Spotlighting BTB REIT’s Montreal HQ

A stylish art deco building in a prime Montreal location provided its new owners, BTB Real Estate Investment Trust, with the opportunity for signature headquarters. After acquiring 1411 Crescent Street — an 85-year-old, low-rise office building with street-level retail in the city’s historic Golden Square Mile (Mille carré doré) — last year, the REIT’s own growing staff moved in.

The new owners also invested in bringing the building’s night-time image more in line with its daytime charm. At the time of purchase, none of the exterior lighting was functioning — rendering an architectural gem unremarkable in the darkness. Lighting designers with the Montreal-based LED supplier and service provider, Concept Illumination, helped return the sparkle.

“By working with the existing dimensions and architectural elements, we have been able to deliver a result that honours the historical significance of the structure,” says the project leader, Daniel Herz. “No matter at what angle you approach the building, it really stands out in its elegance.”

To do so, 30 existing halogen fixtures were removed and 20 new LED luminaires were installed. The differing widths of the facade columns presented some challenges, but the designers determined they could up-light them in a visually consistent way using two different sizes of architectural linear LED graze fixtures.

A 1-foot linear graze was installed for the narrower 3-foot columns; while a 4-foot graze covers off the 6-foot columns. Together, they assemble one foot of space on each side of every light beam. Visually, a single band of light shoots up each column, delivering a uniform look and ensuring there is no residual glare on the neighbouring windows.

The warmer light from 3000 Kelvin static white LEDs chosen for the project helps to enhance the building’s art deco features without overpowering them. The beam angle is equally important for showcasing unique architectural elements at the top and the carved features at the base of each building column.

Each linear LED luminaire has a 9-degree by 9-degree beam.”The tight 9-degree band of light [side to side] ensures there is no light spilling out on the nearby windows. And a similar 9-degree band [front to back] means the light is projected higher up the building,” Herz explains.

The project took just two days, but delivered a lasting look in keeping with the building’s longstanding presence in a dynamic area of the city. BTB REIT is hearing appreciative feedback from staff, clients, the other building tenants and Montrealers and tourists who are just passing by.

“We are really proud of the new lighting. The building is illuminated in a very charming way; it looks quite warm and natural,” says David Barbarush, Property Manager for BTB REIT. “Our president, Michel Léonard, is also extremely happy with the final product. It’s great for the image of our company.”

The preceding article was supplied by Concept Illumination. For more information, see the website at www.conceptillumination.com.

Effective Human Resources Management

Membership in the Certified Rental Building Program (CRBP) is an effective means of maintaining a high standard of quality when managing your building or working with residents (tenants). When prospective or existing tenants see the familiar green CRBP logo and checkmark on your property, they will immediately know that they will be able to “Rent With Confidence.”

The CRB Program, North America’s only multi-residential certification program, was founded under six disciplines which all affiliated property managers must comply with in order to receive the certification for their buildings. In this six-part series, we will examine each of the disciplines in detail and explain their importance to the program.

Discipline 2: Effective Human Resources Management

In Part 1, we discussed the importance of building operational standards as it relates to the CRBP and demonstrating prudent property management practices. A proactive maintenance approach is key to keeping your building’s operations running smoothly while addressing any resident issues that may come up from time to time.

While prudent building management practices are certainly a significant aspect to the CRBP’s quality service/quality product guarantee, none of it happens without having staff who are trained and committed to carrying out their duties/responsibilities in a professional and courteous manner. Happy, motivated employees exude their confidence in their daily dealing with your residents. To that point, CRBP’s Human Resources Management (HRM) discipline was developed to ensure that frontline property management employees understand their importance in representing their building, their company, and CRBP professionally.

The HRM discipline contains benchmark best practices/standards that focus on those human resource practices that ensure employees are treated fairly, encouraged to learn about the industry, and have opportunity to grow professionally on the job. They include the following plus much more:

Human Rights
Employee Performance Assessment
Workplace Violence & Harassment
One-Up Escalation Policy & Process
Continuing Education
Staff Development

A sample Human Resource Management SOP and related requirements:

Human Rights Code SOP – HR01 Human Rights

Policy: Employees are made aware of their obligations
Mission Statement / Code of Ethics:
- Documented evidence of commitment to fair and equitable commercial conduct. (Electronic or hard copy).
Resident Selection Process:
- Criteria used as part of the are permissible under the terms of the Ontario Human Rights Code.
Code Card / Poster:
- Posted where visible to residents and prospective residents

CRBP’s Training and Education Component

One of the goals of the CRBP is to raise the level of property management professionalism across the industry. Education is also a key component of HRM discipline, and member employees are expected to complete and attend a number of training courses including the CRB Technical Training course, AODA/IASR Training, Environmental Awareness and Leaders course, and the new CRB Ambassador’s course. All CRBP educational offerings are run on a cost recovery basis only.

In today’s property management world, having educated and professional frontline employees is critical to maintaining your company’s reputation and image. It is a highly effective means of practicing effective frontline corporate governance, along with reducing risk.

Just like a well-oiled machine, a multifamily property is greater than the sum of its parts. Effective human resources management ensure your building is being managed in a professional manner that combines common courtesy with the swift resolution of on-site operational issues.

