David Benoit to head Build Nova Scotia

David Benoit has been named president and chief executive officer of the new provincial crown corporation, Build Nova Scotia. He emerged from a national competition for the leadership of the new agency, which has been established to oversee strategic provincial infrastructure projects such as development and redevelopment of health care facilities, environmental remediation, strengthening climate resilience and the ongoing rollout of high-speed internet capabilities.

Benoit joined Nova Scotia’s Department of Health and Wellness as senior executive director of investment and infrastructure planning in April 2020. That followed 30 years as an engineering officer in the Royal Canadian Navy, where he most recently served as the commanding officer of Canada’s East Coast fleet maintenance facility.

“Mr. Benoit’s experience with planning and building infrastructure across the province and his leadership role in planning for the major healthcare redevelopments will serve him well in this new position,” says Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston.

B.C. looks to streamline permitting strategy

The Government of B.C. is tackling the housing crisis by creating a one-stop-shop approach to provincial permitting to help speed up approvals and construction to build more homes.

“Every British Columbian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. Unfortunately, this simply wasn’t a priority for more than a decade,” said Premier David Eby. “As we turn things around and start to build record levels of housing, we are taking action today to remove obstacles to constructing new homes that families desperately need.”

Currently, authorizations related to homebuilding in B.C. can require multiple provincial permit applications spanning different ministries with different processes. This includes permits related to riparian area approvals, water licences, transportation approvals, road rezonings, contaminated sites, and requirements for heritage inspections.

The new Permitting Strategy for Housing will streamline the process and create a single, co-ordinated approach to housing-related permits and authorization. This will speed up the process and eliminate the need for multiple applications across ministries. While the single application window is being established over the coming months, permit and authorization decisions will be expedited through a cross-ministry team focused solely on processing housing permits. The Housing Action Task Force includes decision-makers, information technology systems, project managers and policy support teams working together to speed up processing.

A co-ordinated provincial approach is also expected to make application reviews more streamlined for First Nations, which are consulted on each provincial authorization.

“Having dedicated resources and a cross-ministry team prioritizing housing permits means we can make significantly more progress on getting British Columbians the housing they need,” said Nathan Cullen, Minister of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship. “Establishing a single-application approach is an investment that will deliver more housing for people faster, and this will also result in immediate and future benefits for the entire natural resources sector.”

The Permitting Strategy for Housing is supported by an initial investment of 42 new full-time positions. It will prioritize the housing that most urgently needs to be built, such as Indigenous-led projects, BC Housing applications and multiple-unit applications. Priority will also be given to authorizations and permit approvals for housing projects in municipalities that are subject to the speculation and vacancy tax, because they have the greatest housing shortages, lowest vacancy rates and most demand for housing.

Edmonton ranks first for city approval timelines

Edmonton ranks number one in the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) 2022 Municipal Benchmarking Study. The report examines how local development processes, approvals and charges affect housing affordability and housing supply in major housing markets across the country.

“I am not surprised by Edmonton’s ranking,” said Mayor Amarjeet Sohi. “Edmonton is a great place to live with an exceptional quality of life and we are committed to fostering a healthy and affordable housing market necessary to welcome young and highly skilled talent and for those already living in Edmonton.”

The report evaluated 21 municipalities across Canada in several areas that have direct links to issues related to housing supply and/or housing affordability, including:

Approval timelines
Charges and fees on new development
Planning approval processes and features

Edmonton ranked number one in planning features, sixth in approval timelines and sixth in charges and fees to capture a combined first place ranking. This represents an improvement from the 2020 study, in which Edmonton ranked second overall in Canada.

“The City of Edmonton has worked very hard in the past few years to streamline and improve our permit and license processes,“ said city manager Andre Corbould. “These improvements save applicants $5.3 million and 67,600 days collectively each year. We know these improvements have contributed to our ranking and we continue to push for improvements that will help maintain Edmonton’s housing affordability.”

Edmonton continues to innovate in its approaches to reducing red tape and delivering better, more predictable service to customers, including investment in the online customer experience, process automation, and integration of artificial intelligence.

Intergovernmental and industry collaboration also played an important role in Edmonton’s number one ranking. The study also highlighted municipalities who are taking innovative approaches to working with other levels of government or developers to set targets, standardize reporting or establish timelines.

Edmonton had an overall score of 91 per cent. Edmonton’s typical approval timeline for development applications is less than half of what it is in either Vancouver or Toronto.

ISSA Canada opens nominations for Environmental Stewardship Award

ISSA Canada has announced that it is now accepting nominations for its 2023 Environmental Stewardship Award.

The prestigious award recognizes organizations or individuals who are committed to environmental management and sustainability initiatives, and who demonstrate a dedication to the value of clean.

Nominations are accepted from business sectors including building service contractors, in-house service providers, schools, hospitals, long-term care facilities, property managers, building owners, food service facilities, manufacturers, distributors, hospitality and government agencies.

