In Quebec, women face gender pay gap straight out of university

In Quebec, the average pay gap between women and men who have a similar career path and work full time stands at nine per cent the first year they finish their CEGEP or university education.

This gap widens throughout their early career, reaching 16 per cent five years after graduation, says a new study by the Institut du Québec and the University of Toronto’s FutureSkills Research Lab, as part of the Research Initiative on Education + Skills.

“Although there are now more young women in Quebec graduating with a postsecondary diploma or degree than their male counterparts, they continue to be paid less, even when many of the factors that contribute to labour market inequality, such as having children, are removed from the equation,” said Emna Braham, deputy director of the Institut du Québec.

Among the highest-earning graduates, such as those in the top 10 per cent, the gender gap is particularly acute at 13 per cent one year post-graduation and 19 per cent five years down the road.

“In conducting this analysis, we had access to a new source of data, which allowed us to map out graduates’ academic trajectory over time and cross-reference this information with their earnings,” explained co-author Annie Pan. “We were also able to isolate the effect that certain factors might have on earnings, including the level and field of study, the chosen line of business and whether or not there were any dependent children in the household.”

Women CEGEP and university graduates also find it harder to climb the ranks and land the best-paying jobs. :Contrary to popular belief, women don’t bump up against the ‘glass ceiling’ at the midpoint of, or later on in, their career when it comes to higher-profile and higher-earning positions. This downward pressure is something they have to contend with every step of the way,” added Braham.

As the study finds, women are less likely to work for organizations that pay well and tend to seek out employers and industries where work-life balance is more of a priority. The expectation that they may eventually have family responsibilities to fulfil, as a parent or caregiver, and the mental strain this implies, appear to influence the decisions they make.

Although the gender pay gap in Quebec narrowed significantly between the 1960s and the 2010s, progress in this regard has stalled. Measures that address inequality, including pay equity legislation and family-friendly workplace policies (focusing on such issues as child care and parental leave), are not enough on their own.

The study’s authors offer a number of potential courses of action to tackle economic disparities between women and men:

Educational institutions

Help offset the digital literacy gap between women and men by developing more inclusive learning methods.

Private sector

Implement career support programs to empower women to rise to the highest-paying C-suite roles.
Test innovative new approaches to setting wages in a way that is less detrimental to women.

Government

Modernize family policies so that family responsibilities are shared more evenly by women and men. One option could be to increase the number of weeks of parental leave available to fathers who wish to spend more time as the primary caregiver for their children. This type of leave would help them feel more confident in their parenting skills, give them a better understanding of the workload involved and, over the longer term, foster a more balanced approach to sharing domestic and family tasks.
Adjust the assistance available to businesses to provide better support for human resources management, thus making it possible to 1) introduce inclusion and diversity measures; and 2) support career development, especially through on-the-job training opportunities for women.
Set an example and push for a better gender balance among the positions of power in government corporations and other public- and parapublic-sector organizations.

The original report (in French) can be downloaded here: Écarts de revenus au Québec – Dès leur sortie du cégep ou de l’université, les femmes gagnent déjà moins que les hommes.

The new age of campus hygiene

Ensuring that any type of facility is clean and supports a hygienic environment comes with a host of challenges. However, maintaining a university or college campus has always been a particularly demanding test for the cleaning and janitorial staff.

A typical campus is extensive and expansive in nature and contains not only a mixture of residents, visitors, faculty, and staff, but also numerous different high-traffic areas, encompassing dormitories, classrooms, food and beverage and hospitality facilities, washrooms, recreational facilities, common areas, and more.

No two buildings are the same – nor are any two post-secondary education facilities – and this poses several acute challenges, including cleaning and maintaining differing areas, while balancing the need for these spaces to remain fully operational and hygienic throughout different hours of the day and week.

That was true even before COVID-19, but the pandemic has forced a shift in priorities when it comes to cleaning and sanitizing, putting individuals’ health and safe environments first.

In the wake of the pandemic, everyone – from students and faculty to management – has higher expectations, so much so that research suggests that having a clean campus is key to attracting new students. Nearly half of parents of college-age kids now rank campus cleanliness and indoor air quality in the top three most important factors affecting school selection, according to a JLL Higher Education survey.[1]

Meanwhile, in the era of hybrid learning, there is no longer such a thing as a “typical day” for cleaning teams. The shift towards the combination of in-person and virtual classes makes an already challenging facility management job significantly more difficult, as operations managers must now assess how to maintain a high and consistent level of cleaning and hygiene at a time when the number of students and faculty on campus varies widely and shared workspaces and study areas are now of greater concern.

The question is: how do you deliver on cleaning quality and hygiene in an agile and more demanding environment without compromising on operational efficiency?

Sustainable hygiene that improves the campus experience

The new Tork Campus Hygiene Package™ from Tork, the global leader in professional hygiene, has everything operations managers need to elevate the experience across campus in one convenient package. It features the industry-award winning Tork PeakServe Continuous™ Hand Towel systems, as well as sustainable skincare solutions such as the Green Seal-certified Tork Alcohol Gel Hand Sanitizer and Tork Clarity Foam Soap, which supports sustainability goals as 99 per cent of its ingredients are from natural origin.

Also included in this package is Tork Vision Cleaning – the world’s leading facility management solution designed to enable cleaning crews to clean when and where it is needed most via real-time data.

Prioritize the basics

While the challenges are ever-evolving, practising the basics remains a vital aspect of campus hygiene. A key to maintaining a hygienic environment is to make sure you excel on the essentials.

For instance, it does not matter how much you clean and disinfect if faculty, staff, and students do not follow proper hand hygiene protocols. As widely known, a reliable way to prevent infection from spreading via surfaces is to regularly wash hands with soap and water and dry hands with paper towels or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

By offering students, faculty, management, and visitors hygiene systems that are intuitive to use, comply with ADA guidelines, reduce waste due to one-at-a-time dispensing and are high capacity like Tork PeakServe, you can help promote better hand hygiene and ensure facilities are operating efficiently while also supporting sustainability goals – all throughout campus.

In addition, the use of collaborative workspaces like meeting rooms, lecture halls, labs, and libraries, along with “hot-desking” where students share furniture and equipment, has increased the risk of transmission adding the need for more access to efficacious hand sanitizers that are offered in multiple formats and offer installation flexibility. Also, it is important to educate and encourage all to keep shared spaces clean and sanitized by promoting a “clean desk” environment where users understand they have a role to play in keeping the facility hygienic and thus they help sanitize screens, keyboards, mice, phones, and more high-touch surfaces before and after use.

