New milestone reached for Broadway Subway

The Broadway Subway Project has hit another milestone with Phyllis, the second of two massive tunnel-boring machines, breaking through to the future Broadway-City Hall Station in Vancouver.

Phyllis has excavated 1,350 metres of tunnel and installed 884 liner rings since starting at the future Great Northern Way-Emily Carr Station in late November 2022.

Elise, the other tunnel boring machine, reached the station on April 14, 2023. Her next stop will be at the future Oak-VGH Station, passing the halfway point in tunnelling toward the future Arbutus Station terminus.

The new Broadway-City Hall Station is the deepest station along Broadway at more than 20 metres underground, so that the Millennium Line extension can be built underneath the active Canada Line. The station stretches 210 metres over two blocks under Broadway between Alberta and Cambie streets to provide space for a crossover section of track where trains can switch directions when needed.

The station will have additional capacity for the expected volume of transit users, including passenger connections being built underneath Cambie Street, in order for people to easily transfer between the north-south Canada Line and the east-west Millennium Line.

Earlier this month at the Broadway-City Hall Station site, a pedestrian bridge was installed to reconnect the south sidewalk between Alberta and Yukon streets. It is one of several installed in the station blocks along Broadway that, combined with the traffic decks, keep people moving and preserve access to this transportation and retail corridor while work on the underground stations carries on below.

Progress continues to be made at the elevated guideway where crews are installing the deck on top of the completed girders that connect the 21 columns between VCC-Clark Station and the future Great Northern Way-Emily Carr Station. Construction is also ongoing at all six station locations with activities ranging from excavation, concrete pours, waterproofing, rebar installation and station wall construction.

Who will manage all the future condos in Ontario?

Ontario’s condo management industry is calling for change as the province plans to build 1.5 million homes in 10 years, including a large number of new condos.

The severe shortfall of licensed condo managers has been a subject of concern over the past few years. The condo boom coupled with the looming retirement of those already employed will add even more pressure to the labour drought, the Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario (ACMO) warned in a statement released on May 29.

Urbanation reported that 125,000 new condo units are planned for completion in Toronto between 2023 and 2028, with a fifth on target for this year alone. These buildings will require oversight for daily operations, including maintenance, financial management and resident relations.

“Without adequate management, condominium buildings can quickly fall into disrepair, leading to a host of problems for residents, including escalating long-term repair and replacement costs and potential owner assessments, safety hazards, financial instability, and legal issues,” ACMO states. “Ultimately this leads to a decrease in residents’ satisfaction and a decline in the value of the condominium units.”

As required by the Condominium Management Services Act, 2015, condo corporations in Ontario must be managed by someone holding a valid general license issued by the Condominium Management Regulatory Authority of Ontario (CMRAO), except when the condo corporation is self-managed by a volunteer board. This is achieved through the CMRAO’s six educational courses and two or more years of providing condo management services.

As of July 2023, managers are also required to complete 10 hours of continuing education each year to keep their license. According to the CMRAO, 2,543 general license holders manage more than 12,400 condo corporations, representing 900,000-plus units throughout Ontario. There are 5.3 condo corporations for every general licensee. ACMO says this falsely assumes that every general licensee in Ontario oversees multiple condos in each of their portfolios.

“In my experience, a solitary manager of a stand-alone building can comfortably manage about 270 high-rise units,” said Catherine Murdock, district manager for Del Property Management Inc. “This means preparing monthly meetings with one board of directors, one annual budget meeting and one AGM. Managers have an extremely robust job description ensuring the safety and comfort of the residents, monitoring contractors, and the additional administrative tasks implemented by the new condominium authorities.”

ACMO says an estimated 3,333 general license holders are required to manage the current inventory of units in Ontario. To relieve the shortfall, the province’s 1,638 limited license holders handle some daily administration tasks; however, they require no management experience or training and must be supervised by a general licensed manager. Not all will aspire to becoming a general licensee.

As Baby Boomers retire from various industries, condo management is far from immune. A recent ACMO membership survey found 57 per cent of the managers who responded were aged 55 or higher, with 13 per cent aged 65 and nearing retirement and 5 per cent being under 34.

So who is going to manage all of the new condominium corporations planned for the future? It is incumbent on all industry stakeholders to address this issue to ensure the long-term success of condo living in Ontario.

Next steps

Recommendations directed to industry stakeholders detail necessary reform. The first recommendation calls for the government, specifically the CMRAO to work with stakeholders to create a plan to recruit, educate and license more managers.

“This could include promoting the career path through Ontario colleges and government retraining programs such as the Ontario Bridge Training Program and offering incentives to enter the field,” ACMO advises. “Another possibility is to keep licensing education and licensing fees as low as possible to help reduce a formidable barrier to entry into the condo management field and improve manager retention.”

