RoadBuilder Magazine - Spring 2013

s p r i n g

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The quarterly publication of the Ontario Road Builders’ Association

2013 ORBA

AWARDS 2013 Convention Wrap Up

ORBA’s New President JOHN BLAKE

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The Road Builder is published quarterly for: The Ontario Road Builders’ Association 365 Brunel Road, Unit 1 Mississauga, ON L4Z 1Z5 Tel: (905) 507-1107 Fax: (905) 890-8122 www.orba.org

s p r i n g

The quarterly publication of the Ontario Road Builders’ Association

DEPARTMENTS

CONTENTS

Publisher Robert Thompson Editor Ali Mintenko

2 0 1 3

Executive Director’s Message ........................................................................... 8

Junior Editor Joanna Graham

Around Queen’s Park ..................................................................................... 12

Contributing Writer Matthew Bradford

Meet the New President: John Blake ............................................................. 14

Sales Executives Gary Fustey, Walter Niekamp, Ashley Privé, Jack Smith, David Tetlock

ORBA 2013 Board of Directors . .................................................................... 16

Senior Design Specialist Krista Zimmermann Published by:

FEATURES

ORBA’s 86th Annual Convention an Elite Success . ..................................... 18

Finding Opportunity in Crisis .......................................................................22 Carol Layton Planning for “The Road Ahead” ............................................24

5255 Yonge Street, Suite 1000 Toronto, Ontario M2N 6P4 Toll Free: (866) 216-0860 ext. 229 robertt@mediaedge.ca 531 Marion Street Winnipeg, MB Canada R2J 0J9 Toll Free: (866) 201-3096 Fax: (204) 480-4420 www.mediaedgepublishing.com

New Minister of Transportation and Minister of Infrastructure . ...............26

Paving the Way for Innovation . ....................................................................28 Tim Hudak Rallies for Change at ORBA Convention . ...............................30

MTO Delivers 2013 Update ..........................................................................32

CCA’s Annual Report ....................................................................................34

President Kevin Brown

Larry Tanenbaum Enters ORBA 3Hall of Fame ..........................................36

Senior Vice-President Robert Thompson

2013 ORBA Awards . ......................................................................................38

Branch Manager Nancie Privé All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of the association.

Publication Mail Agreement #40787580 Return Undeliverable Items To: The Ontario Road Builders’ Association 365 Brunel Road, Unit 1 Mississauga, ON L4Z 1Z5

Paver of the Year Awards ...............................................................................40

CSC’s Construction Looking Forward . ........................................................46 Exploring Alternative Financing and Procurement ....................................50

Keeping Pace with CFAAST ..........................................................................54

Metrolinx’s “Big Move” Gaining Momentum .............................................. 57

ORBA New Members . ...................................................................................58 Putting Ontario’s Road Building Story to Paper .........................................62 The Road Builder

7

Executive Director’s Message Geoff Wilkinson Executive Director

H

aving started in my role with ORBA only 10 months ago, my learning curve into the industry has been a steep one. I am fortunate to have a small but very strong staff that have been able to help me understand our association’s challenges and opportunities and have been receptive to working with me to review some of our internal processes as well as the activities and programs we offer our members. I am also very fortunate to have a strong base of dedicated and knowledgeable volunteers that have helped me understand the transpor-

tation infrastructure industry. Over the next six months I plan on getting out to a number of our member businesses and job sites to further this knowledge.

Leading up to the Liberal Leadership race, ORBA met with the front-runners including Charles Sousa, Sandra Pupatello and our now Premier Kathleen Wynne to talk

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about our issues and obtain feedback and commitments on ORBA issues. Since the February Cabinet Shuffle we have met with Honourable Jim Bradley, Minister of the Environment, Honourable Glen Murray, Minister of Infrastructure and Minister of Transportation and his Parliamentary Assistant, Kevin Flynn, MPP Oakville, Honourable Yasir Naqvi, Minister of Labour. In addition we have met with Gilles Bisson, MPP Timmins - James Bay, NDP Transportation Critic and George Gritziotis, Chief Prevention Officer, Ontario Ministry of Labour.

We have lobbied very hard for continued infrastructure transportation spending in the 2013 budget to address both new highways, roads and bridges as well as the much needed rehabilitation work required to address Ontario’s provincial and municipal aging infrastructure deficit.

The ORBA Convention was full swing amidst the Liberal Government’s Cabinet Shuffle on February 11. Minister Chiarelli had been scheduled to address our delegates and present the Paver of the Year and Green Awards.

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Fortunately Carol Layton, Deputy Minister for the MTO was able to fill in and brought forth a positive message about the MTO and ORBA relationship and greetings and well wishes from Minister Chiarelli. Quite impressively the new Minister of Transportation and Minister of Infrastructure, Honourable Glen Murray, on his first day on the job, joined the ORBA convention for dinner and remarks and spent a full evening talking informally to members.

ORBA’s work on the CFAAST Implementation Committee continues. We have been meeting over the last eight months addressing ORBA’s issues including: application of liquidated damages; dispute resolution process; the exclusion provision; infraction process; contractor performance rating process; qualifications committee process; and role/training of contract administrators. We have made significant strides in addressing these issues and are moving towards implementing new processes for many of these. At the ORBA Convention, we provided an overview of the principles the CFAAST Implementation Committee has agreed to and our next steps. We will be providing a similar presentation to ORBA members via web conference within the next few months.

This April the ORBA Board of Directors will be meeting to review and update our strategic plan, which was drafted in 2009. We will be incorporating member feedback within the process including the strategic direction feedback provided to us at last fall’s President Tour meetings.

We will be moving from a semi-annual Road Builders’ magazine to quarterly so I look forward to communicating with you more regularly. As the busy construction season is about to begin, please contact us with any questions, problems or issues you may encounter.

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Around Queen’s Park An Interesting Winter S

ince the last time this column appeared in Road Builder magazine, much has happened in the halls of the Pink Palace, with the prorogation of the Legislature, the inauguration of a new Premier, and a significant Cabinet shuffle that included a new Minister on the Transportation and Infrastructure portfolios.

by Patrick McManus, ORBA Policy Analyst

Premier Dalton McGuinty surprised many by announcing his resignation as Premier on October 15, stating that “…after 16 years as Leader of the Ontario Liberal Party and after nine years as Premier, it is time for renewal. It is time for the next Liberal Premier. It is time for the next set of Liberal ideas to guide our province forward…” That renewal began at the Liberal Leadership Convention in late January, when delegates elected Kathleen Wynne on the third ballot as the new Liberal Party Leader and Premier in a closely contested race with other frontrunner Sandra Pupatello.

As the new Premier, Ms. Wynne has announced a new set of priorities for her Government, including a significant focus on improving transportation infrastructure across the province, including better roads, stronger bridges, repaired underpasses, and accelerated, integrated transit planning. She has been quite clear in her messaging, indicating that it is necessary to move past the political rhetoric and to find real solu-

12 Spring 2013

tions to the problems plaguing the rehabilitation and expansion of rural/ Northern roads and bridges, suburban transit, and traffic gridlock in the GTA and Greater Golden Horseshoe. Her plan is an ambitious one; one that has been stalled in the political process for well over a decade and has resulted in Ontario slipping behind the other provinces and states in North America in terms of its gridlock and goods movement.

In mid-February, Ms. Wynne appointed the Honourable Glen Murray as the new Minister for Transportation and for Infrastructure to take on the challenge of addressing these significant problems. Minister Murray, for his part, has a particularly complicated task at hand, as the province looks to upgrade the existing stock of roads, bridges, and transit lines (among much other infrastructure) as a means of promoting economic growth in the province, while also addressing the existing infrastructure deficit in the province and assisting municipalities in dealing with their own infrastructure deficits. And, most importantly, there is the need to figure out how to pay for all of this.

This is certainly no easy task given the difficult financial state that Ontario finds itself in these days. In fact, it seems to be one of those few things that has not transformed over the course of the last six months. Ontario finances are still in a difficult position, and talk

AROUND QUEEN’S PARK around Queen’s Park is heating up around the need for “new revenue streams” to pay for ongoing infrastructure program costs and needed upgrades. The federal government, in its budget proposal for 2013-14, has renewed its Building Canada Plan, with a commitment of $53.5 billion for infrastructure development and rehabilitation over the next 10 years, which will provide some help to the province, but frankly not enough to address some of the serious infrastructure requirements over the long-term.

It will ultimately come down to the commitments and priorities set forth in the Ontario budget that makes the real impact.

for change and reform when the Legislature was prorogued for four months, between October and February. There are a host of items on our agenda that go beyond the big picture questions that are currently being looked at, like: resolving CFAAST issues; reviewing the Alternative Financing and Procurement projects approach; addressing ongoing issues around outdated standards for highway

maintenance vehicles and contracts; seeing through the Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration review; and, the list goes on.

After all the talk of renewal and all of the planning and strategic visions to move forward, now we want to see action. Hopefully on this front, we will also see something new: progress.

And similar to the other changes across government, the 2013-14 Budget process is also likely to be quite different, as for the first time in a decade, the process will not be driven

by Premier McGuinty, or long-time Liberal stalwarts Greg Sorbara and Dwight Duncan. Premier Wynne has appointed the Honourable Charles Sousa as her new Finance Minister, and whereas the previous two Finance Ministers were a lawyer and politician by trade, respectively, Minister Sousa has significant experience in the financial field. He spent 20+ years at RBC Financial Group holding titles such as Director of Business DevelopmentCommercial and Financial Services and Director of Government and Community Affairs. What this means in terms of a budget process remains to be seen, but based on Minister Sousa’s professional experience, we are likely to see at least a modicum of change in the look and feel of Budget 2013-14 over its nine predecessors.

