Canada Public Works projects

Construction projects 2012/13

Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC) has received approval for more than $2.6 billion worth of federal office building construction and redevelopment projects. These key projects include:

CONSTRUCTION OF THREE NEW FEDERAL BUILDINGS IN GATINEAU

22 Eddy Street, Gatineau, QC (Lease Purchase)

CONTRACT:

• Name of developer: Broccolini

Construction • Lease terms: 25 years – at the end of the lease, the Government of Canada has the option to purchase the building and land for one dollar • Annual lease rate: $11,700,000

BUILDING / TENANTS:

• Approximate size: 41,872 square metres – 15 floors

• Approximate number of federal

employees: 2,200 • Name of tenant: Public Service

Commission will be the main tenant • Estimated move-in: May 2013 30 Victoria Street, Gatineau, QC (Lease Purchase)

CONTRACT:

• Name of developer: Mutlivesco Inc. • Lease terms: 25 years – at the end of the lease, the Government of Canada has the option to purchase the building and land for one dollar • Annual lease rate: $11,700,000

BUILDING / TENANTS:

• Approximate size: 41,872 square metres – 16 floors

• Approximate number of federal

employees: 2,200 • Name of tenant: Elections Canada will be the main tenant • Estimated move-in: June 2013 455 boulevard de la Carrière, Gatineau, QC (Lease Purchase)

CONTRACT:

• Name of developer: Broccolini

Construction • Lease terms: 25 years – at the end of the lease, the Government of Canada will automatically own the building and land • Annual lease rate: $8,530,000

BUILDING / TENANTS:

• Approximate size: 36,694 square metres – 12 floors

• Approximate number of federal

employees: 1,900 • Name of tenant: Department of

National Defence • Estimated move-in: November 2012

OTHER

90 Elgin Street - Lorne Building, Ottawa, ON (Redevelopment)

CONTRACT:

• Name of developer: Great West Life

Assurance Company • Lease terms: 25 years – at the end of the lease, the Government of Canada will automatically own the building and land • Annual lease rate: $19,500,000

BUILDING / TENANTS:

• Approximate size: 60,000 square metres – 17 floors

• Approximate number of federal

employees: 2,000 • Name of tenant: Department of

Finance will be the main tenant • Estimated move-in: November 2014

73 Leikin Drive - Royal Canadian Mounted Police National Headquarters, Ottawa, ON (Lease Purchase)

CONTRACT:

• Name of developer: Minto

Developments Inc. • Lease terms: 25 years – at the end of the lease, the Government of Canada has the option to purchase the building and land for one dollar • Annual lease rate: $4,945,719

BUILDING / TENANTS:

• Approximate size: 73,000 square metres • Name of tenants: Royal Canadian

Mounted Police • Estimated move-in: Late 2012

14200 Green Timbers Way, Surrey, B.C. - RCMP E Division Headquarters Relocation Project (Public-Private Partnership - Design Build Finance Maintain)

CONTRACT:

• Name of developer: Green

Timbers Accommodation Partners (A consortium between InfraRed

Capital Partners, Bouygues Bâtiment

International and ETDE Facilities

Management Canada) • Terms: Under the Public Private

Partnership (P3) Project Agreement, the Government of Canada will make monthly service payments to Green

Timbers Accommodation Partners, upon service commencement, over the 25-year facilities management term.

The Government of Canada retains ownership of the site at all times. • Total Cost: $975,000,000 (over 25 years post-construction, and including insurance costs)

BUILDING / TENANTS:

• Approximate size: 76,162 square metres – multi-building complex which will include a 7-storey office building, a post disaster building and a high-bay garage/workshop. • Approximate size of the land: 14.8 hectares

• Approximate number of federal

employees: 2,700 • Name of tenant: Royal Canadian

Mounted Police E Division • Estimated move-in: June 2013 80 Garland Avenue, Burnside Business Park, Dartmouth, NS (Crown Construct)

CONTRACT:

