Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | November 24, 2020 CALGARY — Alberta construction leaders are urging the province to keep the industry an essential service as it braces for the second wave of COVID-19 The Alberta Construction Association (ACA) sent a letter to Premier Jason Kenney reminding him of the work the industry has…
Read MoreWorkplace compensation claims reflect toll COVID-19 has taken on Canada’s workers
Inayat Singh, Dave Seglins, Andreas Wesley · CBC News · Nov 23, 2020 More than 26,000 compensation claims filed after COVID contracted at work Jeffrey Freedman is a COVID-19 “long-hauler” — one of many Canadians left with lingering health issues after getting sick from the virus. He says he now regrets going into work during the early days of the…
Read MoreChris Gardner: Stripping secret ballot from workers a bad idea
Vancouver Sun | Chris Gardner | November 19, 2020 Opinion: Whether it’s when we elect governments or members to local community associations, it is the secret ballot we rely on to provide assurance that the vote is free from manipulation by any interested party. Even before the mail-in ballots were counted and the final results…
Read MoreKeeyask Dam project to resume workforce rotation after COVID-19 cases drop
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | November 17, 2020 WINNIPEG — Testing of workers at the Keeyask Dam construction site in Manitoba show reduced cases, prompting officials to resume workforce rotations to relieve workers. A second round of testing for all workers at the site revealed an additional case of COVID-19 and four instances…
Read MoreP3 2020: CBA experts discuss Canadian, U.S. experiences at P3 conference
Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | November 18, 2020 A panel of union experts discussed their different experiences with Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs) across Canada and even across the border. The event was part of the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships (CCPPP) 28th annual conference, which was held virtually this year. Lionel Railton, Canadian director for…
Read MoreAlberta red tape report shows $479 million in savings
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | November 18, 2020 CALGARY — Albertans have saved more than $479 million thanks to red tape reduction efforts, initial government reports show. According to the province’s first annual red tape reduction report, which highlights progress made towards the goal of cutting red tape by one-third, government cut more…
Read MoreP3 2020: McKenna announces national infrastructure assessment initiative
Journal of Commerce | Angela Gismondi | November 18, 2020 Canada’s minister of infrastructure and communities has committed to developing a national infrastructure assessment initiative to identify long-term infrastructure needs and priorities. Catherine McKenna made the announcement at the 28th annual Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships virtual conference. The three-day event kicked off Nov. 17. “We have…
Read MoreCOVID-19: WorkSafeBC to take ‘deeper dive’ during workplace inspections
Vancouver Sun | Glenda Luymes | Nov 14, 2020 WorkSafeBC is urging businesses to review and update their COVID-19 safety plans as the agency increases inspections in the Vancouver Coastal and Fraser Health regions to help curtail the spread of the virus. The safety authority has played a key role in reducing outbreaks in B.C. workplaces since…
Read MoreOctober 2020 work-related incidents reported to WorkSafeBC
November 12, 2020 Construction incident summaries are based on information obtained as soon as possible after the incidents: they are preliminary and subject to change. Details have been edited to protect workers’ privacy. See additional summaries online. Injury Type: Fractured arm Core Activity: Painting or wallpapering Location: Vancouver Island/Coastal B.C. Date of Incident: 2020-Oct A young worker was working from…
Read MoreDecember 2020 virtual public hearing on proposed regulatory amendments
WorkSafeBC has rescheduled the public hearing on proposed amendments to Parts 6, 8, 16, 18, and 21 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation to December 10, 2020. In light of the ongoing and rapidly evolving COVID-19 pandemic, and in an effort to maximize physical distancing, the public hearing will be held virtually. The virtual public hearing…
Read MoreBrynn Bourke appointed interim director of BC Building Trades
Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | November 12, 2020 LANGLEY, B.C. — The BC Building Trades Council has appointed Brynn Bourke as its interim executive director after its previous director, Andrew Mercier, was elected to represent Langley during the provincial election. The group noted that Bourke, who served as the senior director of engagement,…
Read MoreB.C. LNG development improving Indigenous communities: report
Journal of Commerce | Russell Hixson | November 16, 2020 A new report released by the Conference Board of Canada has concluded that B.C. LNG development is benefiting Indigenous communities and people. The report’s findings were gleaned through a review of academic and grey literature, in consultation with the Conference Board of Canada’s Indigenous and Northern…
Read MoreWorkSafeBC 2020 Q4 initiative: Maintaining COVID-19 safety plans
On November 7, 2020, the provincial health officer issued an order to all employers in the Vancouver Coastal Health and Fraser Health Authority regions. This order requires that all employers in the affected regions review their COVID-19 Safety Plan to ensure that appropriate protocols are in place to protect workers from the risk of transmission,…
Read MoreCOVID-19: WorkSafeBC steps up inspections in Fraser and Vancouver Coastal health regions
Vancouver Sun | Tiffany Crawford | Nov 10, 2020 WorkSafeBC says it will increase inspections at places where workers interact with large numbers of people and places with frequent shared contact of surfaces. WorkSafeBC says it will step up inspections of businesses in the Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal health regions, as B.C.’s number of…
Read MoreUpdated Covid Case on Site Procedures from BCCSA
As per recent PHO orders, please find the just-updated COVID-19 Case On Site Procedures.
Traffic Control – Part 18
On behalf of Mike McKenna at BCCSA: Association partners: Please find attached BCCSA’s submission to the upcoming WSBC consultation on Part 18 of the Reg. Also attached are two letters that can be used as a template for your submissions (Association and Employer), should you choose to do so. In essence, BCCSA is aware that…
Read MoreU.S. construction stakeholders congratulate Biden, reiterate policy priorities
Journal of Commerce | Don Wall | November 11, 2020 US construction industry stakeholders have congratulated President-Elect Joe Biden for his election win and called for healing while urging the new administration to implement key campaign promises such as rebuilding infrastructure. The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), the Associated Equipment Distributors (AED) and North America’s…
Read MoreNew Construction R&D Portal provides construction-relevant research in one place
Journal of Commerce | Angela Gismondi | November 10, 2020 A new initiative is aiming to help the country’s construction industry capitalize on the $14 billion of research that occurs at Canadian universities every year and advance innovation by providing access to the most up-to-date research available. The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) has partnered with Cognit.ca…
Read MoreWhat do the November COVID-19 restrictions mean for construction?
Source – BC Construction Safety Alliance What are the new restrictions? The Provincial Health Officer has announced a time-limited order to place restrictions on social interactions and travel for the Fraser Health and Vancouver Coastal Health Regions These restrictions are in effect from November 7, 2020 10:00 PM to November 23, 2020 at 12:00 pm….
Read MoreTrudeau congratulates Joe Biden on victory in U.S. presidential election
Journal of Commerce | The Canadian Press | November 7, 2020 OTTAWA – Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has congratulated Democrat Joe Biden and running mate Kamala Harris on winning the U.S. presidential election. Trudeau says he looks forward to “tackling the world’s greatest challenges together.” Biden won Pennsylvania late Saturday morning giving him more than the 270 votes needed…
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