Taking care of your commercial floors

Maintaining your flooring is an ongoing task, from managing its appearance to sanitizing to treating spots and stains. Knowing how best to maintain your flooring can help maintenance managers increase its lifespan, reduce costs, and help better manage where cleaning teams spend their time.

Each of your floors requires a specific, targeted strategy based on flooring type, location, traffic levels, and more.

Carpet

As with most flooring types, regular cleaning and maintenance are the key to longevity. Regular, daily vacuuming keeps the dirt and debris from settling deeply into the fibres of your carpets, along with mitigating what gets tracked through the rest of your building. Install matting through the messy months to catch most of the moisture before it hits the carpet. Professional deep cleaning should be scheduled twice per year to keep your flooring looking great and simplify your day-to-day maintenance.

Spot treatment should also be part of your carpet cleaning strategy. Addressing a stain as soon as it happens raises your chances of saving your carpet from a “forever stain.” Blotting a carpet stain is the first step. Do not rub at the stain, as that will likely drive it into the fibres, making it even harder to remove.

Wood

Hardwood flooring does not react well to excess water, which can cause warping, cracking, or discolouration, so regularly cleaning your wood floors requires weekly vacuuming and daily sweeping and spot-mopping to address any issues as they arise.

Cracks and scratches collect dirt and debris, so limit the amount of damage to your floors by repairing any issues that arise. Address any spills as quickly as possible to mitigate the risk of liquid seeping into any cracks in your floor. Use a dry dust mop or a commercial cleaning solution to address any spills on your wood floors. To avoid discolouration, close blinds to minimize exposure to direct sunlight, and during the winter months, avoid putting matting directly on the hardwood as it can mark the wood.

Ceramic tile

If you have tile flooring in your facility, sweeping or vacuuming daily can help keep it free from loose dirt and debris. Mopping the tiles to keep them clean means using a ph-neutral product to protect the tiles, careful not to use too much water to avoid streaking. For stubborn stains, scrub the area with a soft-bristled brush gently. Dry the area with a drier or dry mop and install ‘wet floor’ signage to mitigate the risk of slip and fall accidents.

Regular maintenance can keep your floors clean, sanitized and in great shape, so create a strategy that addresses all the flooring types in your facility.

B.C. associations want a construction minister

The Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) and the BC Construction Association (BCCA) are aiming to turn the campaign spotlight on the construction industry by proposing a bold new provincial cabinet role: the Minister of Construction.

“Construction isn’t just about buildings,” said VRCA president Jeannine Martin. “It’s about communities, infrastructure, and the future of this province. We need a minister who will ensure our industry gets the voice and attention it deserves. It’s time we had someone in charge of this vital, economy driving, entrepreneurial industry.”

With B.C.’s construction industry contributing $27 billion to the province’s GDP and the total current value of construction projects sitting at $160 plus billion, the associations argue it’s high time the sector had its own dedicated voice at the legislature in Victoria.

“The BC Construction Association has been calling upon the government to create a Ministry of Construction since 2019,” said BCCA president Chris Atchison. “Given the importance of B.C.’s construction industry, not to mention its size, complexity, and impact on communities across the province, we remain steadfast in asking for this commitment.”

The associations envision this new minister as the ultimate project manager who can cut through the red tape and lay the groundwork for a smoother, more efficient construction process in B.C. From introducing prompt payment legislation to navigating the complexities of permits to addressing the skilled labour shortage, the Minister of Construction would be the go-to for everything construction-related in B.C.

With the provincial election on the horizon, the associations call on all parties to consider this forward-thinking proposal. “We’re not just building buildings here,” Martin said. “We’re building the future. And we think it’s time the government had someone in charge who gets that.”

The Northern Regional Construction Association (NRCA) and the Southern Interior Construction Association (SICA) fully support the Minister of Construction proposal.

Consultation eyes innovative housing production

The Canadian government is looking for input on how to scale up the pace and quantity of new housing production. Stakeholders in the construction, building products/materials and finance sectors will be involved in a series of roundtable discussions, while the general public is invited to respond to a discussion paper outlining the merits of innovative technologies, materials and assembly practices, and potential avenues for financing wider uptake of innovation.