Awards are based on six criteria, including:

1. Organizations who best educate, train and implement “environmental awareness” to their staff.

2. Dedication to the overall cleanliness and health of a facility.

3. Use of approved environmental products and chemicals (EcoLogo or Green Seal Certified).

4. Organizations who perform cleaning procedures with a high degree of safety and health awareness.

5. Organizations who have best reduced their carbon footprint.

6. Organizations who train their staff on the most current green cleaning technologies, equipment, and services in the industry.

If you know an organization, individual or facility that is making a difference to save the planet, please send your nominations for the Environmental Stewardship Award to ISSA Canada today!

CDM program hiccups logged in Ontario review

The COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain disruptions are frequently cited, but not the only reasons for uneven uptake of Ontario’s energy retrofit and performance incentives over the past two years. The recently released mid-term review of the 2021-24 framework for conservation and demand management (CDM) points to some internal barriers and bottlenecks in program offerings, including the discontinuation of incentives the commercial sector previously favoured and disproportionate spending on some sectors within the business program envelope.

As well, there have been some initial hiccups in delivering on the provincial government’s mandate to explore competitive procurement of energy efficiency. Proponents chosen through a March 2021 pilot auction for peak demand reduction capacity were largely unable to meet their commitments when the November 2022 start-date for the winter trial period arrived.

Nevertheless, analysts with the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) conclude that CDM targets for 2021-24 are achievable. Those were originally set at 2.7 terawatt-hours (TWh) of energy savings and 440 megawatts (MW) of peak demand reduction, but have since been increased to 3.8 TWh of energy savings and 725 MW of peak demand reduction with last fall’s injection of an extra $342 million of program funding.

“At its mid-term, the Framework is on track to achieve its original energy and demand savings target. In the remaining two years, enhancements will be made to the programs to reflect changing market conditions and customer feedback,” the executive summary of the IESO’s review states. “In all, Ontario is well positioned to seize opportunities to expand the scale and nature of CDM to address changing system and customer needs now and into the future.”

Seven new programs are slated for launch this year, although one of them — strategic energy management — is a reworked replacement for the popular direct subsidies for hiring in-house energy managers, which are no longer available. “The expanded suite of programs will address identified opportunities for HVAC in the residential sector; better supporting advanced- and connected-control systems and other non-lighting savings in the commercial and institutional sector; and targeted support for greenhouse lighting, controls and BTM DER (behind-the-meter distributed energy resource) projects in the agricultural sector,” the IESO advises.

Inefficiencies plague start-and-stop approach

Among initiatives to be introduced in the second half of the four-year term, commercial customers will see the return of incentives for customized energy efficiency upgrades — a well-subscribed option in previous CDM frameworks, which was eliminated in 2021 when retrofit incentives were channelled solely into prescriptive measures, paying a set dollar amount for installation of designated energy-efficient lighting, controls and equipment. After postponement of an intended 2022 rollout, the building commissioning program is also promised for this year.

The IESO review acknowledges commercial consumers’ disgruntlement when the custom track and a program focusing on process and systems upgrades were cancelled in 2021. It also underscores the inherent inefficiencies of what’s characterized as the “start-and-stop model” for the provincial CDM agenda.

In recent years, program administrators and enrollees have been juggling three distinct sets of CDM programs and deadlines for project completion: the previous government’s framework for 2015-2019; the current government’s interim framework for 2019-2020; and the 2021-24 framework. Adding more complications, pandemic-related issues forced multiple extensions to project delivery deadlines under the two earlier frameworks.

“With each new framework, significant effort is needed to relaunch and/or redesign programs and either extend or re-procure third-party program services, along with increased administrative efforts to track three separate budgets and targets,” the IESO notes. “Customers and partners also reported confusion resulting from the changing of frameworks and resulting program changes.”

Retrofit budget unexpectedly sidetracked

Drilling down to the business programs offered in 2021-22, the IESO reports some reluctance from prospective applicants to pursue the demand-savings incentive offered through the energy performance program due to its energy modelling requirements. It also appears commercial building owners/managers have extracted less benefit from retrofit program dollars than originally envisioned given an unexpected skewing of the budget to horticultural lighting.

The IESO cites “a high volume of horticultural lighting projects, which provide limited contribution to summer peak demand reduction” as a major factor in business programs falling 96 MW (24 per cent) short of the peak demand reduction targeted to be attained from the $369 million first allocated in the 2021-24 framework. (Notably, $136 million of the recent $342 million in additional CDM funding has been earmarked for greenhouse operators in southwest Ontario with projections of achieving 225 MW of peak demand reduction.)

The remainder of the shortfall is attributed to redirecting funds to programs that were offered through the previous interim CDM framework, following an influx of applications during the final weeks of eligibility. The IESO suggests this move helped “avoid consumer frustration and disappointment” but, in turn, it subsidized a “high proportion of exterior lighting” that’s typically in use during periods of lower systemwide demand.