• Name of Contractor: PCL Constructors

Canada Inc. • Purchase price: $59,000,000

BUILDING / TENANTS:

• Approximate size: 19,613 square metres – 5 floors

• Approximate number of federal

employees: 500 • Name of tenant: Royal Canadian

Mounted Police H Division

Headquarters • Estimated move-in: December 2013

395 Terminal Avenue, Ottawa Train Yards, Ottawa, ON (Build-to-Lease)

CONTRACT:

• Name of developer: Ottawa Train

Yards J.V. Ltd • Lease terms: 15 years, with one option to extend for an additional five years • Annual rent: Annual net rent of approximately $4,454,686

BUILDING / TENANTS:

• Approximate size: 22,270 square metres

• Approximate number of federal

employees: 1,375 • Name of tenant: Canada Revenue

Agency • Estimated move-in: January 2013

California bridge using AXION’s 100% recycled plastic building materials set for ribbon cutting ceremony on December 7

First bridge of its kind in California

AXION International Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB: AXIH), a leader in recycled plastic and plastic composite technologies used to produce ECOTRAX™ rail ties and STRUXURE™ building products, announced that the Company’s President and CEO, Steve Silverman will attend a ribbon cutting ceremony for the opening of the first bridge in California to be constructed out of AXION’s STRUXURE™ building products made of 100% recycled consumer and industrial plastics. The 25-foot pedestrian bridge has the distinction of being the first known bridge on the West Coast with a superstructure and fencing made of recycled plastic. STRUXURE™ is compatible with traditional building materials, enabling the bridge’s engineer to use timber for the bridge’s decking. Designed for pedestrians and horses alike, the bridge is located in Santa Rosa Valley. The bridge crosses the Arroyo Santa Rosa, located 300 yards west of East Las Posas Road in Ventura County.

A ribbon cutting and dedication ceremony led by Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks was scheduled to take place on Friday, December 7. The entrance to the trail bridge is located next to the road bridge which is about 1/4 mile north of Santa Rosa Road on East Las Posas Road in Santa Rosa Valley.

The bridge was designed by bridge engineer John Dickerson of VCE Services in Ventura. Dickerson selected AXION’s STRUXURE™ building material for the bridge’s superstructure and fencing. R&D 100 selected the STRUXURE™ beam as one of the top 100 new technologies of 2011. Newsweek magazine named AXION’s technology one of the top 10 ‘Big Green Ideas of 2010.’ AXION’s structural building materials have been used for bridges in a U.S. Army facility in Virginia, as well as at Fort Bragg, North Carolina where three bridges support 70-ton, M-1 tanks. Developed by scientists at Rutgers University’s Department of Materials Science and Engineering, the structural thermoplastic material is non-toxic, does not leach or warp, and is completely recyclable at the end of its functional life.

Bridge Engineer Dickerson commented on STRUXURE™, “I think it’s fantastic, because a long time ago when I graduated from college, a professor told me that sooner or later, they would use plastic and it would be one of the best building materials there is. It’s here now, and it’s going to be used for a very long time.”

“I plan to use the plastic material for projects in and around the ocean, where steel corrodes, concrete cracks, and wood warps and eventually erodes because of insects. You couldn’t use a better material around saltwater because it’s totally immune to anything saltwater can possibly do to it. The applications for this material are almost endless,” Dickerson added.

AXION President and CEO Steve Silverman commented, “We are very proud of what we’ve achieved in bringing a highperformance, sustainable building material into the California market that leads the world in its dedication to the environment. STRUXURE™ offers a superior long-term value to communities and repurposes plastic waste into structural building materials. I am honored to be a part of this ribbon cutting ceremony.”