All in all the appearance at Queen’s Park, at least on the surface, is quite new; though only time (and a new Budget) will tell whether or not we will see a true renewal process take hold. At present, all of the dialogue and oratory appears to be headed in the right direction, but now is the time to move past rhetoric and take action.

Discussions have been prolonged, as industry continued to discuss the need The Road Builder

13

JOHN BLAKE

Assumes ORBA Presidency A profile of the association’s 2013 leader

F

or over 34 years, John Blake has been a regular fixture in Ontario’s construction and road building industry. From his first job in 1979 as Field Engineer at Dufferin Construction in Oakville, Ontario, to his current career as General Manager of Norjohn Contracting and Paving Limited in Niagara Falls, Ontario, he has worked and managed operations in the roadbuilding industry.

This March, John took the stage during the gala dinner at ORBA’s 86th Annual Convention to officially launch his latest role as ORBA’s 2013 President. “I am excited to be your President for 2013 and to follow in the steps of those who have led the way before me,” said John in his opening remarks. Thanking outgoing President Jim Hurst of Steed and Evans, he added, “I am confident with my role in this position. How can I not be confident when I look at the able bodies, minds and experience of our new Board of Directors, our strong Executive Committee, and ORBA’s very competent office staff. I look forward to taking the momentum that has been set in motion over the last few years and moving it to a higher level in order for our next President to take over.”

Born in Grimsby, Ontario, John worked through high school summers as a labourer, operator and Foreman with a family construction company and from that interest graduated from Mohawk College’s Construction Engineering Technician program in 1979. Coming out of college, John was offered a job at Dufferin Construction Company and gained experience as a Field Engineer and EstimatorProject Coordinator over the next ten years. As John puts it the “school of Dufferin” gave him an invaluable foundation from which to base a successful career in the roadbuilding industry. Living in Niagara with a young family in 1989, John decided to cut down on the Oakville commute and accepted the position of Construction Manager with Hard Rock Paving in Port Colborne, where over the next 18 years he rose through the ranks to become Vice-President of Construction, Materials, and Highway Maintenance.

In 2007, John ended his term with Hard Rock and joined Norjohn Contracting and Paving Limited (a subsidiary of Walker Industries Holdings Ltd.) in Thorold, Ontario, where he continues to lead as General Manager.

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NEW PRESIDENT’S PROFILE In addition to his industry work, John is a CCA Gold Seal Certified-Project Manager (Road building and Heavy Construction), has served as President of the Heavy Construction Association of Regional Niagara (HCARN) from 2003-2004 and has been an ORBA Director from 2006 to the present. John was proud to be named ORBA’s 2011 Director of the Year and has served as Chairman of the Education and Industry Promotion Committee since 2006. “ I have always been a proponent of the importance of continuing education as a tool to build better employees and thereby better companies especially so in our quickly changing industry”. John has walked the talk on continuing education by recently graduating from Brock University in 2011 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics-Business, after 12 years of part-time study.

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John cited a number of goals on his agenda. The most important goals were to revisit and update ORBA’s Strategic Plan and to resolve the remaining CFAAST issues providing an agreed to implementation plan. Other issues on the table include enhancing government relations, addressing issues surrounding the College of Trades, developing best practices guides, expanding member benefits, improving relationships between regional associations, and working together with the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) on a number of pressing matters. “When I look at a typical Board of Directors meeting agenda, we have discussions and debates on a minimum of 10 -12 issues; each of which are seeking resolution in their own way. I am looking forward to leading our new Board of Directors, our committees and staff in prioritizing this list of issues and keeping us moving forward in completing ORBA’s overall goals for 2013.”

John acknowledged that ORBA’s successes rely on a team effort, and noted he looked forward to working with the Executive Committee, as well as learning much from the 1st Vice-President, Ron Tomlinson of Tomlinson Construction, 2nd Vice-President, Dave Read of Cruickshank Construction and Past-President Jim Hurst of Steed and Evans. He also spoke to his enthusiasm for working with ORBA’s staff, saying, “Our new Executive Director, Geoff Wilkinson, is definitely motivated to perform well in his role as Executive Director and has ORBA’s best interests at heart. We are in good hands. In addition, the ORBA staff—Kathryn Thomas, Kim Le Fort, Karen Renkema and Patrick McManus—add excellent support from the administration side, keeping the flow in the office and working tirelessly at the committee level. I look forward to, and am confident in, your support again over the coming year.”

John ended his inaugural speech by thanking fellow industry colleges, wife Laurie, son Brodie and daughter Courtney for their combined support, adding, “What better way to describe our exciting industry and our special type of people but with this year’s conference theme, ELITE. As your 2013 ORBA President, I too look forward to Exploring Leadership and Innovation in our Transportation Environments with all of you through this next year.”

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The Road Builder

15

2013-14

ORBA Board of Directors

(Seated left to right) James McVeety, Coco Paving Inc.; Scott Zeilstra, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers (Canada) Ltd.; Geoff Wilkinson, ORBA (Executive Director); Ron Tomlinson, R.W. Tomlinson Ltd. (1st Vice-President); John Blake, Norjohn Contracting and Paving Ltd. (President); Dave Read, Cruickshank Construction Ltd. (2nd Vice-President); Alfredo Maggio, Graham Bros. Construction Ltd.; Scott Taylor, McLean Taylor Construction Ltd.; Marlene Yakabuski, Bot Construction Limited (Standing left to right) Tom O’Callaghan, Fowler Construction Company Limited; Ted Arscott, Roto-Mill Inc.; Bill Powell Jr., Powell (Richmond Hill) Contracting Limited; Paul Quinless, Carillion Canada Inc.; Michael Rugeroni, Nortrax Canada Inc.; Joseph Looby, Looby Construction Limited; Jim Hurst, Steed and Evans Limited (Immediate Past President); Allan West, K.J. Beamish Construction Co. Ltd.; Steve Smith, Miller Paving Limited; Blair McArthur, Miller Paving Limited; Geoffrey Stephens, Capital Paving Inc.; Michelle Cole, G. E. Capital; Martin Gran, Pioneer Construction Inc. (Missing from photo) Peter Gamble, Dufferin Construction Company; Mark Rivett, Aecon Infrastructure

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ORBA’s 86 Annual Convention th

an Elite Success

I

t was an occasion for insights, education, updates and networking this February, as road building stakeholders from across Ontario met in Toronto for ORBA’s 86th Annual Convention. Running from Feb. 11-12, the industryleading event occupied the main convention floor of The Fairmont Royal York Hotel, spilling into the city for afterhours entertainment.

This year’s theme, “ELITE: Exploring Leadership Innovation in Transportation Environments,” introduced attendees to a wealth of information-rich sessions, panels and an industry trade show—all designed to equip road building professionals for the challenges and opportunities ahead. It kicked off Monday morning with an inspiring keynote address by 18 Spring 2013

Warren Macdonald, a world renowned Australian speaker who lost both his legs in a hiking accident, but moved on from his struggles to become a champion for personal development and an expert in crisis management.

“When we change the way we see the world, we change the world,” he said. “We have to keep moving; it’s the only way things can unfold in front of us and to get some of the answers we can’t see when we’re stationary.”

Warren’s address paved the way for an equally eye-opening convention program. On Monday, attendees were invited to sit in on a wide variety of sessions, including an industry analysis by the Canadian Construction Institute, an

CONVENTION REVIEW

economic overview from the Construction Sector Council, updates on the CFAAST recommendations and The Ontario College of Trades issues, and a preview of ORBA’s Legacy Project initiative. The first day also included a luncheon address from Tim Hudak, leader of the Ontario Progressive Conservatives, as well as reports from ORBA’s head office concerning ORBA Government Relations, Environmental Committee, and Health and Safety Committee.

As it is every year, ORBA’s Contractors’ Round-Up proved to be one of the most memorable highlights of the yearly gettogether. The Ballroom Bowl played host to the post-session festivities, treating attendees to a multi-levelled entertainment complex complete with bowling alleys, billiard tables, games and ample networking elbow room. Here, ORBA convention members, speakers and leaders shared drinks with colleagues, enjoyed a mouth-watering buffet and won prizes; all within a classy and enjoyable atmosphere befitting of its industry guests.

Even after a full day of programming and an even fuller night on the town, ORBA’s convention was just getting started. Tuesday’s schedule provided the opportunity to attend a number of key presentations, including a Ministry of Transportation of Ontario (MTO) panel, industry innovation spotlights, an in-depth review of Alternative Financing and Procurement, a rundown on Metrolinx’s “Big Move” progress and an associate member trade show that ran throughout the day. Attendees were also invited to lunch at The Fairmont Royal York Hotel’s main hall, while The Road Builder

19

CONVENTION REVIEW

enjoying awards presentations and an address by Carol Layton, Deputy Minister of Transportation.

“The Ministry of Transportation recognizes the importance and the need to invest in Ontario’s infrastructure. Whether it is hospitals, schools, public transit or highways—investing in our infrastructure is a key priority,” she said.

The convention wrapped up in style at the President’s Dinner, during which ORBA’s 2013 President John Blake gave his inaugural speech, thanking ORBA members, staff and association leaders for their ongoing support.

“It has been an action-packed two days with important information on ORBA’s latest initiatives, excellent messages from our keynote speakers, the opportunity to meet new people and touch base with old friends,” he said, adding, “I hope 20 Spring 2013

that each and every one (of) us—contractors, associate members, suppliers, MTO-IO, Metrolinx and our political representatives—leaves this 86th convention with a proud feeling inside that we are special contributors to society.”