A five-member panel has been appointed to support the consultation. They include: Isabelle Demers, vice-president, Association des professionnels de la construction et de l’habitation du Québec; Emma Kozak, vice-president of real estate lending, Royal Bank of Canada; Kevin Lee, chief executive officer, Canadian Home Builders’ Association; Bryce Nugent, director, Modular Housing Association Prairie Provinces; and Carolyn Whitzman, adjunct professor, University of Ottawa.

The exercise is framed as an effort to develop an “industrial strategy for homebuilding”. That’s a term to describe more systematic production, delivery and assembly of housing components versus the current approach, which predominantly relies on builders crafting most structural elements on-site.

The discussion paper highlights possibilities for prefabrication, modular components, time and labour-saving digital design processes and mass timber production that could anchor the supply chain in Canada. As well, respondents are asked to weigh in on potential financing models and/or barriers that are currently impeding access to capital.

Comments will be accepted until September 13th.

Metafor names new managing principal

Metafor Architecture has appointed David Leonard as the firm’s new managing principal. This leadership transition marks a significant milestone as he takes over from Claudia Schaaf, who is retiring after 10 years at the helm.

Schaaf joined Metafor in 2014 when it was known as Marshall Tittemore Architects. The firm rebranded to Metafor last year.

Leonard joined the firm in 2022 and has since demonstrated a relentless passion for learning and a deep understanding of various aspects of the business.

His journey has been marked by his significant contributions across multiple areas of the firm. In 2022, he played a pivotal role in business development, marketing, and sales leadership. In 2023, he took on operations leadership, where he further honed his skills and understanding of the firm’s inner workings. Now, in 2024, he steps into the role of studio leadership, bringing with him a wealth of experience and a vision that aligns perfectly with the firm’s future direction.

With Leonard at the helm, the firm is excited about the future and continuing to make a positive impact on communities, staying true to its core values.

Schaaf has set a strong foundation for the firm to build on. Her dedication, vision, and leadership have been instrumental in shaping the firm’s identity and setting a high standard for projects. The firm said her influence is evident in every project it undertakes, and her legacy will continue to inspire the team for years to come.

Metafor is an integrated design firm with studios in Calgary and Edmonton. The firm was known as Marshall Tittemore Architects, which was founded in 2001 by Tom Tittemore and Bill Marshall.

Real estate underperforms in pension fund mix

Real estate is fingered as the culprit for the more modest returns that four of Canada’s largest pension funds reported for the first half of 2024. The beleaguered asset class is currently taking its turn as the underperforming piece in a diversified mix of holdings, but newly released commentary from the credit rating agency, Morningstar DBRS, underscores that large pension funds are still delivering positively due to stronger returns from other asset classes, particularly public equities.

“Notwithstanding the recent market volatility, we expect 2024 performance to be similar to what was observed in 2023 with positive returns from large pension funds. However, given the negative returns in the real estate sector in H1 2024 and in FY2023, we anticipate large pension funds to reposition their real estate portfolios,” the commentary states.

Morningstar DBRS analysts look at Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP Investments), Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ), Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS) and Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan (OTPP), which, for the first half of this year, lag 10-year historical returns in the range of 7.3 to 7.6 per cent for OMERS, CDPQ and OTPP and 9.2 per cent for CPP Investments. CDPQ and OMERS divulged negative returns from real estate — of -3.6 per cent and -3.1 per cent, respectively — while CPP Investments and OTPP did not specifically report on real estate performance in their interim results.

Looking back to 2023, and also adding in Alberta Investment Management Corporation (AIMCo), British Columbia Investment Management Corporation (BCi) and Public Sector Pension Investment Board (PSP), the commentary highlights negative real estate returns ranging from -5 to -16 per cent for the year. The declining value of Class A office properties is upheld as a major factor.

