Compulsory trades will create red tape and barriers

The new compulsory program rolled out by the B.C. government will make it more difficult for young workers to get into the trades and more confusing for construction contractors to hire workers, says the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA).

“Like many B.C. industries, we are facing a shortage of workers. But you don’t attract more people to the trades by closing the door to get into them and forcing contractors to navigate a sea of red tape. You do it by expanding opportunities to get into the industry – more training spaces, shorter wait lists for training spaces in colleges, updated curriculum, online delivery of training, and more opportunities to learn different aspects of construction,” said Chris Gardner, ICBA president.

A 2013 study by the C.D. Howe Institute found that provinces that have imposed tight restrictions on entry into the trades have 44 per cent fewer workers in the trades than those without a compulsory approach.

“The industry long ago recognized the multiple pathways a worker takes to acquire skills to become a ticketed tradesperson or to pursue other career aspirations,” said Gardner. “The evidence shows that compulsory trades do not result in more people completing an apprenticeship.”

The association explained the new system will not address to major problems: the lack of training spaces and long wait lists to get into classes.

“There are too few trades schools – for many trades, there is only one school in the entire province serving nearly 250,000 workers,” said Gardner. “Compounding the challenge are wait lists at many schools of at least a year, and sometimes up to three years.”

Gardner recommended adding more seats at training schools and modernizing the curriculum and how its delivered, instead of “dictating to contractors how many ticketed tradespeople should be working with apprentices.”

The association wants broad industry consultation and a more comprehensive approach to the workforce development and training challenges facing the construction sector. “We are emerging from a global pandemic, so now is exactly the time to bring people together for conversations that will help rebuild our economy and create jobs and opportunity. Limiting discussion and dialogue and rushing programs out the door will only serve to set us back not move us forward,” said Gardner.

Hudson Pacific wins NAIOP Developer of the Year

NAIOP has selected Hudson Pacific Properties as the 2021 Developer of the Year – the association’s highest honour.

“We are honored to be recognized as NAIOP’s Developer of the Year— especially in a year that has presented so many challenges. I’m so proud of all we accomplished here in Vancouver with the repositioning of Bentall Centre and we have great momentum as we see signs of the economic recovery getting underway,” said Chuck We, Hudson Pacific Properties, senior vice president, Western Canada and NAIOP Vancouver past president.

Hudson Pacific acquires and develops premier creative office and studio properties in tech and media epicenters, including Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, San Francisco, Seattle and Vancouver. It is the largest publicly traded owner of office space in Silicon Valley and one of the largest independent owner/operators of studios in the U.S.

The company’s portfolio totals nearly 20 million square feet, including land for development. Throughout its history, Hudson Pacific has invested $1.5 billion in leading development and adaptive reuse projects across its core markets.

The company has a strong track record of innovation, both in terms of building design and technology integration, and environmental, social and governance (ESG) leadership through its Better Blueprint program. During the pandemic, health and safety-related operational changes, including increased ventilation and air filtration, affected energy needs. By September 2020, the company managed to achieve its 2025 100 per cent net-zero carbon operations goal five years early through a strategic combination of energy efficiency, on-site and off-site renewables and verified emissions reduction credits.

Throughout 2020, Hudson Pacific adapted swiftly in a multitude of ways to deal with the unique environment created by the pandemic. From ongoing development and construction, to employee recruitment and engagement, Hudson Pacific teams met business objectives while reinforcing the company’s commitment to health and safety, sustainability, and diversity, equity and inclusion. Hudson Pacific also worked closely with tenants large and small on rent relief and abatements to help keep them afloat during an uncertain time.

“It is NAIOP’s honour to recognize the tremendous work of Hudson Pacific as the 2021 Developer of the Year. Their ongoing commitment to advancing the commercial real estate industry through cutting-edge innovation and exemplary ESG leadership is impressive,” said Thomas J. Bisacquino, NAIOP president and CEO. “Hudson Pacific has demonstrated significant adaptability to the unique environment the pandemic created, putting its tenants first to sustain their businesses and strategically repositioning projects to meet evolving requirements that allowed tenants and employees to safely return to their properties.”

CREED Council to champion equity and diversity

A new volunteer council, gleaning insight and experience from all commercial real estate disciplines, is exhorting the industry to better reflect the society in which it operates. The CREED — an acronym for: commercial real estate equity and diversity — Council will share its message via an introductory online panel discussion on June 17.

With the leadership of 22 directors in senior management roles, the CREED Council has a mission to expand the scope of people and perspectives in commercial real estate, and to provide guidance and resources to help foster that outcome. Thus far, 12 organizations, including commercial real estate companies, industry associations and service providers, have signed on as partners in the effort.

“Our vision is to strengthen the commitment of the commercial real estate industry and transform its ability to innovate its thinking and embrace inclusive community building — through wholeheartedly embracing the value of diversity,” the CREED Council website states.