Presentations from ORBA’s 86th Annual Convention can be found at www.orba.org under the Events section.

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Finding Opportunity in Crisis

Insights from Warren MacDonald’s keynote address

I

n April 1997, Australian adventurer Warren MacDonald’s reality was forever altered after a trek to Hinchinbrook Island’s tallest peak left him pinned underneath a one-ton boulder for two of the longest days in his life. Fortunately, his companion Geert van Keulen was able to rally help, but MacDonald’s rescue did not come without life-changing consequences. Days after his brush with death, MacDonald awoke in a hospital to discover both of his legs had been amputated at mid-thigh and that his life had taken a completely new path.

This was the start of MacDonald’s life story—a story he shared during his keynote address at ORBA’s 86th Annual Conference. In it, MacDonald took attendees through an account of the accident that initially confined him to a wheelchair, and the insights and lessons he learned during his intense recovery that allowed him to move forward in a bold new direction.

“It was a big wake up for me that life’s pretty short and that we must make the best of it,” said MacDonald, recalling his rehabilitation.

And make the best of it he did. Central to MacDonald’s keynote address was the concept of overcoming hardships and turning crises into opportunities. Drawing on his experiences, MacDonald explained how he made an early decision to change his point of view, recalling, “It really 22 Spring 2013

came down to one of my favourite words: Perception.

I simply didn’t see this as being a big deal. I flipped the switch inside my brain that started to see opportunities rather than obstacles.”

MacDonald encouraged attendees to perceive their personal or professional crises as bumps in the road toward greater potential, insisting, “When we get too comfortable, we get vulnerable to outside forces, potentially in the form of a crisis. The thing I realized is if I really wanted to catapult forward, I needed to be strong enough to navigate the world in a wheel chair. I needed to be in the best shape possible, and the best way that I knew how to do that was to swim.”

Using his accident as his own inspiration for growth, MacDonald dedicated himself to physical training. This motivated him to enter Australia’s Pier to Pub swimming event; an annual 1.2 km race in which thousands of racers swim in heats from Lorne Pier to the beach of the LSLS Clubhouse.

“The faces of those young kids as I came up the beach that day . . . well . . . I guarantee some of them have never swum in the ocean since,” he joked.

MacDonald finished 473rd out of 732 in his round that day, exceeding his expectations and wowing both onlookers and competitors alike. “I realized that day that it’s not

WARREN MACDONALD ‘what you see is what you get,’ it’s about how you see. I simply refused to focus on the fact that I didn’t have my legs. It didn’t enter my mind for a nanosecond, and it changed everything.”

The Pier to Pub race marked the beginning of MacDonald’s new journey. Soon after, he outfitted his wheelchair with mountain bike tires and launched himself at a number of outdoor challenges. Just 10 months later, he reached the apex of the Tasmania’s Cradle Mountain; and in February 2003, he ascended Africa’s Mount Kilimanjaro to become the first double above-knee amputee to reach the 19,000 ft. peak. More recently, MacDonald completed a three-day trek to the top of America’s tallest cliff face, El Capitan.

“Part of flipping that switch and looking at things through the eyes of an explorer was realizing that I’m not stuck in a chair; it’s just a tool. And when it doesn’t serve me anymore, I can leave it behind,” he said.

Critical to this mindset was MacDonald’s belief in the 70 per cent rule, which he insisted could be applied to all aspects of life, explaining, “By the time you’re seventy percent certain about something, you go for it. Then and only then will the pieces that make up the final 30 per cent start to be revealed to you.”

MacDonald’s presentation closed with an overview of his approach to crisis management. In it, he emphasized the importance of viewing crises as inevitable turning points and urged attendees to perceive these disasters as chances for fresh growth and new successes.

“We have to keep moving; it’s the only way things can unfold in front of us and to get some of the answers we can’t see when we’re stationary,” said MacDonald, adding, “We’re not really talking about climbing mountains today; what we’re talking about is creating. What I had to do after this happened to me was create a new reality for myself.

My question for you guys is: What are you going to create?

What do you want to create for yourself, for your business, or for your industry?”

Warren MacDonald’s full story can be read in his book, A Test of Will: One Man’s Extraordinary Story of Survival, and online at www.warren-macdonald.com.

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The Road Builder

23

Carol Layton Planning for “The Road Ahead” MTO Deputy Minister talks future goals at ORBA luncheon

M

TO Deputy Minister Carol Layton took a breather from the activity at Queen’s Park to join ORBA delegates for lunch on the final day of the 2013 Annual Convention. Standing in for the Honourable Bob Chiarelli, former Minister of Transportation and current Minister of Energy, she spoke about the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario’s (MTO) infrastructure plans, successes and what it foresees for “the road ahead.”

“I want to acknowledge the great relationship that continues between ORBA and the Ministry of Transportation. We rely on the strengths of both of our organizations to help make this province a better place through highway and bridge investments that are vital for our communities and for the economy and quality of life overall,” she began, adding, “I congratulate the Ontario Road Builders’ Association on your long record of success.”

Layton reported the ministry has maintained its focus on investing in Ontario’s highways and bridges.

Since 2003, it has invested a record $17 billion toward such initiatives, enabling the ministry to build and repair 6,700 kilometres of highways and 828 bridges. Layton said the ministry is set to invest a further $2.4 billion this year to repair and expand the provincial highway network, noting, “It is estimated that these highway infrastructure investments will create more than 20,000 jobs in Ontario.

That’s great news for Ontario’s economy, and that’s great news for you, our partners in road building.”

24 Spring 2013

Investments aside, Layton spoke to ORBA and the MTO’s continued work on the CFAAST Special Review.

She drew attention to the current successes of the Joint Implementation Committee and pledged to implement the agreed upon items while working with ORBA to resolve remaining issues.

Speaking to MTO’s use of the Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP) model, Layton cited statistics indicating that the model has been used for 79 major Ontario projects over the last six years, valuing approximately $30 billion dollars and saving taxpayers an estimated $3 billion dollars. She emphasized the ministry remains focused on choosing the best delivery model for its projects, noting, “The models we select to deliver our projects going forward will be selected by balancing a number of factors, while leveraging the skill set of the industry to ensure the best value for the taxpayer. That value will be translated into more opportunities for the industry, more jobs for the economy, and better highways and bridges for our transportation network.”

MTO’s commitment to safety was another key topic in Layton’s address.

Citing the agency’s pride in being North American leaders in road safety, she thanked ORBA for its role in keeping Ontario’s roads and workers protected, saying, “Safety and innovation are key elements that support a growing economy.”

Building on the topic of safe futures, Layton spoke briefly on MTO’s sus-

tainability initiatives. This included a review of several technical innovations, including rapid bridge replacements, mobile traffic barriers, sustainable energy sources, recycling pavement materials, and MTO’s pursuance of Phase 1 of the Niagara GTA Planning and Environmental Assessment Study.

Lastly, Layton delivered an update on MTO’s Study Team, saying it was currently analyzing highway expansion options and consulting with local municipalities, stakeholders, First Nations and community partners.

“Ontario’s Building Together longterm plan reinforces our recognition that all levels of government and the private sector must work together to successfully deliver the infrastructure we need and to do so in an economically sustainable manner,” she said.

“We will continue as a province, with the help of ORBA, to build towards an efficient transportation network that will help us get to work quicker and home to our families sooner, resulting in a better quality of life.”

Concluding her address, Layton gave a final overview of MTO’s plans to rehabilitate and maintain Ontario’s transportation infrastructure and emphasized the importance ORBA will play in MTO’s plans going forward. “We have come a long way in 86 years of working together. We have created quite a history of road building together that we are proud of, and, together with ORBA, we will continue to grow, partner and build towards an efficient transportation network for this province.”

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The Honourable Glen Murray Newly Appointed Minister of Transportation and Minister of Infrastructure

T

he Honourable Glen Murray was appointed as the Minister of Transportation and the Minister of Infrastructure in February 2013, following the election of Kathleen Wynne as the new leader of the provincial Liberal Party and Premier of Ontario. Minister Murray is a seasoned politician, having served for many years as a municipal politician and community organizer, and more recently as a Member of Provincial Parliament in Ontario for the riding of Toronto Centre.

After first considering a run for Mayor of Toronto in 2010, Minister Murray instead chose to focus his attention on provincial politics and was elected to the Ontario Legislature in the byelection for the Toronto Centre seat vacated by long-time Liberal MPP George Smitherman. Following his election victory, he was appointed to the provincial cabinet as Minister of Research and Innovation. He was re-elected in the October 2011 general election and was subsequently appointed Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities.

During his short tenure as Minister of Research and Innovation, Minister Murray signed a unique agreement with Singapore through the Water Technology Acceleration Project (WaterTAP) in support of the Water Opportunities and Water Conservation Act, 2010. The intent of this initiative is to make Ontario a global leader in 26 Spring 2013

water and wastewater technology and connect Ontario’s leading water and wastewater companies to the needed capital to enter into the global market. This particular agreement with Singapore will expand the reach of Ontario companies, providing an entry point into the lucrative Association of Southeast Asian Nations economic market.

Following his re-election in 2011, he was appointed as Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, where he launched the 30% Off Ontario Tuition Grant for post-secondary students in the province. He also oversaw the growth of the Ontario College of Trades through its development phase.

Prior to his involvement in Ontario politics, Minister Murray served as a municipal politician in Winnipeg, first as a city councilor from 1989 to1998 and then as mayor from 1998 to 2004. During his time as mayor, he was known as a champion for human rights, having led a successful campaign to have sexual orientation included in the Manitoba Human Rights code. He also founded the Village Clinic in Winnipeg, which was the first integrated centre for HIV/ AIDS prevention, care and treatment in Canada. On infrastructure, he successfully campaigned as Chair of the Big City Mayors Caucus to have the equivalent of five cents per litre of the federal gas tax dedicated to munici-

palities for infrastructure renewal and construction. Between 2001 and 2004, he worked with Mark Chipman to develop and construct the MTS Centre in downtown Winnipeg as part of his revitalization strategy for the city.