However, developing and implementing a clear cleaning and sanitizing strategy, one that meets the different needs and expectations of the students, faculty, and staff in all areas of the campus is extremely challenging. With the aid of internet-of-things (IoT) technology and the right systems in place, a comprehensive plan can be easily developed, executed, and reported on.

A data-driven approach to better hygiene

In the era of mixed-use hybrid occupancy, analog cleaning protocols are no longer suitable. In order to meet the expectations of an agile environment utilizing data to inform cleaning routines is a true advantage.

Tork Vision Cleaning helps you improve operational efficiency and hygiene in your facility by providing real-time information on refill and cleaning needs. In fact, 100 per cent of existing Tork Vision Cleaning customers say the system helps them improve hygiene in their facility.

Key benefits include making sure dispensers are stocked up to 99 per cent of the time, using reporting tools to show adherence to safety regulations, and knowing when and where service is needed to reduce dispenser checks by up to 91 per cent and save up to 20 per cent of cleaning hours. Also, depending on the needs and requirements of your facility, you can choose between three data-driven cleaning offerings, each providing additional benefits and increasing business value.

Because every institution, building, and even area within a college or university has its unique hygiene needs, we understand you need a custom hygiene program. Tork offers the largest assortment of IoT- enabled dispensers in the market, compatible with a broad selection of refills that help meet your facility’s financial and sustainability goals.

Campus operations are complex, but your job doesn’t have to be. Talk to a Tork Hygiene Advisor and learn how to elevate the campus experience.

Learn more at: Tork.ca/campushygiene

^{[1] Survey conducted in partnership with Engine Insights in June 2021, the JLL Higher Education survey was based on a sample of 500 parents of 10th – 12th-grade high school students considering higher education.}

Surrey awards $17.5M contract to B&B Heavy Civil

Surrey has awarded a $17.5 million contract to B&B Heavy Civil Construction to carry out preparatory work for the Surrey-Langley SkyTrain extension project.

“The City of Surrey is moving full speed ahead on SkyTrain early works,” said Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum. “With funding secured from all levels of government, the $4 billion Surrey Langley SkyTrain will be built in one phase. Constructing the new SkyTrain line all at once will create a savings of $500-$600 million and will see the Surrey Langley SkyTrain delivered two years earlier. New rapid transit is long overdue in Surrey. At a time when the environment and global warming is at the forefront, the need to get people out of their fossil fuel burning cars and into transit has never been greater.”

The construction contract consists of Fraser Highway widening to four lanes with cycling and pedestrian facilities and a widened centre median to accommodate the upcoming SLS Project. Works include road widening, concrete curbs, sidewalks, multi-use paths, retaining walls, street lighting, traffic signals, wildlife culvert, fish passage improvements and in-stream works. The contract also includes roadworks at Fraser Highway from George Junction to East of 96 Avenue and culvert replacement work on Fraser Highway at Quibble Creek.

The contract work is expected to start in June 2022 and be completed by May 2023.

The Surrey Langley SkyTrain Project is a 16-kilometre extension of the Expo Line. It will travel on an elevated guideway along Fraser Highway from King George SkyTrain Station to Langley Centre, connecting City Centre, Fleetwood and Cloverdale/Clayton with seamless rapid transit.

Once complete (anticipated in-service date of 2028), the Surrey Langley SkyTrain will connect with three different SkyTrain lines – Millennium, Expo, and Canada, resulting in over 100 kilometres of track.

Supporting residents struggling with mental illness

Mental illness is more prevalent than it may appear. Studies suggest that almost one in five Ontarians have been affected by a psychiatric disorder.

As it is a legal duty under the Ontario Human Rights Code for organizations and institutions to be “accessible, inclusive, discrimination and harassment-free environments,” there are some things to consider when dealing with residents who may be suffering from a mental illness.

Take notes

Document anything that may seem out of the ordinary about a resident. This may include rapid weight loss, decline in hygiene, wearing inappropriate clothes for the weather, acting in a threatening or intimidating manner, behaving out of character, illogical or disorganized speech, statements that demonstrate potential paranoia, or actions that harmed or could have harmed the resident or others.

Documents may later be supplied to police, hospitals or used in court if necessary. Ensure that documents are kept private and confidential and are not used as a means to stigmatize or discriminate against individuals.

When meeting with a resident, taking notes is essential as the individual may have a different recollection of what transpired. For this reason, it may be useful to have a witness present, if possible. As a witness can create an uncomfortable power imbalance, it can be useful to meet in a room where everyone feels safe (e.g. equal access to exits, door open).

Request emergency contacts

It is prudent to request all individuals to supply an emergency contact when they become a resident. This helps a matter proceed in the event any resident becomes ill or injured. If a resident has a serious mental health issue, it is likely the emergency contact is well aware.

The emergency contact may also be able to intervene in ways that a condo manager cannot, such as transporting the person to seek medical care, liaising with a psychiatrist, or taking legal action to become a guardian.

If there is no emergency contact and it is suspected that the person has a serious mental illness, it is possible to call the Office of the Public Guardian and Trustee (PGT). The PGT is part of the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General and plays a role in caring for individuals found to be mentally incapable. The PGT keeps a register of all guardians of property and guardians of the person. Upon request, the PGT will disclose if an individual has a guardian. This information can be used by condo managers to identify a resident’s guardian and determine next steps. Notably, many people with a serious mental health issue do not have a guardian.

Accept the challenge and get creative

Sometimes, it can be cheaper and less stressful to simply accept challenging behaviour for what it is, and focus on developing a solution, rather than try to change the behaviour itself.

With many mental illnesses, a request to modify conduct is simply not going to result in meaningful change. Though no fault of their own, the individual may lack the ability to comprehend or act upon the request. Lack of insight is often part of the illness; it may be unrealistic and unreasonable to expect a person suffering from a serious mental illness to change. Medication, however, can lead to dramatic improvements for some individuals.

Here are some examples:

If a person is covering their windows with tinfoil due to paranoia, it may be worth considering whether to let this go rather than insist the tinfoil be removed (provided there is no safety concern).
If noise is an issue, soundproofing may be an option.
If hoarding is a problem and creating an odour that disturbs residents, it may be logical to offer occasional cleaning services.

Condo managers are not expected to serve as mental health professionals and, therefore, addressing paranoia or other manifestations of a mental illness is not realistic. Focusing on what can be controlled is often the path of least resistance.

Have an emergency plan

Just because someone has a mental illness does not mean that they will become violent. It is much more likely for people with mental illness to become victims of violence instead of the perpetrators. However, creating an emergency plan is never a bad idea.