Celina Caesar-Chavannes, a strategic advisor on equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) initiatives, author and adjunct lecturer at Queen’s University, will moderate the panel discussion with: Sonny Kalsi, chief executive officer of BentallGreenOak; Andrea Del Zotto, director and executive vice president with Tridel; Pino Di Mascio, head of impact strategy and delivery at Dream; and Sunita Mahant, head of global initiatives, equity, diversity and inclusion, and senior director, legal affairs, at Ivanhoé Cambridge.

New skilled trades certification launches in B.C.

B.C. is launching a new skilled trades certification system after more than a decade. In 2003, the B.C. government eliminated compulsory trades credentialing system. Every other province in Canada requires tradespeople to be certified.

The government said the new skilled trades certification system will help deliver steady employment for people and address the demand for skilled workers in B.C. It will also create more opportunities for women, Indigenous peoples and those just starting their careers.

“Skilled tradespeople are building B.C., especially with the largest infrastructure investment in our province’s history already underway,” said Premier John Horgan. “This is a made-in-B.C. solution to ensure confidence that a highly skilled workforce is behind our recovery while providing good, family-supporting jobs that tradespeople can count on. By working together, we’re ensuring B.C. comes out of the pandemic stronger, with a recovery that reaches people across the province.”

Based on recommendations from a 16-member stakeholder advisory working group representing industry associations, labour, post-secondary institutions, Indigenous skills trainers and the Industry Training Authority, the 10 initial trades designated for skilled trades certification are:

mechanical: gasfitter Class A and B, steamfitter/pipefitter, refrigeration and air conditioning mechanic and sheet metal worker;
electrical: powerline technician, industrial electrician and electrician (construction); and
automotive: heavy-duty equipment technician, automotive service technician and autobody and collision technician.

“The implementation and enforcement of skilled trades certification affirms a long-standing principle held by the members of the BC Building Trades. Our construction projects require a highly skilled workforce – workers who have a skilled trade certification (Red Seal) or workers who are registered apprentices in a recognized apprenticeship program. Skilled trades certification and its enforcement will help build a skilled local workforce, ensuring economic prosperity for B.C,” said Al Phillips, president, BC Building Trades.

Skilled trades certification will be implemented in phases after the public engagement process is complete. Once a trade has been designated for certification, individuals will have at least one year to either register as apprentices or challenge an exam to certify as a journeyperson, allowing uncertified workers to continue working while accessing any additional supports they may need.

The public engagement process includes an online survey, roundtables, community dialogues and focused discussions with the Industry Training Authority, the parliamentary secretary for skills training and staff from the Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Training.

“The Industry Training Authority welcomes the province’s announcement and looks forward to facilitating the implementation of skilled trades certification in B.C. We eagerly anticipate the coming engagements with apprentices, trades workers, small to large employers, unions, Indigenous partners and equity-seeking groups to ensure our programs are inclusive and supportive,” said Shelley Gray, ITA CEO.

The government is aiming to introduce legislation next spring to support the implementation of the new certification system, with the first changes expected in the electrical and mechanical trades by 2023 and in automotive by 2025.

Promoting health and wellness

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed much in facility management and maintenance. Some of the most recognized shifts have been in the enhancing of cleaning and infection control measures and the increased recognition of work done by cleaning and maintenance staff. Of equal importance is how building operators communicate that work transparently and demonstrate their health promotion certifications.

The Center for Active Design (CfAD) and its Fitwel® certification system has been leading the way for several years on improving health and wellness in commercial real estate. Fitwel is the world’s leading certification system committed to building health for all®, which uses research and evidence-based strategies to optimize and support the health of building occupants. CfAD works closely with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which originally developed the Fitwel standard and remains a primary research partner.

Launched in 2017, Fitwel’s core focus is to ensure that health is a priority in the real estate sector, validated by measurable results. Fitwel can be used across a range of existing and new facilities including commercial office spaces, multifamily residential, retail, commercial sites, and mixed-use community sites.

Rising demand

Fitwel has a significant and expanding footprint in Canada — accelerated by COVID-19. Reena Agarwal, CfAD’s Chief Operating Officer, notes that given what has happened over the last 16 months, everyone now feels more of a personal relationship with health, and that has had a marked impact on both facility managers and owners as well as tenants and occupants.

Between 2019 and 2020, there was a rise of 640 per cent in the use of the Fitwel certification system — a marked increase from its previous year-on-year growth. Since 2017, Fitwel has had an impact on more than 1.3 million people through 2,300+ registered projects and 830+ projects certified or in review. In Canada, there was 144 per cent growth between 2019 and 2020, and that demand is being driven largely by tenants.

Fitwel & CfAD COO Reena Agarwal

“Tenants want to know how the buildings they are in — or will soon be occupying — are aligned with their health priorities,” notes Agarwal. “This includes mitigating the risk of transmission of COVID-19 and other contagious diseases within the property.” In response, building managers are not only looking to ensure their protocols are up to date and aligned with science, but also that they are verified by a respected third party like CfAD. “Building managers want to be able to pass on that information to their stakeholders, whether they are tenants, employees, investors, or owners.”