The arena construction eventually lead to the rebirth of the Winnipeg Jets NHL franchise in 2011.

Minister Murray has a strong resume of experience in counterpart industries that will serve him well in the Transportation and Infrastructure Ministries. His experience working with Aboriginal communities, developing new approaches on issues such as jobs, recreation, and public safety will be important for the government’s northern development plans. His experience in municipal politics will be critical as municipal governments in the province grapple with ever-expanding infrastructure deficits. And his previous Ministerial experience working to streamline government and create new opportunities for Ontario businesses will serve as a strong structural foundation for enhancing Ontario’s construction activities.

ORBA would like to congratulate Minister Murray on his dual appointments and looks forward to working with him and his office to ensure that Ontario roads, bridges and transit lines remain the best and safest in North America.

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Paving the Way for Innovation New products and processes from the road building industry

T

his winter ORBA welcomed representatives from its membership and the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) to share their latest innovations with road building stakeholders at its 2013 Annual Convention. The following are highlights from this forwardthinking industry session.

MTO INNOVATIONS Tire Derived Aggregate (TDA) was the focus of the MTO’s innovation spotlight. It was presented

by Tony Sangiuliano, foundation engineer at MTO’s Materials Engineering Research Office, who explained the process and its potential industry benefits.

Developed in 2009, TDA technology was developed to make use of the 12 million scrap tires that are generated annually in Ontario. The process works by shredding tires into 12 to 300 millimetre scraps, compacting the material into 300-millimetre thick layers, covering it with a geotextile blanket, and layering the material with two metres of soil. According to MTO’s research, TDA is lightweight, compressible, highly permeable, nonbiodegradable, adds good thermal insulation and provides lower lateral pressures on retaining walls.

MTO demonstrated the use of TDA on a recent bridge replacement in Cornwall at the Boundary Road interchange on Highway 401.

The experimental project used an estimated 400,000 scrap tires and produced favourable results. Sangiuliano noted the MTO is eager to pursue 28 Spring 2013

other sites for TDA application, and that it has received support from their partners at the Ontario Tire Stewardship and Rubber Association of Canada.

“Innovation is popular these days, and we at the ministry believe in it very strongly. One of our strategic directions is to undertake work in new and improved ways,” Sangiuliano concluded. “You have to believe in something if you want to do it correctly.”

CONTRACTOR INNOVATIONS Miller Paving Use of Polymeric Aggregate Treatment (PAT) Miller Paving kicked off ORBA’s contractor innovation spotlight with its presentation on the use of Polymeric Aggregate Treatment (PAT) as an anti-strip for hot-mix asphalt pavements. As explained by Trevor Moore, corporate technical director at Miller Paving Limited (www.millergroup.ca), PAT is a Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR) latex polymer used to turn hydrophilic aggregate (prowater) into hydrophobic aggregate (anti-water).

Moore broke down the science behind PAT and discussed its field application. He also discussed the treatment’s benefits, noting that it can be easily stored and applied, is non-toxic and environmentally friendly, and results in no leaching of treatment.

Moreover, Moore added: “PAT delivers a waterproof aggregate system

resistant to freeze, thaw and moisture damage; as well as providing a very consistent barrier with excellent and consistent results.”

Lecol Road Safety and Crash Testing Jesse Hopkins with Powell Contracting, Lecol Inc. (www.lecol.com) and Powell Mobile Barrier, took his turn to discuss crash tested systems.

Following a brief review of the basic barrier guidelines outlined in the National Cooperative Highway Research Program’s (NCHRP) report 350, Hopkins ran attendees through crash test videos demonstrating pass and fail conditions.

The presentation continued with a look at the strengths of four alternative work zone barrier selections, including steel barrier (Vulcan), restrained barrier (M-Type), moveable barrier (QMB Barrier) and mobile barrier (Powell Mobile Barrier).

“This is about innovation through equivalence,” he insisted, adding, “I want you to look at jobs, see if you can identify different ways to use some of these different barrier types to your advantage, and maybe you’ll find some cost savings or time savings.”

CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT INNOVATIONS John Deere Hybrid Electric Drivetrains in Construction Equipment John Deere product marketing manager John Chesterman led the construction equipment portion of

INNOVATION SESSIONS ORBA’s innovation sessions with an overview of hybrid electrification in construction vehicles. Drawing attention to the rise of hybrid technology in consumer vehicles, he emphasized hybrid technology is starting to become common place on the jobsite, saying, “The fact is these machines are out there and working.”

Citing John Deere examples, Chesterman showcased the Deere Exclusive Hybrid Train System and the Deere 644K Hybrid model, which boasts 25 per cent reduced average fuel consumption, long component life, fast acceleration and ramp climbing, low noise, and consistent hydraulic performance.

Wajax Equipment Dave Reid, product manager with Wajax Equipment, closed the equipment innovation section with an overview of Wajax’s market offerings.

Reid reviewed a number of construction vehicles in Wajax’s line, including the company’s new wave of recyclers, featuring streamlined controls, automation and enhanced engines; as well as safety features like standard back-up cameras, reverse assistant and room for multiple cameras.

“It’s hard to get operators these days and even harder to train them. We try to make that easier on the contractor,” he said.

Highlights of Reid’s innovation spotlight included a review of Wajax’s SP 15 self-automated curb and gutter machine, which can run without an operator and is designed to be easy to use and learn. This and other Wajax equipment have been shown at industry events throughout Canada and can be found online at www.wajaxequipment.com.

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The Road Builder

29

Tim Hudak Rallies for Change at ORBA Convention P

rogressive Conservative Party leader Tim Hudak made a return visit to ORBA’s Annual Convention in a bid to meet oneon-one with Ontario’s road building stakeholders and communicate his “vision of a great Ontario.”

Hudak’s 2013 appearance marked his third consecutive visit to ORBA’s yearly conference. In his luncheon speech he appealed for a change in Ontario’s leadership, saying, “I look around today, and I see the province I love in decline. A decade of overspending has dug us into a deep financial hole. Our debt is set to triple; our roads, bridges, highways and transit systems are crumbling; and Ontario’s unemployment rate has been above the national average for six straight years.”

Addressing what he called the greatest debt and jobs crisis of a lifetime, Hudak argued that tough choices were needed to steer Ontario’s economy back on track. “I’m not going to stand here and tell you it will be easy to get out of this mess. We’re out of money. We’re careening toward a $30 billion deficit and a $411 billion debt. The approach to government of the last decade – of swatting at every problem with bundles of cash like ‘whack-a-mole’ – has only been made viable through record low interest rates. The bad news is Standard and Poor’s, Moody’s and DBRS have all 30 Spring 2013

downgraded our credit rating. This puts everything we care about at risk.”

Adding to Ontario’s woes, said Hudak, are “deliberate choices” made by Ontario’s leadership that weakened the province before its economic downturn. These included the decision to “sacrifice” Ontario’s traditional advantage of low energy rates for wind and solar power subsidies, spooling out the red tape at a cost to the economy, and abdicating leadership in the battle against GTHA’s gridlock.

Hudak insisted that returning to prosperity required fiscal responsibility and a commitment to tough changes, saying, “The answers to our problems aren’t hard to figure out; they’re just hard to do. But if we dare to try, there will be benefits for all.”

Turning to solutions, Hudak outlined some of the principals of his so-called “A New Deal for the Public Sector.”

Among these were approaching government as a business, reducing payroll redundancies, and focusing on creating a leaner public service that delivers more value for less money.

But while downsizing public sector was one of his priorities, Hudak said it was essential to support and “upsize” the private sector, adding, “I make no mistake about who will pull us out of this ditch. If you do well, Ontario will do well. You and ORBA don’t just build roads, you build communities.

So the job of Premier is to clear the roadblocks to help you do it... to help unleash your businesses and grow demand so you can start creating wealth again.”

Along these lines, Hudak argued for tax breaks to spur economic growth, and less red tape, noting, “The government shouldn’t give you the run-around like that just because it can, or build bureaucracies just to keep civil servants busy and pick your pockets.”

Hudak also pledged to open the marketplace for workplace insurance, shut down the College of Trades, and deal with GTHA’s infrastructure problems head on. “We’ll tackle GTHA gridlock on our roads and highways— which is clogging the arteries at the heart of Ontario’s economy—to get you to work in time, and your goods to their destination on time.”

Parting on a positive note, he said, “Ontario’s comeback is about to start.

We’ve done it before. We’ve risen up, dusted ourselves off, and ushered in a new era of prosperity. I intend to make sure we do it again. Hear me when I say: We are on our way back.

Ontario will lead again.”

Hudak welcomed ORBA members to learn more about his party’s Paths of Prosperity publication, which is available online at www.ontariopc.com/paths.

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MTO Delivers 2013 Update R

epresentatives from the Ontario Ministry of Transportation (MTO) took ORBA’s stage at the 2013 Annual Convention to deliver news and updates concerning the ministry’s ongoing initiatives. The panel included Gerry Chaput, assistant deputy minister; Steve Cripps, executive director and chief engineer with Asset Management; Paul Lecoarer, director of Contract Management with the Operations Branch; and Shael Gwartz, director of the Investment Strategies Branch.

