Ontario Concrete Awards recognizes ECAN RMX and Innocon Teams
OSSGA honours ECAN Aggregates Team
Reeves
From Trash to Treasure - Rethinking the way we look at waste by Sarah Reeves
Building Progress Through Sustainable Infrastructure: A Collaborative Effort in GHG Emission Reduction
How Lafarge Canada’s Low-Carbon concrete shaped the West Five Community in London
ECAN Lafarge Leadership Development Program (LLDP) cohort graduation event celebrates young talent
January 28 is Data Privacy Day
Annual Update: Workplace Harassment, Sexual Harassment, Bullying & Violence
ECAN Participation in the 2024 Buildings Show
FROM THE DESK OF PETER SANGUINETI
Happy New Year! I hope 2025 has started on a positive and inspiring note for each of you.
Vice President, General Manager, Aggregates & Asphalt, Lafarge Canada (East)
Happy New Year! I hope 2025 has started on a positive and inspiring note for each of you. Welcome to the first edition of Built for All, your go-to e-magazine for all things Lafarge Eastern Canada.
As we embark on another promising year, let’s take a moment to reflect on our progress and ongoing optimization of our business. This edition is packed with insights into our business updates, a celebration of our
teams’ milestones, and a showcase of the remarkable progress we’ve made as a company.
A special shoutout goes to our Aggregates and RMX teams for earning prestigious industry awards—an impressive recognition of their passion, collaboration, and grit; and our unwavering commitment to sustainability and innovation. Your hard work and dedication continue to set the bar high, and we couldn’t be
prouder of what you’ve achieved.
Looking ahead, I’m excited about the opportunities 2025 holds for all of us. Together, we’ll continue to innovate, grow, and make a positive impact on our communities and the environment.
Thank you for your contributions to our shared success.
Enjoy reading this edition, and let it inspire you for the exciting journey ahead.
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
From Trash to Treasure: The way we look at waste
By Sarah Reeves, Director, Geocycle Canada
What if waste wasn’t wasted? In her latest Thought Leadership Piece, Sarah Reeves, Director, Geocycle Canada, shared about her personal journey and how Geocycle and Lafarge Canada have been partnering up to turn trash into treasure and are reshaping the industry. From commissioning the state-of-the-art LowCarbon Fuel (LCF) in Brookfield, to reducing landfill reliance and CO2 emissions, Sarah shares the power of utilizing waste to
pave the way for a more sustainable future.
“Growing up in a rural community in a small town outside Vancouver I was never introduced to the facade of shiny garbage trucks or efficiently run transfer stations. I was acutely aware of where our waste ended up, because every few weeks I had to load up my Dad’s pickup truck with our garbage bins and make the 20-minute drive with him to the local landfill
where we paid to dispose of our waste. I remember seeing the landfill and thinking “what now?”
Waste by its definition means something that is discarded as worthless, defective, or of no use.”
Building Progress Through Sustainable Infrastructure: A Collaborative Effort in GHG Emission Reduction
At Lafarge Canada, sustainability isn’t just an ideal; it’s our commitment in action. Our recent involvement with the Canadian Underground Infrastructure Innovation Centre (CUIIC) in a research study on reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in underground infrastructure demonstrates how we’re advancing that commitment. This study brings together three Canadian universitiesUniversity of Alberta, Concordia University, and the University of Toronto, to develop innovative strategies on emissions reduction across various phases of underground infrastructure projects.
Lafarge’s Involvement: Our participation in this study is a result of our ongoing sustainability partnership with Concordia
University. We identified a natural synergy between our efforts to expand the use of recycled concrete aggregates in Quebec and the need to address GHG emissions in underground infrastructure.
Roles and Contributions: We’re joining 22 industry partners from various sectors to tackle GHG emissions in the underground infrastructure sector. As Canada’s leading supplier of building materials, our contribution will go beyond materials, we will share critical data and insights that have the potential to redefine industry standards. Our focus is on reducing the carbon footprint of concrete technologies and exploring innovations such as alternative binders and advanced manufacturing processes.