Over the last four years, Fitwel’s mandate has progressed from educating the market on the connection between design and health to using its critical mass of data to provide detailed metrics and strategies on how to measure and elevate ESG and health within buildings. Facilities can reap financial rewards: the Massachusetts Institute of Technology published research in December 2020 using Fitwel data that showed that managers of properties with a healthy building certification can charge, on average, approximately 4.5 to 7 per cent higher rents than for non-certified properties.

Collaborating with QuadReal

One of Fitwel’s significant proponents is QuadReal Property Group.

QuadReal is a global real estate investment, operating and development company headquartered in Vancouver. It manages and develops a range of facilities including office, multi-unit residential, retail, and industrial, and began collaborating with Fitwel in 2018.

QuadReal Director of Sustainability Nisha Agrawal

Nisha Agrawal, Director of Sustainability, explains that Fitwel’s certification allowed QuadReal to expand its offerings and programming in health and wellness, a long-term goal of hers at the company. “Everybody is measuring energy, water, waste, greenhouse gases — and that’s important — but the health and wellness of your occupants is a crucial aspect that keeps your occupants happy in your spaces,” Agrawal explains.

The Fitwel collaboration was a natural extension for QuadReal. “We knew health and wellness was going to be critical in the coming years, even before the pandemic,” Agrawal adds. “We knew we needed to find a way to differentiate our buildings and spaces for tenants who often have lots of options, as well as to get ahead of the next trend.”

QuadReal has found Fitwel to be very valuable both to its organization and, by extension, to its tenants and residents. But another positive factor has been the level of collaboration between the two companies.

Educating via the Viral Response Module

QuadReal was one of the first companies to achieve certification using Fitwel’s Viral Response Module (VRM), developed during the pandemic. The VRM collates the best public health science and literature available about how to mitigate the risk of contagious disease spread within buildings. It also outlines best practices on how to communicate that information widely and transparently during a time when tenants are experiencing greatly increased levels of stress and anxiety.

“I like to tell owners that they’re not seeing the true full impact of, say, an air quality strategy unless they’re communicating what that strategy is to their tenants, visitors, and others,” Fitwel’s Agarwal says. “It’s one thing to put something in place; it’s another thing to be transparent about what that intervention is. There’s science that speaks to the fact that if you’re communicating transparently about your plans, visitors and occupants in your building will feel a greater sense of trust, security, and safety in coming back into that space.”

She adds that the demand for the VRM reflects the fact that health and wellness has moved from being seen as a “nice-to-have” to a “must-have” for real estate properties. While not everyone has a full understanding of what health and wellness in facilities entails, the level of awareness has been raised in light of COVID-19.

From a facility management perspective, QuadReal’s Agrawal adds that the pandemic has prompted tenants and occupants to want to know about things like air quality and the specifics of maintaining cleanliness in buildings — things that hadn’t been top of mind before COVID-19. “The VRM and QuadReal’s work with Fitwel gives us another opportunity to engage with tenants. Focusing on things like air quality isn’t new for us, we just never talked about it in the way we are doing now.”

Fitwel and QuadReal have also worked together on a resource called the Office Guide to Building Health. The guide aims to help educate and inform landlords and tenants about their roles and responsibilities, and what they can do individually and collaboratively to optimize the health of all occupants.

Looking ahead

Agarwal and Agrawal were presenters at the 2021 Virtual REMI Show on June 16, where they educated viewers on health and wellness within buildings and the benefits of Fitwel. Agarwal notes that Fitwel was proud to be a platinum sponsor of the show. “Fitwel has a proven track record as a provider of information on what’s new, innovative, and impactful within the industry in terms of health and well-being. We’re proud to be sponsors of the REMI Show in support of these efforts.”

Looking ahead, Agarwal adds that in addition to the primary goals of greater adoption and impact in the Canadian market, Fitwel and CfAD hope to bring on board additional industry leaders such as QuadReal. Ultimately, Fitwel wants to be the leading source of information on health and wellness for the Canadian real estate industry.

“The industry is looking for greater leadership in health-based metrics,” concludes Agarwal. “We want to fill that role to help companies understand how health and wellness positively impacts their business strategies, and their tenants and occupants.”

Fitwel and QuadReal at the 2021 REMI Show

Watch the 2021 Virtual REMI Show session hosted by Reena Agarwal and Nisha Agrawal on-demand: Accelerating the Healthy Building Movement in Canada With Fitwel and QuadReal

REMI Show 2021 sponsor: Property Answer

The annual REMI Show went virtual on June 16, 2021.

The REMI Show is the leading trade show and conference for building owners and property, facility, and operations managers. The event serves as a platform that provides creative ways for like-minded industry professionals to connect while delivering practical and timely information to Canadian real-estate professionals and their valued service providers.

After the postponement of the 2020 REMI Show, the industry reconvened virtually in June 2021 with so many things to talk about.

The virtual 2021 REMI Show was held within a four-hour window on June 16 and featured prominent presenters covering key topics based on today’s environment while also looking ahead as facilities begin re-opening.