In the next part of our series, we will discuss the importance of resident operations and how property managers can properly address their tenants’ needs. For further information about the CRBP and how to apply for the certification, please contact Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario (FRPO), or visit our website today at www.frpo.org.

Law firm design: Canada vs US

When we recently compared law firm design in Canada and the US, the differences were surprising considering the distance between IA’s New York, Chicago, and Toronto offices is less than 500 miles. Furthermore, across the United States, spanning a wide range of regional differences stretched over 3,000 miles, the differences were minimal. Why the marked disparity between Canada and the US?

With historical ties to Britain, Canada was more likely to take its cue for law office design from Europe, where the universal-size office and office sharing is well established. In adopting that model, Canadians are significantly ahead of the US, which is tied to a 100-year-old tradition of personal offices for lawyers that increase in size with seniority. The private office in the US, as it has been in Canada, is an anticipated amenity that seems to come with passing the bar. Influenced by the promise and possibilities of new ways of working and leaner operating overheads already enjoyed by Canadian law firms, the landscape of US law offices is changing.

Thoughtful Office Space Reduction: New Conveniences and Economy

The universal-size office for partners and associates is an intelligent tradeoff. Canada’s adoption of that model drives a more centralized approach to administrative groups, new work styles, amenities, and opportunities for decompression typical of workspaces outside the legal realm. A reduction in square footage is also a possible source of cost-savings that can be applied to other areas of the practice or folded into profits. Transitioning to the single-size model, more the norm in Canada, is proceeding at a slow but steady pace in the US; in recent years all law firms that IA has refreshed or relocated have adopted a more universal-office size plan with increased collaboration and amenity spaces.

Free of multiple-size offices, Canadian law firms have a more flexible floorplan (an advantage for future-proofing). Single-size standard offices (usually 10’ x 15’ or 12’ x 15’), are smaller compared to the traditional law office model and do not accommodate groups of lawyers and support staff for collaboration. The smaller offices, used for heads-down work and privacy, force lawyers into shared areas for teaming and collaboration.

With this change comes the need for more and better multi-functional huddle rooms and collaboration areas with access to enhanced tools, for instance, whiteboards and AV displays. The emphasis on large displays for video conferencing with remote employees and clients has increased the importance of the AV infrastructure. Canadian law firms have made that infrastructure investment; US law firms are generally working with older AV technology.

Work from Anywhere and Increased Mobility

More and more Canadian law firms are relying on flex offices to accommodate partners who work from multiple offices, and with the advantage of enhanced digital resources, support staff and operations staff have more opportunities to work remotely.

The ability to work anywhere is important. Security and confidentiality issues are addressed through strict adherence to digital and physical security protocols and behavioural policies. When confidentiality is critical and even internal consumption is sensitive, then physical as well as digital security is necessary through the use of dedicated war/case rooms.

With a mobility-forward approach and the need to attract and retain operations staff top performers, the concept of centrally collocating HR, Real Estate/Facilities, Office Services, Finance, and IT functions is gaining traction in Canada. Incorporating new flexible and space efficient standards that are centralized on a floor/partial floor supports greater mobility, firm-wide accessibility of services, space savings and a better place to work for the operations groups. Raised floor systems enable deployment of flexible, easily reconfigured workstations and any future need to re-size support spaces. US law firms are just beginning to adopt the raised floor as they remodel or relocate. Aligning a firm’s goals with sustainable, energy efficient building stock with raised floor systems, Wellness amenities, and other enhanced services has growing appeal in the Canadian market.

The Disappearance of the Reference Library

Dismantling the formal law library is a common practice for Canadian firms. Law library collections are now dispersed among practice areas such as litigation and tax. The tradition of a dedicated library that might occupy as much as half floor is gone. Although legal research is almost 100 per cent digitized, librarians and research assistants are still required and are accommodated in smaller dedicated library spaces that also serve as a lounge, collaboration hub or alternate work area.

Investment in Health, Wellness, and Recreation

To support health and wellness programs, Canadian law firms work closely with HR departments and offer stress reduction spaces such as quiet rooms, mother’s rooms, etc. The availability of universal health care in Canada is probably a factor that contributes to this emphasis, which is evident, but not yet as great in the US.

Amenities for social connection within a single-size plan can include gaming for comradery and relaxation and inviting break, lounge, and work café areas. Large flexible spaces used for lunchrooms or seminars can also serve as areas to entertain clients, which is more prevalent today than it was in the past for law firms. In Canada, these feature amenities are shared spaces for lawyers and general staff with fewer “attorneys only” space allocations.

Final Thoughts

In Canada, with the move to universal-size offices for law firms and multiple choices for teaming, collaborating, working, and amenities, the barriers between attorneys and support staff are diminishing, creating an attractive environment to recruit and retain the best talent overall for the practice. The US is slowly making progress towards the universal-size plan, despite the challenge of tradition and expectations. Interestingly, while both nations seem in sync when it comes to general workplace trends, law firm design is the exception.

Suzanne Campbell, ARIDO, IDC, LEED AP, is project director in IA’s Toronto office. Matthew LoPresto, AIA, NCARB, RID, is design director in IA’s Philadelphia office. IA Interior Architects is the first global architecture firm focused exclusively on interiors.