HOW LAFARGE ECAN’s LOW-CARBON CONCRETE SHAPED THE WEST FIVE COMMUNITY (LONDON)
Lafarge ECAN is proud to have played a key role in the West Five project; an innovative development recognized as Canada’s first sustainable smart community, located in London, Ontario. Designed and developed to set new standards for low-carbon urban living, this project showcases the power of collaboration, innovation, and sustainable materials.
Key Highlights of the Project: Lafarge Canada supplied
approximately 16,500m3 of concrete to the project including 12,000m3 of our ECOPact Low Carbon Concrete
• Low-Carbon Concrete Adoption: By incorporating lowcarbon concrete, the project significantly reduced its carbon footprint without compromising strength or durability.
• Collaborative Efforts: A collaboration with Sifton Properties, Hayman Construction Inc., Middlesex Concrete Forming and michael + clark Construction ensured sustainability goals aligned with innovative building practices.
Our Lafarge Leadership Development Program (LLDP) cohort recently graduated, a milestone in our goal of shaping the next generation of leaders at Lafarge Canada.
The LLDP is designed for young professionals across Eastern Canada, providing them with the tools, experi-
ences, and insights to thrive in our industry. In this video, hear from Mohit Johal, Bouchra Berrissoul, and Josiah Bailey as they share how the program prepared them to tackle challenges, grow their careers, and lead with purpose.
We had the opportunity to speak to Andy Unger about his new role.
Click on the image below to watch the video.
ECAN LLDP GRADUATION
CELEBRATES YOUNG TALENT
FROM THE DESK OF GLEN KING January 28 is Data
Privacy Day
Dear colleagues, This January 28, Lafarge Eastern Canada joins organizations worldwide in recognizing Data Privacy Day. This annual event serves as a reminder of the critical importance of protecting personal and professional information in today’s digital age.
As ECAN employees, each of us plays a vital role in safeguarding our company’s and customers’ sensitive data. Maintaining trust and security starts with simple but impactful actions.
Here are a few key principles to reinforce
our commitment to data privacy:
• Protect Your Credentials: Use strong, unique passwords and never share them. Enable twofactor authentication where possible.
• Be Vigilant: Watch for phishing emails and other suspicious activity. When in doubt, verify with IT before clicking on links or downloading attachments.
• Secure Devices: Ensure that devices used for work are passwordprotected and updated regularly. Report lost or stolen equipment immediately.
• Respect Privacy Laws:
Understand and comply with applicable regulations and company policies when handling personal data.
To further our collective knowledge, listen to a podcast that covers what procedures are in place at Lafarge Eastern Canada for protecting data and resources available to you.
Available resources:
• Employee Privacy Policy
• Facility Video Monitoring
• Social Media Policy
READ FULL NOTE AND THE FRENCH VERSION
Annual Update: Workplace Harassment, Sexual Harassment, Bullying & Violence
Lafarge Canada is committed to providing a work environment in which all employees are treated with respect and dignity. Lafarge will not tolerate workplace harassment, workplace sexual harassment, bullying or violence of any kind.
All ECAN provinces are asked to complete the tasks below.
1. Immediately post the 2025 Policy and One Page Statement. This is a Ministry of Labour compliance item and cannot be overlooked.
2. Annual Convergence training on this topic is also required for all ECAN employees. Ensure that your employees have completed the training.
ECAN Participation in the 2024 Building Show
Last December, Lafarge Eastern Canada proudly participated in The Buildings Show 2024, held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
Our 200 sq. ft. booth in the World of Concrete section showcased innovative solutions like ECOPact, our low-carbon concrete, and Dynamax, our high-performance concrete, as well as BMQ bagged and volumetric concrete products. These offerings demonstrate our commitment to sustainability, efficiency,
and help shape a more sustainable future in the construction industry.