Among other recommendations:

- The Condominium Authority of Ontario should educate owners about the importance of obtaining quality management and the higher fees that come with that.
- Generating more awareness of the manager shortfall among the public via ACMO, the Canadian Condominium Institute (CCI), and the Community Associations Institute (CAI). This includes providing extra support, resources and continuing education to promote the profession as a viable career path.

Higher salaries encouraged

Low salaries contribute to the shortfall, so condo corporations and their management firms must work together to keep salaries competitive to attract those considering condo management as a career.

“Most condominium corporations are pressured by their owners to keep condo fees low,” states ACMO. “As a result, when selecting management firms, they often prioritize cost-cutting measures over quality management, forcing management firms to limit what they pay managers and/or increase the workload of their managers. As such, managers are often required to manage multiple condo corporations within a portfolio to earn more, reducing their dedicated time to each, impacting the quality of service provided.”

“Property managers don’t manage a desk,” added Robert Weinberg, president and CEO of Percel Inc. “They manage multi-million dollar corporations and protect what is likely the largest financial investment made by its owners. They should be shown the respect they have earned and be paid commensurate to their expertise, experience and importance of this role.”

As salaries have improved, this is causing managers to switch employers to find better-paying opportunities elsewhere. In turn, firms are boosting compensation to retain existing managers or entice new talent with higher rates.

Dean McCabe is president of The Meritus Group Management Inc. “With a limited number of existing General Licensees and the recent delay in providing education to management candidates due to the change in educational requirements, many management firms are continuously searching for qualified managers or trying to develop new talent from the pool of Limited Licensees,” he said in the statement. “Boards must also be willing to hire Limited Licensees who are gaining the required experience to advance their careers while they work.”

These are a few strategies in need of urgent attention, along with reframing the profession.

“The good news is that the unprecedented demand for managers presents an excellent opportunity for individuals looking for a fulfilling career path that offers recession-proof job security and massive growth potential,” ACMO explained. “But more needs to be done to promote the condominium management profession and reduce the barriers to entry.”

Funds dispersed in sync with AccessAbility Week

Nearly $71 million will be distributed through Canada’s Enabling Accessibility Fund to underwrite 903 retrofit and upgrade projects across the country. Recipients of the new block of funding, which was offered through a call for submissions last fall, have been announced in sync with National AccessAbility Week, occurring May 28 to June 3 this year.

“Making sure persons with disabilities are able to participate in all aspects of their communities is a critical component of Canada’s Disability Inclusion Action Plan,” says Carla Qualtrough, Canada’s Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion. “By helping organizations across Canada make their buildings more accessible through the Enabling Accessibility Fund, we’re removing barriers to participation that often go overlooked.”

Project proponents are eligible for grants of up $100,000 to undertake a range of upgrades to improve accessibility, such as ramps, accessible doors, accessible washrooms, elevators and lifts, accessible communications technology, accessible playgrounds and multi-sensory rooms and stations. The 2021 federal budget allocated $100 million, to be dispersed in the 2021-2022 and 2022-23 fiscal years, towards the fund, which was first launched in 2007.

Sewer upgrades begin along Cambie Corridor

Work has begun to expand sewer capacity and build new green rainwater infrastructure along the Cambie Corridor in Vancouver.

The project is part of a series of infrastructure upgrades underway to support population growth along the Cambie Corridor. Work includes replacing the existing sewer along West 54th Avenue from Cambie Street to Neal Street with a separated and larger-capacity system, with one pipe for rainwater runoff and another pipe for sewage. This work will reduce the risk of localized flooding as well as the risk of increased combined sewer overflows into the Fraser River.The total project investment is $10.3 million, with the majority funded through Utilities Development Cost Levies (UDCLs) collected through new development to partially fund engineering infrastructure delivered by the City’s capital program, and developer contributions.

“Upgrading our sewer system is essential work that protects public health and allows our city to grow and adapt,” says Mayor Ken Sim. “This project directly addresses Vancouver’s infrastructure deficit; allowing for more housing to be built while making our infrastructure more resilient in the face of extreme weather events caused by climate change.” Green rainwater infrastructure (GRI) and pedestrian safety upgrades will also be incorporated into this project through the installation of four green rainwater curb bulges. GRI uses engineered soil and plants that work with the built environment to naturally capture and clean rainwater, helping to prevent pollutants carried by rainwater from entering waterways and reducing the volume of rainwater entering our pipe system.Vancouver has legacy combined sewers that carry both sewage and rainwater in the same pipe. During heavy rains, these pipes can become overwhelmed resulting in combined volumes of rainwater and sewage spilling into receiving waters like the Fraser River. The city is working to mitigate combined sewer overflows and improve aquatic water quality.

Office fit-out costs rise with hybrid workforce

Rising office fit-out costs reflect both inflationary dynamics in the construction sector and emerging design trends as employers realign space to engage their hybrid workforces. JLL’s newly released benchmark report, drawing on data from 3,800 fit-out projects in 58 markets across Canada and the United States, pegs the average year-over-year cost increase at roughly 10 per cent between 2021 and 2022.