About STRUXURE™ Bridges

STRUXURE™ Bridges are engineered from AXION’s patented, 100%-recycled plastic formulation. Because the recycled structural composite material is inert, STRUXURE™ Bridges will not rot or absorb moisture, and they are impervious to insect infestation, making them ideal in harsh environments. Because of their durability and low maintenance, they are an excellent cost-effective, long-term solution in bridge applications. In boardwalks, short-span vehicular bridges, and multi-span superstructures, STRUXURE™ is specified for its performance, longevity, and sustainable design. From Scotland to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, STRUXURE™ Bridges are providing long-term, sustainable solutions around the world. For more information about STRUXURE™ Bridges, visit www. axionintl.com/products-composite-bridges.html.

About AXION

AXION (OTCBB: AXIH) is a green technology company, transforming waste plastics into structural building materials. Using 100%-recycled consumer and industrial plastics, AXION develops, markets and sells its recycled structural composite products through its ECOTRAX™ composite railroad tie and STRUXURE™ building material lines. From the railroading industry to the military to global engineering firms, AXION delivers tested, proven and superior green solutions to infrastructure needs around the world. www.AXIH.com

Forward-Looking Statements

This release contains “forward-looking statements” for purposes of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s “safe harbor” provisions under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and Rule 3b-6 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause AXION’s actual results to differ materially from those currently anticipated, including the availability of materials at favorable pricing, sufficient manufacturing capability and the risk factors identified in AXION’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

SOURCE: Axion International Holdings, Inc.

Canada needs cash-rich corporations to help pay for infrastructure, services: Flaherty

While governments are money-strapped, corporations are ‘awash in cash,’ and Canada needs them to help pay for infrastructure and services, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said.

“The reality is that governments are cash short. The good news is that the balance sheets of corporations in Canada are very strong and are awash in cash,” Mr. Flaherty told about 1,500 delegates at the annual conference for the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnership in Toronto.

“The P3 approach is an essential part of our government’s future plans.… At the federal level, we intend to do more P3s.”

Mr. Flaherty urged governments to avoid an ‘ideological approach’ to P3s, as the model, which involves the development of public services or infrastructure through private and public funding, crosses political lines.

“I had the opportunity to travel to the U.K. to look into their experience with P3s,” he said in an afternoon speech. “They told me that the Labour government of Prime Minister Blair was pursuing P3s as a matter of policy, even though the concept had been introduced by the previous conservative government.”

Stressing the importance of P3s for building infrastructure in the country, he cited massive projects such as the Canadian-backed international bridge between Detroit and Windsor. Rick Snyder, the governor of Michigan, presented a speech at the two-day conference, calling the bridge a win for both sides and touting the potential of ‘tens of thousands of jobs’ through increased trade.

While the bridge is a high-profile example of a bi-national P3, smaller municipal projects are expected to fuel the future market; many of the presentations at the conference focused on local projects including transit, social housing and water/wastewater ventures.

The latter is one of the slowest areas to catch on due to public concern and the smaller nature of the projects (the current P3 model is tailored to large developments worth hundreds of millions of dollars).

“We truly are approaching crisis time in Canada with respect to the need for upgrades to our wastewater treatment facilities,” Rick Quail, municipal manager at the Town of Okotoks, AB, said. “Something has to be done in a timely fashion.”

Okotoks, a fast-growing small town of 25,000 residents in southern Alberta, needed to upgrade its wastewater treatment plant in the early 2000s. The costs were estimated at $25-million.

“We stepped back and said, ‘There has got to be another way to procure this, because this is going to break us,’” Mr. Quail said to hundreds of delegates during a panel discussion. “If $25-$30 [million] turns into $40-50 [million], this community is going to have to spend all of its financial resources for the next generation upgrading its wastewater treatment plant.”

The town turned to a public-private partnership and a firm bid on the project for $11.25-million.

According to Mr. Quail’s research, about 400 of 1,000 water/wastewater treatment plants in Canada are in immediate upgrades or reconstruction before 2020.

“Municipalities need nudging at times. Elected officials need some encouragement to prioritize these infrastructure upgrades,” Mr. Quail said. “But there needs also to be financial support and processes going forward to assist communities to do this.”