If someone has been threatened or harmed, calling police can be prudent, or necessary, to ensure everyone’s safety.

However, the police may have no information about the resident. It can, therefore, be important to share knowledge or suspicion of a mental illness with the dispatcher when calling 911, and the first responders who arrive on scene. This may help diffuse the situation and result in a more positive outcome.

This is also where those documents of unusual behaviour come in handy. It can be helpful to review one’s notes before speaking with first responders. Additionally, providing a copy or summary of notes to police may help police decide to exercise their authority under section 17 of the Mental Health Act, which allows them to transport a person to hospital for a psychiatric evaluation. Managers may wish to keep a printout of this section in a binder with the rest of the emergency plan as a reminder to advocate for this option rather than a criminal charge.

Keep calm and be kind

The duty to accommodate includes performing those duties in a manner that respects the dignity of the person. Human dignity includes inherent worth as a human being, and autonomy is harmed when people are ignored or devalued.

Disruptive residents with mental illness are rarely trying to be difficult. Most likely, they are experiencing difficult times themselves. We don’t blame people with physical disabilities or illnesses for their conditions, yet there is a stigma with mental illness that is difficult to overcome and often results in poor treatment by others.

This article does not constitute legal advice. When in doubt, consult a lawyer.

Lisa Feldstein is a health and fertility lawyer at Lisa Feldstein Law Office PC. She specializes in matters relating to consent, capacity and substitute decision-making. Her practice is focused on serving family caregivers and helping clients build families through third party reproduction. She can be contacted at [email protected].

Tess Chambers is a summer law student with CAMH. At the time of writing this article she was a second-year law student at the University of Ottawa.

This article originally appeared in last year’s August issue of CondoBusiness magazine.

New Jaipur Bridge opens in Calgary

Jaipur Bridge, a major pathway connection from Eau Claire to Prince’s Island Park, opened to the public on June 6. The original bridge closed in late 2019 when it was determined that the previous bridge was at the end of its lifespan.

“The new Jaipur Bridge will re-establish a direct connection between Prince’s Island Park and the community of Eau Claire once again. The involvement of the residents and businesses throughout this project was invaluable – the new bridge adds character and new life to this area. It will continue to be an important gathering place for Calgarians to enjoy for decades to come,” said Ward 7 Councillor Terry Wong.

The new Jaipur Bridge was designed to fit with the new Eau Claire public realm plan, which includes increased flood resilience and a wider bridge deck that allows a more comfortable space for users.

“The team has been mindful to consider how to minimize the impact on the environment through the design and during construction,” said Devon Moore, Jaipur Bridge project manager. “The design showcases the natural surroundings by introducing more natural habitats for plants and animals to ensure the bridge is integrated with the environment. A fun example of this is a bee habitat that was included at the north end of the bridge to support the pollination and naturalization of the park space.”

Construction started in July 2021 and was done in coordination with the Eau Claire Area Improvements program. The projects in the area combine flood protection, lifecycle improvements, enhanced safety measures and the goal of building and maintaining downtown vibrancy.

“The opening of Jaipur Bridge is a major milestone for the Eau Claire Area Improvements program as we’re investing in Eau Claire and the adjacent communities to enhance areas where Calgarians can proudly participate in a desirable, active and lively cultural destination,” said Dennis Hoffart, Eau Claire Area Improvements Program lead. “We’re working towards building more resilient and vibrant communities that support future growth and development for the people who live, work, visit and travel the area.”

2022 Canada’s Best Restroom Contest now open

Voting is now open for the 2022 Canada’s Best Restroom contest.

The competition, run every year by Cintas Canada, highlights businesses that have invested in developing and maintaining exceptional washrooms. Last year’s winner was Edmonton’s Borden Park.

Nominees for this year’s contest were judged on five criteria: cleanliness, visual appeal, innovation, functionality and unique design elements.

The five finalists in the 2022 Canada’s Best Restroom Contest are:

Majesty and Friends (Edmonton, Alberta): Majesty and Friends’ motto is “FUN, FUN, FUN,” so their washroom needed to offer the happiest vibes. The bright mural was inspired by the happiest treat on earth – ice cream. The flooring is Atra Flooring from Liverpool, and the sprinkles are made by Urban Walls. Their building at Manchester square is the biggest Instagrammable spot in Edmonton, with pink toilet paper and a cherry brush.
Niton Junction Petro-Canada (Niton Junction, Alberta): The Niton Junction Petro-Canada washrooms are clean and well-stocked. Inside this charming facility you will find completely touchless sanitary sinks and crystal lights giving an elegant, yet relaxed feel. The washroom stalls are fully enclosed, and each is decorated with a different decorative floor-to-ceiling wall tile and modern light fixtures.
Toronto Zoo – African Rainforest Washroom (Toronto, ON): The Toronto Zoo, a finalist last year, returns to the competition with new washrooms in the African Rainforest pavilion that offer guests the opportunity to imagine themselves under the leafy canopy of the African rainforest, home to the Western lowland gorilla. Door handles resemble a gorilla’s leafy diet and overhead lighting peeks through a canopy of acrylic foliage cut-outs to set the scene and illuminate the wood-finish stalls beneath. Each all-in-one handwashing unit is uniquely designed with conservation and technology in mind and features a hands-free faucet, soap dispenser, and hand dryer: just one of the accessibility features in this facility. Colourful landscape murals, a snake-inspired mosaic, and the unique floor design were inspired by the rainforests of Africa and are accentuated by fine details like high-gloss accents, representing the humidity of the region, and the iconic gorilla silhouette depicted in the privacy screens brings guests closer to nature.
Versante Hotel (Richmond, B.C.): Situated in Richmond, the Versante is a luxury boutique hotel that features a showstopping washroom. Decked out in gold accented accessories, the unisex washroom includes private, fully enclosed stalls behind glossy black doors. The walls are lined with black, marble tile. Vibrant-coloured Chinese lanterns hang above ceramic pedestal sinks with gold faucets. The large oval washroom was designed to offer guests an Instagrammable moment.
Rollick Co. (Black Diamond, Alberta): This washroom was created as the ‘”best room in the house” of this local skateboard, bike and fishing shop, with the intention of it being a conversation-starter and a great place for a selfie. Painted from top to bottom by a local graffiti and tattoo artist, Garrett Eagles, the full-colour graffiti pays homage to skate culture, connection to place and the offerings of the shop. A frog pulling a jump off the skate ramp, a fish with legs riding a bike, a Sasquatch on a stand-up paddle board, a UFO, a large earthworm (fishing bait) and an ice fishing hole painted on the ground complete the escape. A large gold antique mirror dominates one wall, and an XOXO wooden shelf is filled with extra toilet paper. This washroom is a fun surprise and delight for anyone who pops into the shop for a bike tune-up, advice on where to hike or fish, or an e-bike or standup paddle board rental.