That’s further calculated as a 14 per cent jump in hard costs for construction materials and services, a 9 per cent escalation in soft costs for design and other professional services, and a 5 per cent increase for furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E). However, new office fit-outs are generally encompassing less area than in the pre-pandemic era. JLL cites an average 11 per cent decrease in space covered since 2020, and acknowledges that cost escalation on a per-square-foot basis “may be more aggressive than increases in total project cost”.

Yet, while footprints shrink, office fit-outs are incorporating new configurations, amenities and ESG criteria that have other cost implications. The two most commonly requested add-ons arising from JLL’s data are: wellness rooms, coming in as a USD $11,000 to $15,000 (CAD $15,000 to $20,000) budgetary item; and gender-neutral bathrooms, which typically equate to an expenditure of USD $18,000 to $22,000 (CAD $25,000 to $30,000). Meanwhile, fit- outs to comply with green lease commitments could involve higher upfront costs to help realize ongoing operational savings.

“Design trends played a major role in cost increases in 2022,” the report states. “The increasing prevalence of additional features is part of the broader reimagining of the post-pandemic office; minimally supportive workspaces are no longer standard.”

The benchmark is expressed as 9-point pricing matrix, including average fit-out prices for three different types of office formats at three levels of quality and complexity: base; medium; and high. The office formats are categorized as:

Progressive, featuring a completely open plan with no enclosed offices or assigned seating and a 50/50 split between bench-style workstations and collaborative space;
Moderate, featuring a predominately open plan with workstations in the 6’x6’ to 6’x8’ range with about 20 per cent of the space for enclosed offices and about 30 per cent for collaborative use; and
Traditional, featuring a higher ratio of enclosed offices of varying sizes, 8’x8’ assigned workstations and little open collaborative space.

Across JLL’s total project database, the average fit-out cost at the low end, for a base-level progressive format is benchmarked at USD $220 per square foot (psf) (CAD $299 psf). At the upper end of the scale, fit-out costs for high-calibre traditional space are benchmarked at USD $320 psf (CAD $435 psf).

Drilling down, the report provides a comparison of average costs for a medium-level moderate office fit-out in all 58 surveyed markets. In this, the four Canadian markets — Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto and Montreal — record costs slightly to more significantly above the overall average of USD $257 psf (CAD $350 psf).

The highest fit-out costs were recorded in Calgary, with the average at USD $271 psf (CAD $371 psf), while Montreal came closest to the benchmark, with average costs of USD $258 psf (CAD $351 psf). Elsewhere, the average cost was USD $263 psf (CAD $359 psf) in Vancouver and USD $268 psf (CAD $367 psf) in Toronto.

Looking to the United States, the priciest markets are San Francisco, with average fit-out costs of USD $293 psf and New York City, with an average of USD $292 psf. The lowest prices are recorded in Austin, at USD $215 psf and San Antonio, at USD $216. Texas’ two other major cities are also bargains relative to the overall benchmark, with average fit-out costs at USD $220 psf in Houston and USD $222 psf in Dallas.

“One of the largest factors in determining the ultimate cost of an office fit-out project is the cost of construction labor, which varies more widely by geography than the cost of materials,” the report advises.

Weather events creating insurance turmoil

With catastrophic weather events hitting hard across the country, 2022 was ranked the third worst year for insured losses in Canadian history.

Unlike other years, in which a single dramatic event made up a significant percentage of the losses, 2022 saw a variety of major catastrophic events wreaking havoc across the entire country. Ontario was one of the hardest hit provinces, weathering a May derecho, June thunderstorms and a July tornado, as well as the usual wildfires.

In the past decade, the destruction caused by natural disasters has had a cumulative effect on the property insurance market, driving up rates and reducing capacity for all property insurances — including builder’s risk.

The May derecho that hit Ontario and Quebec caused $1 billion in insured losses, the most significant cost from 2022 overall. The hurricane that hit the Eastern provinces was close behind, with roughly $800 million in losses. Globally, insured losses from floods between 2011 and 2020 reached $80 billion, twice the losses from the previous decade, and those statistics don’t include losses caused by other catastrophes such as fires and tornadoes.

The increasing number of weather events has thrown insurers. Their outdated risk models have led to a tightening of the market, reducing capacity for insuring builders (and others) against these risks.

Compounding pressures plague the marketplace

The result? Between the uncertain economy and the insurance industry’s reduced capacity for risk, the entire construction industry is in turmoil. Builders already under pressure from a shortage of labour and materials, as well as ongoing supply chain delays, are now facing significant challenges in securing adequate builder’s risk coverage to protect their upcoming projects.

Of course, even before the derecho and the stormy summer, builder’s risk prices were already elevated, largely due to losses on wood frame projects. Huge growth in the number and value of construction projects, especially in the GTA, has now outpaced the industry’s capacity to insure the risk.