Although the retrofit program is deemed “behind on its peak demand reduction target while being overspent on budget relative to the CDM program plan,” it has actually exceeded original projections for energy savings. Overall, business programs are calculated to be just 0.1 TWh (100,000 megawatt-hours) behind the target they were meant to achieve with the initial $369 million CDM budget.

A focus solely on prescriptive retrofit measures has reduced the IESO’s administrative costs by nearly 50 per cent per kilowatt-hour of achieved savings relative to the previous CDM framework and is credited with shortening the project approval process. The IESO further reports that it “continues to be mainly a lighting-driven program” and is forecasted to exhaust its budget in 2023.

Competitive procurement pilot encounters challenges

The retrofit program also figured in an array of challenges for participants in the IESO’s pilot project to test competitive procurement of energy efficiency. The nine proponents emerged from an March 2021 auction, in which they submitted bids for shedding energy load, and collectively proffered 7.4 MW of winter peak demand reduction capacity and 6.6 MW of summer peak demand reduction. This included a mix of large industrial and institutional electricity consumers positioned to deliver within their own operations and energy services firms aiming to aggregate demand reduction across a number of smaller consumers in their customer base.

Winning bids equated to a weighted average price of $334 per kilowatt (kW) for wintertime and $378 per kW for summertime peak demand reduction, representing a cost saving on the historically paid incentive of $400 to $800 per kW through the customized retrofit program. However, proponents were not prepared to fully meet their commitments for the wintertime pilot period scheduled from Nov. 1, 2022 to Feb. 28, 2023.

“Participants have cited a number of challenges that led to these relinquishments, including difficulty securing internal project funding to deliver projects, turnover in staffing during the EEAP (energy efficiency auction pilot) forward period, technology price escalation and workforce impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the IESO reports. “Participants that had planned to deliver aggregated resources by enrolling customers and installing measures across multiple facility locations also cited challenges competing with other Save on Energy programs, such as retrofit.”

The IESO is now watching to see what will unfold for the summertime test period, scheduled for June 1 to Aug. 31, 2023. “As the pilot is still in progress, the IESO is cautious about drawing broad conclusions at the present time,” it affirms.

Maintenance tips for lowering your winter salt use

Does your winter outdoor maintenance program rely on salt use? Outdoor maintenance comes with its challenges all year long, but winter can be particularly unique.

Snow removal and ice management often call for the use of salt outside to keep paths and walkways clear, but it can eat away at the surface underneath and run off into groundwater, negatively impacting the environment.

If you’re looking for ways to limit the salt you use without compromising the snow and ice removal for your building, there are a few steps you can take for a smoother transition to a sustainable ice and snow management program.

Preventative maintenance

Shoveling often (and well) will limit the accumulation of ice and snow, making it easier to keep your surfaces clear, and lessening your need for salt. Wherever you can, cover or protect these areas to limit blowing snow, as well.

Diverting your downspouts is another trick you can use. If your downspouts empty onto the lawn or into your garden, you can avoid the ice that accumulates when temperatures drop and the water drains onto your walkways.

Proper application

Don’t overdo it. Once the surface has been shoveled, it doesn’t take much salt to rid your sidewalks of the remaining ice. In fact, one tablespoon of salt is sufficient for one sidewalk square or a 12 oz. mug full will take care of a 20-foot driveway, so take a conservative approach in your application.

Salt won’t melt the ice if it’s colder than -9˚ Celsius, so when temperatures really drop, sand may be a better option to lower the risk of slipping and falling on the ice.

Less waste

Did you know that salt can be reused? Limit the amount of runoff and cut your costs by sweeping up the remaining salt from the surface to use again another time. Store it in an airtight container to keep it from clumping before your next use.

By tweaking your winter outdoor maintenance plan, you can limit the salt you use for your building. With a few simple steps in preventative maintenance and proper application, you can lessen your environmental impact and save money, while keeping your sideways and walkways clear and safe.

Home sales in Canada grew slightly in December

Homes sales across Canada rose 1.3 per cent in December, month-over-month, while the number of newly listed homes dropped 6.4 per cent, led by declines in British Columbia and Quebec. New statistics released today from the Canadian Real Estate Association also revealed the actual amount of transactions were 39.1 per cent below December 2021.

“In 2022, we saw one of the biggest single-year shifts on record in Canadian housing activity, from record highs last winter to just below the 10-year average to end the year,” said Jill Oudil, Chair of CREA. “That said, the market’s adjustment to higher rates may be mostly in the rear-view mirror at this point. That could start to bring buyers back off the sidelines this spring.”

Sales were highest in Ottawa and Edmonton. Across the country, prices are down more than they are nationally in Ontario and parts of B.C., and down by less elsewhere. While prices have softened to some degree almost everywhere, Calgary, Regina, Saskatoon, and St. John’s stand out as markets where home prices are barely off their peaks at all.

The home price index declined by 7.5 per per cent since December 2021 and 1.6 per cent month-over-month. The average home price in Canada is now $626,318, 12 per cent lower than the year before.