One of the platinum sponsors of the 2021 show was Property Answer.

About Property Answer

Property Answer is the premier North American call answering service catering to:

Real estate agents
Property management firms
Construction businesses
Landlords
Leasing offices
Other B2B firms

A Division of Alliance, Property Answer has been answering for clients for over 70 years. With customization for your business, Property Answer offers dynamic call answering for large and small property management firms. The company understands that property management firms need to manage their expenses while providing superior customer experience to prospective and current tenants, partners, and contractors.

From the time Property Answer meets with you, it is all about understanding YOUR business: your corporate culture and personality, the dynamics that drive your revenue, and the issues you are seeking to resolve. Property Answer firmly believes that every business is unique, and no single solution can work for every business.

It is that personalized attention to detail that sets the tone for how the business works for you. When Property Answer represents you, it aims to make you feel as if your customers are cared for in the same way as if you were answering the phone yourself. In the end, Property Answer does not want you to think of it just as an expense, but instead see it as a key component of your overall business.

Sharron Lawson

About Sharron Lawson

Throughout her career, Sharron has worked with Fortune 100 companies around the globe, merging superior customer experience and technology to solve critical issues within organizations while ensuring overall profitability. She has championed and coached women in male-dominated fields and worked to ensure equality and equity throughout her career.

A dynamic leader, Sharron has led teams and organizations to become thought leaders in their industries and grow their client base through integrity, innovation, and diversifying their offerings.

Sharron has been a change agent within Property Answer, ensuring the organization scaled effectively without losing the personal customer care its clients expect.

Linda Murphy-Kreimes

About Linda Murphy-Kreimes

Linda has been with Property Answer and Alliance for over 25 years. By focusing on clients first, she is able to custom-build plans and solutions.

A true believer in relationship-building, she has been able to help businesses across real estate, property management, and the trades scale up and grow.

An advocate for superior service, she ensures all new and existing clients remain satisfied with Property Answer, and consistently exceeds client expectations of service standards.

Construction starts on New Westminster aquatics centre

The City of New Westminster has broken ground on the new aquatics and community centre. The new aquatics and community centre will replace the aging Canada Games Pool and Centennial Centre into a combined 10,644 square metre (114,571 square feet) state-of-the-art facility.

Designed by HCMA, the new facility integrates principles of flexibility, accessibility, sustainability, social connectivity, and connectivity to nature. Spaces have been designed to accommodate a wide variety of activities that can adapt over time as community needs and priorities change. The new facility is set to be Canada’s first zero carbon-certified aquatic centre.

“This project has been many years in the making and I’m very proud of the extensive engagement that has taken place and the community input we received from individuals of all ages and backgrounds,” said Mayor Jonathan Coté. “The final design reflects the community’s values and priorities with an overall goal of reducing barriers to access. The new facility will be an inclusive and accessible place where everyone feels welcome and that they belong.”

The aquatic space has been carefully considered to meet both emerging needs and existing teaching and competitive swim requirements. The eight lane 50 m pool includes a moveable floor and bulkheads that allow for multiple configurations to ensure maximum flexibility in programming. The leisure pool includes hot pools, a tot zone, and a lazy river which can be used for play activities and therapeutic programming.

The large 11,150 square foot fitness centre will feature a variety of accessible fitness equipment for users of all mobility needs, and two gymnasiums will accommodate various sport activities. The community space will include multi-purpose rooms, community gathering spaces that will support social programming and connections and 45 new, licensed child care spaces supported by the Childcare BC New Spaces Fund.

The new facility is scheduled to open in late 2023, and demolition of the old facilities and completion of the outdoor spaces is anticipated to be complete for summer 2024. The New Westminster project is being managed by Turnbull Construction, while construction is overseen by Heatherbrae Builders.

Vancouver innovator wins award for window cleaning robot

An up-and-coming Vancouver entrepreneur has won an award in recognition of his work to develop a first-of-its-kind window cleaning robot.

Hossein Kamali is on a mission to bring the high-rise window cleaning business into the 21st century, keeping people safe in the process. His window cleaning robot can mimic the behaviour of human window washers, including getting into the nooks and crannies of all types of building facades.

The disruptive, patent-pending robot combines AI, robotics, mechatronics, and motion control technology. It has earned Kamali, 32, a prestigious award from Mitacs, a national not-for-profit innovation organization that fosters growth by solving business challenges with research solutions from academic institutions.

In recognition of his efforts to advance the robot through his startup, Vancouver-based Autonopia, Kamali — a Mitacs postdoctoral researcher in Mechatronic Systems Engineering at Simon Fraser University, and Autonopia Co-founder and CTO — was presented with the Mitacs Outstanding Entrepreneur Award on June 10 at a virtual awards ceremony.

Kamali and co-founder Mohammad Dabiri have been working at Autonopia to remove the element of human risk from the window cleaning business, as well as reducing the industry’s reliance on manual labour.