Today, builders risk rates are inconsistent on many projects. In non-CAT risk zones, capacity remains a challenge. In areas with higher risk, rates could be up as much as 100 per cent leaving lenders concerned about whether there’s enough capacity to support all the builders seeking coverage.

Best practices for managing risk

The construction industry is in a tough spot. Without sufficient insurance coverage, builders may need to postpone projects – disappointing investors and future homeowners. Lenders are reassessing the situation, too. But no one wants to be left responsible when a catastrophic storm comes through and damages a building under construction.

Consider these best practices to protect your construction firm and your upcoming projects:

Build it once, build it right. Taking shortcuts to save money in the short term often doesn’t work out the way you imagined. If you are working in an area that’s known to have higher risk of flooding or other natural disaster, be sure you meet or exceed the local building codes. This helps ensure that a dramatic storm or other disaster won’t destroy your project entirely, minimizing the likelihood of a major claim.

Watch your reputation. Take care to present yourself the right way. With insurers reluctant to offer builder’s risk policies, those builders and contractors with a successful track record will be more likely to secure coverage at a reasonable price. Be sure you tell your risk management story effectively, including any steps you have in place to reduce water intrusion, theft, and fire. Examples of previous projects that hit a roadblock and recovered well are helpful too. Share as many details as possible to secure the coverage you want.

Share with your partners. If your project is in a different location or significantly larger than previous projects, you may be surprised by the cost. It’s a good idea to consult with a construction insurance expert to identify issues that may impact insurability. Share details about your upcoming building projects and their timelines, as these details often contribute to the cost. Start early to ensure your management team has time to adjust to the information you gather.

In today’s tough insurance market, builders can’t afford to make mistakes – the costs are simply too high. Many builders find greater success through collaboration: talking with insurance experts, such as a broker or underwriter, can prove invaluable to the process. The experts understand the nuances of the market, as well as specific steps you can take to improve your own circumstance. A good broker can provide the right kind of support to ensure you can continue building not only your current project, but also the ones that come after.

Simon J. Fenn, CIP, is senior vice president at Hub International. He has more than 44 years of risk management and insurance experience in top insurance brokerages, companies and reinsurance companies.

Adding consistency to commercial cleaning

As the commercial cleaning industry continues to change and evolve, consistency has become more important than ever for companies looking to provide an elevated level of cleanliness, while prioritizing productivity and the customer experience.

To that end, ISSA’s Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) certification was created as a tool to help cleaning companies fully understand and address customer service requirements and to manage their companies to prioritize quality, efficiency, and overall customer satisfaction.

FC&M chatted with Rob Scott, executive vice president at Bee-Clean Building Maintenance, about what earning ISSA’s CIMS certification means to this Canadian-owned and -operated company.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

FC&M: What motivated you to attain the CIMS designation?

Scott: We’ve been involved with ISSA for a long time, and we’ve seen the importance of staying connected with industry associations and groups. I think for us as an organization, going through the process and the audit itself can serve as a functional overview of our performance within our own business and a little more broadly, within the marketplace. It’s great that as Canadians we can get a little more focused on the Canadian marketplace, along with being able to benchmark internationally for a broader audience throughout North America.

So, we appreciate that part of the process. Of course, internally, it’s a great place for us to work with ISSA’s auditing team to spot our own blind spots and to look in the rearview mirror to identify areas where we can improve. Coming out of our most recent audit with the ISSA in the summer of 2022, their team has been able to provide some insight into opportunities for improvement and identify areas where we’re performing well. We really see a lot of value in the certification.

FC&M: What does the certification process entail?

Scott: From start to finish, it’s probably about a three-month process. That’s right from kicking off with the ISSA to involving our own teams across Canada to working with the assigned auditing team. It involves a number of things including an on-site audit which is fairly comprehensive in that it makes a good attempt at covering the geography of Canada.

So, we are really fortunate to be a company that operates across Canada and, as such, one of the benefits for us was that the process allowed us to take a look at our own standardization and how we operate, as the audits took place across the country. Having such a broad company can also sometimes make it difficult to connect with each other internally, but this process gave us the chance to drive some of that much-needed connection and consistency.

FC&M: Why are these types of designations important?

Scott: Yes, they are important. We can all get caught up in looking for certifications and checking off all those boxes, but I think this certification has great value in that it’s less a box-checking exercise and more of a functional one. The ISSA is trying to develop janitorial contractors that perform at a consistent level, that have an easily-accessible base of knowledge to share with their clients. The intent of this designation is better-suited than some other auditing standards. This process has even encouraged us to take a more mindful view of other certifications and what they offer to us and to our clients.

FC&M: Why does standardization matter in the cleaning industry… or does it?

Scott: Part of the challenges in the cleaning industry space is that there is no red seal standard for us to point to, no consistent training curriculum to provide reassurance to our team members or to our clients that we have the skillset required to do a specific task, or that the skillsets of our organization translate to the ability to perform work.