(Bill Pugliano/Getty Images) - The Ambassador Bridge, which links Detroit to Windsor. Stressing the importance of P3s for building infrastructure in the country, Flaherty cited massive projects such as the Canadianbacked New International Trade Crossing.

Source – Melissa Leong, Financial Post website, Nov. 26, 2012 5:45 pm ET/Last updated: Nov. 26, 2012 5:49 pm ET.

Skills/Compétences Canada: Spotlight shines on British Columbia as it prepares to host the 2013 Skills Canada National Competition

Skills/Compétences Canada announced that Canada’s best skilled trade and technology students, representing all provinces and territories, along with industry experts, trainers and educators, will gather in Vancouver from June 5 - 8, 2013 for the Skills Canada National Competition. More than 500 students are expected to participate in the event, which will feature at least 40 skilled trade competitions ranging from carpentry and mobile robotics to welding, aircraft maintenance and fashion design.

The annual Competition brings together Canada’s best and brightest skilled trade students, where they are tested against exacting industry standards configured by a National Technical Committee comprised of skilled trade and technology experts from industry and education.

“We are pleased to announce today that the 2013 Skills Canada National Competition will take place in Vancouver, British Columbia”, said Donavon Elliott, President of Skills/ Compétences Canada. ”This annual event is one of the major initiatives that we organize to raise awareness of the tremendous opportunities for young people who choose career paths in skilled trades and technology. With ongoing support from the Government of Canada, industry leaders and educators, the Skills Canada National Competition is the only event of its kind for these young people to showcase their talent while competing for prestigious awards that can propel their career forward.”

In addition to the Competition, the event offers an opportunity for 10,000 visiting students and young career-seekers to take part in interactive Try-A-Trade® and Technology Demonstrations. Activities cover a broad range of skills from designing a home using the latest architectural software to the culinary art of carving vegetables.

“In British Columbia, it is estimated that there will be one million job openings by 2020 with 43% requiring specialized skills training”, said Amber Papou, Executive Director of Skills Canada British Columbia. “Considering that many skilled trade workers will be retiring within the next 20 years, a more alarming statistic indicates that only one quarter of young people aged 13 to 24 plan to consider a career in the skilled trades. Hosting the 2013 Skills Canada National Competition will provide thousands of BC youth with the opportunity to explore a multitude of skilled trade and technology career possibilities that they may never have considered otherwise.”

The Skills Canada National Competition brings together industry, educators and other stakeholders to provide young people, such as Caitlin Mayo, former provincial, national and WorldSkills competitor, and the current owner of Sugar Patisserie in Surrey BC, with the resources that they need to move toward a career in the skilled trades/technologies:

“Training for a skills competition is one of the best ways a student can master their skill,” says Caitlin Mayo. “In my experience, participating in the skills competitions gave me invaluable experience while allowing me to learn new elements of my craft that I use in my business today.”

About Skills Canada British Columbia

Skills Canada British Columbia (Skills BC) is a proactive nonprofit organization that partners with government, educators, private industry and labour to promote and celebrate the skilled trades & technologies as first choice career opportunities for young people across the province. As a means of helping to offset current and pending labour shortages in skilled labour in the province, Skills BC offers positive and exciting handson experiences to thousands of students annually. For more information please visit www.skillscanada.bc.ca.

About Skills/Compétences Canada

Skills/Compétences Canada was founded in 1989 as a national, not-for-profit organization that works with employers, educators, labour groups and governments to promote skilled trades and technology careers among Canadian youth. Its unique position among private and public sector partners enables it to work toward securing Canada’s future skilled labour needs while helping young people and aspiring apprentices discover rewarding careers.

Skills/Compétences Canada offers experiential learning opportunities including skilled trades and technology competitions for hundreds of thousands of young Canadians through regional, provincial/territorial, national and international events, as well as skilled trade awareness programs. Many programs highlight digital and essential skills, which are crucial qualifications in most careers of today. Headquartered in Ottawa, Ontario, Skills/Compétences Canada is the Canadian Member organization of WorldSkills International. For more information about Skills/Compétences Canada visit www. skillscanada.com, or call 877-754-5226.

