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is published quarterly for:
The Ontario Road Builders’ Association
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President Kevin Brown
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
Strategizing for the Future
Welcome to the fall edition of ORBA’s Road Builder magazine. I’m sure these past few months have kept you busy, and I’m pleased to say we’ve had no lack of activity on our end as well.
As you are hopefully aware, we are moving closer to an amalgamation with the Ontario Hot Mix Producers Association (OHMPA). With assistance from accounting consultants Collins Barrow, we’ve presented business plans to both Boards of Directors, and our town hall meetings have supplied us with plenty of considerations to take into future discussions. We strongly believe an alliance will strengthen both of our organizations, and welcome your feedback and concerns as we move closer to a membership vote on October 31st.
Our Site Unseen campaign that ran from the May long weekend to Labour Day was very successful and we believe has had a strong, positive impact in raising public awareness of driver behaviour in construction zones. Thank you to all our members for their support in the campaign and for promoting the importance of safety in construction zones. Read more about the outreach the campaign had across the province in the feature article in this issue of Road Builder
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ORBA is also focused on improving the winter maintenance landscape for our members. Recently, we sat down with the MTO and related stakeholders for a Winter Maintenance Roundtable facilitated by Global Public Affairs, the details of which we’ve shared in this issue. We’re confident in the progress we’ve made so far, and hopeful our partners at the MTO have not only listened to our recommendations, but are taking real steps towards improving this process.
Speaking of strategy, ORBA is in the midst of mapping out its goals and objectives for the coming years. Our strategic planning sessions to date have been very productive, and our vision moving forward is one of greater industry collaboration, more transparent processes, and a greater presence for ORBA within the transportation infrastructure industry. Our previous (and, for now, current) strategic plan did much to get us where we are today, and we are eager to build on that momentum over the next three years through a new plan the Board of Directors approved this past September.
In the immediate future, however, I want to send an early invite for some of our upcoming events. Our Annual Ladies’ Evening is taking place on October 15 at The RitzCarlton Hotel in Toronto. This gala evening is a personal favourite, and a great way to celebrate the year with your spouse or significant other and with peers and coworkers. During the end of October and in early November, we will be visiting cities across the province for the 2016 President’s Tour. This is a great opportunity to meet and network with other ORBA members. Visit orba.org for more information and registration details. Of course, I hope you also make plans to attend our 2017 Convention, which will take place on February 6-7, 2017, at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. With the Superbowl on February 5, watch for our invitation to the ORBA Superbowl Party at the Real Sports Bar. Registration and sponsorship opportunities will be available soon, so keep checking our website for updates.
These are a brief snapshot of the projects we’re working on at ORBA. Look for news of more to come in future issues, as well as news on other member developments and industry happenings. In the meantime, please feel free to contact me with any article ideas or feedback at geoff@orba.org.
AROUND QUEEN’S PARK
These months may be slow for some industries, but the opposite is true for us. Fortunately, this means there are plenty of updates to bring you on a number of road building issues.
The first is regarding Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne’s June 2016 cabinet shuffle, which kept both Steven Del Duca (Minister of Transportation) and Kevin Flynn (Minister of Labour) in their current positions.
This stability is something ORBA advocated for, and we’re pleased to move forward knowing we can continue building our relationships with both Minister Del Duca and Minister Flynn for the foreseeable future.
OVERSIZE/OVERWEIGHT VEHICLE PERMITS
Speaking of our ministry dealings, the MTO has taken positive steps towards addressing concerns around oversize/overweight vehicle permits. These follow consultations with ORBA to put forward changes to the permitting process that would make it easier and more efficient for businesses to operate their fleets without sacrificing the safety of drivers and other vehicles.
A couple key changes have come out of these consultations. As of August 8, 2016, the duration of single trip permits will be expanded from four to seven days, with date amendments restricted to one request.
The parameters for weekend travel will also be amended to include loads over the current annual dimensions, and up to and including:
• 4.99 metres in width;
• 45.74 metres in length;
• no height limitation; and
• weight as determined by the weights and load engineer. Previously, such trips were excluded from travelling on Saturday and Sunday. This change should make it easier for members to get their vehicles to where they are needed before the work week begins. Loads exceeding these dimensions (superload permits) will remain ineligible for weekend travel.
More adjustments to the oversize/overweight vehicle
permit process are set to follow. We will share those with you as soon as they come across our desks.
BLASTING OPERATIONS & INCIDENTS OF FLYROCK
On July 21, 2016, ORBA convened a working group to meet with the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) and MTO regarding issues surrounding flyrock incidents that have taken place during blasting operations on MTO highway projects. Due to a number of incidents and complaints in Northern Ontario, MOECC and MTO met with ORBA representatives to discuss a proposed province-wide approach that they are hopeful will resolve some of the concerns that ORBA members have raised regarding incidents of flyrock and fines and infractions associated with these incidents.
MOECC has been leading an internal government working group to prepare an overview on Ontario’s legislative, regulatory and program framework, and the mandate of other ministries related to the prevention or response to flyrock incidents arising from blasting operations including MTO, Ministry of Labour, Northern Development and Mines, and Natural Resources and Forestry.