Standardization is something the Bee-Clean would like to see across the industry; it gives our team members reassurance that what they’re doing is safe, and that the techniques they’ve been instructed on allow them to do their jobs and head home safely at the end of the day.

It also allows us to provide assurance to our clients that we are being effective with their budget dollars and that the occupants of their buildings will be safe and secure in the environments in which they work. I really do see a benefit to certification and standardization, and we certainly hope that we can be a part of an enhanced set of standards and certification processes across Canada and hopefully across North America.

FC&M: How do you think this type of standardization affects the industry as a whole?

Scott: I think an industry without standardization makes it easy to have service standards all over the map and it’s a real challenge for owners and customers to try and compare companies and services. There’s no good way to get a sense of what they’re buying and how it stacks up against competitors in the marketplace. Standardization and certification of industry practices is a good way for the industry to have the confidence that what they’re buying is on an equal footing, leveling the playing field, but that elevates the whole industry. Organizations will be able to take that and leverage it into good training for their employees and deliver better outcomes and visibility for their clients.

FC&M: How do you think the CIMS designation might help your business?

Scott: We have struggled historically with the market being aware of the CIMS certification, but increasingly (mainly institutions) are viewing the CIMS certification with a more favourable lens. They’re recognizing that it represents a standardization within the industry and a level of achievement that allows them to benchmark their competitors against one another. That has been really helpful. We are hoping to see more and more of that within the industry.

FC&M: Can you offer any tips for other companies looking to achieve the designation?

Scott: It is a rigorous process, but don’t let that scare you! I don’t think that should deter potentially interested parties. The process is really beneficial, and you will only know its true value once you’ve done it yourself. If a company is considering it, my recommendation is to contact the ISSA and jump in with both feet!

You need to commit to the auditing process. It’s not something that can be done off the corner of someone’s desk, you really need to make sure that you are able to put in the appropriate resourcing to take care of it properly. If you follow the standards that are set out in the CIMS program, it can make a meaningful difference to how your business operates, from efficiency to knowledge. We really have gained a fantastic insight into how our business runs, and we’ve been able to institute more consistencies throughout the business.

For more information about ISSA’s CIMS certification, please visit their website.

B.C. invites input on building code updates

The Government of B.C. is considering changes to the BC Building Code, including cooling requirements and accessibility standards, and seeking input from interested parties.

The proposed changes to the BC Building Code are based on the 2020 National Model Codes with some B.C. specific variations to reflect the province’s geography, climate, local government needs, industry practices and provincial priorities, such as accessibility.

“Our government is committed to more accessible, safer and more climate-resilient buildings for people, now and in the future,” said Minister of Housing Ravi Kahlon. “That is why we are updating the BC Building Code to ensure that buildings and spaces across the province reflect the needs of everyone. We look forward to reviewing feedback from experts and the public to ensure that the changes we are proposing will provide benefits in the years to come.”

A four-week public review is asking for comments on:

accessibility and adaptable dwellings;
cooling requirements;
mass timber construction;
earthquake design;
radon safety, and;
ventilation in houses.

Proposed changes include mandating cooling capability to maintain indoor temperature at no greater than 26⁰ Celsius in all new residential construction; provincewide adoption of mass timber requirements in new building constructions in harmonization with the National Building Code 2020 and provincewide adoption of a rough-in for a radon extraction system.

The Ministry of Housing will review and consider all feedback in drafting the updated building code.

The province anticipates adopting the updated BC Building Code this year and bringing it into force in December 2023. The transition period will give local governments, the construction industry, education providers and others governed by the code time to adjust their practices and training materials.

Feedback via an online survey is open until June 16.

Kelsie Priest earns SEABC achievement award

Kelsie Priest, project engineer at Glotman Simpson, has been recognized with a Structural Engineers Association of British Columbia (SEABC) Young Meritorious Achievement Award.

Kelsie joined Glotman Simpson in 2012 for a co-op placement and then continued to work with the firm as she completed her degree and worked towards her P Eng designation.

Throughout her career, Priest has put immense effort towards building a community of women in engineering and helping others feel more comfortable and welcome within this industry.

She had her eyes set on a career in engineering when she was in elementary school, thoroughly enjoying the studies of math and science throughout high school. She found that a challenge within the field of engineering has been the lack of female role models.

Priest noted that despite having amazing male mentors in the industry who have encouraged her to grow both personally and professionally, she has been challenged by the limited number of women role models in the structural engineering community and because of that, she has an unstoppable desire to be an advocate for gender equality in the workplace.

At first, Priest didn’t see someone like herself in a leadership role, but she took the initiative to change that and in 2018, she co-founded Women in Consulting Engineering and has helped grow the community to more than 500 members and 12 plus industry sponsors. To this day, she serves as co-chair of WCE. She also currently sits on the WinSETT board, which is a non-profit organization which aspires to recruit, retain and advance women within he fields of Science, Engineering, Trades, and Technology.