“We’re proud to recognize these five finalists for investing in clean and memorable washrooms,” said Candice Raynsford, Marketing Manager, Cintas Canada. “The public can show their support for these businesses by voting in the contest.”

The public can vote multiple times for Canada’s Best Restroom 2022 now through July 8, 2022 at bestrestroom.com/Canada. The winner will receive $2,500 in facility services from Cintas to help maintain their award-winning washrooms.

Vancouver’s first floating habitat launches at Trout Lake

Vancouver’s first floating ecosystem has been launched onto Trout Lake as a pilot to improve biodiversity, plant and wildlife habitat in John Hendry Park.

The floating habitat is the first of its kind in the Lower Mainland, supplied by ecological technology company, Biomatrix Water, and donated by BlueTech Research.

Made from sustainable, non-toxic materials, the 60 square metre island is constructed from a series of interlocking platforms, and planted with native species such as sedges and rushes to support plant and animal life above and below the surface of the water.

Designed to improve water quality as the system grows, the island’s submerged roots create a habitat for millions of microorganisms that consume algae, carbon, and excess nutrients to purify the water. A subsurface forest of roots provides shelter for fish, while varying platforms provide a nesting and preening habitat for birds. The island will be floated towards the middle of Trout Lake to reduce conflict with lake users.

“The impacts of climate change – unseasonably cold temperatures, extreme heat, extended drought – are a continued threat to Vancouver’s environment and wildlife, we must do everything we can as a city to seek new, sustainable ways to support our greenspaces through this climate emergency,” says Chad Townsend, senior planner of environment and sustainability at the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation. “Not only is this the a positive step in increasing biodiversity in John Hendry Park, it’s also an experiment in testing innovative new solutions to support our local flora and fauna system-wide and improve the natural habitats in which they live long term.”

Connecting jobsites with telematics

There are a lot of moving parts on a construction site. Keeping track of all of them is critical to the success of your operation. Better performance, improved efficiencies, lower costs and reduced emissions may be the end goal for any contractor today – but how do you get there? If you want things to run better, faster, safer and at a lower cost, it all starts with telematics.

While today’s telematics technology is still tracking location and hours on equipment, it can also do so much more: standardizing workflows, integrating and linking operations and equipment with real-time data, increasing productivity and creating a more sustainable workplace. With telematics, digital files are uploaded into machines and sent directly from the site to customers and surveying is done using highly advanced drone technology.

Telematics is now providing companies with complete connectivity, ensuring they stay on top of schedules, budgets, fuel consumption and emissions. It has also become more accessible, levelling the playing field and making it easier for contractors to integrate into their business.

For North Construction, a construction firm based in a city on the edge of the wilderness in B.C., telematics has been a big part of their business over the years. And it’s provided significant value– helping to do jobs better, faster and gaining a competitive advantage along the way.

Telematics as an invaluable tool for productivity

North Construction is renowned for working in some of the most challenging projects in difficult terrain and handling any project, anywhere. They specialize in eco-sensitive construction, mainly in steep terrain – whether it’s developments for clients like British Pacific Properties in West Vancouver or working with the North Shore Mountains to help develop their ski areas. They have a passion for completing every job to the highest standard. And that attitude encompasses their approach to technology adoption and leading the fray in new and innovative ways to help shape their business.

“It has been pretty crucial in helping our company evolve,” says Joel Markson, director of logistics for North Construction. “The amount of data we are able to attain provides us with very accurate and useful information, giving us a precise diagnosis of potential issues, allowing us to fix it quicker or even diagnose remotely to get the operator back up and running.”

According to Markson, “There’s additional information about work and idle times that we get from telematics that helps us to improve operator behaviour and maximize the productive time that equipment is running.”

That competitive advantage extends to the costing of jobs as well. “We use the info from the telematics to tell us what it takes to run each individual piece of equipment every hour. And the data we attain through other software about productivity allows us to put very accurate costs to jobs because we know exactly how long it’ll take and exactly what that cost is for the machine.”

Drone surveying from their sister company, Spitfire Drone Survey, has totally changed their client interactions and invoicing. Customers can now receive a progress report via drone imagery or grade files showing them what they’re paying for. “They no longer get just a number on an invoice that we produced 10,000 cubic metres of material. We can now show them high-definition orthographic imagery from the drone data that calculates the volume within that stockpile,” says Markson. “And clients can go online and manipulate the 3D models generated from the survey.

Telematics as a part of company culture

Emissions and fuel burn is another key area where telematics is helping North Construction not only lessen their impact on the environment but meet compliance. Mainly municipalities are mandating tracking of fuel burn and emissions – being able to pull that information out of the telematics, and compile it, provides huge value to entities like Metro Vancouver. It’s accurate and quickly delivered to them. According to Markson, “it’s just another valuable piece of data that we can track and pass on to clients through telematics.”

They have integrated technology into their business to be more effective and efficient on every level.

“It’s a part of helping us drive where we’re moving as a company,” says Markson. “We adopted technology right from the get-go when 3D GPS grading came out. There was a learning curve and a few bumps along the way but being an early adopter and having a smaller fleet at that time allowed us to work out those bugs. Now, pretty much every piece in our fleet has 3D GPS capability and telematics on it.”

North Construction sees the added value daily. The biggest benefit is the increased efficiency in which jobs are completed and almost eliminating rework.

Using technology to enable decision making

For North Construction, technology has allowed them to have one global view of what is happening at any point in time. “We know where the fleet is, what the fleet is doing, and how that information can be optimized and shared between jobs,” says Markson. “Just one click creates a much clearer picture for everyone making decisions on their own job, and it allows the company as a whole to be more efficient.”

It also allows for efficiencies on the environmental side by ensuring jobs have the least possible impact.

It’s been a part of their culture from the beginning, as they predominantly operate in environmentally-sensitive areas. It allows them to continually bring in new equipment that is the most fuel efficient, has the ability to track remotely, and diagnose issues before they become larger problems.

“It’s given us the ability to keep leading the forefront of providing the most environmentally conscious and sensitive equipment so we’re burning the least amount of fuel per unit of work,” says Markson.

A forward-thinking mentality

To take advantage of the benefits of technology it requires a huge investment of time and energy and a commitment to changing the way you do business. It’s not so much the cost of the software and the hardware on the equipment, it’s the overall value added. Does the technology provide you with what you need for your business? For Markson, it’s an evolution that has changed the way they operate.