CREA’s Senior Economist Shaun Cathcart said the 2023 market depends on the timing and scope of high inflation and rising interest rates moving back in the other direction.

“Demand for housing continues to grow and supply remains the biggest issue across the entire spectrum,” he said. “Whether that plays out in the rental market in 2023 or shifts back over into the ownership space is a matter of how quickly the Bank of Canada can get inflation under control and starts turning the dial back down on borrowing costs.”

Leading condo associations call for safety reform

Ontario’s leading condo associations are calling on the provincial government and industry regulators to reform legislation and create better resources for safer condo communities in light of the events at Bellaria Residences in Vaughan this past December,

The Association of Condominium Managers of Ontario, the Canadian Condominium Institute’s Toronto Chapter, and the Community Associations Institute Canadian Chapter offered their expertise for advancing this process in a joint statement released last week.

“Condominiums are a microcosm of society governed by volunteer directors who are legally mandated to enforce the governing documents of the condominium corporation and endeavour to protect all of the residents within their community. To do so, they take the advice of various professionals and attempt to investigate and address the unique issues and concerns of their owners,” the trio stated.

“Disputes are not uncommon and can be particularly complex and challenging to resolve in condominiums because parties to a dispute must continue to live near each other and regularly encounter one another in common spaces. In some cases, even when every effort has been made to resolve a conflict, no remedy can be found that leaves all parties satisfied. Litigation is a last resort, and evictions in a condominium are extremely rare and only pursued when the community is deemed to be at risk.”

There is growing concern that the recent shooting could scare away condo directors from getting involved in disputes or even serving on a board.

“This would be unfortunate as the 12,400+ condominium corporations in Ontario necessarily rely on the service of volunteers to provide governance to their communities,” the associations further stressed. “Minimizing the risk of personal harm on a condominium’s property is a critical focus, but unfortunately there are inadequate community resources available to help de-escalate conflicts.”

The organizations have jointly committed to:

Continue identifying areas for legislative reform to better protect personal safety in condominiums and educate government agencies about how best to minimize risk for condominium communities.
Continue identifying additional appropriate resources relating to mental health and conflict de-escalation to support condominium corporations in the future. This may include better educating other organizations about the unique challenges in condominiums.
Continue developing and offering additional educational programming for our members to ensure that the condominium market has the best possible information available. Proactively supporting our membership and community through education, networking events, and advocacy.

Winter health & wellness strategies

With winter comes darker days, colder temperatures, and for many Canadians, the winter blues. Prioritizing health and wellness can be challenging at the best of times—especially for those living in high-density buildings. To arm its residents against the known consequences of prolonged isolation and indoor hibernation, Hazelview Properties, in partnership with holistic wellness and life coach Amy Ballantyne, hosted a free webinar entitled, “Optimizing Apartment Living: Wellness Strategies for Wintertime” in late 2022.

“Hazelview’s sustainability vision is to foster happy, healthy, thriving communities where we operate,” said Jasmin Pirani, Director, Marketing & Corporate Social Responsibility. “We believe that resident health and wellbeing is an implicit component of our overall ESG/Sustainability commitments.”

Prior to launching the event, the company surveyed its residents about which socio-economic issues were most important to them, to which ‘health and wellness support’ emerged as a top issue. Based on this feedback, Hazelview worked closely with its residents and team members to understand how they could bring lasting health and wellness tools to the many communities in which it operates.

The outcome was the “Wellness Strategies for Wintertime” webinar, a free portfolio-wide event featuring tips, resources and services intended to help Hazelview apartment residents better face the darkest days of winter. According to Pirani, the webinar was well-attended, and the benefits of providing these types of resident supports can’t be underscored enough.

“Year over year we are seeing an increase in number of residents participating in our programming and services,” she said. “There is a growing appetite from residents for more events and programs like the one we just offered. 94 per cent of those surveyed told us they are ‘likely or very likely’ to attend a program like this again. We are confident that the resources and support offered in our programs are valuable for residents, with 85 per cent of attendees saying they are ‘likely or very likely’ to incorporate new wellness tools and strategies into their life after having attended the event.”

Partnering with Maple

Recognizing that the Canadian healthcare system is under unprecedented stress, Hazelview partnered with leading virtual healthcare platform, Maple, to bring innovative healthcare benefits for residents across various properties.

As Pirani summed it up: “This partnership demonstrates how two leading organizations can come together to address access to healthcare at a time when health and wellness is at the forefront of the minds of Canadians.”

Here are some of the program’s suggested wellness strategies for beating the winter blues:

Create a living environment that is conducive to positive mental wellbeing by clearing clutter, adding plants, and adding light to living spaces.
Incorporate strategies that are “present-moment” focused and known to reduce stress. This includes breathing exercises, journaling, connecting with loved ones, and periodically turning off the news, social media, and other distractions.
Prioritize sleep.
Get regular exercise, whether it’s by choosing to take the stairs instead of the elevator or going for a walk outdoors. For those more intent on staying home, simple daily exercises like planks, push-ups, stretching, and yoga are recommended ways to boost dopamine and beat the winter blues.