“We have a long and proud history of working together to build and maintain Ontario’s highways,” said Chaput in his opening remarks. “Together, we’ve helped support Ontario’s economy and keep Ontarians connected in ways that are both safe and cost effective. We have a strong partnership and a strong relationship. It requires a lot of work, and it’s not easy, but the important part is we’re able to listen to each other, we’re open, and we’re guided first and foremost by mutual respect.”

Chaput spoke to the value of MTO and ORBA’s ongoing relationship, citing Deputy Minister Carol Layton’s involvement in the CFAAST as one example where the partnership has proved fruitful. “As an organization, we’re committed to continuous improvement in the ways we do our business, and we’re always open to constructive dialogue. MTO takes our relationship with ORBA seriously.”

32 Spring 2013

Alternate Contract Models Following a brief review of MTO’s CFAAST progress, Chaput turned the floor to Steve Cripps for insight on MTO’s approach to Alternative Contract Models; specifically Minor/Major Design, Minimum Oversight (MinO), 3rd Generation Performance-based AMCs, Construction General Contractor (CMGC) and Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP).

Cripps’ explained MTO’s motivations behind the use of alternative contract models, which included the ability to provide options, allocate appropriate risk, and promote partnering and collaboration between stakeholders.

He reported 23 DB minor contracts have been awarded to date, while two DB major projects, Highway 404 ATMS and Highway 401/Wonderland Road Interchange, were in procurement. Future projects that were listed included the Amherst Island Ferry Dock Project and the four-laning of Highway 11/17.

“Within the next five years, the ministry plans to advertise roughly 50-60 design-build minor projects and roughly 25-30 design-build major projects,” predicted Cripps, noting each region is developing a five-year design-build implementation plan for both rehabilitation and expansion projects; and that the MTO was committed to sharing its own two-year project list with the industry moving forward.

Speaking to the Construction Manager General Contractor (CMGC) model, Cripps detailed the progress of several CMGC projects, including the Highway 3, Grand River Bridge Replacement in Cayuga and the Highway 400 Project (Canal Road Northerly). Lastly, he reviewed the status of several Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP) projects: The Rt. Hon. Herb Gray Parkway and Phase 1 of Highway 407 East expansion.

“The design-bid-build model is still our main procurement method,” he explained. “Alternate contracting models do exist, and there’s new ones coming along every day. As an owner, it’s really incumbent to MTO that we explore these options and look for the best fit for the projects that we have.”

“We’re all learning as we go forward,” he added.

Amendments to Dispute Resolution Paul Lecoarer used his time at the podium to provide a snapshot of the MTO’s current approach to the dispute resolution process (DRP) and performance specifications.

Starting with the former, Lecoarer explained the ministry’s new dispute resolution process was modelled after the Ministry of Transportation, British Columbia’s DRP – Referee ADR Option. In it, the process maintains the three stepped review, but adds a 30-day contract administration phase to the beginning of the process; as well as adjusts the total process time to 255

MTO UPDATE business days. Lecoarer also addressed the ability for either party to include a referee at the conclusion of any DRP, and highlighted the guidelines for taking such action. Moving forward, he noted the ministry will continue to refine its DRP as it relates to referee selection, claim submission templates and guidelines, the claims tracking system, and the scope of written decisions.

According to the numbers, MTO issued 199 major tenders for the period running Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, totalling $1,465 million. Turning to minor capital contracts, the total value for the 2011/2012 year hovered at $144 million, while the 2012/2013 year dipped slightly to $138 million—a change attributed to the influx of stimulus money in the previous year.

Lecoarer segued into an update on MTO’s performance specifications, citing specifications planned for hot-mix asphalt, erosion and sediment control, seed, and sod; all of which are being developed with consultation with the industry, including ORBA’s technical sub-committees. According to Lecoarer, the performance specifications are intended to describe an element of work, facilitate innovation amongst contractors, better identify and allocate risk, and achieve historical quality.

Following a rundown of the 2011/2012 tenders and their respective values, Gwartz shared a rundown of the MTO’s 2012/2013 construction accomplishments. These included higher-than-anticipated numbers across the board in terms of repaired bridges, repaired highways, new bridges and new or expanded highways. In addition, he gave attendees a look at the 47 early tenders issued between January 2013 and March 2013, noting, “ORBA has advocated for early tenders, and we have increased the number of early tenders for this year by 50 per cent.”

Moving ahead, Lecoarer took attendees through an update on Phase 2 of the RAQS to MERX conversion, which focuses on Regional Minor Capitol and Maintenance opportunities.

He explained the phase will replace the Ontario Shared Services fax submission process, and the Contract Bulletin Board will list three types of contract opportunities including MTO Capital, MTO Regional, and MTO Maintenance. Other benefits of the conversion include the ability for contractors to access electronic documents via the website, receive immediate e-notification of bid results, and access both MERX training webinars and assistance through frontline support.

More information can be found at www.raqs.merx.com.

MTO’s Capitol Program MTO’s Panel wrapped up with a look at the ministry’s 2012/2013 capital program. Key figures included in Shael Gwartz’s presentation included its current budget of $3.1 billion, of which $2.4 billion has been allocated for highway construction.

Wrapping up, Gwartz shared some insight into what occurs behind the scenes at the MTO in regards to

“Our commitment to ORBA is this: We will continue to be proactive in strategically planning our program.

We will continue to monitor all projects and expenditures, and we will quickly take action to add additional projects if we do have budget room,” he said, adding that ORBA can help by providing contract administrators with updated, accurate and timely construction schedules and invoicing as soon as work is completed to allow MTO to better manage its budget.

Shifting his attention to the year ahead, he said: “We recognize the critical role that transportation plays in supporting the economy, creating jobs and keeping our provincial highway network in great condition, and we will continue to focus our investments on payments and bridges.”

Information on MTO’s five-year capital program can be found at: www.mto.gov.on.ca/english/pubs/ highway-construction.

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“Performance specifications are really just an evolution of our current specifications,” he clarified. “We’re not looking to raise the bar here, we’re looking to achieve our historical quality.”

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2/15/2013 9:54:05 AM

CCA’s Annual Report

Canadian Construction Association delivers yearly industry update

D

elegates from the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) stopped into ORBA’s Annual Convention to deliver the CCA’s 2012 report. CCA Chair John Schubert, president of McCaine Electric Ltd., spearheaded the presentation, which covered the current construction climate, Canada’s economic forecast and the CCA’s most recent successes.

“I have to thank Steve Cruickshank and Geoff Wilkinson who very capably represent ORBA at the national level,” began Schubert. “We appreciate the fact they bring to us your points of view, and it’s very important for us to get them because it does help us set our policies and priorities.”

Industry at a Glance Schubert launched his talk with a report on the industry’s 2012 per-

formance. Drawing numbers from Statistics Canada’s Private and Public Investments Survey, he indicated that an estimated $281 billion worth of work was conducted last year and predicted that number will exceed $300 billion in 2013. According to Statistics Canada’s recent GDP figures, construction saw a 3.1 per cent increase in 2012 over 2011, far outpacing the average for other industries, which levelled off at 1.1 per cent.

“These past few years have probably been some of the best and most prosperous we’ve seen in our industry.

Going forward it is predicted it will continue,” he added.

While the prognosis has, and continues, to look good for construction, Schubert warned that low unemployment rates and a lack of available workforce will place greater strain on construction owners to maintain

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their labour supply. Numbers quoted from the Construction Sector Council indicate that by 2020 the industry will require approximately 319,000 individuals to enter the job market; of these, roughly 160,000 will come from traditional training centres, while over 150,000 will have to come from either outside our industry or outside of Canada.

“The labour scarcity in other sectors will only compound the problem.

Therefore, without a great focus on workforce recruitment, the industry may continue to experience high labour costs to struggle to keep people,” he warned, urging owners to consider underutilized demographics such as female workers, who currently occupy only four per cent of the jobs in construction, outside of clerical duties.

Spotlighting Ontario’s numbers, Schubert predicted construction will continue to grow and be spurred by such activity as mining in the North, Metrolinx’s Light Rail Transit (LRT) plans, eastern Ontario’s utility projects and other major construction initiatives.

On a larger scale, Schubert quoted March 2012’s Global Construction 2020 report, which predicted Canada’s construction market will be the 5th largest in the world by 2020 behind China, the United States, India and Japan.

“From 2010 to 2015, Canadian infrastructure will grow over two times the growth rate seen over the previous five years,” said Schubert, adding, “In short, if the investments do hold, we will continue at or near peak capacity for up to the next 10 years.”

CCA ANNUAL REPORT Tracking Industry Trends

ment of a national standard industrial construction contract.

The CCA report included an overview of industry trends. Key amongst these were the rise in project sizes, diversity and complexity; an increase in international interests; rapidly advancing technologies; and a movement away from traditional procurement and delivery models.

Schubert also touched on CCA’s participation and ongoing awareness of immigration reforms; most notably the accelerated Labour Market Opinions (LMO) slated for temporary foreign workers, the new Federal Skilled Trades Program and the new Expression of Interest (EOI) system.

“We’re seeing a focus being placed on the private sector for full service solutions. In some marketplaces, that’s creating a chain where a lot of infrastructure is now being done by private concerns,” explained Schubert. “You are now being given a new client, a client that may not be as open and forthright as the government was before it, so that should certainly change the landscape as well.”

Lastly, Schubert addressed concerns related to public and private sector

competition, explaining, “We are becoming concerned about the spread of public energy competition in the private sector in construction.

As a first step, CCA will be developing a report to assist our partner associations in explaining the long-term cost implications to elected officials.”

In closing, he added: “It’s been a very busy and successful year.”

More information can be found online at www.cca-acc.com.