“We will continue to try new technologies, new software and new equipment. And when we find those pieces that fit for our business model, make us more efficient and keep us leading the way, we will adopt them.”

Connectivity is here to stay

Leveraging telematics has been hugely successful for North Construction. It’s provided them with the competitive advantage needed to win future work and stay ahead of the curve. A tech-savvy company not only breeds innovation but also helps to attract the next generation of workers who come equipped with the skills and expertise needed for a career in this changing industry.

There is a lot of technology-driven information available to construction companies today. Making sense of that information can enable better decision making. And waiting is not an option. Technology advancements are only accelerating and competition is getting tighter. Ensuring technology is part of your company culture is key. And a reliable equipment and technology dealer can help guide you through this journey, drilling down to the specific data and insights needed to meet the demands of your business.

Peter Gibbons is technology solutions architect at Finning Canada.

Property tax discount conveyed via honour system

Landlords of about 4,300 Toronto properties are on the honour system to pass the benefits of a 15 per cent property tax discount through to tenants with gross leases. A report prepared for Toronto Council’s executive committee confirms there is no legal or practical mechanism to compel unwilling landlords to share the largess of the city’s small business tax subclass.

Citywide, approximately 29,000 properties qualify for the subclass, which was invoked for the first time for the 2022 tax year. It’s estimated that commercial tenants in about 85 per cent of the applicable properties have net leases, thus directly enjoying a 15 per cent reduction on their property tax bills.

Following Council’s instructions, City staff explored if tenants with gross leases covering all property costs in a monthly lump payment could be assured of an equivalent reduction. The report concludes there is no feasible way to do so. While the enabling provincial legislation allows municipalities to set conditions of eligibility, the report advises it would be impractical to try to monitor and enforce provisions related to passing through savings to tenants with gross leases.

“The City has no authority or means to compel property owners or tenants to disclose the details of their lease or financial details, including monthly rental amounts, which would make it impossible to verify or substantiate claims from tenants whether they did or did not receive a reduction in rent, or whether the reduction in rent was equivalent to the tax reduction for the property,” the report states.

All commercial properties with a current assessed value (CVA) no greater than $1 million qualify for the small business subclass. Commercial properties in the downtown, waterfront districts, on an arterial strip designated as one of the “Avenues” in Toronto’s Official Plan or in designated commercial “centres” can also be eligible, provided that: either the lot size is no greater than 7,500 square feet or the commercial condominium unit has no more than 2,500 square feet of gross floor area; and the CVA does not exceed $7 million.

Cutting carbon in condos

Climate change is a hot topic right now – literally. As governments globally continue to recognize and discuss addressing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, individuals are considering their personal impact on the environment.

In Canada, building emissions make up 18 per cent of GHG emissions. Existing building operations, such as condo buildings, represent a significant portion of Canada’s national carbon footprint. Energy efficiency is the most important first step to reducing these emissions.

Improving energy efficiency is quickly becoming a top priority for many condo boards. Reducing the energy use and carbon footprint of buildings is important to condo owners, not just because of the broad societal need to reduce climate change, but also for practical reasons. Besides helping to lower GHG emissions, upgrades can reduce utility bills, increase property value and enhance occupant comfort.

To get started, condo boards should research government grants and other incentives to help with costs in reducing energy consumption. There are many ways to improve a building’s performance, from small but impactful changes, to whole building retrofits.

Here are three potential ways that condo owners/boards can impact their building’s performance and, in turn, sustainability.

Education

Reducing common energy use may result in lower strata fees or prevent these fees from increasing as often. Helping others to understand and be aware of their energy consumption patterns and energy costs can encourage people to make changes to lower emissions. Condo buildings also share building energy consumption which isn’t always visible or top of mind because owners aren’t directly billed. Educating tenants and residents should be an important piece of any energy efficiency strategy; yet, it’s often overlooked.

Lighting

Replacing existing lighting equipment for more efficient lighting, such as LED lights, is an easy but effective way to help reduce consumption.

Upgrading to LED light bulbs is perhaps one of the lowest cost ways to improve energy efficiency, while providing benefits. Payback periods for this upgrade are often very short.

ENERGY STAR rated LED light bulbs can cut energy electric use by 75 per cent because they require much less power to illuminate a space. LED lights last longer so they don’t have to be replaced as often as traditional lights.

Lighting controls further improve efficiency. Occupancy sensors and/or daylighting controls can help manage energy consumption and limit its use to only when needed. Motion activated lights in common spaces is a feature that is often highly valued by tenants, while simultaneously reducing building operation costs.

Window Upgrades

If a condo building has older windows, especially aluminum framed, single-glazed windows, chances are a lot of energy is escaping. Buildings often lose up to 25 per cent of their heated or cooled air through windows—that means losing 25 per cent of energy that’s paid for.

Replacing existing windows with improved thermal performance windows saves heating and cooling costs: By significantly reducing the loss of heated or cooled air, it costs less to keep the interior space comfortable. This helps to improve occupant comfort by reducing cold drafts and hot spots.

Low-e coatings will also limit solar heat gain effect in a unit, and another bonus is that new windows can substantially reduce the amount of noise occupants can hear from outside. People are often very happy with how quiet their residence is after a window replacement. Window replacements can also improve aesthetics from both the exterior and interior; they update and modernize a space.

Airtightness Testing

Building air leakages account for about 25 per cent of space heating for large buildings – that’s a lot. An airtightness test is a great tool to assess a building’s performance.

Along with a whole building test, suite testing and compartmentalized testing can be performed. Airtightness testing helps determine the air leakage level to understand how to improve the building enclosure and, in turn, save energy.

Leaky buildings are inefficient and cost a lot to operate. They also present a risk for moisture-related issues like condensation build-up within walls. Air leaks are typically found around windows, doors, vents, and electrical outlets, which can easily be identified using tools for air leakage testing, such as blower doors, thermal imaging and smoke tests—and once detected, they can be sealed.

After improvements are made, the test can be performed again to see how performance improved. Similar to lighting improvements, practical improvements for airtightness are among the lowest cost ways to improve energy efficiency, while providing benefits. Payback periods for draft proofing windows and doors, vents and outlets, can be very short.

Improving energy efficiency can begin in a single unit or with the leadership of a condo board. From small steps, such as education around energy use, to whole building retrofits, improving efficiency is increasingly becoming a requirement. Many of the strategies that reduce energy consumption lower ownership costs, improve occupant comfort and add to property value.