The end result is a “Cooperation Agreement” to be signed by MOECC and MTO that will categorize roles and responsibilities for Ministries based on two categories: Incidents within a Designated Blast Area and Incidents Outside a Designated Blast Area.
We will keep you updated on any new developments.
PROPOSED CONSTRUCTION HAZARD AWARENESS TRAINING
As you may have heard, the Ministry of Labour (MOL) is looking to introduce mandatory Construction Hazard Awareness Training for all construction workers under the Occupational Health and Safety Act. As a strong advocate of jobsite safety, we are always in support of initiatives that improve the health and wellbeing of our industry professionals. That said, ORBA made a submission to the Ministry asking them to consider changes that would make the training more feasible and accessible for industry workers.
For one, we believe that by not allowing the employer training program to be portable under the proposed training, Approach 2 would cause undue administrative
and financial burden to employers in the province. In fact, according to recent estimates, training Ontario’s approximately 450,000 workers will cost employers between $10 and $18 million.
ORBA members would prefer that the province uses the same training model for the Construction Hazard Awareness Training that is currently being used for the Basic Awareness Training. Under the Basic Awareness Training model, workers or supervisors are not required to retake awareness training programs if they change employers. ORBA members believe that the Basic Awareness Training model – which notes that workers or supervisors must provide a new employer with the proof that training was previously completed and the new employer must verify that the training covered the minimum content require ments set out in the regulation – is an acceptable way to manage the training background of employees.
Lastly, ORBA has expressed its support of distance learning (e.g. live video links), but urges the govern ment to also consider eLearning as an alternative for the Construc tion Health and Safety Awareness program. This is a favoured training method among employers outside of the Greater Toronto Area, and would reach workers who operate outside their main business boundary, thereby benefitting from an eLearning option.
As with any new rules or programs that affect the way our members do business, we’ve asked the Ministry to implement any regulatory changes in such a way that employers are given the time and resources to meet these new guidelines.
According to recent estimates, training Ontario’s approximately 450,000 workers will cost employers between $10 and $18 million.
These are a handful of items we’re keeping an eye on throughout the season. Of course, they are just a few of the issues ORBA and its members are involved with.
As always, I encourage members to get involved in our many committees and volunteer initiatives, and for readers to contact me with any questions or feedback they may have. You can reach me directly at ashley@orba.org or by phone at 905-507-1107, ext. 223.
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ORBA STRIKES A CHORD WITH THEIR SITE UNSEEN CAMPAIGN
by RICHARD WOODBURY
With a lot of road construction in Ontario taking place at night, the possibility of accidents involving vehicles travelling through construction zones can keep Jim Lafontaine awake while he’s off the job. “I don’t want
anybody hurt in our work zones. I want you to drive through our work zone, get to where you’re going, but please take your time getting through the work zone and respect the signage and workers that are out there,” says the health, safety and
environment manager with Dufferin Construction Company, and ORBA OH&S Committee member.
This is just one reason why he’s a big supporter of Site Unseen, a campaign including a video series that imagines what would happen if the
types of behaviours drivers display in construction zones were instead applied to other settings, such as a traditional office. The campaign was launched by ORBA on the long weekend in May and ended on Labour Day in September. Besides a social media rollout, the campaign also included news paper print ads, a television commercial on Global, and radio ads. “I think they hit a home run,” says Lafontaine.
The videos are clever and get people to think about their actions. “People didn’t asso ciate a construction site as a workplace, so what we wanted to do was showcase the ridiculous behaviour that people displayed around construction work zones and what that would look like around a traditional office,” says Jacob Porpossian, the digital strategy and creative program director at FleishmanHillard, the marketing company for the project.
tion zones endangers workers and will encourage drivers to change their behaviour.
The videos have been posted to
In three short videos that last about 30 seconds each, the three behaviours (or major offences) of speeding, road rage and failure to merge that construction workers see on the job were transported to that of a traditional office. As one example, imagine being in an office, armed with papers, supplies and a cup of coffee. Out of nowhere, a colleague runs through the office at full speed and collides with you. Your papers go everywhere and you’re covered in coffee. The video then ends with a digital sign saying “Wouldn’t happen at your work. Shouldn’t happen at ours.” Point taken. “I think it’s resonating because it really breaks it down and makes what we’re trying to communicate, almost a no-brainer,” says Porpossian.
ORBA hopes the campaign will help drivers see how recklessness and poor etiquette in construc-
times. Not only are the videos being watched, but people are sharing them and commenting on them. “We’re quite impressed with the results we’re getting,” says Geoff Wilkinson, ORBA’s executive director.
Unfortunately, some comments reinforce why the campaign is needed in the first place. “They bring anger onto themselves by taking their time when fixing a road. As opposed to doing their job like most workers do,” wrote one Facebook user.
Other social media users are quick to come to the defense of our workers by countering negative perspective with common sense, support empathy.