This article is reprinted from IA’s blog.

UGM Women and Families Centre breaks ground

Union Gospel Mission (UGM) has broken ground on its $35.5 million new ‘Women and Families Centre.” The new facility, located on East Hastings at Heatley Avenue, will be the UGM’s largest expansion in 78 years.

“This new building will not only save lives, but change the trajectory of entire families for generations,” says UGM president Bill Mollard. “It means fewer children in poverty, fewer women on the street, and a future for families who are now struggling to find housing.”

The seven storey building will increase capacity to 135 beds from the previous building’s 21, and provide 63 units of new long-term housing and treatment. The 77,000 square-foot centre will also include childcare spaces, emergency supports, and a long-term addiction recovery program for women–the only program of its kind in the Downtown Eastside.

The new building, slated to open as early as 2021, is made possible by private donations and capital funding from all three levels of government: $14.5 million from the B.C. government, including $14 million through BC Housing and $500,000 from the Ministry of Children and Family Development; $11.375 million from the Government of Canada; $1.6 million from the City of Vancouver and $1.1 million in DCL waivers; and $720,000 from Streetohome Foundation.

“Our government has acted quickly to address the urgent need for housing that people can afford,” says Selina Robinson, British Columbia’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “It is not just about increasing the number of homes. It is about working with our partners, such as Union Gospel Mission, to build the right kind of homes to make life better for people at all ages, stages and income-levels.”

Through its seven locations in Metro Vancouver and the city of Mission, UGM provides emergency shelter, meals, outreach, career development counselling, education, safe and affordable housing, addiction recovery, after school supports, and much more to those struggling with poverty, homelessness and addiction.

Going with the Flow: A case study

It was a water main replacement that pushed M & E Engineering to dig deep within its expertise to bring relief to a Southern Ontario neighbourhood. Conducted over a span of two years, the $350,000 project tasked the mechanical engineering consulting firm with installing a new underground water main for an aging town home complex in Scarborough.

“The existing underground water main was cast iron and had come to the end of its expected service life,” recalls Ed Porasz, P.Eng., President of M & E Engineering. “Due to its condition, the complex was experiencing frequent water main leaks which were creating sinkholes on the driveway and leading to all kinds of headaches for the property owners.

Each sinkhole required a call to an underground plumbing and excavator. It also meant shutting down the main water main interrupting the water supply to all of the suites.

“Each of those emergency repair calls cost over $30,000,” explained Nick Jackson, Project Engineer and Associate with M & E. “And those costs were adding up.”

Going underground

On paper, the job was a straightforward replacement of an aging townhouse water main. Yet as anyone in the industry knows, underground infrastructure work is rarely cut and dry.

The town home complex was comprised of 50 town home units split between nine groups. Each group is supplied with domestic cold water through its own dedicated water service; however, shutting off water for one group meant cutting water supply for other homes.

“This used to be a standard design practice for the age of the site,” explains Jackson. “In our design, we had to allow for a temporary service to each home to prevent continual service disruptions to the other units in the same block when the water was turned off.”

Jackson adds Inoperable service shutoff valves also posed a challenge for the team.

Down to work

M & E Engineering worked with the complex’s property manager to scope the project and determine a solution that would best fit their objectives and budget. A decision was made to conduct full pipe replacement with tendering the project to a number of contractors. A contractor was then selected to carry out the project.

The replacement took place over two phases in Fall 2016 and fall of 2018. First, the contractor installed temporary branch services to a block of town homes to keep the water flowing for residents while they worked to replace the piping was underway. The project took a little longer than expected due to poor soil conditions.

The existing water main was then isolated from the city water main. Next, crews installed new service lines and isolation valves to each home, opting to reuse the existing copper branch from the isolation valve to the homes to reduce construction costs.

“The existing underground water piping was in poor condition, which is typically the case whenever the anodes on the existing steel piping are no longer present,” explains Jackson.

In its place, crews installed new municipal grade potable water PVC piping, which was then pressure tested to ensure no leaks were present. After cleaning and chlorinating the piping, and testing a water sample, the trench was closed and the property manager moved forward with their own plans to resurface the driveway.

Lessons learned

Underground work can be both be complex and costly. Yet as projects like M & E Engineering’s water main replacement in Scarborough make clear, some upfront consideration can save costs and prevent issues and make the overall project affordable and livable:

Water shutdowns: Test city water valves to ensure they are operable before starting a project.
Soil conditions: Test the underground soil before starting the project.
Safety first: Excavation equipment will block driveways. As such, it is important to safely control the flow of car and pedestrian traffic in the area.
Piping before paving: If a site has cast iron underground water mains, replacing the piping should be considered before replacement or major repaires of the asphalt pavement is considered.
Temporary water by-passes: Verify whether the site has isolation valves and identify where they are located throughout the complex. This should be investigated to allow the main to be isolated in various sections.

Ed Porasz and Nick Jackson are with M & E Engineering, a professional multi-disciplined mechanical and electrical engineering consulting firm serving clients in the GTA and across Canada. For more, visit www.me-eng.com.