In terms of future programming targeting high-density housing residents, Pirani said Hazelview’s search for meaningful supports is underway: “We are committed to bringing more programs like this one to residents. We will be evaluating what issues and topics are most important, and curating programming and events based on those inputs.”

For more information on Hazelview Properties, visit: www.hazelviewproperties.com

Why more schools should be built with wood

For the better part of a decade, B.C.’s schools have featured more innovative, eco-friendly, and flexible designs. Today’s schools are more versatile and adaptable, offer ample daylight and are focused on health and well-being, along with safety and better seismic performance.

Increasingly these schools are being built with locally supplied wood products and advanced hybrid-mass timber prefabricated construction. That’s the finding of a recent report Wood Use in British Columbia Schools, authored by B.C.-based architecture firm thinkspace and structural engineering firm Fast + Epp.

The report highlights several B.C. schools built by an expanding roster of timber experts in the province—including architects, engineers, fabricators, contractors and building specialists.

The report cites numerous benefits to building schools with wood, especially in B.C. It can be provincially sourced from healthy and certified forests, while also supporting communities across BC and the provincial economy.

Today’s modern light-frame wood and mass timber buildings have a proven fire safety record and are suitable for meeting the stringent safety guidelines for schools. Mass timber structures can offer advantages over conventional construction in the event of an earthquake. Wood buildings, particularly those using engineered wood products, are well suited to withstand and remain resilient against lateral seismic forces. Along with environmental and safety benefits, the report says prefabricated light-frame and mass timber schools can potentially be built better and faster. Manufactured off-site and quickly assembled on-site, these building systems can shorten the construction timeline—by months in some cases.

Traditional school layouts, with long hallways and rows of classrooms, are no longer the norm. Today’s schools need to offer flexible designs and incorporate shared multipurpose community spaces.

Gibsons Elementary School was built as part of the province’s seismic upgrade initiative. | Photo: Ed White Photographics

According to the report, timber building systems allow school designers to be flexible in their approach to layout, helping create large learning commons, as well as private places for study.

In some cases, this means building up. Ta’talu Elementary School in Surrey will be the first three-storey, hybrid mass timber elementary school in the province.

The report also highlights the health benefits of building more schools with wood. Recent research shows that incorporating wood into our buildings can reduce stress and contribute to good mental health. Sometimes referred to as biophilic design, bringing nature indoors can have a positive impact on our health.

The report concludes that B.C.’s mass timber industry is rapidly evolving, making materials more accessible and technologically advanced. Nonetheless, industry experts say more work is needed to ensure the broader industry and general public understand benefits of building with wood.

Overall, the report’s authors expect to see more educational facilities built with sustainably harvested wood products in the future as industry and school districts become more aware of the benefits they can offer.

Interested in learning more about wood use in B.C. schools? Read the naturally:wood blog.

Rooftop safety from the ground up

There are many reasons why you would want to visit your commercial or industrial rooftop during the winter months. Whether the motivation is to conduct maintenance, make repairs, or install new equipment, championing safety when working at heights is always a primary focus.

True roof safety begins from the ground up. It starts before you even step foot on the roof, by ensuring anyone who has access to the roof of the building is properly trained and aware of all the potential risks. Rooftops differ from one another, so understanding how to go about navigating your rooftop safely is critical, requiring a routine review of your roof layout. Furthermore, it is recommended to constantly assess risks that are identified on your roof layout, and the actions taking place to mitigate such hazards.

“Roof safety begins by taking stock of what you’re doing now and identifying where you need to improve,” agrees Vernon Ghinn, Vice President of Sales with the Skyline Group Intl.

It’s equally important to verify that the means of accessing your rooftop are as safe and secure as the roof environment itself. This includes reviewing the hatch ladders and outdoor access ladders that are required to be designed and manufactured to both provincial and federal safety standards.

“It’s imperative that the ladder is well made and code compliant,” Ghinn continues. “That means it starts off within 12 inches of the ground, that the distance from the back of the ladder to the exterior wall falls within regulations, and that the ladder includes a ladder door or panel to restrict unauthorized access and further prevent falls.”

An access ladder’s height will also trigger safety considerations. For example, if the ladder is greater than ten feet, it’s good practice to have guardrails on either side when stepping off of the ladder onto the rooftop, directing the climber past the danger zone, helping to prevent an accidental fall once stepping onto the roof.

Restricting unwanted access

It’s possible, with even good intentions, to create a fall risk or hazard when looking to create a safer climb for your maintenance team. For example, property managers and consultants may be tempted to cut the bottom 5+ feet of their outdoor building access ladder to prevent unauthorized personnel from climbing. Doing so, however, creates severe safety risks and liability for property owners.

Even still, says Vincenzo Cutrone, Marketing Manager with Skyline Group, “cutting ladders short is a common site-related hazard that adds an unneeded risk of a fall for those who have the approval to climb the ladder. Imagine being required to take an 8-foot step ladder to climb onto a caged or lifeline ladder. That process of stepping off one ladder to the access ladder is simply dangerous. While still not removing the risk of unauthorized access.”