Many of the comments have been positive and say things like “God Bless all the Road workers!! It is a hard job with little thanks from the public that they are trying to keep safe!!” and “Slow down and move over just the same as if you were passing an officer doing there job keeping us safe. Construction workers have there families to feed to. let them get home to their loved ones.” [sic]
It’s true there’s a lot of road construction taking place in the province. Ontario is in the midst of the largest infrastructure program in the province’s history – $160 billion over 12 years. This means road work is going to be inevitable, says Jim Hurst, the vice-president of construction
see how recklessness and poor etiquette in construction zones endangers workers
and maintenance, and a partner in Steed and Evans Limited. “This infrastructure work should only be carried out in a safe manner. More work equals more workers at risk. The general public needs to drive safely around our work zones to maximize our infrastructure investment’s potential,” he writes by email. Hurst says tools exist – such as GPS technology – to help predict and notify the public of delays, so the public should take advantage of this by planning alternate routes.
As well, the Ministry of Transportation posts information about road closures and construction on its website, www.mto.gov.on.ca/ english/. The Twitter account @511Ontario is also helpful as it alerts people to highway emergencies and road closures on highways maintained by the province.
Hurst says the campaign addresses one of the most important safety topics in the road building industry, which is in part why his company supports the campaign, both finan-
cially and in principle. The money to fund Site Unseen came from some of ORBA’s 200 members, which are made up of road building contractors and suppliers. “We go to great lengths to train our staff in all things safety, yet the thing we can’t control is the actions of the general public driving through our work sites. We felt this campaign could help change that,” says Hurst.
ORBA’s members employ more than 30,000 people and build and maintain the majority of Ontario’s provincial highway system, municipal roads, bridges and other public transportation infrastructure.
John LeFante, DBi Services’ vice president of operations for its international business unit, says road workers are unsung heroes who risk their lives to ensure the safety of the public. “Every year, road workers spend countless hours along the highways of the province of Ontario
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Ted Arscott, the president of RotoMill Inc., sees Site Unseen as a first step. “This public driver education campaign ORBA has started is a great step, but we will have to continue reminding and educating the public, especially new drivers on how to safely drive and act in construction work zones.” Arscott says 90 per cent of the company’s work is performed on busy highways and in many cases, only a plastic TC-54 barrel separates workers from live traffic.
As part of the research that went into preparing the Site Unseen campaign, a survey of Ontario drivers was done to learn more about their attitudes and behaviours. The survey found nearly one in every three drivers (28 per cent) reported they’re not always focused on the road while driving. These are dangerous behaviours at all times, but especially in road construction zones. The survey also found the majority of drivers see other drivers engaging in bad habits, such as speeding (87 per cent), weaving (72 per cent) and road rage (61 per cent). Perhaps most interestingly, while 93 per cent of Ontario drivers agreed people at construc-
While 93 per cent of Ontario drivers agreed people at construction sites were simply doing their job, three out of four people (75 per cent) viewed construction sites as an inconvenience.
So, what are some of the ways drivers can better ensure the safety of road workers? Follow the posted speed limits and signage, allow for extra time delays when travelling through construction zones, and treat construction zones as if they were their own workplaces.
It’s also important to avoid distractions like using your cell phone while driving. This one is especially concerning to Lafontaine. “Cell phones are quickly becoming the number one hazard for work zones, more so than speed because people are so distracted,” he says.
A roadway construction site is a workplace like any other and all drivers have a part to play to ensure construction workers can do their job safely, free from undue risk of harm. For Wilkinson, measuring whether Site Unseen is a successful campaign comes down to one thing. “If we’re able to save one life this construction season, then this campaign is a success,” he says.
Thank you to our member companies for their support in the Site Unseen campaign.
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ORBA TAKES THE NEXT STEP
WITH ITS HIGHWAY MAINTENANCE ROUNDTABLE
by MATTHEW BRADFORD
ORBA held its Highway Maintenance Roundtable at the Mississauga Grand this summer, taking its next step towards enhancing the processes around winter maintenance contracts. Held on June 29, the session was facilitated by Global Public Affairs and included nearly 60 participants from ORBA’s membership and the Ministry of Transportation (MTO).
“There was a strong desire from ORBA’s Board of Directors to really engage our membership and have a conversation around how we as an industry and our government partners can move forward with the future of highway maintenance contracts,” says Ashley De Souza, ORBA’s director of government relations. “We also wanted to discuss what we would want to see as the preferred models of delivery if the
“The ORBA Highway Maintenance Roundtable has provided our members with an excellent forum to provide their thoughts and ideas to the MTO as they begin developing the next generation of highway maintenance contracts in the province of Ontario.”
industry were to start from scratch, how would those changes work, and what mechanisms and measures would need to be in place to ensure the proper delivery, oversight, and proper tendering of these contracts going forward.”