“It’s intimidating, hard work that most workers don’t want to do,” said Dabiri, noting that on average, windows on commercial skyscrapers are cleaned four times a year and windows on residential high rises are cleaned twice a year. “There’s high overhead to manage the hiring, allocation and training of workers, and sometimes they quit as soon as it comes time to go on a high rise.”

Autonopia’s robot — scheduled to begin its first pilot project early next year — differs from similar window cleaning technology in that it can operate on any façade or surface structure, no matter how complicated. It works three to four times as fast as a human and can withstand wind and cold temperatures, leading to significant operational efficiencies in window cleaning. Its modular, plug-and-play design also enables it to work on any building, without requiring additional infrastructure to be installed.

As the company prepares for next year’s pilot, it will welcome its first full-time employee in July, with additional hires in the pipeline for the remainder of the year. It is also seeking investors as it looks to raise its first round of seed funding this summer.

“Sometimes people make the argument that automation takes jobs away from people, but in this case, we’re actually saving people’s lives and creating new opportunities for them to work safer, easier and smarter,” said Kamali, explaining that robots require skilled supervisors to oversee the work. “Why would you want to keep things manual, inefficient and dangerous? It doesn’t really make sense.”

Kamali is one of five winners of the Mitacs Entrepreneur Award. These awards celebrate start-up companies founded by outstanding former Mitacs interns, postdoctoral fellows, and training participants who have gone on to lead their respective fields as business owners. The winners are recognized for their efforts to turn their research into an innovative business that impacts the lives of Canadians.

“Supporting innovation is essential to help Canada rebound from the repercussions of the global pandemic, and Mitacs is extremely proud of the remarkable accomplishments achieved by our network of talented entrepreneurs,” said Mitacs CEO and Scientific Director John Hepburn. “We are thrilled that our continued investment in talent, research and development is translating into more and more Mitacs interns successfully turning their groundbreaking research into dynamic startups, helping to boost both Canada’s economy and our country’s position on the global innovation stage.”

Mitacs is a not-for-profit organization that fosters growth and innovation in Canada by solving business challenges with research solutions from academic institutions. Mitacs is funded by the Government of Canada and provincial and territorial governments.

Find out more about the other award winners here.

Assessing correct drying technology usage

Being confident in tackling water damage and losses is an important role for maintenance and restoration staff. So, naturally, ensuring you have a complete understanding of the best drying technology and methods to use is critically important.

Dan Mesenburg, former IICRC board director, IICRC-approved instructor, and co-owner of a ServiceMaster Restore franchise, has offered some key tips to bolster this assurance.

Moisture sensors

A moisture sensor is the simplest of instruments, used to simply determine whether a material is wet. Generally, it is used for reading moisture in carpet and pad.

Moisture meters

These meters take some of the basics of the moisture sensor and combine it with the ability to measure the amount of moisture in a material.

Wood Moisture Equivalent

Wood Moisture Equivalent (WME) is a reading of a material using wood-calibrated moisture meters on non-wood materials. However, it should not be read as the moisture content of the material.

Relative readings (REL)

Relative readings are taken by properly holding the meter against the surface of the wet material and documenting a reading from the relative scale of 1-100, 0-300, 0-999, or others. It should not be converted to per cent moisture content and should remain as read.

In recent years, new non-invasive wood-calibrated meters have also come to the fore. These can read the per cent moisture content for the wood type selected.

Mesenburg stresses that it’s best to obtain a dry standard on like materials in the same building using the same meters in all cases to eliminate variability in the readings.

Thermo-hygrometers

Thermo-hygrometers measure air temperature and relative humidity with values that can be used to calculate other psychrometric readings like grains per pound (GPP), vapour pressure, and dew point. Typical readings within a structure are affected air, unaffected air, dehumidifier output, the HVAC system, and outdoor air.

Thermal imaging cameras

Thermal imaging cameras are increasingly accessible and highly useful, as they detect thousands of temperature points across a surface and provide the user a picture of those temperatures. However, they do not tell users what is wet. What they do provide is the temperature of the materials: cooler temperatures could indicate evaporation is present and therefore wetness.

Improving your knowledge

The final step for using all these tools on losses is to develop best practices.

Here are a few items to consider when using the technology available:

Ensure you understand:
- The high- and low-temperature and humidity ranges
- The depth pins or radio frequencies are expected to penetrate material
- The readings given and what they mean (degrees, REL, WME, etc.)
- The proper use to obtain accurate readings.
Train your technicians on proper use when new, as well as annually, at a minimum.
Understand the opportunities for false readings on each technology type.
Understand the limitations (depth into material, environment, etc.).
Change the batteries often or have spare batteries available always.

Understanding this technology and the options available allows the restorer to provide a professional and well-documented summary of drying the loss, stresses Mesenburg. This will not only result in a happy customer but also provide protection from liability later.

Canadian proptech ventures groomed for growth

Canadian proptech ventures are invited to apply to a new round of the REACH Canada scale-up program. This is the second year the United States National Association of Realtors (NAR) will search the Canadian market for promising technologies for the commercial and residential real estate sectors. NAR also pursues similar opportunities in the U.S., United Kingdom and Australia.