A better way to restrict access, Cutrone offers, is to install a lockable ladder door/panel, or a cage gate if you have a caged ladder.

Mind the hatch

Some buildings may enable access to their roof through a roof hatch. In this case, it’s important to ask yourself a few questions:

Do the side rails of the ladder extend through the roof hatch door in order to maintain your three points of contact while stepping onto the roof?
Once on the roof, is there a hatch barrier around the hatch with a self-closing gate that will close behind me, thereby eliminating the risk of a fall?
Is the roof hatch close to the roof edge? If so, is a guardrail system installed to remove the risk of a fall?

Reaching the top

Accessing the roof is only the first step. The next step is ensuring that everything is being done to mitigate slip and fall risks while navigating the roof.

Says Ghinn: “The first thing we ask when it comes to roof safety is: What is the roof type that I’m standing on? Is it slippery? Is it easy to navigate with my footwear? What about HVAC equipment, ducting, or piping? Is this a green roof with vegetation? Or does it include various solar panels? If so, where are they, and how will I be navigating around them?”

Walking from point A to B on a roof can easily turn into a fall risk. This is especially true for rooftops that feature equipment, skylights, gardens, solar panels or other obstacles that must be maneuvered safely, while still preventing a fall if you are required to navigate close to the roof’s edge. Here is where investments in roof walkways, cross-over bridges, and staircases can pay off tenfold.

“If you’re within six feet of a ten-foot drop, you need some method of fall arrest or restraint,” Ghinn suggests. “In this scenario, we would remove the hazard by installing both a non-penetrating guardrail system and warning line system, which is essentially a rooftop delineator that comes with painted flags and a cable that highlights the danger zone at the six-foot mark.”

From your first step to your final descent off the ladder, roof safety requires a holistic understanding of every potential risk along the way. By keeping a watchful eye and applying roof safety solutions where necessary, this hotspot for activity can be kept safe for everyone.

Don’t discover safety by accident! Reach out to our rooftop safety specialists to learn how you can create a safe and compliant rooftop environment. Ask about Skyline Group‘s complimentary lunch & learn program and virtual roof safety assessment to help with your height safety training needs.

RJC Engineers appoints principals and associates

RJC Engineers (RJC), a leading consulting engineering firm, welcomes three principals and 14 associates in their offices across Canada. The firm notes the individuals demonstrate the talent, breadth of experience and expertise that RJC has in structural engineering, building science, structural restoration, structural glass engineering, parking facility design, and building energy modelling.

“We are pleased to recognize these individuals not only for the contribution they have made to RJC, but for the benefit they bring to our clients, industry, and communities. Each individual is professional, collaborative, and dedicated to engineering excellence,” says Jeff Rabinovitch, chair of RJC Engineers’ board of directors.

Celebrating its 75^th year, RJC remains 100 per cent employee owned. It is the largest independent employee-owned engineering firm specializing in buildings in Canada. The firm’s legacy of strong succession from generation to generation is how RJC continues to set new standards for design, receive national and international accolades, and be a trusted advisor for clients. These appointments reflect that strong culture of mentorship and commitment to growing strong, dynamic talent from within.

“We know that these people will all play an important role in shaping RJC’s future,” says Rabinovitch.

RJC new principals are:

Benoit Boulanger, MASc., PEng., ing. – Montreal
Matt Deegan, MSc., P.Eng., – Toronto
Kevin Riederer, MASc., P.Eng., P.E., LEED AP – Vancouver

RJC new associates are:

Kristopher Bales, BSc, P.Eng., LEED AP – Edmonton
Joseph Dukovcic, MEng, P.Eng. – Toronto
Mark Felt, Architectural Technologist AIBC, CCCA – Kelowna
Dan Gao, BEng, P.Eng. – Vancouver Island
Sameer Hasham, BASc, P.Eng. CPHD – Vancouver Island
Patrick Hughson, BASc, P.Eng. – Calgary
Tommy Lai, MEng, P.Eng. Struct.Eng. – Vancouver
Scott Norris, BESc, P.Eng. – Toronto
Deanna Perrin, BSc, P.Eng. – Kelowna
Stephen Plesko, BEng, P.Eng. – Toronto
Jordan Swail, BESc, P.Eng., BSS – Kitchener
Tom Tong, MSc., P.Eng. – Vancouver
Crystal Wegner, B.Tech, PMP, AScT, CCCA, LEED AP – Kelowna
James Wells, BEng, P.Eng. – Edmonton

B.C. ponders commercial space for cannabis use

Newly released findings from British Columbia’s public consultation on cannabis lounges unsurprisingly confirm that recreational cannabis users are most likely to find the concept appealing. Even so, the majority of provincial residents who responded to a random telephone survey agreed that commercial space for cannabis consumption — in licensed single-purpose venues, incorporated into events and festivals or alongside other business activities — should be permitted.