A dozen Ministry officials were present at the event. Among them were Gerry Chaput, Assistant Deputy Minister, and Kevin Bentley, Director of Maintenance, who joined ORBA delegates in tabling a number of highway maintenance contracting issues. Discussions included clarifying who undertakes the main roles around highway maintenance (e.g., MTO officials or contractors), debating how the system can be improved so that it doesn’t create winners and losers based on unpredictable weather, and brainstorming ways in which the MTO and contractors can build more effective working partnerships.
John Allen, vice president of infrastructure, trade, and investment with Global Public Affairs, was an
organizer at the event. Its ultimate goal, he says, was to provide a forum to discuss, debate, and recommend changes to current highway main tenance contract models: “Highway maintenance is incredibly important for people in Ontario. If a road isn’t cleared of snow properly it becomes a matter of safety for road users, and it can also have major economic impacts.”
“The latest generation of highway maintenance contracts have had some major challenges and every body recognizes that changes need to be made to improve them. They have been the focus of negative media attention and scrutiny from the Auditor General – so changes need to be made,” Allen adds.
A CALCULATED APPROACH
The roundtable was a culmination of ORBA and Global Public Affairs’ highway maintenance initiatives. Those initiatives began long before the roundtable with the formation of a focus group to outline the parameters of Global Public Affair’s research, after which a meeting was held with MTO representatives to set specific objectives and deadlines for its results.
INTEGRATED FRAME& COVER SYSTEM
Following these talks, a survey on highway maintenance contracts was developed and circulated amongst ORBA’s membership. Responses from these were used to identify the most significant concerns around highway maintenance contracting, and generate ideas for possible improvements. Out of these discoveries came the foundation for a series of forums and roundtable discussions.
Explains De Souza, “It really was a multi-pronged process, and very similar to the approach we took with the alternative delivery model process, where we surveyed individual member companies, conducted jurisdictional research to look at what other public sector owners were doing, and met with the MTO itself. All of this formed the
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basis of the roundtable discussion, and at the same time contributed to a final report that is being put together by Global Public Affairs, which will be sent first to the Board and then shared with our membership and the MTO in the near future.”
An initial draft of that report has been completed. It includes a summary of five core recommendations generated by ORBA’s surveys and the Highway Maintenance Roundtable:
1. Create a sustainable and competi-
tive contracting environment built for the long-term with the potential to use different models for different areas. All decisions around contracting models should weigh up the long-term impacts on competition.
2. Build a true partnership through collaboration with a focus on fieldlevel problem solving. Ensure Compliance is the main focus not enforcement, and focus on incentives over penalties to drive change.
3. Proactive non-political communications by Ministry staff before, during and after the storm. Focus communications around operational activities, efforts underway, and developing weather conditions.
4. Any models should not create winners and losers based on the unpredictability of the weather. Risk around weather - which is impossible to control - is best held by the government, and contract models should reflect that.
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5. Decisions should not be made purely on cost. Given the safety implications and economic impact of road closures, the broader economic value should be considered in budgeting for work and awarding contracts.
Thanks to these recommendations, and further ideas generated during the roundtable, Allen believes ORBA and its members are well positioned to bring improvements to the highway maintenance landscape. Reflecting on the event, he adds, “There were a number of different perspectives, but there were some core principles that ORBA members agree on that will provide a good basis for MTO to build a future system around.”
With the research and roundtable complete, the next step will be to circulate the report to both ORBA members and MTO representatives. De Souza says the association is confident its findings will make a strong case for positive changes, and that the MTO is on its side: “The MTO has been very enthusiastic about being active participants as well as listeners in the whole process. They are very eager to see these reports and recommendations, and we believe they’re committed to moving forward with a lot of these changes in the coming year.”
At time of print, the report is being finalized by Allen and his team at Global Public Affairs. ORBA will share the official publication with members when ready.
THE RESULTS ARE IN
FOR THE 2016 CAA WORST ROADS CAMPAIGN
by HOLLI MONCRIEFF
With the release of this year’s Worst Roads list, the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA) has shown once again that significant investments need to be made to improve Ontario’s roadways. Roads across the province were nominated for issues such as potholes, pavement cracks, rutting, and poor traffic flow.
ORBA member companies inspected and verified the nominated roads, serving as technical experts for the Worst Roads campaign.
“This year’s Worst Roads campaign once again solidified that although much work has been done across the province to maintain and repair Ontario’s roads, greater investments are needed to tackle the staggering municipal infrastructure deficit in Ontario,” said Geoff Wilkinson, ORBA’s Executive Director. “An efficient transportation
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(left to right) Geoff Wilkinson, ORBA Executive Director, Raymond Chan, Government Relations Specialist at CAA South Central Ontario, Stephen Buckley, General Manager of Transportation Services at City of Toronto.
system is essential for a vibrant economy and quality of life—roads connect our communities and enable businesses to get their goods to market.”
While CAA has produced a list of the Top 10 Worst Roads in Ontario for some time, they have expanded
TOP 10 ONTARIO WORST ROADS
1- County Road 49 Prince Edward County
Algonquin Blvd. W. Timmins
Balmoral St. Thunder Bay
Algonquin Blvd. E. Timmins 5- Queenston St. St. Catharines
Burlington St. E. Hamilton
the campaign to include the five worst roads in eight regions across the province. It is hoped that these regional lists will help raise awareness of the poor state of the roads in Ontario’s municipalities.