The event gave us a chance to connect with over 18,000 industry professionals, including key stakeholders, clients, and suppliers. Our booth welcomed a diverse group of visitors, including general contractors, engineers, developers, architects, and industry thought leaders, all eager to discuss the latest trends in concrete
technology. While the turnout for concretefocused leads was smaller this year, it was a valuable opportunity to strengthen relationships, raise awareness about Lafarge’s leadership in sustainability, and share our vision for reducing the carbon footprint of the built environment.
On February 12-13, Lafarge will be at the Canadian Concrete Expo in Toronto. Make sure to stop by our booth.
PRESS PULSE
A low-carbon fuel facility turns waste into cement plant energy
International Cement Review has recently published a Thought Leadership Piece by our very own Sarah Reeves
To support Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy, Geocycle and Lafarge Canada commissioned their LowCarbon Fuel facility at the Brookfield cement plant. Following the success of this facility, they extended the programme to construct a second facility at the Exshaw plant in Alberta.
In a landmark move towards sustainable industrial practices, Geocycle and Lafarge
Read the full article.
Canada’s cutting-edge Low Carbon Fuel (LCF) facility in Brookfield, Nova Scotia, has been steadily ramping up operations since its launch in June 2024.
The Lafarge Brookfield Cement plant has been a part of the community since its commissioning in 1965, and has undergone several initiatives over the years to help reduce its use of traditional fossil fuels. As announced in September, the state-of-the-art facility
- backed by an investment exceeding $10-millionmarks the most significant transformation at the Brookfield cement plant in nearly 50 years. Supported by a $3.53 million grant from the Canadian federal government’s Energy Innovation Program, the initiative is a key step toward advancing clean energy technologies to support Canada’s transition to a lowcarbon economy.
Lafarge, Aecon and Carbicrete announce completion of project using cement-free masonry
Lafarge Canada, Aecon and CarbiCrete recently announced the completion of a project that uses cement-free concrete masonry units, or CMUs.
Representatives from the three companies were on hand to cut the ribbon at Aecon’s Innovation and Training Centre in Holland Landing, north of Toronto.
The building is the first to be built using CarbiCrete’s
CMUs and low-carbon concrete from Lafarge Canada.
Aecon will use the building as a tool-storage facility for trainees working at the facility.
According to an environmental product declaration published by CarbiCrete, the decarbonized CMUs boast a global warming potential (or carbon footprint) that is 20 times lower than the industry average.
CarbiCrete manufactures its CMUs using a byproduct from steel-making to replace cement in the concrete mix. Doing so not only reduces emissions but also permanently stores carbon dioxide.
Read more on
Construction Canada, Canadian Contractor and Link 2 Build News. READ THE FR VERSION
Last month, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce published a Thought Leadership Article by our very own Rob Cumming, Head of Sustainability and Public Affairs, ECAN. Check out the piece below:
Navigating Net Zero
The world needs concrete, cement and concrete are essential to the world’s urban infrastructure
development. As we build our cities, and prepare for the inevitable climate extremes coming our way, we must acknowledge that the cement and concrete industry represents 7-8% of the world’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and contributes to global warming extremes. Hence the challenge: we need
to build but we must decarbonize.
How can the building solutions industry meet this challenge?
In some ways it’s simple for the cement industry – it’s all about clinker – the core source of greenhouse gas emissions.
Canadian Chamber of Commerce publishes Thought Leadership Article by ECAN
SAFETY FIRST: Empowering Heroes in Sault Ste. Marie
We proudly donated $11,000 to the Sault Search and Rescue Team to support their volunteering mission in responding to land, marine and air search & rescues for lost persons. Our donation directly helped the non-profit purchase a new equipment trailer for its First Responder team.
HOLIDAYS PAY IT FORWARD INITIATIVES
Nebo Road Aggregates Annual
Holiday Toy Drive
2024 marked the 11th anniversary of the toy drive, led by Sharon Wristen, Area Coordinator - Recycled Aggregates (Nebo Road). The generous toys and food donations spreaded holiday cheer to families in need. Read more.
Spreading holiday joy on the road
Our colleague Stephanie Soutar, RMX driver, proudly displayed our colors and festive lights at the Kingston Santa Parade. Our Hemlo RMX Plant partnered with the Marathon Girl Guides for the town’s Christmas Parade to promote the importance of guiding. Read more.