“Many large pension funds are adjusting their real estate investment strategies by disposing of real estate investments whose returns are not expected to improve over time,” the commentary observes. “CPPIB sold two Vancouver towers (with OMERS selling its stake as well), two Manhattan projects, a Southern California business park, and some real estate holdings in India. OMERS also reduced its real estate allocation to 14.8 per cent in 2023 from 16.8 per cent in 2022.”

Morningstar DBRS analysts foresee a continuation of this trend, with large pension funds shifting their real estate allocations from office and retail to industrial, logistics, life sciences and data centres. They also note a move away from being owner-operators toward portfolio investing, “thereby increasing diversification by owning a larger variety of real estate properties”. In the larger asset mix, they also anticipate greater investment in infrastructure and private credit.

Six of the seven large pension funds boast a stable AAA credit rating, with PSP pegged at stable AA (High). “Over the years, large pension funds have grown into some of the largest and most sophisticated global investors exemplifying an investment model that has gained international recognition and interest from countries seeking to set up similar institutions,” the commentary advises.

Reservoir filling begins on Site C project

BC Hydro has begun filling the Site C reservoir following the completion of all necessary construction areas of the project.

Site C will be the third dam and hydroelectric generating station on the Peace River in northeast B.C. Construction on the Site C project began in July 2015 and is more than 85 per cent complete.

Site C will provide 1,100 megawatts (MW) of capacity and produce about 5,100 gigawatt hours (GWh) of electricity annually. This is enough energy to power about 450,000 homes per year in B.C.

Filling the reservoir is one of the last steps in building the Site C project and allows the generating station, spillways, turbines and generators to come into operation.

It will take about two to four months to fill the Site C reservoir, with water levels rising between 30 centimetres and three metres a day. The Site C reservoir will be 83-kilometres long, cover about 5,550 hectares of land, and will have a total surface area of approximately 9,330 hectares. In comparison, the reservoir will be about five per cent the size of the Williston Reservoir.

The first generating unit is scheduled to come into service in December 2024, and the project remains on track to have all six generating units in service in fall 2025.

At the dam site, road maintenance is ongoing, including activities on the Peace River Construction Bridge. Work will continue in the right bank drainage tunnel, left bank drainage adit, and dam buttress galleries. Construction of a drainage channel and lock block wall on the left bank is nearing completion.

Installation of cable tray, transformer assembly, electrical cables, and equipment in the powerhouse is underway. Crews are installing the isolated-phase bus and 500-kilovolt line termination equipment to receive the new 500-kilovolt transmission lines.

The Site C project is on track to be completed within the budget that was approved in 2021.

Ontario updates provincial planning rules

The Ontario government released a new set of land-use planning rules for municipalities, which build on the Cutting Red Tape to Build More Homes Act.

Paul Calandra, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, recently outlined key changes in the 2024 Ontario Provincial Planning Statement (PPS), which take effect on October 20, 2024.

“The new Provincial Planning Statement recognizes that municipalities know best where and what types of homes are needed to address the unprecedented population growth we’ve seen,” he said at the annual Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference. “It gives them the tools and flexibility they need to get it done.”

The new directives include developing more homes in areas close to major transit stations, such as subway, GO, light rail and rapid transit bus stations, as well as building more homes on underused low-density lands like shopping plazas, malls and brownfields.

“These lands are often in highly desirable areas of a city or town that require additional municipal support to make development projects feasible,” John DiMichele, CEO of the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board, said in a statement following the PPS release. “By turning underused lands into housing, we can meet our supply targets faster and help more families attain a place to call home.”

He added that the condensed and more streamlined PPS will make it easier and less costly for planning officials to adopt the new rules into their planning document.

Other changes encourage building a broader range of housing options for students and seniors and more integrated planning for future growth that maximizes public investment, for example, promoting better coordination between municipalities and school boards.

Conestoga College allocates $500M-plus for campus upgrades

Conestoga College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning has invested more than $500 million into its facilities, student housing and academic programming.

This includes $100 million-plus for upgrades to the Waterloo campus, enhancing student support services, creating a wellness centre, and adding over 150,000 square feet of learning space. In Cambridge, nearly $300 million will be directed to the Skilled Trades Campus, which will be the largest trades training facility in Canada, offering workshops, classrooms and labs to support the development of highly skilled trades professionals.