County Road 49 in Prince Edward County tops the list as the worst road in Ontario this year. This is the road’s first appearance on the Top 10 list, but it debuted at number one.
In total, 2,500 roads were nominated for the dubious honours and were inspected by ORBA members.
Dufferin Street and Bayview Avenue in Toronto, and Burlington Street East in Hamilton continue to be a problem for motorists, having each appeared on the list six times. There are signs of improvement, however, as Dufferin Street dropped from the number one spot in 2014 to number three in 2015, and all the way to number nine this year. Improvements to portions of the road have made the difference.
The Top 10 Worst Roads are more widespread than usual this year, with three located in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area, three in Timmins, and two in Thunder Bay.
The inspection of the nominated roads across the province could not have been done without the outstanding support of Facca Incorporated, Looby Construction Limited, Steed and Evans Limited, K. J. Beamish Construction Co. Limited, Powell Contracting Limited, BOT Construction Limited, R.W. Tomlinson Limited, Norjohn Contracting and Paving Limited, Miller Paving Limited, Georgian Paving Limited, Coco Paving Incorporated, Cruickshank, Villeneuve Construction Co. Ltd., Roto-Mill Inc. and Pioneer Construction Inc.
For more information on this year’s Top 10 Worst Roads in Ontario and a list of the Top Five in each region, visit orba.org/caa-worst-roads.
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AWARDS
SPOTLIGHTING MEMBER ACCOMPLISHMENTS WITH THE ORBA HONOURS PROGRAM
by MATTHEW BRADFORD
Celebrating excellence is key to showcasing the industry and sharing best practices. For these reasons and more, ORBA’s Honours Program spotlights member accomplishments across several distinct categories.
“This awards program is an important way to honour our member companies for their hard work and continued efforts that have a long-lasting, positive impact on our industry,” says ORBA executive director Geoff Wilkinson.
“It’s an excellent way to bring the industry together and celebrate the accomplishments that have been made in health and safety, environmental leadership, transportation infrastructure projects, and community service.”
Applications and/or nominations may be submitted for each of the award categories. Winners are selected by award-specific panels, and later celebrated alongside finalists during the ORBA Annual Convention.
GREEN AWARD FOR LEADERSHIP AND SUSTAINABILITY
Developed and presented in collaboration with the Ontario Good Roads Association (OGRA) and Ministry of Transportation (MTO), ORBA’s Green Award serves the dual purpose of recognizing member companies who have demonstrated environmental stewardship, and promoting its membership’s sustainability efforts in whole.
Environmental stewardship can take the form of creating or adopting
Marlene Yakabuski, Bot Construction (at right), presents the ORBA Green Honours at the 2016 Convention to (from left to right) Chris Thompson, Roto Mill Inc., Nicholas Cifelli, Miller Paving and Kevin Cinq-Mars, R.W. Tomlinson Limited.
sustainable practices or management approaches, introducing green innovations, using eco-friendly materials or equipment, or taking part in any initiative that shows a member’s commitment to environmental protection and sustainability.
“Recognizing the environmental leadership and innovative achievements made by the road building industry is an important component of protecting and conserving the environment,” notes Nadia Todorova, ORBA’s policy analyst.
To be eligible, members must submit details of an environmental activity, innovation, or initiative that either benefitted a specific project or contributed to their companies’ environmental stewardship. Applications should include evidence of the resulting benefits, which can take the form of data, photos, third party assessments, or material that accurately predicts future results.
“Miller has won or been (an) honourable mention for this award every year it’s been given out. That sends a strong message to owner agencies across the province and across the country that ‘Only the Best’ is good enough for Miller Paving when it comes to sustainable pavements,” says Nicholas Cifelli, technical services manager with Miller Paving Limited, which took home 2015’s Outstanding Achievement nod.
ROTO-MILL is another past recipient of the Green Award, and has also benefitted from the industry attention it has generated.
“Being recognized was an opportunity to showcase the company’s innovative and collaborative approach with our municipal customers, demonstrate ROTOMILL’s ongoing commitment to asphalt recycling, and share the numerous uses for Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement,” says Chris Thompson, sales and marketing manager with ROTO-MILL. “There is also value with having the opportunity to share the recognition and
award with our own staff as well as municipal road managers and municipal councils.”
For past winners and more information, visit orba.org/awards/ orba-green-award.
COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP AWARD
This award was established in 2015 and is open to a member company (or an individual within a member
company) that has made a significant contribution to their community or society through volunteer efforts, community service, and/or philanthropic activities. Special consideration is given to charitable work that is carried out with a focus on transportation infrastructure projects.
The first Community Leadership Award was given posthumously to The Miller Group founder and former CEO Leo McArthur, whose industry contributions and philanthropic spirit embodied everything the award was created to honour.
For past winners and more information, visit orba.org/awards/ orba-community-leadership-award.
