6 minute read
Trillium Award Program comes out swinging in 2022
by: Lara Henry
Trillium award winners care about: quality, the environment, their neighbours
Since 2002, the Trillium Award has been recognizing plants that go above the already gold standard set by industry regulations. Recipients of the award have to complete a self-assessment process to meet high standards in appearance, operations, environmental, safety and community relations. Plants that receive the Trillium Award retain the status for three years and are then eligible for recertification. To date, 101 plants have earned the Trillium Award and, since the program started in 2002, 147 recertifications have been issued.
Dufferin Construction Company (a division of CRH Canada Group Inc.) won the Trillium Award for six of its plants and recertified two.
Vito DeFrancesco, Asphalt Plant Superintendent, shepherded four of the Dufferin plants through the process. “Dufferin strives to operate our plants to the highest standards and the Trillium awards align well with that,” says DeFrancesco. “The application criteria cover all the important aspects of running a well maintained plant such as operations, quality, the environment and safety. It is good for everyone at the plant to receive the award and to know that where they work is considered a quality plant.”
Arash Mousavi, Asphalt Plants Superintendent and new member of the Plant and Paving Committee, was also responsible for completing the application process for four of the Dufferin plants.
“Dufferin believes in having all our plants Trillium awarded so the effort is worth it,” says Mousavi. “I did have a few questions and reached out to both the Plant and Paving Committee and Doubra Ambaiowei at OAPC several times. They were great and I got the help I needed right away or the same day. My colleague had the same experience.”
“I also find it helpful to have the operator or foreman with you while going through the application, so they are also aware of the process and what’s involved,” adds DeFrancesco.
As well as a streamlined application form, technology such as drones is making the photographs and videos required for the application process easier. Some companies find it easier to hire a professional to manage that aspect of the application instead of trying to do it themselves. It’s also a good idea to choose a good season and time to do the photos and video so that they can show the plant in production.
“We used to do the videos and photographs ourselves. This time we hired an outside vendor to take care of that portion. I highly recommend going that route. We got some great shots of the plant in summer and captured the entire operation in the video,” says Mousavi.
Trillium-awarded plants receive plaques to hang in their facilities and can order silo decals to showcase the award to employees, customers and the community. The decals for 2023 will feature the updated OAPC logo.
“The people at the plant are behind the award 100 per cent. The foreman takes ownership of the process and there’s a real sense of pride. Our award is hung in the control room and we have ordered decals for silos that we’ll put up in the spring,” says Mousavi.
“Everyone at the plant feels honoured to receive the Trillium Award,” agrees DeFrancesco. “People like to be recognized for their hard work and take pride of ownership in knowing that a quality plant starts with them. It’s a great incentive and something to say thank you for everything that they do.”
In 2016, the Plant and Paving Committee initiated a campaign to have 100 per cent of OAPC plants meeting the standards of the Trillium Award. There are 152 asphalt plants in Ontario and 90 to 95 per cent of those are OAPC/ORBA members.
“My advice is to certify your plants. Start the process and reach out if you need help. There is lots of support from the committee, OAPC, or other companies who have been through it. My colleagues and I are happy to help anyone and will walk them through it,” says Mousavi.
The Trillium Award program looks to the future
A new development in 2022 may help to move the needle forward on reaching the goal of having all plants in Ontario meet the standards of the Trillium Award.
Early in 2022, the City of Mississauga amended its resurfacing specification to include the requirement that all plants supplying hot mix asphalt to the city had to be Trillium awarded. They later waived the Trillium Award requirement for 2022; however, in 2023, proof of the award will be required as part of all bidder packages.
“When we saw the Trillium requirement from the City of Mississauga, we started thinking about the future of Trillium and whether there was an opportunity for OAPC and the industry to work with owners and municipalities on updating the Trillium Award,” says Mike Deckert.
Discussions are currently underway to determine the future of the Trillium Award program including whether to transition from the current selfassessment process toward a third-party inspection certification program.
A Trillium Ad Hoc Committee comprising of industry stakeholders and municipal partners was formed to consider the opportunities and challenges with the current Trillium Award program; discuss the pros, cons and approaches toward an asphalt plant certification program in Ontario; and discuss municipal buy-in and adoption of the Trillium Award program as well as other owner expectations. The committee will develop recommendations on the future of the Trillium Award with a three- and five-year plan.
“The discussions have been very beneficial and we’ve already identified areas where we need to improve on both sides and where we can work together. We’ll be following up the presentation we did at the Fall Asphalt Seminar with one at the Good Roads conference to get the word out, and we’ve let the municipalities know that they can attend the Ad Hoc Committee meetings if they wish to,” says Deckert.
OAPC is working on sending out two surveys about the future of the Trillium Award program – one to municipalities in partnership with Good Roads, and one to OAPC members. The outcomes of the surveys will be presented to members of the Ad Hoc Committee and Plant and Paving Committee, as well as included in the presentation at the Good Roads conference in April 2023.
“So far the feedback has been very positive and all indications are that OAPC, industry and owners want to work together to move the program forward. This is a real opportunity for us to look at the requirements for the Trillium Award program and its future. As I always say, if you’re not moving forward and changing, you will fall by the wayside,” says Deckert
Lara Henry is a communication specialist and editor of ASPHALTopics.