Investor interest in rental properties remains high

Altus Group released its latest Housing Report highlighting recent sales activity across Canada. The insights garnered from the range of proprietary data produced by Altus indicate that investor interest in rental properties remained high in 2018.

Covering the range of housing sectors for major markets across Canada, purpose-built rental properties emerged as a compelling investment sought for its steady returns. Almost 1,100 rental apartment buildings comprised of over 40,000 suites were sold in the markets tracked by Altus Group, for a total purchase price of over $8.4 billion (27% higher than in 2017).

The average per suite price was $350,000 in Vancouver and $285,000 in the GTA. And while higher prevailing rent levels played a role in the higher unit prices in these markets, according to Altus, that is only part of the story – lower cap rates suggest buyers were willing to accept relatively lower initial income to acquire properties in these prime rental markets. Transaction cap rates were lower in most markets in 2018 compared to 2017, the exceptions being Calgary and the GTA. Prices per suite increased the most in Edmonton, Ottawa and Montreal.

Other highlights from the report:

Sales of new condominium apartments totaled just over 48,500 units in 2018, down 21% from the almost 62,000 sales in 2017. The GTA accounted for almost half of sales in the markets covered. New condo apartment sales climbed for the third year in a row in Montreal, to the highest level yet recorded.
1 in 5 recent homebuyers were self-employed, with a higher proportion in the new home market.
About 4% of Canadian homeowners aged 50 years or older indicated they were planning to buy a residential property in the next year. However, just 2% went on to do that.
Detached homes accounted for about 7 in 10 freehold sales in Calgary, with front drive homes more prevalent than laned product.
The total number of residential units in applications submitted last year was down slightly from 2017 for both Vancouver and Toronto, with Toronto following a much sharper drop in 2017.
More than half of developer respondents in each major region cited project cost escalation as being among their biggest challenges, with trade and labour shortages also cited as a concern for many developers, particularly in Ontario and Quebec.

NS rules out automatic unionization on weekends

Nova Scotia construction workers can no longer file applications for union certification on weekends or statutory holidays. A new regulation under the provincial Trade Union Act responds to an unique aspect of the construction sector’s dealings with the Nova Scotia Labour Board (NSLB). However, labour law specialists argue that quirky rules continue to disenfranchise some construction workers.

Prospective bargaining units are still subject to the so-called snapshot rule, which applies only in the construction industry. This conveys union certification without need for a vote if, on the day the application is filed, more than 50 per cent of the on-site workforce agrees. Construction workers are simply not counted if they are absent on the day an application is filed.

For all other sectors, the NSLB includes employees who are not working due to a scheduled day off, vacation, parental leave or long-term disability for a period of less than two years as part of the representative workforce. Supporters would have to number more than 50 per cent of this entire group to gain certification on the day the application is filed.

The new regulation decrees that construction workers must file applications during the regular workweek so that smaller weekend or holiday shifts cannot trigger automatic certification.

“This change is about striking the right balance and increasing the likelihood that the majority of the workforce is represented,” Derek Mombourquette, Nova Scotia’s Minister of Energy and Mines, said as the regulation went into force in late April.

Critics suggest it hasn’t gone far enough.

“The government’s rationale for this regulatory change is that ‘employees have a right to a fair workplace where they can have their voices heard’,” observes Rick Dunlop, a partner with Stewart McKelvey Lawyers in Halifax. “Therefore, it is difficult to understand why employees who take a day off due to illness, disability or vacation on a date that a union files an application that is not captured by this regulatory change, are also not entitled to a fair workplace where they can have their voices heard.”

OESC introduces new requirements

The newest edition of the Ontario Electrical Safety Code (OESC) includes important updates to safety requirements for any electrical work.

According to the Electrical Safety Authority’s press release the changes are designed to enhance electrical safety and protect workers and the public.

“Revisions to the Ontario Electrical Safety Code are made through a broad consultative process at both the provincial and national levels, and through the collaboration of ESA and its safety partners. The updated Code harmonizes the Ontario requirements with the rest of Canada,” says Nansy Hanna, director of engineering and program development, regulatory and safety programs, Electrical Safety Authority.

Ontario’s new legal requirements for electrical installations include:

Re-write of Section 10 requirements for bonding and grounding have been reorganized and reduced in size with some changes that will improve safety and simplify the installations;
Expanding the use of Tamper-resistant receptacles in educational facilities and hotels/motels;
Requirements for installing an identified (neutral) conductor at each control (switch) location of the permanently installed luminaire;
Alignment with the Ontario Building Code to prevent the installation of high-voltage conductors over buildings;
Providing adequate working space for electrical workers to undertake necessary repairs, maintenance and installation of transformers greater than 50kVA;
Prohibiting of installation of cables in concealed locations in the corrugated roof decking
Adding requirements for Energy Storage systems; and
Facilitating the use of Power over Ethernet to provide a pathway for sources of electricity.

In addition to prescriptive amendments and rules regarding instructions for safe electrical installations, the OESC also contains requirements regarding notifications. Specifically, almost all electrical work requires a notification. In Ontario, only a Licensed Electrical Contractor is legally allowed to be hired for electrical work, and only homeowners or occupants are able to conduct electrical work in their own home.