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE INNOVATION AWARD
This award recognizes innovative techniques and methods that have been demonstrated on real-world projects or other construction activities. Submissions must detail how a company’s innovation improved the quality of a project and/or
“Being environmentally conscious is a core value for the Tomlinson Group, and receiving the ORBA Green Award validates our efforts. This recognition helps to communicate to our industry, our employees and the public that we care about the environment, and that we strive for innovative solutions to complex environmental issues.” – Kevin Cinq-Mars, president of the Tomlinson Group of Companies
TRANSPORATATION INFRASTRUCTURE INNOVATION AWARD
reduced the cost of construction, and be supported with evidence such as photos, data, third party assessments, or other quantifiable material.
The award is judged by a selection panel consisting of ORBA, MTO, Infrastructure Ontario (IO), Metrolinx, OGRA, and CC Innovations representatives; as well as independent subject matter experts if needed. General contractors and subcontractors can submit as “joint applicants” for consideration.
For more, visit orba.org/ awards/orba-transportationinfrastructure-innovation-awards.
ROUTLY SAFETY AWARD
This award honours member companies that have demonstrated a superior commitment to worker
Jim LaFontaine, Dufferin Construction Company, (second from the left) hands out the 2016 Routly Award Honours to (from left) Mirsad Hairlahovic, Dragados Canada, Inc., Todd Barlow, Bermingham Foundation Solutions Limited, Peter Bartle, Cornell Construction Limited, Jim Clark, Pioneer Construction and Kim Van Demark, Powell Contracting Limited. To
health and safety, and is based on lost-time injury statistics provided by the Infrastructure Health & Safety Association (IHSA).
“It is important for the industry to recognize safety stewardship because it is a major part of what we do,” says John Scanlon, safety manager with Pioneer Construction, a previous winner in the Routly Award’s Category I level. “Produc tion, quality, and safety being equal is a concept that will keep the industry successful and viable moving forward.”
The main Routly Safety Award is divided between Category I, for companies that record zero lost-time injuries recorded within less than 100,000 man hours; and Category II, for zero lost-time hours recorded over 100,000 man hours. Additionally, the Safety Milestone Award recognizes those that have reached between 500,000 and 1 million man hour plateaus without a lost-time injury.
The Routly Safety Award also includes a Zero Frequency Award that is granted to member companies that have worked a full year without a lost-time injury.
“Winning the Routly Award has really given our safety program a major boost,” says Scanlon. “We publicized our achievement in an
“Our member companies are passionate and innovative to ensure they take the steps to help protect our environment.”
– Geoff Wilkinson, ORBA executive director
effort to recognize the people that help us reach the milestone that put us in the running. Now, the idea is to keep the momentum moving forward.”
2015’s full list of Routly Safety Award winners includes Cornell Construction Limited (Category 1), Pioneer Construction Inc. (Category II), Dragados Canada Inc. (Milestone), Powell Contracting Limited (Milestone), and Bermingham Foundation Solutions Limited (Milestone).
For past winners and more information, visit orba.org/awards/ routly-safety-awards.
MTO PAVER OF THE YEAR AWARD
Created in partnership with the MTO, the MTO Paver of the Year Award brings attention to project excellence among Ontario’s hot mix paving players. Entries are judged on a number of factors, including the quality, workmanship, smoothness, and techniques demonstrated on the project. One provincial winner and three finalists are chosen, and all are recognized during the ORBA Annual Convention.
In 2015, the Provincial Paver of the Year award was given to Lavis Contracting Co. Limited for its work on contract 2013-30218 (Highway 23, north of London between Highway 7 and 8). Finalists included Capital Paving Inc., Aecon Construction and Materials Limited, and Pioneer Construction Inc.
For past winners and more information, visit orba.org/awards/ mto-paver-of-the-year-award.
ORBA HALL OF FAME
Founded in 2006, the ORBA Hall of Fame is open to individuals who have made a profound and lasting impact on the road building industry, their company, and/or community. Nominees can be submitted by ORBA members and are voted on by the association’s past presidents and Board of Directors.
King Beamish, Marcel Labelle, Leo A. McArthur, M.F. MacDonald, and R.J. Merlo were among the first inductees. They have since been joined by a growing list of industry veterans. In 2015, Robert Bugden, formerly of Miller Paving, was added to that list as the ORBA Hall of Fame’s 20th inductee.
For past winners and more information, visit orba.org/awards/ontarioroad-building-hall-of-fame/hall-offame-inductees.
DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD
Now in its 12th year, the Distinguished Service Award was created to pay tribute to individuals within ORBA’s membership who have contributed greatly to the association either through their volunteer efforts, donations, and/or industry leadership.
The award is selected by ORBA’s executive director and was most recently given to Dave Read, president of Cruickshank Construction Limited.
For past winners and more information, visit orba.org/awards/ orba-distinguished-service-award.
DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR AWARD
Every year, ORBA recognizes an ORBA director whose leadership, volunteerism, and other contributions have added greatly to the success of the organization. The award is selected by the current ORBA president. In 2015, it was given to Capital Paving Inc. president Geoffrey Stephens, ORBA’s 1st vice president, and co-chair of the Education Committee.
For past winners and more information, visit orba.org/awards/ director-of-the-year-award.
ORBA Accepting Award Submissions
Green
Award
Community Leadership Award
Transportation Infrastrucure Innovation
The deadline for submissions is December 31, 2016.
The awards will be presented at the Awards Breakfast at the 90th ORBA Convention on February 7, 2017. Award recipients’ submissions will also be profiled at the awards exhibit and featured in Road Builder magazine.
Visit orba.org/awards for more details.
sales@sitechmidcanada.com
FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS
by JESSICA STEFFLER
As most members in the construction industry are aware, there is a looming labour shortage facing the industry as a whole. According to Buildforce Canada, over one quarter of workers – or 250,000 individuals – will be retiring over the next decade. Along with those individuals who are retiring goes years of experience and knowledge of the industry. The need to attract youth to our industry has been an ongoing concern.
The Ontario Construction Careers Alliance (OCCA), formerly the Ontario Civil Construction Careers Institute, was established in 2008 to help address the shortage of highly skilled individuals. At that time, key stakeholders such as ORBA and the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association (OSWCA) realized the need to market the career opportunities to youth to generate interest in the various careers our industry has to offer. The
OCCA gained traction with 15 other industry organizations that fund and support our cause.
Once the organization was established, it became clear that our industry would face many hurdles with attracting youth into the industry. From the education system perspective, careers in skilled trades and construction may not be considered top of mind, or students may not know the different opportunities and jobs that are offered within the industry. As an organization we needed to find a way to overcome the challenge of finding new workers to join our industry and focus on how to grab the attention of the younger generation. We needed to make the industry appealing and highlight the career growth available for students.
The OCCA created resources such as a website, brochures and posters that would engage youth. We focused on the opportunities our industry
Since 2009, the OCCA’s message has been presented to over 72,000 youth across the province. The organization has completed over 500 presentations at over 180 high schools, attended over 100 tradeshows and completed 19 construction day events.
offers, the advancement possibilities, and of course the financial gain. The OCCA started classroom presentations including the use of a simulator excavator, which matched the interests and was well received by high school students. We attended tradeshows and conferences that focused on speaking to educators and parents to try to eliminate any misconceptions that may be associated with our industry.
Soon we realized we needed a way to expose youth to the various careers construction has to offer. We developed “Construction Day” events. This is our signature event where students have an opportunity to tour various jobsites, learn about careers, take part in some kind of hands-on activity and meet with local employers. Over the years, interest from the school boards has skyrocketed. The events have now been hosted in Sarnia, London, Kitchener-Waterloo, Durham Region, Hamilton, Burlington and Niagara. As our staff continues to grow, we are aiming to gain further traction with the creation of a “Construction Week” where these events will be occurring in various cities across the province.
Over the past several years, the OCCA has achieved great success. With only one employee up until 2015, and then the expansion of two employees, the
OCCA has been able to reach out to numerous youth across Ontario. Since 2009, the OCCA’s message has been presented to over 72,000 youth across the province. The organization has completed over 500 presentations at over 180 high schools, attended over 100 tradeshows and completed 19 construction day events.
In order to achieve further success and fulfill our mandate, the OCCA is currently working with our sustaining and industry partners. OCCA and ORBA have always connected in the past but are now working more closely on ways to collaborate and better attract youth to our industry. This will allow us to pool resources and have more of an impact on the next generation.
The OCCA will be providing ORBA with a bi-annual newsletter to update their membership on recent accomplishments. We will also be sending out a list of upcoming events so members can join us at an event or presentation. Students tend to connect with someone from the industry. They are interested in hearing how and why someone entered into the construction world, what they do and the financial opportunities available in the various careers our industry has to offer.
The OCCA will be aiding in distributing and promoting the scholarships that are available to high schools across the province, including ORBA’s scholarships. Often students are not aware of the assistance that the industry is willing to provide for an individual who has an interest to learn and be employed in construction. It’s important to get this information out and in front of future workers.
On October 27, ORBA and the OCCA will be exhibiting together at the
first “Careers in Heavy Construction Expo.” This event is specifically targeting youth that are interested in heavy construction. Students will have the opportunity to learn about various careers our industry has to offer and take part in seminars focused around the industry. The event is scheduled to take place at Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (Canada) Ltd. in Bolton, ON.
As the OCCA continues our efforts, we hope that our industry part-
ners and sustaining members will continue to support our organization. Our success does rely on the support of our industry by associations such as ORBA as well as the support of their members. A detailed report of the OCCA’s upcoming events will be provided to ORBA, so feel free to come out and leave an impression on the next generation.
For more information about the OCCA, visit their website at www. myocca.ca.