“We are excited to open applications for REACH Canada’s 2021 class and we look forward to welcoming a new group of proptech innovators,” says Bob Goldberg, NAR’s chief executive officer and the president of NAR’s investment arm, Second Century Ventures. “Their ideas and entrepreneurial spirit help ensure realtors continue to have access to the latest technology.”

Through the REACH program, successful applicants are offered accelerator services for their products and innovations, building on NAR’s extensive membership and reach in the global real estate industry. The selected Canadian proptech ventures are promised direct mentorship from up to 50 real estate, mortgage, venture capital and technology influencers, along with NAR’s guidance and access to prominent real estate industry conferences, tradeshows and networking events.

They’ll also join the growing ranks of REACH companies and alumni — including the eight inaugural REACH Canada designees from 2020 — presenting opportunities to forge alliances with entrepreneurs in a similar sphere and stage. Thus far, approximately 150 REACH companies have collectively raised more than $800 million in financing and garnered a 2,000 per cent jump in revenue. Many have inked deals with major real estate and/or technology players.

“Many REACH companies have become household names,” observes Lynette Keyowski, REACH Canada managing partner. “On the heels of our first successful program, we are extremely excited to continue working with companies that are not only providing immense value to the practitioner and consumer, but empowering solutions, companies and founders alike that are bringing new solutions, perspectives and strength to an evolving market and a new societal norm.”

The application intake is open until July 31. The eight-month REACH program, in virtual format, will run from October 2021 to May 2022.

Canada’s Best Restroom 2021 finalists revealed

The five finalists in Cintas’ 12th annual Canada’s Best Restroom Award have been revealed.

First presented by Cintas in 2010, the annual award program honours businesses that value hygiene and style and recognize the parallel between clean restrooms and customer retention.

The facility that receives the most votes will win $2,500 in facility services from Cintas to help maintain its award-winning washrooms.

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

The five finalists are:

Toronto Zoo – Toronto, ON

The new washrooms in the Zoo’s Tundra Trek feature iconic Canadian species with a design that draws on inspiration from the natural world for its fresh yet familiar atmosphere. Each handwashing unit features a hands-free faucet, soap dispenser, and hand dryer, while the trough-style sink eliminates water splashing on the floor and includes hooks on the outside of the counter to hang a purse, backpack or coat.

Surrey Park – Surrey, BC

The intent for the park washroom was to create a playful, durable, safe facility that works well within the City of Surrey’s park contexts. The washroom was designed to be universally accessible, hands-free with no-touch fixtures and configured for solar power. It also features public art panels on all four sides of the structure. The design employs a distinct form, strong colours, and unique use of materials.

Sweet Market Esso Station – Red Deer, AB

The washrooms at Sweet Market Esso boast decorative high-end tiles and five-star finishes, mimicking a fancy hotel suite rather than a convenience store restroom. These washrooms are always a topic of customer conversation in the store where selfies take centre stage. The appreciation for the washroom, and the extreme cleanliness, are great reminders of the sheer elegance and grandeur these restrooms provide for the customer.

The ROOFTOP – Calgary, AB

The ROOFTOP restaurant is a unique “weather-managed” outdoor patio experience located in downtown Calgary. The adjacent indoor washrooms were designed to be inclusive, engaging, and distinctively unique, with a life-sized bobblehead re-imagined as your personal concierge, graffiti wallpaper sections taken largely from the “John Lennon Peace Wall” originally created in Prague, and elements of surprise throughout.

Borden Park – Edmonton, AB

An integrated approach to environmental sustainability is evident in the choice of materials: wood, concrete, and glass were selected for their durability, permanence, and timelessness. The washroom features hands-free elements to reduce germs and a stainless-steel trough-style sink that prevents water splashing on the floor. The sleek washroom stands as a striking improvement on the typical concrete options, and a sign of outstanding design to come.

“These five facilities demonstrate a commitment to prioritizing hygiene and customer service – especially as cleanliness is so important right now – combined with creativity and whimsy not usually seen in washrooms,” said Candice Raynsford, Marketing Manager, Cintas Canada.

The public is invited to vote for its top pick at www.bestrestroom.com/ca/ through July 9.

The winner and runner-up will be revealed in the fall, and the most popular nominees will be enshrined in Cintas’ Canada’s Best Restroom Contest Hall of Fame. The grand prize winner will also receive a Cintas UltraClean® system and CAN$2,500 worth of services from Cintas.

To view the finalists and cast your vote, visit www.bestrestroom.com/ca/.

Last year, the Canada’s Best Restroom 2020 competition was won by Alberta’s Westview RV Park.

BSCAI CLEAN Awards 2021 seeking nominees

The Building Service Contractors Association International is now accepting nominations for its 2021 BSCAI CLEAN Awards.

The annual awards program honours BSCAI members for their contributions to the association.

The BSCAI CLEAN Awards program recognizes building service contractors who demonstrate excellence in a number of categories ranging from image and safety to community service and much more.