Équipe Canada WorldSkills 2013

Les Olympiades canadiennes des métiers et des technologies est la plus importante rencontre en son genre au pays. En effet, il s’agit de la seule compétition nationale de métiers et de techniques destinée aux étudiants et aux apprentis du Canada. Chaque année, les Olympiades réunissent quelque 500 jeunes de toutes les régions du Canada, ainsi que leurs parents et conseillers, dans le cadre de concours pour plus de 40 domaines de spécialisation. Les concurrents et les concurrentes, qui sont inscrits à un programme de formation professionnelle ou technique, ont alors l’occasion d’évaluer leurs compétences selon des normes rigoureuses et de se mesurer à d’autres jeunes du pays. Ils cherchent aussi à remporter l’honneur d’être couronnés les meilleurs de leur discipline respective.

Company Page Phone # Website/E-mail

Altus Group 2 905-953-9948 www.altusgroup.com

BTY Group

CB Ross Cost Consulting 7 416-596-9339 www.bty.com

30 416-487-3330 www.cbross.ca

George Brown College 6 800-265-2002 coned.georgebrown.ca

Insite SiteWork 10 877-746-7483 www.insitesoftware.com

Ontario General Contractors Association 13 905-671-3969 www.ogca.ca

Pelican Woodcliff Inc. 23 905-889-9996 www.pelicanwoodcliff.com

PlanSwift Takeoff & Estimating Software 13 888-752-6794 www.planswift.com

SMARTBIDNET 32 866-888-8538 www.smartbidnet.com

TD Insurance Meloche Monnex

TTcm2r Inc. 16 866-296-0888 CIQS.Tdinsurance.com

31 416-925-1424 www.ttcm2r.com

Vertigraph, Inc./Interworld

Walcon 12 800-663-6001 http://www.interworldna.com/vertigraph/siteworx_os.php

9 866-392-5547 www.walcon.ca

Please support these advertisers who help make Construction Economist possible.

CB ROSS

COST CONSULTING

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

- Senior Cost Planner - Project Monitor

C.B. Ross Cost Consulting is a consulting firm located in Toronto, Ontario offering consulting services to a wide spectrum of clients from project inception through to completion. We have job opportunities in our Project Monitoring and Cost Planning/Estimating departments. Candidates must have:- - relevant experience in the construction industry - strong communication skills - time management skills - be working towards (or have interest in) RICS and CIQS membership. In return, we offer an extensive employee package commensurate with expertise, qualifications and skills. If you are interested, please submit your resumé by email: mail@cbross.ca or by fax: (416) 487-3017 Only select candidates whose resumés best match our requirements will be contacted.

We make the difference every day. Could you?

We are Turner & Townsend, a leading independent global consultancy with clients in the property, infrastructure and natural resources sectors.

Our services are extensive, from preparing business cases and operational blueprints, through programme and project delivery, to asset optimisation.

As a result of our continued success winning major programmes and projects around the world, for many of the largest international clients, we are growing and looking for talented and energetic people. We want you to grow with us.

Locations

Opportunities exist in all of our regions across property, infrastructure and natural resources:

■ Americas ■ UK ■ Europe ■ Africa ■ Middle East ■ Asia ■ Australia

People

We are interested in people at all levels in the following areas:

■ Management consultants ■ Programme managers ■ Project controllers and planners ■ Project managers ■ Cost managers ■ Cost estimators ■ Contract and claims specialists

You could be a sector specialist or a generalist, but you will have an impressive track record of delivery.

For further details of current opportunities, please contact Josie Wylie, 416-925-1424 or email torontohr@ttcm2r.com or visit the recruitment area on our website www.turnerandtownsend.com

Please indicate which regions are of interest to you.