“It brings me a lot of joy to empower and support other women engineers, especially those just joining the industry,” she said.

New approval criteria coming for NB renovations

New Brunswick’s Residential Tenancy Tribunal will soon assume responsibility for authorizing renovations that require tenants to vacate their dwellings. New approval criteria for landlords are part of a package of recently tabled amendments to the provincial Residential Tenancies Act, currently progressing toward adoption.

In introducing the proposed legislation earlier in May, Jill Green, New Brunswick’s minister responsible for housing, characterized it as an effort to “streamline and strengthen” existing rental housing regulations. This follows steps taken in 2022 to: limit allowable rent increases to once annually; double the time — from 30 to 60 days — available for tenants to appeal rent increases to the Tribunal; and enable the Tribunal to prescribe a phase-in of rent increases in some circumstances.

“We will continue to monitor the effectiveness of our measures and introduce more if required,” Green said.

Under the proposed new rules, landlords will have to apply to the Tribunal, prove that renovations or repairs are necessary, and demonstrate the validity of their construction plans by securing building permits and other required legal sign-offs before they can issue an eviction notice. Displaced tenants will be able to apply for compensation if the proposed construction is not underway within two months of when they’ve vacated the premises.

In cases where tenants are evicted so that owners’ family members can move in or because the space is being converted to a non-residential use, another new rule would stipulate that the new use or tenants must remain in place for three consecutive months. As well, the amendments set out rules for the disposal and/or sale of belongings tenants leave behind when they vacate a dwelling.

The legislation would also clarify that rules related to rent increases apply to fixed-term leases — thus closing an avenue that Green suggests landlords in neighbouring Nova Scotia have used to evade that province’s cap on rent increases. In response to questioning in the New Brunswick legislative assembly, she confirmed that the government is considering imposing a cap on rent increases, but noted that rent escalation has been greater in some provinces with rent controls than in New Brunswick.

Green hinted more initiatives will come with the new housing strategy slated to be revealed in June. That will incorporate guidance from a consultation process, including two summits with stakeholders in the housing sector.

“The Premier and I have both said that the rent cap is still under consideration. Everything related to the housing strategy is still on the table,” she reiterated. “It would not be a genuine consultation if one piece was taken off the table. It is still on the table, as is every other item that was brought forward by stakeholders.”

Preserving a Vancouver architectural landmark

The St Andrew’s-Wesley United Church is a Vancouver landmark that opened its doors in 1933. As one of the finest examples of Gothic Revival architecture in western Canada, it boasts locally sourced materials such as Nelson Island granite and Haddington Island stone, a soaring vaulted interior timber roof, and distinguished French and Italian stained windows.

The historic concrete structure and interior plaster elements had deteriorated, and the linoleum tile floor needed replacement. Its roof required extensive repairs, and steel reinforcing was added to seismically upgrade the building.

The renewal of this landmark, by Ryder Architecture in collaboration with RJC Engineers, incorporated a complex process of improving the building’s envelope performance, seismic resiliency, and accessibility.

The church’s distinctive architectural elements define its legacy and meaning for its community and overall appreciation amongst Vancouverites. Repairs to terracotta elements, locally quarried granite and stone façades, and a new copper roof preserved the building’s durability, visual appeal, and historical compatibility. New copper gutters and downpipes gracefully match the original elements.

Structural work on the interior involved removing plaster from the walls and vaults. Fibreglass moulds were made of the existing plaster elements so they could be re-cast and installed to replicate the original form and joint lines. The plaster was then meticulously painted to match the original finishes and texture, replicating the interior’s original aesthetic and historical character.

The existing stained-glass windows required only minor repairs to the lead cames. The interior woodwork was retained and rejuvenated with multiple coats of oil to refresh and restore the original finish. At the same time, plaster coffers in the sanctuary were cleaned to reveal their original colour, and the chapel’s painted wood ceiling was rehydrated to restore its stencilled colours. Other new interventions included upgraded accessibility and mobility aids such as ramps and new audio-visual systems.

Historic conservation involves collaborative and highly detailed strategies from an architectural and engineering perspective. Making informed technical decisions requires sophisticated computer modelling and analysis to understand site conditions.

Meanwhile, conserving the many layers of irreplaceable architectural detailing was an essential priority. Adam James, principal at Ryder Architecture, describes the process as “using a 21st-century skill set to analyze and facilitate remediation and upgrades that retain the building’s heritage value for the next hundred years.”

Michael MacLean, project Lead and Associate at RJC, explains, “The entire team understood the importance of maintaining the building’s historic character while providing a revitalized structure that meets the church’s vision for a modern-day gathering place.”

The church’s conservation took two years to complete and was the first significant upgrade to the building in its nearly 100-year-long history. The results are appreciated: a seamless integration of old and new architectural elements that will continue to serve its congregation and community while proudly asserting Vancouver’s architectural and civic history.