CCA’s Successes and Future Plans Schubert’s address wound down with a summary of CCA’s latest accomplishments. They included: • Convincing the government to make the $2 billion gas tax permanent; • Assisting in coordinating the participation of all partner associations in the new Federal Long Term Infrastructure plan consultations; • Being a major participant at the national infrastructure summit, during which the first infrastructure report card was released; • Participating in the recent release of the Canada West Foundation guide on the link between adequate investment in infrastructure and economic growth; and • Participating in reforms to the Canadian Environment Assessment Act and Navigation Protection Act. On the topic of CCA’s priorities, Schubert said the association is on track to releasing new documents, such as its Documents 14 and 15 of design-build, and is planning to conduct seminars across the country. In addition, CCA has signed a memorandum of understanding with the construction owners association of Alberta, through which it hopes to collaborate on the develop-

The Road Builder

35

Larry Tanenbaum Enters

ORBA Hall of Fame O

RBA Hall of Fame members have a new inductee in their midst. This year, the association opened its door to welcome Larry Tanenbaum to its honorific club in recognition of his years of service to the industry, his charitable pursuits, and contributions to the Canadian sports industry.

“It is a great honour to be in the company of such road building luminaries who I have also had the great privilege of calling my friends. I also share this award with the exceptional leaders and builders of the Warren Group,” said Tanenbaum.

Since entering the construction industry at the age of 14 as a part-timer with Crosstown Paving, a former subsidiary of Kilmer Van Nostrand, Tanenbaum has built an exceptional career and reputation. His full-time career began when he assumed the role as president and CEO of the company in 1968 after graduating from Cornell University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics.

Under his leadership, the multi-faceted company grew significantly throughout the decades, branching into new divisions and subsidiaries that serviced virtually all aspects of the Canadian construction industry. In 1979, Tanenbaum purchased The Warren Paving & Materials Group, and for the next 20 years grew it until the company’s merger with Lafarge North America in 2000. From that point forward, Tanenbaum remained an influential figure and significant shareholder, sitting on the company’s Board and leading as Chairman of its Finance Committee until Lafarge SA bought out the minority interests in 2006.

36 Spring 2013

“Ontario is a place of great hope and promise. I never take for granted the freedoms afforded us here and the opportunities in this remarkable, multicultural society,” reflected Tanenbaum, adding. “As road builders, we have always supported the political process to ensure it stays healthy and vibrant and full of vigorous debate. We must always be diligent to ensure the continuity of a fair, open and transparent government, and we must continue to encourage their investment in our vital infrastructure.

This is our future; we cannot neglect it.”

Tanenbaum’s years in the industry have afforded him a unique perspective and impressive resume. He has had his boots on the ground for many notable projects, including the construction of the Spadina Expressway (now Allen Road), the roads and bridges of Highway 27 (now Highway 427), and early work on the Yonge Street Subway line, to name just a few.

Looking back, Tanenbaum claimed his greatest accomplishment is building a network of talented and dedicated industry professionals, noting, “My proudest achievement is being able to build a real core team of people in the road building and heavy civil construction area. The teams that we built are fabulous.”

“I also tip my hard hat in honour of my father, Max Tanenbaum, a great entrepreneur and industrialist who, with only a sixth grade education, started in the early 1900s to find hope and prosperity in this remarkable home we all share here in Ontario. Max was a man of vision, but more than anything, he was a man of honour. His word was his bond

ORBA Hall of Fame and we all know that in the construction industry. None of us can succeed without this as our principle attribute.”

Tanenbaum’s leadership extends throughout the industry.

In addition to serving as National Revenue Chair of the Liberal Party of Canada during Prime Minister Paul Martin’s tenure, he has sat on the Independent Fiscal Review Panel of the City of Toronto and the Mayor’s Economic Competitiveness Advisory Committee of the City of Toronto. He is currently a member of both the Toronto Board of Trade’s Advisory Council and an honorary co-chair of the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance.

More commendable still is Tanenbaum’s long history within the non-profit sector and many community associations. Over the years, he has lent his time and expertise to such roles as Vice-Chair of the Mount Sinai Hospital Board of Directors, Co-Chairman of the Research Board for the Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, and as a board member for numerous university and community organizations throughout Toronto.

It’s little wonder, then, that Tanenbaum was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada in October for 2007 for his ongoing industry and charitable initiatives.

Toronto sports fans are also familiar with the Tanenbaum name. As Chairman of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, he is deeply engaged in Toronto sports properties including the Toronto Maples Leafs hockey team, Toronto

FC of the Major League Soccer, the Toronto Marlies of the American Hockey League, and the Toronto Raptors basketball team, for which he played a key role in acquiring for the city in the 1990s. He also sits as Governor on the Executive Committees of the NHL, NBA, and MLS, and is a member of the Board of the Hockey Hall of Fame.

All totalled, Tanenbaum’s contributions to the industry, community, and Toronto’s sports landscape make him a natural selection for ORBA’s Hall of Fame.

“Larry has contributed greatly to the growth and strength of our industry, and continues to leave his mark on the many charities, organizations, and colleagues he dedicates himself to on a daily basis,” said John Blake, ORBA President. “We are proud to include his name amongst our long list of distinguished ORBA Hall of Fame inductees.”

Speaking to his own participation with the association, he recalled: “ORBA has been a vital force for the road building business in Ontario. The strength of the industry is dependent on the people who lead that industry and ORBA leadership has effectively advocated for everything from safety to alternative procurement models and have done so in a way to make road building better for all Ontarians.”

Asked where he’d like to see himself over the next five years, Tanenbaum added: “Hopefully raising the Stanley Cup.”

The Road Builder

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2013 ORBA AWARDS Director of the Year Scott Taylor, President of McLean Taylor Construction Ltd., was the proud recipient of ORBA’s 2012 Director of the Year Award—an honour bestowed to an ORBA Director who has given greatly of their talents, time, and resources to the association and its numerous industry initiatives.

“The Director of the Year Award is usually a very difficult award for the ORBA President to decide on and this year was no exception,” said Kathryn Thomas, ORBA’s Director of Member Services, adding, “We have a lot of very dedicated and hard-working directors to choose from.”

Taylor was chosen from a distinguished list of nominees in recognition for his extensive work on several ORBA committees throughout recent years. This has included representing the industry as the chair of the Contracts and Documents Committee, chair of the CFAAST Committee, and an ORBA member of the CFAAST Implementation Committee. This February, Taylor delivered an informative and engaging report on the CFAAST Committee’s progress during a presentation during ORBA’s 86th Annual Convention.

Director of the Year Award Winner Scott Taylor, President McLean Taylor Construction Ltd. with Jim Hurst, VP Steed and Evans Ltd. & ORBA Immediate Past President

“We thank Scott for the work he does for ORBA and the contributions he is making to our industry,” said Thomas.

Distinguished Service Award Every year, ORBA recognizes an industry leader who has demonstrated dedication to the industry through their work with the association. During this year’s annual convention, ORBA handed its Distinguished Service Award to Ashton Martin, Vice-President of Fermar Paving Ltd. “You don’t really consider getting awards like this when you’re working with association and doing the type of things I have, so it was a very nice surprise to be recognized,” said Martin.

A former ORBA Director from 2000-2011, Ashton Martin has remained an influential figure in the association, assuming leadership roles on various committees and applying his industry skills and perspective where needed. Following his term as a director, he moved on to become the chair of ORBA’s Hot Mix Committee, an ORBA representative on the Ontario Provincial Standards (OPS) Pavement Management Committee, and an ORBA representative on the CFAAST Implementation Committee.

“Once his term as a director was up, Ashton did not bid us farewell and move on to other things,” said Geoff Wilkinson, ORBA Executive Director. What’s more, he added, “He did all this with ORBA while balancing his role as vice president of Fermar Paving and president of the Toronto Area Road Builders Association (TARBA).”

Distinguished Service Award Winner Ashton Martin, President Fermar Paving Limited with Geoff Wilkinson, ORBA Executive Director 38 Spring 2013

Ashton follows a long line of Distinguished Service Award recipients, including last year’s winner, Peter Wehmeyer, President and Owner of Direct Traffic Management.

“Ashton is a very committed and highly knowledgeable ORBA volunteer, and we are proud to honour him with the Distinguished Service Award,” said Wilkinson.

2013 ORBA AWARDS Routly Safety Awards The yearly Routly Safety Awards recognize companies that have achieved the most consecutive man-hours without a lost-time injury. These statistics cover man-hours recorded up until the end of 2011, which is the latest time for which statistics of this kind are available.

Walmsley Bros. Limited achieved an industry honours hat trick in 2012 by taking home the Routly Safety Award for its third consecutive year in Category 1, which represents contractors that work 100,000 average man-hours or less.

Aecon Construction and Materials Limited took home the honour in Category II, which represents companies that log in more than 100,000 average annual man-hours.

Joe Bunting Civil Technology Winner Michael Bonacci with Geoff Stephens, President Capital Paving Inc. & Vice Chair Education

Lastly, Looby Construction Limited was also applauded during ORBA’s awards ceremony with the association’s Milestone Award for reaching 500,000 consecutive man-hours without a lost-time injury, measured up to December 31, 2011.

Congratulations to all road builders who help keep our people, roads, and highways safe.

ORBA Civil Technology and Engineering Scholarships As it does every year, ORBA provided post-secondary financial assistance to up-and-coming industry students throughout Ontario. These scholarships were divided among four categories.

2012’s recipients include:

The Joe Bunting Civil Technology Scholarship This $3,000 award is given to a student entering their final year of civil technology of a civil technology program at an Ontario College. This year’s recipient was Michael Bonacci, who is attending Humber College in Richmond Hill.