BSCAI encourages industry personnel to review the categories and submit their company for one or more awards for the chance to be recognized by peers for your company’s work to elevate the image of the cleaning industry and highlight the vital service provided to clients.

This year’s award categories include:

BSCAI Cleaning for Health Award®
Building Service Employee of the Year Award, presented by Hillyard Inc.
Skip Marsden Education Excellence Award
Walter L. Cook Award for Distinguished Service
James E. Purcell Leadership Award
Arthur C. Barraclough Co. Community Service Award
Contracting Profits Emerging Leader Award
New Member of the Year Award.

The deadline for submissions is July 30. For more information, visit BSCAI’s website.

Take a look at past award winners here.

B.C. charging ahead to 2040 EV infrastructure goals

British Columbia is charging ahead in expanding its electric vehicle (EV) charging network with more than 50 per cent of the public fast-charging sites required to meet the province’s 2040 demand already built or underway.

“A record number of British Columbians are adopting electric vehicles for a quieter ride, cleaner air and lower fuel costs, and we’re making sure we have the public infrastructure needed to support this uptake,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. “We are on track to meet our goals for 2040 with more than half of the fast-charging sites needed already with one or more stations built.”

More than 54,400 EVs are on the road in B.C., leading to an estimated 216,000 tonnes in emission reductions per year. To support the growing number of EVs in the province, the BC Public Light-Duty Zero-Emission Vehicle Infrastructure Study will serve as a guide for municipalities, First Nations communities and the private sector to invest in further expansion of the fast-charging and hydrogen-fuelling network in B.C. by identifying where and how many stations are needed for drivers to safely and easily travel around B.C.

According to the report, the number of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) forecast in B.C. by 2040 may reach over 2.5 million. This vehicle population will require approximately 400 fast-charging sites throughout the province. As of December 2020, B.C. had 205 fast-charging sites built or underway.

“People across the province are switching to electric vehicles in record numbers, thanks to CleanBC programs,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. “Our government is planning for a cleaner, low-carbon future where all new cars are emission free and reliable charging stations are readily available right across the province to support users.”

The report also identifies important criteria to be considered by public charger developers when planning station sites, such as distances that allow for travel under challenging weather conditions, accessibility for drivers with diverse physical abilities and around-the-clock availability of stations in well-lit areas.

The province is providing rebates through its CleanBC Go Electric programs to ensure the increasing demand for ZEVs is supported by building out the network, as well as through rebates for home and workplace charging infrastructure. B.C. has one of the largest public-charging networks in Canada.

How best to calculate cleaning times

At a time when ensuring a proper standard of cleaning for health is seen as more important than ever before, focusing on cleaning times is crucial.

Cleaning times are the jumping-off point for preparing bids and estimates for budgeting labour and workloading based on the cleaning tasks at hand and the time it takes to complete each and all of them. Cleaning times help to identify efficiencies through increased productivity by utilizing different equipment, tools, and technology.

ISSA’s director of education, training, certification, and standards, Brant Insero, explains that these times are built using five components: task, tool, time, total units, and training

Calculating the correct cleaning times or production rates can be a tough task due to the number of variables involved, but there are several helpful sources available, including guides published by cleaning associations and case studies from organizations and individual studies.

The amount of time needed for cleaning can be determined by combining the separate tasks, tools, and times and designing an integrated cleaning system, or by bundling together different tasks that combined represent one time.

A single-task example would be determining how many minutes it takes to mop 1,000 cleanable square feet of floor with a 14-inch flat mop and dual-chamber bucket.

Using the Official ISSA Cleaning Times & Tasks, in the floor care section under mopping, the time value for MFM–3 is a production rate for this task. Therefore, here, the time could be calculated as the amount of square footage to be cleaned divided by the production rate per hour multiplied by 60 to generate an output in minutes, i.e. 1,000 square feet/5,355 square feet x 60 minutes = 11.2 minutes.

A bundled tasks example would be working out how many minutes it takes to spot clean 2,000 cleanable square feet, including emptying trash and relining the can, spot wiping, spot dusting, and picking up debris from the floor,

In the specialist section of the ISSA guide under light duty, the time value for LDT–1 is a production rate for these tasks. Therefore, the time can be calculated as the amount of square footage to be cleaned divided by the production rate multiplied by the time in minutes, i.e. 2,000 square feet/1,000 square feet x 3.62 minutes = 7.24 minutes.

Finally, we can look at the fixture method to work out how many minutes it would take to clean a restroom with 10 fixtures, including emptying trash; cleaning and disinfecting fixtures, mirrors, and partitions; replacing supplies; dusting; sweeping; and wet mopping the floor.

In the restrooms section of the guide under restroom cleaning, the time value for RCL–7 is a production rate for these tasks. The time can be calculated as the number of fixtures to be cleaned multiplied by the production rate in minutes, i.e. 10 fixtures x 3 minutes per fixture = 30 minutes.