The project and others were recently honoured by the City of Vancouver for its annual Heritage Awards. It also received a 2021 North American Copper in Architecture Award and 2021 BC Heritage Award in Conservation.

Stepping up your building’s recycling

For maintenance managers, recycling can often be part of the mandate to improve efficiency and lower your building’s carbon footprint. As sustainability becomes even more crucial for your business, there are a few simple ways to get your recycling to the next level and improve your building’s performance.

Create waste streams

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), creating a “waste stream” is crucial, which looks at the lifecycle of your garbage and recyclables, planning from its origin to end. This process starts with an assessment of what materials you regularly amass, destroy, throw out, and recycle. Once you can see the process from start to finish, you can create better ways to address where your waste is going and where you can limit or better allocate your recycling materials.

Look at the required disposal or recycling for things like building materials, electronics, and any other specialty items you’ll need to incorporate into your plan. Regularly assess the process to stay on top of everyday ways you can be improving your performance.

Reduce and reuse

Waste prevention is the best way to reduce your recycling, so determine whether there are areas where you can cut out generating waste, so you don’t have to plan for disposal. For example, look at the suppliers and products you are ordering. Are there options with greener practices or less packaging? Can you limit your building’s paper use and printing? Reallocating can also be an effective way to lessen waste, by reusing office furniture or supplies to avoid throwing them out. Also, engaging your teams to do their part can make a difference. Making little changes like switching to drip coffee, encouraging reusable mugs, and buying kitchen supplies in bulk to limit packaging is a good way to start.

Make it easy

Avoiding contamination is important for effective recycling, so that non-recyclable items do not get mixed in. The easier you make the process, the more time you’ll save in getting it right. Add signage so staff knows how and where to dispose of garbage and recycling, separate containers for easy sorting, and be sure your bins are accessible. Do your research. Some recyclables, like glass and aluminum, can be contained together, while food waste and plastics must be separated.

Training is key here, too. Once you have completed the assessment and have a proactive plan in place, making sure your teams are on board is essential to successful execution.

As a maintenance manager, improving the performance of your building includes lowering your carbon footprint, and paying attention to recycling is a great place to start. But you don’t have to figure it out on your own. There are a variety of online tools that can help you create a plan and execute a strategy that will reduce your building’s impact on the environment and improve your recycling efforts.

Wesgroup completes largest B.C. solar project

A solar array of 2,592 solar panels located on top of a Delta warehouse is the largest rooftop solar power project ever built in B.C., according to Wesgroup.

The warehouse, also built by Wesgroup, showcases the solar array arranged to form the logo of building tenant, Lululemon.

“We are delighted to have been able to work with the building tenant to create B.C.’s largest rooftop solar array,” says Malcolm Shield, vice-president of sustainability at Wesgroup. “As a values-driven organization, Wesgroup is seeking to not only deliver better environmental outcomes today, but also build commercial properties that play their part in a renewably powered future.”

The solar array has a capacity of 1.2 megawatts and produces enough electricity to power the equivalent of 100 homes. The array is the size of four NHL-size hockey rinks and is as large as it could be under BC Hydro’s net-metering requirements.

“Climate change means we’re heading into a future very different from the past, and the ability to have distributed power generation through projects like this will be critical in having an electrical system that works for tenants and can support the move away from fossil fuels,” says Shield. “With the increasing electrification of cars, space heating and industrial activities, the demand for electricity is going to rise substantially in the coming years – making it even more important for buildings to produce their own power and even be net contributors to the electrical grid.”

The completion of this solar project is one of many initiatives that Wesgroup has taken over the years to enhance the sustainability of its developments. In the past five years, 1,200 Wesgroup-built homes have achieved Built Green or LEED Gold standards and, of those homes, 68 per cent of the construction waste has been recycled.

For other developers who are considering adding solar energy systems to their projects, Shield recommends “including the system early on in the design process to maximize the benefits of the system, reduce cost and simplify the project delivery.”

Inaugural BOMA BEST Smart certifications awarded

The first certifications have been conveyed through the new BOMA BEST Smart assessment and benchmarking program for digital optimization of building performance. The inaugural recipients earned Smart designations as enrollees in a pilot initiative ahead of last month’s official program launch, and will share their experiences during a webinar next week.

The awardees include:

Place Ville Marie, a 61-year-old, 47-storey cruciform office tower and retail complex in Montreal, owned and managed by Ivanhoé Cambridge;
The Livmore, a circa 2018, 43-storey purpose-built rental tower in Toronto, managed by GWL Realty Advisors; and
745 Thurlow Street, a circa 2015, 25-storey office tower in Vancouver, managed by QuadReal Property Group.

“The teams have demonstrated leadership in managing and operating buildings that are not only energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, but also intelligent, adaptable and user-centric,” a commendation from the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) of Canada states.