Civil Technology Winner Brett Martin with Geoff Stephens, President Capital Paving Inc. & Vice Chair Education

The J.D. Chick Civil Engineering Scholarship This scholarship is awarded to a student entering their final year of civil engineering at an Ontario university. This year, Giuseppe Del Gobbo from McMaster University was selected to receive the $3,000 award.

The ORBA Civil Technology Scholarship Brett Martin from St. Lawrence College was selected to receive this $2,000 award, which is given to a graduating high school student entering their first year in civil technology at an Ontario college.

Speaking with ORBA upon receipt of the scholarship, he said, “I cannot thank ORBA enough for this amazing scholarship. This is, for sure, one of the highlights of my life so far. It encourages me to be professional with my studies and give my absolute best effort in school to impress ORBA.”

The ORBA Civil Engineering Scholarship

Civil Engineering Winner Sandy Tang with Geoff Stephens, President Capital Paving Inc. & Vice Chair Education

University of Toronto Civil Engineering Program student Sandy Tang was selected

by ORBA to receive this year’s Civil Engineering Scholarship. The $2,000 award is handed to a graduating high school student entering their first year in civil engineering at an Ontario university “I would like to thank ORBA for providing this scholarship because it has helped with my expenses towards school,” she told ORBA, adding, “I am very grateful for this.”

The Road Builder

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PAVER OF THE YEAR AWARDS LAVIS CONTRACTING CO. LIMITED NAMED PAVER OF THE YEAR

Paver of the Year Winner Lavis Contracting Co. Limited

40 Spring 2013

PAVER OF THE YEAR AWARDS Lavis Contracting Co. Limited took home ORBA’s top Paver of the Year Award for its admirable completion of Contract 2012-3003. The Ministry of Transportation job tasked the Clinton, Ontario, company with the reconstruction of 9.8km of MTO #21 Highway, running North of Goderich from Shepparton to 0.5km south of Glen’s Hills Road. The contract called on Lavis’ crew to deliver on a number of services including ditching, earth excavation, road crossing CSP culverts, subdrains, concrete repairs, pre-milling, cold in-place recycling, and asphalt paving.

“We have a great group of people working for Lavis Contracting,” said Bentley Ehgoetz, Lavis Contracting Director of Operations. “We had great efforts from the reconstruction crews doing the pipe work and excavation to the CIR, as well from the hot-mix crews and subcontractor.

We also had a great working relationship with the on-site contract administrator. It takes a team effort to complete a job to high standards and our crews have proven what can be accomplished when they work together.”

Thanks to solid leadership, teamwork, and partner expertise, Lavis Contracting was able to accomplish multiple bonuses on the project. These included achieving asphalt mix bonuses for 19.0mm at 5.8%, 12.5 FCI at 5.7%, and a smoothness of 5.3%.

Paver of the Year Winner Gordon Lavis, President Lavis Contracting with Carol Layton, Deputy Minister of Transportation

“We’re very satisfied to receive the MTO paver of the year recognition along with achieving these bonuses,” said Gord Lavis, Co-President of Lavis Contracting Co. Limited. “It is a credit to the men and women at Lavis Contracting Co. Limited.”

Equipment used: CIR • CAT 750 Mill • McCloskey Recycling Unit • CAT AP1000 track paver • CAT 534 Steel Roller • CAT PS-360 Rubber Tire Roller • LiuGong Earth Compactor Asphalt • CAT AP1055 Track Paver • CAT 534WD Steel Roller • CAT 534B Steel Roller • CAT PS300C Rubber Tire Roller • HAMM GRW280-28 Rubber Tire Roller • Cedarapids MS-4 (For 19.0mm Mix) • Weiler Shuttle Buggy (For 12.5 FC1 Mix) Material used: CIR • McAsphalt HF150P Emulsion

Paver of the Year Winner Gordon Lavis, President Lavis Contracting Co. Ltd., with the Honourable Glen Murray, Minister of Transportation and Minister of Infrastructure

Asphalt • 12.5 FC1 Mix: Miller Patterson HL1 stone, Miller Patterson unwashed screenings, two different local sands, with McAsphalt PG 58-28 A/C. • 19.0mm: Stone, chip, and sand from local Lavis pits; along with Duntroon sand. 10% RAP in the mix with McAsphalt PG 58-28 A/C. The Road Builder

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PAVER OF THE YEAR AWARDS AECON CONSTRUCTION & MATERIALS LIMITED

Contract 2012-2025 was the job that cleared the path for Aecon Construction and Materials Limited entrance into ORBA’s 2012 Paver of the Year awards. The Toronto-based builder was acknowledged as a finalist for its work on the MTO contract, which required select resurfacing on Highway 403’s eastbound lanes from Central Parkway East overpass to Highway 401.

The job required 9,000 tonnes of Superpave 12.5FC2 and 5,000 tonnes of Superpave 19. Aggregates for the FC2 consists of granite materials sourced from Aecon’s Mountain Lake Quarry.

Paver of the Year Finalist Colin Burpee, General Manager Aecon Construction and Materials with Carol Layton, Deputy Minister of Transportation

COCO PAVING INC.

Work conditions were typical for a major highway project. Despite having to adjust for heavy traffic and congestion, Aecon project manager Mark Arbeau reported that the crew succeeded in going above and beyond expectations, saying, “Although night work has many restrictions, the team lived up to the challenge and completed the work within the allowable closure times.”

“The final results were outstanding, with bonuses achieved for both

Coco Paving Ltd. was named among ORBA’s Paver of Year Award finalists for its work on Contract 2011-4006—a multi-phased contract that included rehabilitation work on Highway 401.

Phase one began in 2011 with the installation of a 7.5km long barrier wall set along the median and stopping at Wyman’s Road. Phase two picked up in April 2012 with rehabilitation work from Wyman’s Road easterly to Country Road 41 in Napanee.

“This is in our backyard. Our hot mix plant is just off the highway and only 10 kilometres away from where the project finished, so this is a road that we are all very familiar with,” recalled Steve Bedford, Coco Paving’s Manager of the Kingston and Belleville area.

Paver of the Year Finalist Rob Rodgers, General Manager Coco Paving Inc., with Carol Layton, Deputy Minister of Transportation 42 Spring 2013

The Contract required 71,000 tonnes of hot mix, which was supplied by Coco Paving’s Gencor drum plant with asphalt cement from Coco’s Asphalt Engineering facility in Millhaven, Ontario. The job itself

materials and smoothness. The end result is a testimony to teamwork and co-operation between Aecon and the MTO,” he added.

Aecon was awarded its finalist plaque alongside other ORBA honourees during the 86th Annual Convention.

Speaking to the elite industry nod, Arbeau noted, “We are honoured to be recognized amongst our peers for the outstanding work on this challenging project.”

Equipment used: MTV • Roadtec SB-2500 Asphalt Spreader • Cat AP1055 Asphalt Rollers • Cat CB-634 • Cat PS-360 • Cat CB34 Material used: • Superpave 12.5FC2 • Superpave 19

required Coco’s crew to mill 50mm of pavement, after which it added a 50mm bearing course using Superpave 19, and 40mm surface course using Superpave 12.5 FC2.

While the contract may have been in Coco’s backyard, it was not without its obstacles. Working on one of the most travelled highways in Ontario required Coco to keep work to one lane at a time with closures no greater than 3km. Bedford added the contract itself was also something of a challenge itself, explaining, “When you are paid by the tonne, you can concentrate almost exclusively on managing smoothness. When you are paid by the square metre—as we were on this project—you have to manage your material usage just as effectively.

With the penalties in place, meeting smoothness and thickness targets is a huge risk. You have to think the whole job through from preplanning to daily operations before the first piece of equipment moves on site.”

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PAVER OF THE YEAR AWARDS COCO PAVING INC. continued

R.W. TOMLINSON LTD.

Nevertheless, the Coco Paving crew met its two-pronged challenge with ease, earning the Toronto-based company a spot in ORBA’s annual awards line-up.

Asphalt Equipment • Cat AP 1055D Paver

Equipment used:

• Cat PS300 roller

Grinding Equipment • Roadtec RX 900

Material used:

• Roadtec RX 400

• SP 12.5mm FC2, Type E, AC @ 64-28

R.W. Tomlinson Ltd. was recognized

by ORBA as a Paver of the Year Award finalist for its success on Contract the 2012-5112. The job saw the Eastern Ontario company pairing with General Contractor Bonnechere Excavating Inc. (BEI) and the MTO – Northeastern Region to provide a high quality asphalt mix and a smooth surface for an 8-kilometre stretch 1.3km east of Highway 533 on Highway 17.

Haulage Ltd., were key in R.W. Tomlinson being able to produce a high quality product.”

According Barry Kuiack, Project Manager with R.W. Tomlinson Ltd., crews encountered no major challenges during the project. However, timing was a factor, considering local events and the MTO’s tight deadline.

Paver of the Year Finalist Russ Perry, Highway Division Manager R.W. Tomlinson Limited, with Carol Layton, Deputy Minister of Transportation

“An interim goal of the project was to have the granular surface covered with a single lift of asphalt prior to Mattawa’s Voyageur Days Festival that started on July 26, 2012. This goal was achieved, minimizing the impact on the increased volume of local traffic for this event,” Kuiack explained.

Kuiack added the success of Contract 2012-5112 is owed in large part to the efforts of R.W. Tomlinson’s partners, including BEI and the contract’s aggregate supplier, J&P Leveque Bros.

Haulage Ltd. “BEI did an excellent job of managing the project, and worked very closely with R.W. Tomlinson’s fine grading and paving crew.

This, along with the excellent materials supplied by J&P Leveque Bros.