British Columbians were asked for their views on the potential benefits and drawbacks of permitting on-site consumption of legally purchased cannabis. This would require revisions to current rules that allow licensed retailers to sell non-medical cannabis, but prohibit its use in commercial establishments.

“Cannabis consumption spaces were not considered at the time of legalization because the Province had a limited timeframe to prepare a regulatory framework in advance of the federal legalization date. As well, B.C. had taken a relatively permissive approach to allow cannabis use in public spaces (with some exceptions such as in parks, on school properties and in public buildings),” the summary of the survey results states. “Findings from the public engagement will help inform decisions on whether cannabis consumption spaces should be permitted and, if so, how they should be regulated.”

The consultation was launched in the spring of 2022 with a discussion paper, which also set out five proposed principles to underpin any new policy direction:

prioritize public health and safety;
encourage consumers to transition to regulated products;
“start low and go slow”;
collaborate with Indigenous peoples; and
respect local control over land-use decisions.

While the associated online survey generated a far greater volume of responses than the telephone survey — 15,362 versus 730 — analysts with B.C.’s Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General caution that it is more vulnerable to self-selection, drawing those with a personal or vested interest in the issue, and possibly less reflective of general public opinion. As well, Ministry officials are considering 66 written submissions from a range of individuals, business organizations, social interest groups and municipalities.

Overall, 61 per cent of telephone survey respondents favoured commercial space for cannabis use compared to just 34 per cent of online survey respondents. Only 32 per cent of the telephone survey respondents who identified as non-users of cannabis were opposed to commercial consumption spaces.

That’s significantly divergent from opinions gleaned through the online survey, in which 91 per cent of non-users disagreed or strongly disagreed. In turn, 98 per cent of online respondents who identified as cannabis users supported the concept of commercial spaces, which was a stronger endorsement than the 84 per cent of cannabis-using telephone respondents who voiced approval.

Arguments in favour of commercial spaces highlight the potential to boost the hospitality sector, draw tourists and create jobs, while also helping to further erode the illegal cannabis market. Cannabis users also noted the social benefits of a venues where they could meet with others and simultaneously enjoy other forms of entertainment, which was also seen as a potential means to reduce stigma attached to the pastime. In addition, commercial spaces could be seen as a practical convenience for the sizable minority of survey respondents who reported that allowable restrictions imposed by municipalities, residential strata councils or landlords make it difficult to find a place to smoke or vape.

Meanwhile, others raised concerns about impairment and public safety hazards, odour, encouraging bad health habits and undermining neighbourhood character. Commercial spaces are also expected to come with a complicated burden for operators and staff who would be responsible for monitoring patrons’ impairment and more demands on municipal bylaw enforcement officers.

On the issue of offering alcohol and cannabis sales/consumption in the same venue, public health and safety organizations were generally opposed, citing the confluence of factors that could lead to over-consumption, However, organizations affiliated with the cannabis industry foresaw segregated cannabis spaces could struggle for business viability if forced to compete against alcohol-serving establishments.

For now, provincial officials have announced no decisions on future policy, but Brittny Anderson, a member of the legislative assembly (MLA) and Parliamentary Secretary for tourism, maintains the government is working to support the success of the cannabis industry. “With the recent introduction of a licence for farm-gate sales, understanding public opinion on cannabis-related hospitality and agri -tourism activities is a practical next step,” she says.

“Health and safety are our utmost priorities as we consider how provincial cannabis policies could evolve,” reiterates Mike Farnworth, B.C.’s Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “This report provides valuable insights into people in B.C.’s perspectives on cannabis and will help guide our work.”

The rise of proptech in facility management

One of the biggest trends facility management for 2023 is using technology to manage all aspects of your building (think maintenance, inventory, and beyond) with property technology, commonly called proptech.

Consolidating data is certainly not new, but proptech goes several steps further than that, offering complete property management using “smart” technology. Using innovation like IoT (internet of things), automation, drones, virtual reality (and more), proptech collects and integrates all your data to manage your facility simply and efficiently.

With experts predicting that the proptech market will reach $86.5 billion by 2032, it’s something you should consider as a viable facility management tool.

Better business

Proptech allows everything to be managed from one place, so you can streamline your processes, track data, predict trends, and access everything simply from your phone or device. Think about checking on orders, monitoring traffic, planning for what’s leaving your warehouse, and optimizing security, all from one location, without having to log in and out of multiple devices and programs.

This technology makes way for strategic decision-making to improve your asset management, look ahead for repair and replacement expenses, and keep track of daily demands, so you can manage your building to the best of your ability.

Better experience

This technology also allows facility managers to connect building performance and the guest and staff experience. Directing temperature control, energy consumption, building access, security requirements (and more) are all features that can be managed through this technology.

Along with providing a better experience, this technology can even be used to increase sustainability and go greener with your maintenance plan by getting real-time usage data, so you can see and implement opportunities for greener initiatives in your building.