It’s not what we do that makes us different, it’s how we do it
a step above
•Guide Rail Installation & Repairs
Guide Rail Installation & Repairs
•Temporar y Concrete Barrier and Attenuators
Upgrading & End Treatments
•Noise Walls – Concrete, Vinyl and Wood
• Steel and Timber Ground Mount and Breakaway Signs
Attenuators & Crash Cushions
Noise Walls (concrete, wood, vinyl)
Ground Mount Signs
•All types of Fencing, Gates and Controllers
Steel & Timber Breakaway Signs
•Pedestrian Bridges and Retaining Walls
Golf Course, Park & Playground Construction
• Golf Courses, Parks and Playground
Construction
Precast Concrete Retaining Walls
2055 Kottmeier Rd RR #1
Fonthill,Ontario L0S 1E6
Phone: 905-892-2661
Fax: 905-892-4692
estimating@peninsula.ca www.peninsula.ca
Surety bonding is a business of personal trust. That’s why we put our confidence in people. First names. One-on-one. Speak from the heart and deliver what we promise. Would you like to do business with people like that?
ON THE ROAD
ORBA SITE UNSEEN LAUNCH
MAY 20, 2016
TORONTO, ON
Geoff Wilkinson, Executive Director, ORBA, is interviewed by Cam Woolley, Traffic and Safety Reporter for CP24, for the launch of the Site Unseen campaign. For more on the province-wide campaign that promoted safe driving in construction zones, read the article on page 12.
2016 SUMMER ROUND UP
JUNE 20, 2016
HAMILTON, ON
ORBA staff members Kim Le Fort, Office Manager & Event Coordinator and Stacey-Lee Wright, Member Services Coordinator
ORBA President Allan West
ORBA WINTER MAINTENANCE ROUNDTABLE
JUNE 29, 2016
MISSISSAUGA, ON
ORBA members participated in a roundtable discussion with MTO on future contract models for highway maintenance in Ontario. For highlights from the report, read the article featured in this issue on page 20.
ONTARIO GENERAL CONTRACTORS
ASSOCIATION (OGCA)
GOLF TOURNAMENT
JULY 11, 2016
MILTON, ON
ORBA’s 3rd annual Summer Round Up held at Sarcoa Restaurant proved to be another excellent networking event with approximately 225 associate and contractor members in
(left to right) at the Glencairn Golf Club are Ashley De Souza, Government Relations Director, ORBA, Toni Rossi, Divisional President – Real Estate, Infrastructure Ontario and Paul Casey, Vice President, Programs & Strategic Development, Infrastructure Health and Safety Association.
Pictured
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES DIRECTORY
Armtec LP 18 www.armtec.com
Arthur J. Gallagher 14 www.ajgcanada.com
Associated Paving & Materials Ltd. 28 www.associatedpaving.com
Atlantic Industries Limited 15 www.ail.ca
Aviva Canada 33 www.avivacanada.com
BEC Equipment 40 www.becequipment.ca
Blackrock Foundation Solutions Inc. ................................. 31 www.blackrockfoundations.ca
BPT Components & Parts ............. 40 www.bpt.on.ca
Bruell Contracting Ltd. .................. 39
Canada Culvert ................................ 9 www.canadaculvert.com
Canadian Asphalt Industries Inc. 40 www.canadianasphalt.com
Decast Ltd. 21 www.decastltd.com
Flo Components Ltd. 18 www.flocomponents.com
GeoShack North America Inc. 11 www.geoshack.com
Hutcheson Sand & Gravel 35 www.hutchesonsand.com
Lecol ................................................. 10 www.lecol.com
Leica Geosystems Ltd. ............. 33, 35 www.leica-geosystems.com
Liebherr-Canada Ltd. 27 www.liebherr.com
LIUNA Ouside Back Cover www.liunaopdc.org
M & L Testing Equipment Inc. 6 www.mltest.com
Marathon Drilling co. Ltd. 28 www.marathondrilling.com
Master Promotions - 2017 National Heavy Equipment Show ................ 16 www.masterpromotions.ca
McAsphalt Industries Ltd. ............ 19 www.mcasphalt.com
Nilex 23 www.nilex.com
Nortrax Canada Inc. 25 www.nortrax.com
Ontario Barrier Wall Ltd. Inside Front Cover www.ontariobw.ca
Peninsula Construction Inc. .......... 40 www.peninsula.ca
Peto MacCallum Ltd. ..................... 42 www.petomaccallum.com
& Piling Supplies (Central) Ltd. 13 www.pipe-piling.com
Highly trained, safety-conscious and skilled, LIUNA members are the right people for the job.
Employers know that LIUNA provides more comprehensive, advanced training for its members than any other union in Canada. LIUNA is committed to training and has created partnerships with employers including investments by our pension fund in P3 projects.
Hands-on training through the Construction Craft Worker (CCW) Apprenticeship Program is available for all LIUNA members to ensure a safe, productive workforce. Members are ready to work safely from their first day on the job, making them a valuable asset to employers.
LIUNA represents more than 80,000 members in all sectors of the construction industry in Ontario including; industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI), residential, roads, gas pipeline, sewer and watermain, electrical power systems, demolition, utilities and heavy engineering.