Terry Bergen, CTech, CCCA, LEED AP, CPHC is a Managing Principal with RJC Engineers. Specializing in building science and restoration, Terry is passionate about the sustainability and resiliency of the built environment. He works collaboratively with clients to achieve solutions that are environmentally responsible and economically viable. Contact him at [email protected]

GTA home sales down 38.8% in May

Higher borrowing costs brought more balance to the Greater Toronto Area housing market in May, with home sales down on a monthly and annual basis and active listings up.

The Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) also found more negotiating power among buyers, which is causing selling prices to trend lower since April.

But behind the curtain of these cooler conditions is the pervasive issue of demand.
As TRREB CEO John DiMichele said in a statement, “the shorter term impact of higher interest rates will not be with us forever. Supply remains the long-term challenge.”

The average price also remains untouchable, now sitting at $1,212,806—an annual growth rate of 9.4 per cent.

“Bank of Canada rate hikes, including the 50-basis point hike on June 1, are impacting home buyers in the short term,” added TRREB President Kevin Crigger. “There is now a psychological aspect where potential buyers are waiting for a bottom in price. This will likely continue through the summer. However, as home buyers adjust to higher borrowing costs, housing demand will be supported by extremely low unemployment, high job vacancies, rising incomes and record immigration.”

Realtors reported 7,283 sales in May, down 38.8 per cent compared to last May and down nine per cent from last month. Active listings were up by 26 per cent year-over-year.

“After a strong start to the year, the current rate tightening cycle has changed market dynamics, with many potential home buyers putting their purchase on hold,” said TRREB Chief Market Analyst Jason Mercer. “This has led to more balance in the market, providing buyers with more negotiating power.”

2022 GG’s Medals in Architecture winners revealed

The 2022 Governor General’s Medals in Architecture recipients have been announced. The 12 projects represent a variety of building types and sizes — from a commercial mixed-use space to a cottage to various institutional building configurations. They include a reimagined theatre, a forest pavilion, a stormwater facility, and a history and dialogue centre.

The biennial awards by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada (RAIC) and the Canada Council for the Arts (CCA) recognize and celebrate excellence in recently built and desgined projects completed by Canadian architects.

Winning projects come from across the country—from five Canadian provinces, along with two recipients from New York and New Jersey, USA.

The following are the 2022 recipients:

60_80 Atlantic Avenue, Toronto, ON, BDP Quadrangle
Forest Pavilion, Winnipeg, MB, Public City Architecture
Indian Residential School History and Dialogue Centre, Vancouver, BC, Formline Architecture
Julis Romo Rabinowitz Building & Louis A. Simpson International Building, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, KPMB Architects
Les Rochers, Bassin, QC, la Shed Architecture
Point William Cottage, Muskoka Lakes, ON, Shim-Sutcliffe Architects
Reception Pavilion of the Québec National Assembly, Quebec, QC, Provencher_Roy & GLCRM Architects
Cherry Street Stormwater Facility, Toronto, ON, gh3* and R.V. Anderson Associates Limited
The Brearley School, New York, NY, KPMB Architects
The Idea Exchange Old Post Office, Galt, ON, RDH Architects (RDHA)
Tom Patterson Theatre, Stratford, ON, Hariri Pontarini Architects
Village at the End of the World, Kingsburg, NS, MacKay-Lyons Sweetapple Architects

“The projects represented in this year’s recipients of the Governor General’s Medals in Architecture illustrate design excellence in a variety of building typologies through their contextual response, sustainability and creativity. The thought and consideration of our award-winning Canadian architects taken in each project demonstrates their ability to produce dynamic spaces that are not only beautiful, but enlivening and enriching, enabling us to learn and grow,” said John Brown, president of the RAIC.

Flammable refrigerants spark GHG reductions

Regulatory lethargy around moderately flammable refrigerants is dousing policy intent to reduce reliance on products with high global warming potential (GWP). That could also be undermining efforts to encourage electric heat pump options in place of gas-fired heating and domestic hot water systems.

With significant steps in a global phase-down of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) looming this decade, researchers and manufacturers have now done much of the work to comply, but codes and standards will need to catch up before a new generation of lower-GWP refrigerants can be used. Speaking at a Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) conference in Toronto last week, green building specialists acknowledged this element of uncertainty in what’s otherwise considered one of the most effective paths to fuel-switching through a variable refrigerant flow (VRF) system for heating and cooling.

For now, those systems employ R-410a, an HFC with a GWP of 2,088, while the anticipated lower-GWP replacement option — R-32 (GWP 675) — is classified as A2L on ASHRAE’s scale of flammability and toxicity. It’s a category that is gaining acceptance with standard developers and health and safety regulators, but at a differing pace across worldwide jurisdictions.

“The next three to four years are very critical,” advised Pushpinder Rana, senior manager, commercial products and industry relations, with Mitsubishi Canada’s HVAC division, who also chairs the technical committee of CSA B52, the Mechanical Refrigeration Code. “Currently (in Canada) you cannot sell A2L for any institutional application, and it’s inside of three kilograms for residential and 10 kilograms for commercial application.”

“We’re at an inflection point where I’m quite cautious with VRF because R-410a is something that is a little bit dicey if built into a building,” observed Cara Sloat, senior engineer with the mechanical and electrical consulting engineering firm, Hammerschlag and Joffe. “R-32 is the flagship refrigerant that will replace R-410a so once that rolls out, if you have a VRF system at end-of-life, you’ll be able to replace the terminal units, but keep the piping.”

Other options such as hybrid hydronic-VRF systems, which could reduce refrigerant requirements, are expected to make a market impact relatively soon. Still, it’s considered too early to shut down any possible avenue to emissions reductions, especially when there is a high degree of certainty in the HVAC industry that A2Ls can be used safely. Rana urged all stakeholders to keep talking.

“Personally, I feel there is a lot of disconnect between people who should be connected. This has to be an ongoing effort where people are connected and they are educating the market how we should transform,” he maintained.

HFC phase-down steps slated for 2024 and 2029

Under the parameters of the phase-down, Canada and other developed nations that are signatories to the Kigali Amendment of the Montreal Protocol are slated to reduce production and consumption of HFCs by 40 per cent relative to the average from the baseline years of 2011, 2012 and 2013 as of 2024. Production/consumption is to be curbed by 70 per cent by 2029 and by 85 per cent by 2036.

However, the path for doing so is yet to be clearly established. A prohibition on the use of HFCs with GWP greater than 750 in chillers is set for January 1, 2025, along with a prohibition on HFCs with GWP greater than 2,200 in mobile refrigeration systems used in transportation. Thus far, there are no deadlines for stationary air-conditioning or VRF systems, but it’s expected that Canada may adopt the schedule recently announced in the United States.