Proptech provides facility managers with the data they need to stay on top of everything to do with their building, save money, increase efficiency, avoid costly surprises, get more environmental, and more. This technology trend is here to stay through 2023 and beyond.

Michael Garron Hospital opens Ken and Marilyn Thomson Patient Care Centre

The grand opening of the Ken and Marilyn Thomson Patient Care Centre at Michael Garron Hospital took place in East Toronto yesterday. The ribbon-cutting ceremony celebrated a new era of healthcare for an evolving community of more than 400,000 diverse residents who face growing health and social care needs.

The new eight-storey facility, officially opening next week, is part of the largest campus redevelopment project in the hospital’s history and was designed by Diamond Schmitt, B+H Architects and CannonDesign, and constructed in partnership with the Ministry of Health, Infrastructure Ontario and EllisDon.

During the event, Eric Tripp, Michael Garron Hospital Foundation Board Chair, acknowledged the many donors. “It’s hard to believe, in 2018, this space was a parking lot. It’s when we broke ground on the redevelopment and kicked off our Heart of the East capital campaign to raise $100 million for the hospital’s dramatic transformation,” he said. “Our community simply roared with support.”

In total, the campaign raised $126 million over four years. Overall, the campus project has brought in $498 million, funded by the Ministry of Health, MGH and donors to Michael Garron Hospital Foundation and Peter and Diana Thomson. The newest building was named in honour of Peter’s parents who were lifelong East Toronto residents known for their philanthropy.

Across the 550,000 square feet of new space are 215 inpatient beds and two floors of outpatient clinics. Eighty per cent of the rooms are single occupancy. All patients, including those in the double occupancy rooms, have their own bathroom for privacy and infection control.

A view inside a light-filled single-patient room.

Two in-patient mental health units include 44 beds for adults and the six-bed Slaight Family Child & Youth Mental Health Inpatient Unit for children and teens experiencing acute mental health crises. The Huband Moffat Family Terrace offers a secure, open-air rooftop for healing and recovery.

A view of an outdoor terrace at the Ken and Marilyn Thomson Patient Care Centre.

Other spaces are dedicated to chronic diseases, in-patient surgery, medical education and immersive training for staff and brand new public gathering areas. A spacious lobby, food court, outdoor and retail spaces and four levels of underground parking are a few other highlights at the Thomson Centre.

The larger project will continue until 2024 with renovations to existing areas of the hospital, decommissioning of outdated wings and new greenery and landscaping.

Feature Photo: Dignitaries, hospital and foundation representatives, and a patient cut the ceremonial ribbon to mark the celebratory grand opening of Michael Garron Hospital’s new Ken and Marilyn Thomson Patient Care Centre.

Nokia Canada opens downtown Toronto office

Nokia Canada’s newly opened office in Toronto’s Harbourfront community is expected to bring more workers to the downtown core as the company expands its presence to meet rising demand for next-generation networking.

The modern hybrid setting offers a flexible work model where teams can come together and share ideas. All employees will have the option to be remote, hybrid or in-person full time, with collaboration technologies to enable virtual teams.

Last year, the company announced the creation of a sustainable research and development hub in Ottawa to attract global talent. “Our growing presence across Canada maps to the increased demand we are seeing from customers and partners and will enable us to deliver secure, high performing, and trusted critical networking solutions,” said Nokia Canada President Jeffrey Maddox in a press release.

The new Queens Quay East office building, part of the Sugar Wharf redevelopment, was chosen for its focus on sustainability and Class AAA LEED and Energy Star certifications. The location is also near public transportation to help reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

New Dawson Creek Hospital RFP to be issued

The Government of British Columbia and Northern Health are moving to issue a new request for proposals (RFP) in mid-January for replacement of the Dawson Creek and District Hospital.

The design of the new state-of-the-art hospital is approximately 60 per cent complete and continuing to advance; however, Northern Health was unable to reach an agreement with the previously selected builder team (Clark Builders-Turner-HDR Architecture).

The new proponent is expected to be selected early in 2023, with construction to begin shortly after.

The Dawson Creek and District Hospital will be on the territory of Treaty 8 First Nations. Local First Nations will be consulted throughout the project to ensure culturally appropriate spaces are available, which will include a non-denominational spiritual room for use by people of all cultures and faiths.

The new facility will provide a range of surgical services, as well as chemotherapy, ambulatory care, radiology, clinical support and pharmacy services. There will also be space for a laboratory and diagnostic imaging, and a perinatal unit, including labour, delivery, recovery and post-partum rooms, as well as a nursery to support new parents and families.

The new building will target LEED Gold and be approximately 19,400 square metres (209,000 square feet) and have 70 beds, which is an increase of 24 beds. The emergency department will increase in size, with treatment spaces increasing from 10 to 15. The new emergency department will be able to accommodate approximately 25,000 visits a year.

The project is funded by the provincial government, through Northern Health, and the Peace River Regional Hospital District.

The new hospital is expected to be ready for patients in 2027. The existing hospital will remain operational during the construction of the new hospital.

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