In Milton, the college has opened two new campuses, offering programs in high-demand fields such as computer science, engineering, technology, and health and life sciences. Substantial funds will also be used for the Kitchener-Doon campus to create an advanced healthcare and biotechnology centre that will double the number of students trained for jobs facing significant labour shortages.

“Upgrading our facilities and infrastructure is crucial for giving students the best learning experience possible,” said Trish Weigel Green, vice president, students. “These strategic investments will ensure Conestoga graduates are well-prepared for the evolving job market, ready to make a meaningful impact in our communities.”

Looking ahead, $300 to 400 million is being allocated for planned investments in building renovations, new projects and equipment upgrades, including $150 million in upgrades to the Macdonnell and Speedvale campuses in Guelph, as well as new student housing opportunities to accommodate the student population.

Conestoga also made significant investments in its student housing portfolio, securing eight properties to increase student accommodation capacity. In Kitchener, the college is converting a 12-storey vacant office building on Frederick Street into a mix of student residences and classroom space. The college is also leasing space at 475 King Street North to house students, and has acquired properties in Brantford, Waterloo and Milton for additional student housing.

A Guaranteed Housing program was launched in Brantford and Waterloo for first-year students this year, offering a variety of cost options with some as low as $500 per room. The college has also invested significantly in its CARE Team, a multi-disciplinary group focused on supporting students’ academic and personal goals.

To better align program offerings to the job market, new programs will launch this fall, including a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Pharmacy Technician, Sustainable Waste Management, and Global Health Management.

ASHRAE opens portal to data centre guidance

ASHRAE has opened a portal to comprehensive guidance for data centre design and operations. The new special section of its website is a hub for technical resources, including standards, guidelines, research papers and best practices for maintaining optimal temperature and humidity levels.

“With the rapid growth of digital infrastructure, the demand for cloud computing, AI and big data continues to soar. Efficient cooling systems are essential to cutting operational costs and reducing environmental impact,” says Dennis Knight, ASHRAE president for 2025-25. “ASHRAE understands the unique challenges of data centre cooling and is proud to offer this platform, providing professionals with the latest industry knowledge and resources in one place.”

That includes access to the ASHRAE TC 9.9 Encyclopedia, the new digital form of ASHRAE’s Datacom series of printed manuals, and standards such as ASHRAE 90.4 energy standard for data centres, and ASHRAE 127 for air conditioning for data centres and other IT equipment.

Manitoba sets 2025 rent guideline at 1.7%

Manitoba announced it has set its 2025 rent guideline at 1.7 per cent, which is lower than this year’s guideline (3%) and lower than the allowable rent increases announced for both Ontario and B.C.

Manitoba’s rent guideline is calculated annually using a transparent formula based on the consumer price index (CPI) for Manitoba. Effective Jan. 1, 2025, the new rent guideline will apply to most residential rental properties including apartments, single rooms, houses and duplexes. The rent guideline does not apply to:

rental units renting for $1,640 or more per month;
various types of social housing;
rental units owned and operated by, or for, provincial, municipal or federal governments;
rental units in buildings first occupied after March 2005;
not-for-profit life lease units;
co-operative units; and
approved rehabilitated rental units.

Tenants must receive written notice of a rent increase at least three months before the increase takes effect. For example, for a rent increase to take effect Jan. 1, 2025, tenants must receive notice by Sept. 30, 2024. With few exceptions, rent can only be increased once a year.

The government is advising landlords and tenants to contact the Residential Tenancies Branch at 204-945-2476 in Winnipeg or 1-800-782-8403 (toll-free in Manitoba) to learn more about rent increases and other rights and responsibilities.

For more information on the 2025 rent guideline, visit www.manitoba.ca/rtb

Hotel transaction volume outpacing last year

Colliers Canada projects hotel transaction volume should surpass $2 billion in 2024, based on sales completed in the first half of the year and properties now in the sales pipeline. Roughly $1.3 billion worth of deals transpired over the course of winter and spring 2024, representing a 20 per cent gain over the same period last year.