If that’s the case, manufacturers would not be able to sell new VRF systems that use R-410a as of January 1, 2027. Like the phase-out of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) before this, a diminishing supply of the refrigerant would still be available to service existing systems.

Speaking in online forum sponsored by Efficiency Canada earlier this year, Rusty Tharp, senior director, regulatory affairs, with the HVAC provider, Goodman Manufacturing, traced the trajectory of A2L refrigerants’ emerging acceptance for use in buildings. This has followed what he deems a conventional revisionary path from updated product safety standards, on to application standards and then into model codes — all unfolding with rigorous testing, risk analysis, expert input, stakeholder consultation and an eye to experiences in other jurisdictions.

“R-32 has been pretty much adopted globally and some countries have been using it for a full decade at this point,” he said.

The moderately flammable designation means that A2L refrigerants neither ignite easily nor burn rapidly. Tharp further reiterated that the combination of a leak, oxygen and an ignition source would be required for that to occur. Meanwhile, researchers with his company have concluded that GWP differentials are wider than the face-value numbers indicate.

“With R-466a, typically speaking you need about 10 to 15 per cent more refrigerant for the same efficiency as using 410a,” Tharp submitted. “When you look at R-32, because it needs less refrigerant — and it can be anywhere from 10 per cent less to 30 per cent less, depending on the type of system and technology used — the net impact is significantly lower.”

U.S. leads Canada in opening up new flexibility

Rana stresses the importance of smoothing out discordant rules in Canada and the U.S. to embrace the new allowances for A2L emerging in standards like ASHRAE 15. Otherwise, purchasers in Canada could see their options dwindle as U.S.-based manufacturers cater to the larger market share at home.

“For the manufacturer, it’s a huge undertaking to convert. Nobody can carry two lineups: R-410a for Canada; and R-32 for the U.S.,” he warned.

On the contractor side of the equation, the Heating, Refrigeration and Air-conditioning Institute (HRAI) of Canada is confronting a piecemeal regulatory outlook in its attempts to develop online safety training. Caroline Czajko, HRAI’s director of environmental services and divisions reports that manufacturers have been identified as the most practical program sponsors, at least initially, given the lack of cohesive governmental direction and the provinces’ varying progress on adopting the most up-to-date codes and standards.

The association is preparing to launch proactive training on safe handling, storage and transportation of low-GWP refrigerants, ahead of their arrival into Canada. The program will be similar to the certification the ESCO Institute offers to HVAC and refrigeration technicians in the United States, and responds to industry demand for a consistent approach to training across all provinces. Indeed, many HRAI members participating in a stakeholder consultation also expressed a preference for mandatory certification.

“Not too often do you hear that from contractors — that they want more regulation,” Czajko muses. “A2L product is not being imported into Canada yet, but we’re following all of the trends, which we’ll have in the training. Several U.S. states are allowing it and manufacturers there are requesting that contractors who are installing their equipment take the course that’s being offered by ESCO. We want to roll out this training sooner than later for the benefit of the installers.”

Barbara Carss is editor-in-chief of Canadian Property Management.

Don Vaughan receives CSLA Lifetime Award

Vancouver landscape architect Don Vaughan has been honoured with the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects (CSLA) Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the profession.

Vaughan received his Bachelor of Landscape Architecture from the University of Oregon in 1965 and shortly after moved to Vancouver to work.

He founded Don Vaughan & Associates in 1971, which grew quickly and went on to handle the bulk of landscape architectural projects in the City of Vancouver including the world famous Granville Island. Additionally he designed many of the new downtown fountains and plazas, and completed the design of the Skytrain station at Discovery Square which was recognized with an ASLA Merit Award.

In 1981, the name of the firm changed to Vaughan Durante Perry Ltd to reflect the increased role of the partners. During this time, he earned the first ASLA Historic Restoration Award in 1983 for Shannon Mews. Additional work throughout the province included the design of the new town of Tumbler Ridge followed by the design of the world famous Whistler Town Centre.

Vaughan also completed the world famous Sun Yet Sen Garden at this time, earning a ASLA Merit Award.

In 1984 he formed and led The Landscape 86 Collaborative – a team of 35 B.C. landscape architects, to provide the design for site work at Expo 86.

From 1988 until 2010 he founded and ran Vaughan Landscape Planning and Design. Projects over this time include the world renowned Concord Pacific Master Plan, David Lam Park, the Nitobe Gardens Restoration, which won a CSLA award, and the Japanese garden at the Museum of Civilization in Quebec, the latter two projects were in collaboration with Shunmyo Masuno.

Vaughan is a Fellow of the CSLA, a Fellow of the ASLA and a member of the Royal Academy of Arts.

The CSLA Recognition Awards will be recognized at the CSLA-APALA Congress on June 9th, 2022.

CAGBC awards Canadian green building innovation

The Canada Green Building Council (CAGBC) unveiled this year’s winners of the CAGBC Awards at the 2022 Building Lasting Change conference. The annual awards celebrate innovative projects, teams and individuals that have made positive contributions to Canada’s green building sector.

“It is a real pleasure to come together in person to celebrate the leaders and innovators of Canada’s green building industry,” said Thomas Mueller, CAGBC president and CEO. “Highlighting our successes is a good way to advance green buildings across Canada and demonstrate the building sector’s leadership in the transition to a low-carbon economy.”

In addition to the CAGBC Awards, CAGBC also presented its 2022 Lifetime Achievement to an individual for an extraordinary career in green building. This year, Joanne Perdue, associate vice president, sustainability, University of Calgary, was recognized for her 30-year career advancing green building in Canada.

Under Perdue’s leadership, the University of Calgary has been recognized as the top ranked school in Corporate Knights’ 2017 Greenest Campus Index and among the world’s top five per cent of institutions advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in 2020 and 2021 by the Times Higher Education University Impact Ranking.

Outside of her work at the University, Perdue is co-chair of The Royal Architectural Institute of Canada’s Climate Action Engagement & Enablement Plan Steering Committee and sits on their Committee on Regenerative Environments. She also served on CAGBC’s national board of directors from 2014 to 2020.

The winners of the 2022 CAGBC Awards are:

GREEN BUILDING EXCELLENCE

New Construction
Local 144 – Plumbers’ Union Head Office and Training Facility

Existing Building Operations
Bentall Centre

Zero Carbon Design
Roam Transit Operations and Training Centre

Deep Carbon Retrofit
500 MacNab Ken Soble Tower EnerPHit

Inspiring Home
Multifaith Housing Initiative – Veterans’ House

GREEN BUILDING LEADERSHIP

Green Building Champion
Alan DeSousa, Mayor of Saint Laurent

Green Building Pioneer
Multiplex Construction Canada Ltd.