The 27th Edition of the Ontario Electrical Safety Code (OESC) became effective May 16, 2019.

Invesque to acquire Commonwealth Senior Living

Invesque Inc. (Invesque) has announced plans to acquire Commonwealth Senior Living (Commonwealth) and 20 private pay senior living communities comprising 1,440 units with 1,716 beds for a purchase price of US$340.4 million.

“We are thrilled to partner with Commonwealth and acquire this attractive portfolio of seniors housing properties,” said Scott White, Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Invesque in the press release.

“We have long believed alignment is the key to a successful partnership, and the Commonwealth acquisition allows us to vertically integrate with a leading regional operator. Furthermore, this transaction positions our portfolio well as we continue our focus on creating a diversified healthcare real estate company. Following this acquisition, we will have a larger and stronger platform to finance growth and take advantage of market fragmentation in the healthcare industry to create value for our shareholders.”

Upon the closing Invesque will have over US$1.8 billion of asset value with 122 properties and 10,844 beds strategically located in growing markets across 20 U.S. states and two Canadian provinces.

The transaction, which is subject to customary closing conditions, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2019. Commonwealth’s senior management team will continue to manage and operate the portfolio.

Call for 2019 Architectural Awards submissions

The call for submissions for the 2019 Architectural Awards Program is now open. Debuting this year, the Architecture Foundation of B.C. (AFBC) will be hosting the awards program. The AIBC will support the Foundation and will serve as a resource during this transitional year.

With the renewed relationship between the AIBC and the Architecture Foundation of B.C., it has been recognized that the promotional and advocacy opportunities of the awards are better aligned with the mandate of the AFBC; therefore, the awards program is being transferred in order to fully realize its potential.

As the founding organization of the Architectural Awards, the Institute will continue to support the program to maintain the highest of awards standards, especially during this transition year. The AIBC will play an ongoing role through vetting submissions for project and registrant compliancy, to ensure they meet regulatory requirements.

Award submissions are eligible for consideration if they have been completed within the past three years (January 2016 to December 2018).

A jury with representation from both within and outside the architectural profession will consider candidates in four award categories: the Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia Awards in Architecture (Medal and Merit Levels); the Innovation Award; the Emerging Firm Award and the Special Jury Award.

Entries and jury applications will be accepted until June 28, 2019, and can be submitted on the Architectural Awards website. Winners will be recognized at a ceremony to be held in fall 2019.

All-female development team breaks ground in Ontario

A residential project in Etobicoke, Ontario, has the unique distinction of being led by the country’s first all-women development team. The project, called Reina, will turn the city’s former House of Lancaster site along The Queensway into a new residential complex. It is being helmed by Taya Cook, Director of Development at Urban Capital; and Sherry Larjani, Managing Partner at Spotlight Developments; alongside a team of female real estate development professionals from across the region.

“We’re embarking on this project to create more visibility for women in real estate development, and to inspire younger women to see career possibilities,” says Cook. “For some reason, [the industry] has been seriously lagging in gender equity. Women have been prominent in all sorts of roles, and they are doing fantastic work in this industry, but our accomplishments aren’t well-recognized.

“We live in one of the most diverse cities in the world, and our built environment should reflect that,” she adds.

Cook and Larjani’s development team features many notable industry leaders, including:

Heather Rolleston, Principal at Quadrangle Architects
Lisa Spensieri, Project Lead at Quadrangle Architects
Jane Almey, Managing Partner at Bluescape Construction
Emily Reisman, Partner at Urban Strategies
Nataliya Tkach, Hydrogeological Engineer at EXP
Stacy Meek, Environmental Engineer at EXP
Fatima Shakil, Principal at Adjeleian Allen Rubeli
Tara Chisholm, Senior Project Manager at WSP Group
Fung Lee, Principal at PMA Landscape Architects
ManLing Lau, Vice-President of Sales at MarketVision Research

While the vision for Reina has yet to be made public, Cook says the group is committed to developing a residential building that will be “characterized by the female perspective at every degree, from the street level design to unit layouts.” To that end, it will hold a design consultation event on July 10, 2019, to share their ideas for building amenities and features, and learn more about lifestyles and needs of Reina’s future residents.

“Our team will be listening to what people want in their building and incorporate their feedback into the design. We want to create a building that truly accounts for everyone’s needs, from women to families to investors,” says Larjani.

Speaking to the significance of the project and its all-female team, she adds, “There aren’t many entrepreneurial women coming into the industry on their own … We need to give women positive role models and prove that a career in development is a viable path. It’s incumbent upon all of us to change this narrative.”

Distressed employees affect productivity: report

Research from Morneau Shepell Inc. and the International Employee Assistance Professionals Association (EAPA) shows that distressed employees spend more than one-third of their time at work being unproductive and average one full day off sick per month.

According to the recently published research, employees struggling with mental health or other well-being issues are unable to concentrate on their job, a symptom known as “presenteeism,” for more than a third of the total scheduled work time (38 per cent) – or about eight total days per month. For context, it is more than twice as much as the typical “healthy” employee.

In addition, these employees are also absent from work for an average of 7.36 hours per month – almost one full working day.