Nova Scotia ponders affordable housing

A newly released report and recommendations from the Nova Scotia Affordable Housing Commission endorse a role for private sector rental options, and call for both financial incentives and regulatory supports to help upgrade existing buildings and deliver new housing supply. The 17-member Commission was appointed in late November at the same time the provincial government imposed a 2 per cent cap on rent increases retroactive to September 2020 along with a moratorium on evictions for renovation purposes.

After consulting widely and drawing on thousands of submissions, the report sets out an action plan to address housing need and forge more effective partnerships to achieve that outcome. That includes calls to: restructure the management of the provincial public housing portfolio; incorporate more market-rent units to bolster the economic viability of affordable housing projects; and create opportunities to convert surplus provincial and municipal properties for housing uses.

“Government housing organizations in other parts of Canada and the world have adapted and transformed to meet the needs of those they serve, and we have to do the same,” notes Eiryn Devereaux, Nova Scotia’s deputy minister of Infrastructure and Housing and the commission’s co-chair.

Of interest to private sector landlords and developers, the commission recommends: establishing a loan fund for repair and renewal of affordable market housing; reviewing regulatory barriers to new housing supply; and exploring tax credits and fee reductions for the production of new affordable housing. It also proposes giving municipalities the authority to invoke inclusionary zoning “in combination with appropriate incentives to avoid any additional costs to the development” and sketches out a number of potential actions related to renter protections.

The latter would entail extending the current rent increase cap and eviction prohibition to the earlier of either the lifting of the provincial state of emergency or February 1, 2022. Other suggested measures include:

In collaboration with municipalities, tenants, landlords, and other stakeholders, explore opportunities to support eviction prevention, provide temporary assistance to low-income households facing evictions due to planned renovations, improve access to legal aid services, and consider developing retention plans to prevent the loss of long-term renters that are at risk of being priced out of their neighbourhood.
Review the Residential Tenancies Act to examine opportunities to improve renter protection and strengthen landlord-tenant relations. This should include options to minimize the impact of evictions due to renovation on tenants and improve the overall efficiency of the application process and the administration of the program.
Work with other government bodies, such as the Human Rights Commission, to address concerns related to discrimination, especially during renter application processes.

“The pandemic has exacerbated Nova Scotia’s affordable housing crisis. Strong, decisive and immediate action from our government is needed,” asserts commission co-chair, Ren Thomas, an associate professor at the Dalhousie University School of Planning. “There is no magic solution, otherwise we wouldn’t be here. The one silver bullet is our ability to work well with each other, and, as partners, we can chart a new course to meet today’s demand and plan for tomorrow.”

The Nova Scotia government is now considering the commission’s report.

“It is clear that affordable housing is a priority for Nova Scotians and it will continue to be a priority for government,” maintains Geoff MacLellan, the Minister of Infrastructure and Housing. “These recommendations will help us make evidence-based decisions about how to move forward.”

Construction tech firm Katerra files for bankruptcy

Katerra has voluntarily filed for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas.

The construction technology firm has secured commitments for $35 million in Debtor-in-Possession (DIP) financing from SB Investment Advisers (UK) Limited to fund operations during the Chapter 11 process.

“While a number of negative factors have led to Katerra’s current challenges, we are implementing initiatives on multiple fronts to maximize value and provide the best path forward for Katerra and its many stakeholders,” said Katerra chief transformation officer Marc Liebman.

“Our multi-step action plan has rapidly evolved and includes consolidating U.S. activities, continuing our international businesses, advancing key asset sales, securing DIP financing, and commencing an in-court restructuring process. We are grateful to the extraordinary ongoing work and support of the Katerra team and other core constituencies through this extremely difficult time.”

Katerra recently notified its key stakeholders that many of its U.S. projects will be demobilizing. In keeping with Katerra’s ongoing commitment to the safety of the site and the general public, the company is working to ensure a safe transition.

The rapid deterioration of the company’s financial position is the result of the macroeconomic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the construction industry, inability to procure bonding for construction projects following the unexpected insolvency proceedings of Katerra’s former lender, and unsuccessful attempts to secure additional capital and business.

Katerra acquired Vancouver-based Equilibrium Consulting Inc and Michael Green Architecture in 2018.

In a statement, MGA said, “We are sad for the many people impacted by this decision. However, we are grateful that these actions have no impact on our operations, other than the movement of MGA shares back into our control. We are fortunate that we have been insulated from Katerra’s challenges because principals Michael Green and Natalie Telewiak have been and remain the controlling directors of the firm.”

Register at no charge for the 2021 REMI Show

Industry is invited to register at no charge for the virtual REMI Show, taking place on Wednesday, June 16. The high-calibre educational program is designed with input from prominent players involved in the Canadian property management industry, with sessions scheduled between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. EST.

The education program will draw on North American and globally-sourced presenters, well-vetted case studies, effective management strategies, and a host of game-changing new technologies to deliver critical insight into the real issues building owners and property/facility/operations managers face today.

A virtual networking reception, where you can see and speak with your industry colleagues, will follow the education sessions.

Please click here to register at no charge –https://beacon360.content.online/xbcs/S2352/catalog/product.xhtml?eid=30061

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