Volunteering at local food banks
Our WILL Commitee organized two volunteering activities at local food banks. Our proud volunteers sorted food and prepared holiday baskets at the Toronto Food Bank and Moisson Montreal. Read more.
Santa for Seniors
Our WILL Commitee organized two volunteering activities at local food banks. Our proud volunteers sorted food and prepared holiday baskets at the Toronto Food Bank and Moisson Montreal. Read more.
SUPPORTING LOCAL Education in Saint-Constant
The City of Saint-Constant recently donated $5,000 to the Vinet-Souligny elementary school, raised as part of the 2024 Grand Défi Pierre Lavoie. Our Saint-Constant plant is proud to support the city’s participation in the event on a yearly basis. These funds will be used primarily to modernize the schoolyard.
CONCRETE INDUSTRY AWARD recognizes ECAN RMX and Innocon Teams
Congratulations to our Lafarge and Innocon teams for receiving four recognitions at the 2024 Ontario Concrete Awards for the following projects:
• JanVeek Model 1000
• Lanterra Artists’ Alley
• West 5 Candela and Spektra Buildings
• Escarpment House
Join the conversation READ THE FRENCH VERSION
These awards celebrate the outstanding work of our teams and partners who continue to drive progress and deliver exceptional results on every project. We’re incredibly proud of our hardworking team and trusted partners for making this achievement possible. Together, we’re building progress and reshaping construction.
OSSGA recognizes ECAN’s excellence in 2024 Industry Awards
Our very own ECAN Aggs team received five (5) OSSGA Industry awards for their contributions to the environment and sustainability in 2024! This achievement reflects the hard work and dedication of the respective teams to advance responsible practices within the industry and communities in which we operate.
The sites being recognized by the association are as follows: Progressive Rehabilitation:
• Burford Pit
• Clark Pit
Property Enhancement:
• Burford Pit – 1 Gold Bar: Environmental Controls
• Stead-Day Pit – 2 Gold Bars: Entrance Approach & Perimeter Screening; Office and Scalehouse Areas
RECORDING: WILL Fireside Chat with Carmen Diaz, CPO, Holcim
The Fireside Chat with Carmen Díaz, Chief People Officer, Holcim, organized by our WILL Committee, was truly inspiring and engaging! Carmen shared valuable insights from her career journey, offering advice and perspectives on advancing as a woman in the workplace.
It was an excellent opportunity for the participants to be inspired and motivated by one of our senior leaders. Thank you to everyone who joined!
Jaime Hill visits ECAN
On January 27 and 28, Jaime Hill, Region Head, Holcim NA, visited Lafarge Eastern Canada. During his stay, Jaime had the opportunity to go to a few sites, such as Stoney Creek Slag and Dundas Quarry, where he met with our Operations Teams. On the 28th, he participated in a Meet & Greet session at Airport Rd, where he met ECAN colleagues and answered their questions. Jaime also met with ECAN Exco during his stay and lastly, got to know a few ECAN customers.
We look forward to hosting Jaime again soon.
Next ECAN Town Hall
Our 2024 Q4 Town Hall will take place on March 20th at Airport Rd. ECAN colleagues will be learning more about the quarter’s updates from our CEO, David Redfern, and leaders in Operations, HR, Sustainability, and more. Stay tuned for more details to be shared soon.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Launch of the ECAN Medical Absence & Accommodation Hub on Connect
The ECAN HR team is excited to announce the launch of the new Medical Absence and Accommodation Hub Connect page. This dedicated space is designed to support both ECAN managers and employees with information and documents related to nonwork related leaves of absences and accommodations and provides easy access to key information to help navigate these situations with confidence and clarity.
RISE TO NEW
HEIGHTS
Exciting new updates shaping our future
January updates are now live on risebuildshape.com!
Get the latest details on our North American stock listing and gain insights into our businesses. On January 10, 2025, Holcim appointed the Board and CEO for our planned North American company.