That’s despite a slight, 1 per cent decrease in the number of hotel trades and a more notable 11 per cent drop in the average price per room compared to the first half of 2023. Colliers’ newly released midyear Canadian hotel investment report advises the $163,000/room average thus far is reflective of “the broader variety of transactions within major urban and secondary markets” with fewer trophy assets in the mix than last year. The 85 trades in the first half break down to 9 full service, 25 focused service and 51 limited service hotels.

Ontario properties account for about 54 per cent of national deal volume during the first half of 2024, including both portfolio sales and prominent single asset deals. Alberta and British Columbia have been the next most active markets, together representing another 28 per cent of the total. Hotel investment companies have been the most prominent buyers, equating to 70 per cent of deal volume, while sellers were a more even mix of hotel investment companies, private investors and public companies.

Notable deals in the second quarter include the $95+ million sale of the Doubletree by Hilton in Montreal, equating to $159,800 per room, and the $25 million sale of the 70-room Embassy Inn in Victoria. Buyers of the Victoria hotel also obtained excess development land.

Meanwhile, CBRE Canada’s Q2 investment trend report finds cap rates holding steady at 7.7 per cent for downtown full service hotels, 9.2 per cent for suburban limited services properties and 8.6 per cent for focused service hotels. Luke Scheer, executive vice president with CBRE Hotels, concludes “operating fundamentals remained strong across most of the country” during the second quarter as the market continues to enjoy gains in domestic leisure and transborder travel. However, international travel still lags pre-pandemic levels.

More Nova Scotians now eligible for rent supplement

Effective August 23, low-income Nova Scotians who are spending 40 per cent or more of their household income on rent may be eligible for a rent supplement, down from the previously required 50 per cent. In addition to the new eligibility threshold, the calculation of the supplement amount is also changing to ensure it better aligns with the tenant’s actual rent.

“We have a duty to ensure that our rent supplement program is working as it should and the benefits are equitable for participants,” said John Lohr, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “The new formula ensures no one receives a rent supplement that is greater than their actual monthly rent. These changes will enhance the equity and fairness of the program and lower the eligibility requirements so more people will be able to qualify for support.”

The Province says it is implementing CMHC’s new household income levels and average market rents for determining eligibility and supports. For new clients, the benefit amount will now be calculated based on the applicant’s actual rent, without exceeding the average monthly rent for the area, minus 30 per cent of the total household income. Previously, the formula was based on the average monthly rent for the area and did not consider the actual rent, so recipients could receive more in a rent supplement than they were paying. The new formula will eliminate this over-subsidization and ensure all participants are responsible for a portion of their rent based on their income, as the program intends.

Starting December 1, existing clients who are receiving more in rent supplements than they are paying for rent will see the benefit adjusted to match their actual rent. The move to the new formula will be phased over three years to give recipients time to adjust. Their rent supplements will be reviewed and adjusted annually.

Provincial savings from the changes will be directed back into the program, creating up to 1,000 more rent supplements for eligible Nova Scotians.

More information on the rent supplement program is available at: https://housing.novascotia.ca/programs/canada-nova-scotia-targeted-housing-benefit

Celebrating International Housekeeping Week

International Housekeeping Week, taking place September 8 to 14, 2024, is an annual event celebrated by the Canadian Healthcare Housekeepers Association (CHHA), Indoor Environmental Healthcare and Hospital Association (IEHA) and supported by ISSA Canada.

Housekeeping staff are often the unsung heroes, ensuring that facilities are clean, safe, and welcoming for everyone. During this week, CHHA and ISSA Canada aim to spotlight these professionals, offering them the appreciation and recognition they deserve. This week is dedicated to celebrating the vital contributions of housekeeping and environmental services professionals in maintaining cleanliness, safety and hygiene across various sectors.

The event features a series of activities, including training sessions, workshops, and awards to honour outstanding housekeeping teams and individuals.