Emerging Green Leader
Michael Mousa

Inspired Educator
Nancy Bosscha, Bow Valley College

Government Leadership
Global Affairs Canada – International Platform Branch

Ed Lim Technical Expertise Volunteer
Christian Cianfrone

Canada’s energy saving efforts lag U.S.

Canadian provinces fell far short of energy saving efforts in the top-performing U.S. states in 2020. However, the gap between the leaders and the worst-performing U.S. states was wider still.

Evidence from Efficiency Canada’s provincial energy efficiency scorecard and similar scrutiny of U.S. states produced by the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE) show setbacks in both countries as the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed conservation programs. A new report from Efficiency Canada compares key metrics from the two scorecards and finds Canadian provinces mostly scattered in the bottom half of a field of 60 jurisdictions for electricity savings and target setting, but positioned higher for energy efficiency spending and natural gas and non-regulated fuel savings.

Looking at nationwide medians, the provinces’ per capita spending on energy efficiency programs — at CAD $25.24 — exceeds the median for the 50 U.S. jurisdictions (49 states and Washington D.C.) surveyed. Focusing just on the top three spenders in each country, the U.S. median is CAD $147.72 per capita versus a median of CAD $66.55 for Canada’s top three.

Across the entire list, investment in energy efficiency varies from CAD $160.01 per capita in Massachusetts to just CAD $0.09 in Kansas. Prince Edward Island is ranked fourth overall for its expenditure of CAD $99.79 per capita, while Saskatchewan, ranked 50th overall, is Canada’s most frugal province at CAD $6.71 per capita.

U.S. states occupy the top 19 positions for incremental electricity savings, which measures newly achieved reduction in consumption during 2020. Nova Scotia is Canada’s top placement, with incremental electricity savings of 0.86 per cent.

A U.S. median of 0.67 per cent cloaks vast differences between its best and worse results, which range from 2.3 per cent in Massachusetts to 0.01 per cent in West Virginia. Canada’s median of 0.43 per cent reflects closer outcomes across nine provinces (no data is reported for Saskatchewan), bottoming out with Alberta at 0.10 per cent.

Accompanying analysis from Efficiency Canada links the relatively modest gains in electricity savings to pandemic-related interruptions, but also points to other factors in play with the cancellation of conservation programs in Alberta and Ontario at the end of the previous decade. Yearly progress has slackened, with the rate of incremental electricity savings in 2020 only about two-thirds what is was in 2018.

The U.S. saw an overall cut in energy efficiency program spending in the same period, although the $500 million reduction in electricity incentives was somewhat counterbalanced with an extra $100 million put toward natural gas efficiency. With total spending at USD $7.6 billion (CAD $9.6 billion), the pace of net incremental electricity savings slowed by 1.8 per cent, while the pace of net incremental savings on natural gas and non-regulated fuels increased by 0.4 per cent.

Turning to pandemic-triggered impacts, some states registered a 10 to 20 per cent year-over-year decline in electricity savings in 2020, but researchers hypothesize that the entrenched energy efficiency standards in states like New York and Michigan provided the underpinning to continue to pursue savings targets.

“These states showed concerted efforts to adapt programs to the unique circumstances of the pandemic, such as directing funds toward programs that required less in-person contact in order to meet targets,” the report observes.

“A quick look at policies of Canadian provinces versus the leading American states demonstrates that policy drives higher energy spending on and savings from efficiency programs,” Efficiency Canada researchers maintain. “The leading states establish aggressive, mandatory targets and work to align utility incentives with energy and greenhouse gas emission savings.”

Industry responds to Premier Ford’s re-election

Doug Ford has been re-elected as Premier of Ontario in a victory many rental housing professionals and associated sectors were hoping for. On June 2, 2022, the party won a majority government for the second term, triggering the resignation of NDP Leader Andrea Horwath and Liberal Leader Steven Del Duca.

“Tonight’s victory — it isn’t about me, it isn’t about the party,” Ford said afterwards to a round of applause in Etobicoke. “This victory belongs to every worker who knows that they deserve better. Every family knows that they can dream bigger.”

Though not all Ford’s policies have gained favour among the masses, threats of rent control and other divisive strategies proposed by his opponents had landlords and housing developers fearing the alternative. The Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD) was quick to issue a statement congratulating the returning Premier, while also emphasizing the importance of housing supply.

“There is a broad consensus that the roots of the region’s housing challenges lie in the lack of supply, which is fuelling the affordability crisis,” said Dave Wilkes, President and CEO of BILD. “Now is the time to take bold and decisive action to address the underlying policy issues that have constrained land supply, added costs to new housing and slowed the addition of new supply to the market.”

The Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) also offered congratulates to the Ontario PCs, calling out Steve Clark and Monte McNaughton specifically for recognizing the importance of residential construction and the skilled trades to the broader economy.

“We are looking forward to working with the government on urgent initiatives to boost the supply of housing, modernize the development application process, and move forward with programs to get more people into the voluntary trades,” said Richard Lyall, President, RESCON. “We were especially pleased at the commitment during the campaign to build 1.5 million homes over the next 10 years.”

Since passing the “More Homes, More Choice Act” in 2019, the PC government has taken many positive steps to address the housing crisis and commit to boosting housing supply with an ongoing plan RESCON says it supports. However, the group also encourages more action be taken to address the supply situation given the influx of immigrants expected to arrive in the coming years. Suggestions include embracing innovation, streamlining the development approvals process, and continuing with initiatives that clear the path for more youth, women, and people from underrepresented groups to learn the specialized skill sets needed to work in residential construction.

“Ontario’s PCs have played a leadership role in addressing the ongoing housing crisis since taking office,” Lyall said in conclusion. “They have listened to the concerns of the residential construction industry and have been working towards a solution to the significant housing supply deficit.”

For its part, the Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO) is pleased with the results of last night’s election and looks forward to continuing down the progressive path it established during Ford’s first term.

“FRPO would like to congratulate Premier Doug Ford and the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario on their election victory and second consecutive majority government,” Tony Irwin, President, FRPO said. “We look forward to building on the progress that has been made over the past four years with Premier Ford, his Cabinet and Caucus, to tackle the housing supply crisis while also striking the right balance between strong consumer protection for residents and a well-functioning industry for rental housing providers.”