The study specifically focused on looks at the utilization and effectiveness of employee assistance programs (EAPs) and found that about eight out of every 10 cases for counseling were self-referrals, with referrals from a family or other source at seven percent, supervisor referrals at five percent, and a mandatory referral from HR or the employer at only two percent. Thus, 98 per cent of cases were people voluntarily using the EAP for counseling.

“The results of the research demonstrated that there is a good reason for employers to use an EAP to support distressed employees and enhance overall employee well-being,” said Barb Veder, vice-president and chief clinician, Morneau Shepell.

“After use of EAP-provided counseling, problem rates were reduced for every aspect measured in the report where employees need support. Thus, EAPs help to reduce the risks associated with workplace problems.”

The most common clinical issues behind the reduced productivity were related to mental health (i.e., depression, anxiety) or personal stress (40 per cent of cases), followed by relationship problems of marriage or family life (29 per cent), work and occupational issues (18 percent), and alcohol misuse and drug problems (four per cent).

The report is based on data from multiple employee assistance providers worldwide and over 23,000 employee use cases.

Tips for effective monthly reporting

The management of a condominium corporation is a shared assignment between the property manager and the board. While some boards may be more active than others, the manager is the one who is constantly on the ground and is aware and involved in the daily operating activities of the condominium corporation and their requirements.

Usually once per month, the condo board and the manager have the opportunity to sit together and review the ongoing activities of the condominium corporation. It is the moment of bonding, where the board is looking to the manager to be fully updated.

In order to be effective in this form of communication, it is highly important for the manager to be organized and precise in outlining the outstanding issues, if any. The preparation for the board meeting should not be done last-minute, but rather should start at the end of the last board meeting and continue throughout the period leading up to the next board meeting.

The following steps provide a guideline of what can be done to prepare before the next board meeting:

Prepare and circulate the agenda
First, prepare and circulate the agenda, in accordance with the Act and the corporation’s bylaws. The agenda should include notification of any invitee to the board meeting and the reason for it, as well as the time allocated to each of the invitees.

It should also include the approval of the previous board meeting minutes, any outstanding issues which the board has asked the
manager to deal with and any items up for discussion and approval (i.e. contracts, etc.).

Prepare a management report
The items on the agenda should be addressed in a very concise way in the management report, including what was done, how the manager was able to resolve it, and if they were not able to resolve it, why it could not have been resolved. Any physical issue with the maintenance of the common elements should be detailed, along with the recommendation by the manager on how to resolve it, and if possible, at least three detailed quotations which should include the work involved and if any guarantee is being provided and the length of guarantee, where it may be required.

In addition, the manager’s recommendation on which contractor to choose and the reasons for the selection should be included.

Some work may require the involvement of an engineer, and if so, the manager should also provide the board with three quotations which should describe the work required and the cost.

Review the corporation’s financial position
Finally, it is important to review the corporation’s financial position and the result of operations for the month or quarter end prior to the board meeting. The manager must remember that the board has a responsibility to all unit owners, and as such, should be apprised on the status of the corporation’s financial position. This requires the manager to review and fully understand the financial reporting.

The manager should remember that the financial position of the corporation is an important tool for the directors. It is the item that will influence the decisions of the board on issues related to the management of the affairs of the corporation and will determine the future of the corporation’s budget. There will be physical items, which despite the financial position of the corporation, will be required to be completed, while others may be required to be postponed.

The manager should be well-versed in the financial position as his or her input will assist the board members in their decision making. The input of the manager should not be limited only to the physical and financial aspects of the corporation, but also to other aspects. This input can be with respect to any other building issues which may occur, such as noise complaints, people smoking in the stairwells or littering in and around the building. It should also be the manager’s initiative to
bring suggestions to the board for a community event or circulation of a newsletter.

The more proactive the manager, the more benefit the board will receive.

Shlomo Sharon is the CEO of Taft Management Inc.

Industry welcomes removal of steel tariffs

The removal of U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs along with all Canadian countermeasures is being welcomed by the construction industry.

In a joint statement, the Government of Canada announced the elimination of the 25 per cent steel tariffs imposed by the U.S., citing Section 232, as well as Canada‘s countermeasure actions. As part of the agreement, Canada and the U.S. will work together to develop a process that will monitor steel trade among them, as well as from countries outside of North America, to prevent subsidized and/or dumped steel entering both countries.

The Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA), the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) and British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA) have been advocating for the removal of the steel and aluminum tariffs since it was first imposed in 2018.

“This is very good news for B.C.’s construction industry,” said Fiona Famulak, VRCA president. “The lifting of tariffs – and more importantly, the ending of the trade dispute – allows construction projects to move forward with certainty about the price and supply of goods and materials that have been tariffed for almost 11 months.”

Canada is a net importer of certain types of steel. Because shipping domestic steel across Canada by rail or truck is prohibitively expensive, the B.C. construction industry relies heavily on steel from both the U.S. and overseas to build our cities and infrastructure.

VRCA was concerned that tariffs on steel and aluminum critical for construction had the potential to delay or defer projects in the B.C. marketplace. The tariffs disrupted supply chains and created uncertainty at a time when British Columbia and Canada is investing billions of dollars necessary to build its infrastructure.