By promoting awareness of the critical role of housekeeping, International Housekeeping Week encourages greater respect for these essential workers and highlights the importance of cleanliness in public health. This celebration is also a platform for advocating for better working conditions and professional development opportunities within the industry.

How you celebrate the event is up to you – it can be just a day of fun activity dedicated to recognizing your staff, or a whole week of activity that culminates into a large ceremony where individuals throughout the entire business take a minute to thank cleaners for a job well done.

Companies and individuals can also be nominated for CCHA/EVS Frontline Awards of Excellence, and winners will be announced on September 14, 2024. To submit a nomination, visit here.

As we approach this important week, it’s an opportunity to express gratitude to those who work tirelessly behind the scenes to keep our environments safe and sanitary.

Find out more about the week here.

B.C. announces 2025 allowable rent increase

The Province of BC announced it has set the annual allowable rent increase for 2025 at 3 per cent, down slightly from this year’s allowable increase of 3.5 per cent.

“Tying the allowable increase to inflation saves renters hundreds of dollars, over the previous government’s policy of inflation plus 2%,” said Ravi Kahlon, Minister of Housing. “At a time when we know renters are struggling, our rent cap protects renters against unfair rent hikes, while allowing landlords to meet rising costs so that rental homes can stay in B.C.’s housing market.”

According to the government, policy prior to 2018 allowed for an additional 2 per cent rent increase on top of inflation, costing the average B.C. family hundreds of dollars in additional rent. Since then, steps have been taken to “better protect renters” including banning illegal renovictions, strengthening the financial penalties for landlords who evict tenants in bad faith, protecting growing families by restricting rent increases if a tenant adds a child under 19 to their household, and improving wait times at the Residential Tenancy Branch by 64 per cent since November 2022.

In addition, the Province has implemented the annual renter’s tax credit, which provides $400 a year to low- and moderate-income renters across B.C., and is the first Canadian jurisdiction to support the creation of provincewide rent bank services to provide interest-free loans for tenants in urgent circumstances.

Next year’s change follows multiple years of the Province capping the annual allowable increase well below inflation in 2023 and 2024, as well as a rent increase freeze in 2020 and 2021 to support renters during the COVID-19 pandemic; the government says it represents “a return to the standard formula” of tying allowable rent increases in B.C. to the Consumer Price Index, as inflation begins to return to more normal levels.

“Tying the annual allowable rent increase to inflation is consistent with the recommendations from the Rental Housing Task Force to support renters and ensure that rental homes can stay available for renters,” said Spencer Chandra Herbert, Premier’s liaison for renters and MLA for Vancouver West End. “Capping rent increases to inflation has saved families and households in B.C. thousands of dollars since 2017, as we have eliminated the old government’s automatic 2% rent increase on top of inflation.”

The maximum annual allowable rent increase for 2025 will take effect Jan. 1, 2025, and does not apply to commercial tenancies, non-profit housing tenancies where rent is geared to income, co-operative housing and some assisted-living facilities. If landlords choose to increase rent, they must abide by the Residential Tenancy Act and provide a full three months notice to tenants using the correct Notice of Rent Increase form. Rents cannot be increased more than once in a 12-month period.

For information about the annual allowable rent increase, visit: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/housing-tenancy/residential-tenancies/rent-rtb/rent-increases

BC Children’s health centre moves forward

Demolition is complete on the site for a new BC Children’s Hospital centre for health complexity at 3644 Slocan St. in East Vancouver.

The BC Children’s Hospital centre for health complexity will be for young people living with complex, chronic conditions who have difficulty performing routine daily activities without assistance, have significant caregiving requirements, and frequently use the provincial health care and social systems.

Ledcor was selected as the design-build contractor to lead construction of the new facility. Construction anticipated to begin in spring 2025 and substantial completion expected by December 2027.

The centre will provide centralized care co-ordination by connecting people with appropriate services, providing specialized training and education for families, caregivers and health-care professionals, and offering wellness, counselling and peer support for family members and caregivers. Services will be offered virtually to people from B.C. and Yukon, and in person through the centre. The centre also includes 16 dedicated suites where children and families can reside for short planned stays to access the centre’s services.

