot of con- struction in the province. “From our standpoint, we always get a bit enthused when we see that we can introduce to most people the sheer size and scale of it,” said Chris Atchison, BCCA President. Construction held the top spot in the goods sector employment with more than 242,000 direct- ly receiving pay for construction related work. The current estimated value of construction projects underway is approximately $74 billion in addition to the $40 billion LNG Canada project in the north. With so many projects and employees, the indus- try accounts for 8.7 per cent of the province’s GDP. According to a survey of more than 700 union and open-shop employers and employees, skilled labour availability remains the main concern with nearly 70 per cent of respondents, regardless of age, labour affiliation, business type, or role in the industry, citing the issue. Other top concerns listed included B.C.’s Com- munity Benefits Agreement framework, permits and red tape, productivity and management, and the quality of public procurement. Atchison noted the stats show the industry has come a long way in addressing labour concerns. “I think one of the most interesting things to see is the growth of the workforce while the skills gap has shrunk by 70 per cent,” he said. The number of construction jobs in B.C. that will be unfilled due to labour shortages by 2028 is 7,900, a far cry from the 30,000 that used to be projected. “It is going in the right direction,” he said, attrib- uting the success to strategic training investment, an economic downturn in other provinces, and a heightened awareness of trades opportunities. “It all boils down to primarily one word: ‘oppor- tunity,’” said Atchison. “Opportunity for work, to work with one’s hands, for prosperity, the legacy of working on some of these major projects, and for change. This is a time of unprecedent growth. There is an energy in our industry that is exciting to see. People recognize and see the opportunity that exists.” Russell Hixson Editorial Specialist However, as the LNG Canada project begins to ramp up, labour demand will increase. “But we are a resilient and hardworking indus- try, we will innovate solutions,” says Atchison. “We have some tricks up our sleeve yet.” Rory Kulmala, CEO of the Vancouver Island Construction Association, echoed Atchison’s com- ments. He also recognized while progress has been made on finding and retaining labour, it will contin- ue to be a concern going forward. “We know we are going to be short of work- ers in the coming years,” said Kulmala. “We have to treat this as a priority to ensure we have the people trained now to continue the success in the future.” He explained this requires two components: attraction and retention. “Attraction is trying to compete with all the other sectors,” said Kulmala. “We in construction have a unique character to what we do. It takes a particular set of skills. In my mind it’s not an industry that’s biased towards any gender or race. There are opportunities that abound.” He noted retention requires another focus. Ini- tiatives like the B.C. Builders Code could go a long way to show not only is construction lucrative and fulfilling work, but the construction environment is equitable and safe for women and other underrep- resented groups. The BCCA stats show only 4.7 per cent of credentialed B.C. tradespeople are women. Kulmala said the Community Benefits Agreement as well as red tape in some municipalities could pose a challenge for the industry going forward. “Affordability is on the mind of the communi- ty,” he said. “They look to the construction industry to build it cheaper and that’s not going to happen. Permits, taxes, tariffs – those all drive up costs sig- nificantly outside the control of the contractor com- munity. These are things our industry has to cope with.” B.C. Construction Month is sponsored by the BCCA, the British Columbia Institute of Technology, WorkSafe BC, and others. The month aims to cel- ebrate the many contributions B.C.’s construction industry makes across the province. Visit the Journal of Commerce at https://canada. constructconnect.com/joc for up to the minute con- struction-related news pertinent to those doing busi- ness in western Canada. BRITISH COLUMBIA Russell Hixson is an editorial special- ist at ConstructConnect™, which is the market leader in preconstruction throughout the United States and Canada. This article was originally published March 15th, 2019, on Journal of Commerce’s website. The number of construction jobs in B.C. that will be unfilled due to labour shortages by 2028 is 7,900, a far cry from the 30,000 that used to be projected.Next >