BOMA BEST Smart offers building owners/managers a tool to monitor technological systems and connectivity within their buildings, focusing on five key areas: security and safety; operations and management; network and integration; end-user experience; and reporting and analysis. The new certification makes its debut in tandem with BOMA BEST Sustainable, the fourth iteration of the widely adopted assessment and benchmarking program for the environmental performance of existing buildings.

Both programs are housed on a new platform, known as the BOMA BEST Hub. Registration for the expiring BOMA BEST 3.0 program closed on March 31 this year, but enrollees can still attain certification until September 30.

Canada to invest in 1,800 new EV chargers

The Government of Canada announced it is building a coast-to-coast network of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations along highways and in public places, including in multi- residential buildings and workplaces. Specifically, the funding will go towards the installation of over 1,800 new EV chargers at sites across the country, including Guelph.

“We’re making electric vehicles more affordable and charging more available where Canadians live, work and play,” said the Hon. Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources. “Investing in more EV chargers, like the ones announced today in Guelph, will put more Canadians in the driver’s seat on the road to a strong, healthy net-zero future.”

Partnering organizations include:

Skyline Real Estate Holdings Inc. for 852 Level 2 chargers in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and British Columbia.
The Corporation of the City of Guelph for 24 Level 2 and four Level 3 chargers across Guelph.
Alectra Utilities Corporation and Alectra Energy Services Inc. for up to 905 Level 2 and 72 Level 3 EV chargers across Ontario.

The combined federal investment of more than $12 million provided through Natural Resources Canada’s Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program is in addition to the funding provided by the organizations, bringing the total combined project costs to more than $27 million.

“Skyline is proud to be partnering with NRCan to make EV infrastructure more readily accessible to apartment tenants in our communities,” said Rob Stein, President, Skyline Energy. “Not only do the chargers present an added benefit for the building’s tenants — they will also make a meaningful positive impact on the development of Canada’s clean energy sector.”

For more info, visit: Zero Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Program (canada.ca)

Bird awarded BC Ferries fleet facility

Bird Construction has been awarded a contract for the BC Ferries Fleet Maintenance Unit (FMU) redevelopment project in Richmond, B.C.

The FMU Redevelopment Project aims to revitalize BC Ferries‘ existing facility situated in Richmond, British Columbia, enhancing its capabilities and increasing its capacity to meet the demands of BC Ferries’ operational needs. The FMU facility currently handles a substantial portion of the maintenance, repair, and upgrades for BC Ferries’ 39-vessel fleet.

“Bird is looking forward to collaborating closely with BC Ferries throughout the redevelopment, ensuring seamless execution and successful project completion. This is an important project for BC Ferries and we are excited to bring our expertise and dedication to deliver a modern, efficient and sustainable facility that will support BC Ferries’ operational needs for years to come,” Bird Construction president and CEO Teri McKibbon.

Under the redevelopment plan, Bird will renovate five existing buildings to accommodate various BC Ferries user groups throughout the project timeline. In addition, a key aspect of the project is to replace several older buildings, including the existing machine shop, with a state-of-the-art multipurpose machine shop expanding the existing operational space by almost three times.

Seismic work, flood mitigation, stormwater management and energy efficiency prioritization will be incorporated to enhance and modernize the facility.

Substance use cost construction millions annually

A new economic analysis of the impact of substance use and related mental health issues in the construction industry has revealed that the annual cost to the B.C. construction industry from workers missing work and showing up at work hungover or dealing with withdrawal symptoms is $847 million.

The estimated annual loss of revenue to the Government of B.C. due to substance use and related mental health issues in the construction industry is $318 million.

Construction Industry Rehabilitation Plan (CIRP) commissioned the survey and analysis, which was conducted by Prioritize Consulting, with 683 construction industry respondents across the province.

According to CIRP executive director Vicky Waldron, the study was prompted by the fact that approximately half of overdose victims that were employed prior to death were employed in the trades, a figure significantly higher than in other industries. In 2022, the province recorded 2,272 toxic drug supply deaths.

“The cost is an immeasurable tragedy to workers and their families, but it is also financially damaging our industry and the provincial economy,” said Waldron. “We are all impacted by the tragic loss of lives from overdose deaths in the construction industry, and we recognize the immense toll that substance use and related mental health issues have on not only the productivity of workers but the well-being of workers. It’s a devastating situation that affects not only workers and their families but also our industry and the provincial economy. We must act quickly to address these challenges and find lasting solutions that prioritize the health and safety of our workforce.”

In response to the survey findings, CIRP has released a White Paper – “Construction Industry-Led Solution to the Overdose Epidemic” – that outlines the extent of the problem and possible solutions for both the industry and government to consider as the epidemic enters it’s eighth year.

The White Paper recommends supporting a prevention and treatment model developed by and for the construction industry, with 16 recommendations made.

“We believe that working together, construction industry employers, trade unions, and the provincial, federal and municipal governments can find lasting solutions that will give workers affected a way forward to recovery and create a stronger, more resilient and productive workforce,” said Waldron.

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