“Supporting young people living with health complexity and helping their families, caregivers and health-care providers along the path of care is vital to ensuring these children have an improved quality of life,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “Our government is committed to putting families first and building this centre, which will be the first of its kind in Canada, to provide innovative, expanded care and services for children in a home-away-from-home setting.”

The BC Children’s Hospital Foundation owns the land on which the new centre will be built. The foundation has made a commitment to support the building of the new centre, including enhancements, such as advanced equipment, technology and the creation of a healing environment through art.

The site will also include a 74-space daycare in a standalone building that will be managed by a licensed child care operator.

BC Hydro plans $250M for Richmond projects

BC Hydro will build approximately $250 million worth of capital projects in Richmond over the next decade to upgrade and expand the electricity grid to provide clean power for homes, businesses and transportation.

“We must build out B.C.’s electrical system like never before to power our homes and businesses, to power a growing economy and to power our future,” said Josie Osborne, minister of energy, mines and low carbon innovation. “Throughout Richmond, and in communities across B.C., these construction projects will create thousands of good jobs over the next decade and ensure that people have access to clean, affordable and reliable electricity, when they need it and where they need it.”

The plan reflects growing demand for electricity across sectors due to population growth and housing construction, increased industrial development, and people and businesses switching from fossil fuels to electricity, among other factors.

Richmond projects include:

redevelopment of the Steveston substation that will power an additional 20,000-35,000 new homes and be in service by 2033;
expansion of the Kidd 2 substation in North Richmond to power an additional 10,000-17,500 new homes and be in service by the end of 2027; and
investments in new distribution capacity in Steveston and North Richmond to support projected load growth, driven by population growth, new housing and increasing electrification.

Richmond will also benefit from an additional $700 million in investments to reinforce the transmission system, which will improve reliability and increase capacity across Metro Vancouver.

In January 2024, the province announced BC Hydro’s updated 10-Year Capital Plan, which contains $36 billion in regional and community infrastructure investments throughout B.C., 50 per cent increase in investments over its previous capital plan.

“The City of Richmond is recognized as a climate-action leader through our commitment to sustainable energy and reducing the reliance on fossil fuels. Investments such as this support our initiatives to encourage clean energy and move us closer to our goal of achieving net-zero emissions in the community by 2050,” said Richmond Mayor Malcolm Brodie.

New water use initiatives afloat in summer 2024

Summer 2024 finds new water use initiatives afloat on two fronts. The Canadian government is preparing to include faucets and shower heads in the national energy efficiency regulations for the first time, while the Open Standards Consortium for Real Estate (OSCRE) is finalizing a data standard to support industry consistency in collecting, interpreting and reporting water consumption, discharge and related environmental impacts.

Faucets and shower heads are set to be newly added to the energy efficiency regulations, along with air compressors, pool pumps and line-voltage thermostats. They’ll join five categories of already regulated commercial and residential appliances/equipment — air conditioners, heat pumps, furnaces, water heaters and general service lamps — slated for revised, more stringent standards beginning in 2026.

Proposed amendments to the energy efficiency regulations, now nearing the end of a public consultation period, will generally align performance and testing requirements with energy standards that have been nationally adopted in the United States. Faucets and shower heads have long been regulated energy-using products in the U.S. so their pending inclusion in Canada’s energy efficiency regulations will harmonize that status on both sides of the border. However, the U.S. department of energy (DOE) has not updated performance requirements for the fixtures in several years so the Canadian regulations correspond with California’s more rigorous state standards for water-flow rates.

“At this time, there are unnecessary regulatory differences across jurisdictions, which can hinder cross-border trade and investment and ultimately impose a cost on citizens, businesses and economies. In this context, regulatory actions are necessary for some energy-using products to keep pace with changes that have taken place in the United States,” the accompanying regulatory analysis states. “Some products require going further than the United States on energy efficiency standards to drive more significant energy savings and assist with the Government’s goal to reduce GHG emissions and achieve net-zero by 2050.”