“This news will bring much needed relief to the construction industry, helping to restore business confidence and create stability in the marketplace,” said Mary Van Buren, CCA president.

“The BC Construction Association commends the efforts of the Canadian Construction Association on this important national advocacy file as they leaned-in alongside and on behalf of their provincial and regional construction associations,” said Chris Atchison, BCCA president.

According to the Canadian Institute of Steel Construction (CISC), the removal of the U.S. steel tariffs means Canada’s downstream steel construction sectors and steel fabricators are once again able to operate and bid on construction projects without contractual risk and uncertainty. The Canadian steel industry can remain globally competitive, providing quality steel products and structures on both sides of the border.

“We’re pleased to see such a positive resolution for the removal of the U.S. steel tariffs. Canadian steel companies and their employees deserve a fair chance to succeed and this negotiation has given them an opportunity to do so once again,” says Ed Whalen, CISC president and CEO.

The power of visual documentation

Along with a user-friendly construction management platform, one of the most critical investments you should make ahead of any new construction project is visual documentation. Photographic documentation will yield a positive return on investment throughout the lifecycle of a building, and now, new technology enables companies to have comprehensive as-built visual records of every project that they can use during and long after construction.

Putting technology to work during the build

At each phase of construction, visual documentation allows for a permanent installation record of in-wall, in-ceiling, or in-slab components, such as mechanical, electrical and plumbing (MEP) systems, hydronic heating elements and underground utilities. As each of these components will be permanently covered throughout construction, it is critical to visually capture their installation before the next phase of construction begins. This is compounded by the fact that there will be different subcontractors working on site at any given point of construction. Visual documentation gives all stakeholders an indisputable record of as-built conditions and eliminates costly knowledge gaps between contractors.

Crews can also use visual documentation as an important tool for planning, QA/QC, and inspection activities. For instance, the same drone-captured aerial imagery can be used by site superintendents for logistics planning while allowing other stakeholders the ability to efficiently inspect roofs or potentially hazardous areas from their desktop or mobile device, without adding an unnecessary safety risk.

Documenting for when (not if) something goes wrong

Another aspect of construction that professionals are very familiar with is that moment when something doesn’t go to plan. Despite all efforts to the contrary, we know that construction personnel are human, and global labour shortages add an additional layer of pressure on the weight of fewer qualified workers. That’s why visual documentation is critical for making sure that stakeholders have all the data that they need, especially when it comes to dispute resolution. Actual visual records of the project taken throughout various milestones of construction helps all stakeholders resolve disputes or quickly troubleshoot.

It can also save building owners a significant amount of money when construction defects are identified. Is that improperly-installed window present in every room or just an isolated number? Costly destructive verification can often be completely avoided by simply reviewing the visual documentation of the weatherproofing installation of each window.

Having visual documentation also helps to eliminate communication and data silos across stakeholders on the construction sites. Today’s cloud technology gives owners or developers real-time access to construction progress, often on a platform that can be shared with all relevant stakeholders, like architects, engineers, and construction personnel. Additionally, comprehensive visual records ensure a smooth turnover of the building and eliminate the knowledge gap between the departing construction crew and incoming facility team.

Referring to documentation throughout the building’s life

Often, the largest return on your investment in visual documentation will come after the build is complete. Visual construction records allow owners and facility managers to see the many systems encased in walls, floors, and ceilings – even as the people who work on and in the building change, ensuring knowledge transfer about the building. Knowing what you have, where you have it, and how it was installed can significantly reduce operations and maintenance costs. If there is a need for renovations down the line, facility managers will already know what’s behind the walls, in case there are hidden critical systems that might need to be avoided or addressed for the upcoming project.

While 2D imagery of now-covered systems provides incredible context, new technologies have added an additional layer of accuracy. 3D image technology, for instance, allows users to accurately calculate measurements of any object captured in that image in seconds. Taking measurements from a pre-slab 3D image before coring, for instance, reduces the costly and dangerous risk of hitting a post-tension cable. The latest 3D imaging technology is revolutionary – accuracy within several millimetres is now possible at a far lower price point than traditional methods like laser scanning.

Visual construction documentation can act as an insurance policy for when something goes wrong, but the most forward-thinking companies use it proactively, substantially increasing their return on its investment. Do your wallet a favour and avoid settling for the sporadic smartphone pictures that end up in a folder on someone’s computer. Instead, invest 0.1 per cent of your construction budget on an unbiased, third party professional to comprehensively capture your project from ground break to ribbon-cutting. This helps the bottom-line by tapping into their expertise and their technology to make the most out of your investment – and that’s what all construction stakeholders want.

Russ Bollig is the global product manager at Multivista. Multivista, part of Hexagon, is a leader in construction documentation services, offering a full suite of solutions on an intuitive cloud-based web platform.

Preparing for the Storm

Severe flooding in Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario due to snowmelt and rain has turned a national spotlight on the impact of extreme weather events. It’s no wonder, then, that a Canada-wide emergency awareness/preparedness survey conducted by FirstOnSite Restoration has revealed growing concerns over the ability to protect against future events and manage the potential damage.

“With the magnitude of recent catastrophic weather-related events in the headlines, Canadians are recognizing that now is an apt time to prepare for what lays ahead,” says Bill Fender, Senior Vice President, Commercial Property Portfolios, FirstOnSite.