The proposed regulations set a maximum flow rate of 2 litres per minute (L/min) for manually operated faucets in public bathrooms; 4.7 L/min for faucets in private bathrooms; and 7 L/min for kitchen faucets and shower heads. Automatic faucets (also known as metering faucets) would have a maximum flow rate of 0.95 litres per cycle. This would apply for faucets, shower heads and replacement aerators manufactured or imported in Canada after July 1, 2026.

Projections for energy and water savings and GHG emissions reduction

It’s estimated that, by 2050, the new faucet standards will save 41 petajoules of energy and avoid two megatonnes (Mt) of greenhouse gas emissions in the commercial sector, equating to $372 million in energy benefits and $694 million in emissions avoidance benefits. Shower head standards are projected to have a much more modest impact, amounting to about 1.9 petajoules of energy savings and 100 kilotonnes of GHG avoidance.

In both cases, residential outcomes are expected to be dramatically more significant with estimated energy savings of 401 petajoules from faucets and 242 petajoules from shower heads. That comes with a projected 35 Mt reduction in GHG emissions to 2050. Across all building types, the new measures are projected to result in about 3.3 billion cubic metres of water savings to 2050.

The regulatory analysis accompanying the proposed amendments also addresses concerns about potential inadvertent results that arose from an earlier stakeholder consultation. That includes:

possible health risks of water’s slower exit from faucets and shower heads and, thus, longer duration within piping systems;
propensity of consumers to use more water to make up for a diminished flow rate; and
an altering of the assumptions that water and wastewater utilities have used in their planning processes.

The analysis, informed with input from Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), counters that there has been little evidence of those detrimental outcomes in other jurisdictions that have adopted similar flow-rates. It acknowledges that “the risk is not zero” when water sits in piping for longer periods, but concludes it is not sufficient to override the intent of the regulation. As well, it cites California’s track record of energy and water savings and notes that water and wastewater system operators have readily adapted to lower average water use.

Appliance/equipment specifications are characterized as an easier intervention ahead of other more complicated and capital-intensive approaches through building design. They can quickly penetrate both the retrofit and new-build markets and would be consistent across Canada.

“NRCan determined that using the regulations to reduce fixture flow-rates is the most cost-effective approach to deliver significant and immediate energy and water savings,” the regulatory analysis states. “The regulations apply to products shipped from one province to another or imported into Canada for the purpose of sale or lease.”

Consensus-driven approach for data quality, comparability and transferability

OSCRE’s new water data standard likewise targets consistency. It aligns with several voluntary and mandatory reporting frameworks, including ENERGYSTAR, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), Europe’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, the Global Reporting Initiative and the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures.

It is the second of three standards under OSCRE’s environmental data standards umbrella, and follows the energy data standard introduced last year. The draft water data standard is currently open for review, with work still pending to develop a waste data standard.

The water data standard is intended to assist real estate asset, property and operations managers, investors, lenders and insurers through credible, consensus-driven methods to ensure the quality, comparability and transferability of data. The non-profit industry organization’s broad reach encompasses the generators, consumers and conveyors of data — corporate owners and occupiers, investment managers, consultants and software service providers — and provides a forum for collaboration and peer networking.

“OSCRE’s position has been to find common ground,” Lisa Stanley, OSCRE’s chief executive officer, affirmed during a recent webinar. “I think there’s a recognition in the industry at large that the data that’s being collected across their organizations may have some challenges, and that data consistency and integrity may be tied to bigger consequences than was the case in the past.”

The water data standard is promoted as a tool that can help:

simplify the baseline for water use monitoring;
measure the return on investment on water-related capital projects;
mitigate risk and collect information needed for insurance and underwriting; and
improve the attractiveness of assets to investors with ESG obligations.

The draft water data standard is open for review until September 6th. The public consultation on proposed amendments to Canada’s energy efficiency regulations closes August 31st.

Projections for energy and water savings and GHG emissions reduction

Consensus-driven approach for data quality, comparability and transferability

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