Flooding is a particular focus among Canadian residents and property stakeholders. According to FirstOnSite’s survey, A majority (68%) of respondents said it is their number one concern, followed by earthquakes (41%) and hurricanes (37%).

Regional flooding concerns were highest among respondents in Quebec (81%), where several communities including greater Montreal have been ravaged by this year’s spring floods. Manitoba (79%) and Ontario (70%) were the other two regions that topped the national level of concern. The number was lowest in Alberta where only half of residents are concerned about flooding.

Unnatural causes
Flooding concerns aren’t necessarily tied to natural events. While the lion’s share of survey respondents had experienced a flood of some type, a quarter of those noted it was a result of a pipe burst or foundational leak.

“Not all disasters are natural,” says Fender. “We may see a lot of news about weather-related flooding, but the truth is there are a number ways water can pose safety concerns and wreak damage on a property.”

When it comes to ranking those damages, Canadians are most concerned about mold (77%). This is followed closely by concern over the loss of valuables, causing major renovations, having to leave their homes, personal safety, and their overall level of preparedness.

Stemming the tide
Flooding and mold-related issues may top Canada’s list of emergency preparedness concerns, but the good news is there is much that property managers/owners can do to bolster their property’s defenses.

According to FirstOnSite, some strategies include:

Stay informed. Follow the latest public weather alerts for your area at gc.ca/warnings.
Turn off the electricity in flood-prone areas of the property if a flood is expected in your area.
Waterproof your basement/lower levels. Fill any cracks in the foundation, and put weather protection sealant around windows and the base of ground-level doors. Install flood shields or barriers for basement windows and doors.
Anchor furnaces, water heaters, and other property equipment to the floor. Unsecured, they may tip over or float in a flood. A ruptured tank may leak fuel, creating a serious fire hazard.
Check that all lower-level flood drains are not blocked or covered. For extra precaution, you can install a water alarm to let you know if water is accumulating.
Clear debris from your roof and eavestroughs. This will ensure they drain properly during heavy rains.
Make sure your sump pump is working, and install a battery-operated backup in case of a power failure.

Read more flood preparation tips, and learn more emergency preparation/recovery strategies for every seasonal risk at FirstOnSite.com.

Survey Methodology
From May 2 to May 3, 2019, an online survey was conducted among a representative sample of 1087 Canadians who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. For comparison purposes only, the sample plan would carry a margin of error of +/- 3.0 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

FirstOnSite Restoration is a leading Canadian-based disaster restoration company providing remediation, restoration, and reconstruction services nationwide, as well as for the US large loss and commercial market. For more information, visit www.firstonsite.ca.

The duty to accommodate disabled residents

A recent case decision from the Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario (the “Tribunal”) focused on the obligation to accommodate disabled residents.

In October of 2016, a disabled resident requested that automatic door openers be installed at their building’s front entrance to allow him to easily enter the building while using his scooter, walker or cane. The resident’s initial request and a subsequent request by the resident’s lawyer were ignored. After several undertakings by building management to install the automatic openers by March, 2017 and then August, 2017, this did not happen. In September, 2017 an engineering report submitted to the building owners concluded that it was not possible to install automatic openers in compliance with the Ontario Building Code as the doors would be opening onto a narrow sidewalk and potentially could push people onto the road. However, this report was not provided to the resident. In December of 2017, automatic door openers were installed at the rear entrance to the building. A buzzer, additional lighting and planters were also installed at the rear entrance to make it safer and more inviting.

The resident commenced an application before the Tribunal claiming that he had been discriminated against because of his disability and that the installation of automatic door openers at the rear of the building did not constitute reasonable accommodation. The resident claimed that being forced to use the rear entrance was embarrassing and an injury to his dignity as other residents were entitled to use the front door.

The Tribunal acknowledged that there is a “duty to take positive action to ensure that members of disadvantaged groups benefit equally from services offered to the general public”. However, the Tribunal noted that this duty is subject to the principle of reasonable accommodation to the point of undue hardship. This means that an accommodation seeker is not entitled to a “solution of his choice or a perfect solution” – just reasonable accommodation. The Tribunal concluded that after determining that the installation of automatic openers at the front entrance of the building was not feasible, the installation of automatic openers at the rear entrance was a reasonable solution and that the building owners had discharged their duty to accommodate the resident.

However, the Tribunal determined that the building owners failed to discharge the procedural component of the duty to accommodate as they had failed to deal with the resident’s accommodation request with “due diligence and dispatch”. In all it took about 15 months from the time that the resident moved into the building to make an entrance to the building accessible. Consequently, the Tribunal ordered the building owners to pay the resident the sum of $10,000 in general damages as compensation for injury to dignity, feelings and self-respect.

This case should serve as a warning to all condominium corporations that receive a request to accommodate a disabled resident. Not only must the corporation assess the request and all accommodation options open to it, it must do so promptly and within a reasonable time period after the request has been made. Even if the corporation ultimately does take measures to accommodate the disability, it could be found to have breached the procedural duty to accommodate if the request has not been dealt with in a timely manner.

Denise Lash is Founder of Lash Condo Law.

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