44 Spring 2013

• Roadtec SB2500D Shuttle Buggy • Cat 534D roller (2)

• SP19mm, Type E, AC@ 64-28

R.W. Tomlinson was one of the finalists recognized in the 2013 ORBA Annual Convention awards presentation. Speaking to that honour, Kuiack said, “R.W. Tomlinson is extremely pleased with final result of the project, and to be recognized by ORBA with this award is a distinction that all our team members take pride in.”

Equipment used: • Portable Gencor 400 Ultradrum Asphalt Plant • Roadtec SB2500D Shuttle Buggy: • CAT AP1055D Paver • CAT AP1000D Paver 2 • CAT CB634C Breakdown Roller • CAT PS300B Rubber Tire Roller • CAT CB534C Finish Roller Material used: • Lower Binder: 50mm SP19 • Upper Binder: 50mm SP19 • Surface Course: 40mm SP12.5 • Asphalt Cement: Bitumar (Montreal) PGAC 58-34 • Aggregate Supplier: J&P Leveque Bros. Haulage Ltd.

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CSC’s Construction Looking Forward Highlights from the Construction Sector Council’s 2013 Analysis

L

abour trends, market assessments and regional industry temperature checks were the topics on tap for the Construction Sector Council’s presentation at ORBA’s Annual Convention. Led by CSC economist Bob Collins, the session discussed the findings released in CSC’s latest Canadian market study, Construction Looking Forward 2013.

“Construction has been a leading employment-generating industry for more than 20 years in Ontario and is poised to remain key for the foreseeable future,” read Collins, underscoring a key finding from the 2013 study, while adding that non-residential construction has led the industry’s growth for a number of years.

Collins said the CSC estimates the rise in activity will continue over the next decade, creating an estimated 23,000 new non-residential construction jobs between now and 2021, noting, “Construction has been, at least for the past couple of decades, one of the major employment generators in Ontario, but the levels of activity can vary significantly by region.”

Though the demand for labour represents a healthy industry, Collins indicated unemployment rates are declining, leaving construction owners with access to less industry talent. He emphasized an increasing need to engage all pockets of available labour, including women, immigrants and first nations’ residents.

“Unemployment rates are on a trend downwards due to demographics. We have less room in the unemployed to be a provider for the labour force compared to what we’ve traditionally had in the past,” said Collins. “We need to replace the loss of skilled workers as they retire. As labour demand increases across the scenario, industry will not have a lot of flexibility to draw from the unemployed to meet peak demand requirements.”

46 Spring 2013

Turning to construction activity in Ontario, Collins indicated growth will indeed be concentrated in the nonresidential sector; specifically in commercial, institutional and engineering activity—the latter of which means gains for utility, transportation and other heavy projects. These numbers were highlighted in his presentation, showing highway and bridge components of the engineering construction hovering around the $3 billion mark (in constant dollars adjusted for inflation) going forward into 2021.

“If you look at the data, roads, highways and bridges, investment is holding its own. Spending is pretty steady, averaging over $3 billion industry per year,” he explained.

Regional Breakdown CSC’s 2013 report includes highlights for Ontario’s northern, central, Greater Toronto Area (GTA), eastern, and southeast regions. At the provincial level, the overall growth represents a moderate expansion across the scenario period (2013 - 2021). That said, there are distinct regional differences with unique challenges and prospects.

CSC’s 2013 economic outlook includes an analysis of Canada’s labour market. Collins provided a snapshot of labour trends from coast to coast; the most significant of which was a nationwide demand for skilled labour due to a sizeable number of retiring baby boomers. In total, the CSC estimates Canada will need to replace approximately 210,000 workers between 2013 and 2021; while Ontario alone is expected to need to replace 75,000.

According to Collins, this loss of experienced workers will result in labour pressures at various times across the outlook period, especially for major projects in remote locations and in regions where overall activity is increasing such as in Alberta, British Columbia and central Ontario (GTA), where the labour pool will be stretched to its limit.

CANADIAN ECONOMY A breakdown of Ontario’s activity by regions is as follows: Northern

• Construction activity on a “remarkable cycle” driven by resource and utility projects • Gains of 6,200 jobs in 2013 • Activity declines in 2013, but by 2021 it is still twice as high as 2009 numbers • Jumps in non-residential work followed by more limited, yet still significant, residential gains

GTA

• Construction activity continued to grow in 2012 • A moderate residential cycle will lower activity by 2015, but recover and expand to 2021 • Non-residential growth and new jobs from 2013 to 2021 are distributed among commercial and institutional activity, which grows steadily to 2021, and gains in utility and roads and transportation systems.

Southwest

•C onstruction activity has been volatile, involving job losses from 2007 to 2009 with some recovery from 2010 to 2012 •A ctivity in non-residential sectors has been uneven, with gains and losses spread throughout the scenario •P roject timing is critical for engineering construction, with major highway work ending in 2013 and bridge work beginning in 2015

Central

• Commercial and institutional activity grows steadily to 2021 • Non-residential activity flattens due to declining activity in roads and highways (fewer utility and transportation projects than other regions)

Eastern

• Year to year there are changes between plus/minus four per cent • Industrial and infrastructure projects (i.e. Ottawa LRT) provide some short-term gains • Commercial and institutional work proceeds on a steady, moderate upward path.

The Road Builder

47

CANADIAN ECONOMY “Matching the right trades and skills to meet the regional cyclical or demographic needs continues to be a key challenge for the industry,” he said.

On the upside, the CSC forecasts that slower growth in central and eastern Ontario will potentially make these regions a source for talent; while increased interprovincial mobility of specialized skilled trades for resource and heavy engineering may further help relieve peak labour demand pressures.

workers to meet peak requirements, industry expansion and to replace retiring workers.”

Moving forward, he emphasized the key challenges facing construction stakeholders will be accommodating for the loss of an estimated 75,000 skilled workers due to retirement, and moving specialized and experienced tradespeople within the province to meet peak demand requirements for numerous major projects.

Construction has been a leading employment-generating industry for more than 20 years in Ontario and is poised to remain key for the foreseeable future

Lastly, he noted CSC has seen a growing number of skilled tradespeople taking the initiative to go to where they are needed, noting, “Tradespeople are becoming more mobile, going where the work is. We’re seeing trades that weren’t as mobile in the past becoming more so now.”

He added that much of the labour demand issue will come down to the timing of major projects and whether or not projects will overlap, fully utilizing all available labour; or will be more spread out, allowing for mobility across the country. “Even as interprovincial mobility of workers attempts to fill demand requirements, it is projected that the industry will still need to draw in a steady flow of new

Overall, Collins emphasized the need for Canada’s construction industry to be active in its recruitment and retention efforts in order to take advantage of its steady growth throughout the next decade. He reminded attendees: “We’re not alone. Construction is competing against everyone else. The youth that we’re targeting, the women, the aboriginal communities and the immigrants, we’re not the only ones going after the brightest and best, but construction will need to capture its fair share, and without it we’re going to face continuing market pressures.”

For more information on this and other studies, visit www.csc-ca.org/eng.

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11-02-24493:40 PM The Road Builder

Exploring Alternative Financing and Procurement Infrastructure Ontario makes a case for AFP

T

hriving in Ontario’s market means staying in sync with its ever-evolving bidding landscape. In its ongoing efforts to equip road builders with the latest information and market strategies to do just that, ORBA invited Infrastructure Ontario (IO) to join them at the Annual Conference for an in-depth analysis of the Alternative Financing and Procurement (AFP) model and how it can be of benefit to members across the industry.

IO’s presentation was delivered by Derrick Toigo, senior vice-president of the Civil Infrastructure program, a section of IO’s major projects branch which represents one of five major business divisions within the organization.

As a crown corporation responsible for delivering major projects on behalf of the government of Ontario, Toigo clarified IO’s role within the industry, explaining, “We are looking for exceptional projects that deliver value for the province of Ontario. Our goal is to manage, plan, design and deliver major infrastructure projects. We’re not only involved in the civil infrastructure side, but we’re also involved in the social side.”

IO’s initiatives are driven by the AFP model; a processes that differs from the traditional design-bid-build delivery model in a number of respects. Specifically, Toigo explained the AFP model incorporates finance and maintenance components into the mix, while adhering to performance based specifications that empower partners to bring innovative solutions to the table. “Under the AFP model of delivery, the public sector establishes a scope and the purpose of the project, and our job is to implement it. We work with them to project manage the solution and drive out the ultimate product in the end.”

A key element of the AFP model is the transfer of risk; a decision Toigo assured his audience is evaluated seriously between IO and its partners. “What we’re doing is transferring the risk to the party that is able to handle the risk.

Many of you, whether you’re working on small projects or large projects, understand what it means to deal with risk. You guys are the experts at delivering projects and understanding where that risk tolerance threshold is. What we’re doing right is taking that and putting it into concrete terms as to where it should really lie.”

50 Spring 2013

Identifying AFP Models AFP models can take three primary forms: Build Finance (BF), Design/Build Finance (D/BF), and Design Build Finance Maintenance (DBFM). The former, DB, follows a similar process to the design-bid-build model of delivery and applies to projects involving new construction or renovations where a significant design is already in place.

“What we do is take the design coordination, construction, scheduling risk and the financing and put it into the package. This inserts the ability to have constructors inform the design solution in a meaningful way, and the financing ensures that it gets done on time,” Toigo explained.

The second model, D/BF, represents the first step wherein IO will introduce the financing component. In this model, IO sets the specific output specifications and allows builders freedom to pursue those performance requirements in their own way. Explains Toigo: “It allows for you to come forward with innovative ideas and good solutions, but it tacks on a short-term financing arm. This allows you to build the project, have the financing in place and get paid with a balloon payment or substantial completion payment at the completion of the project.”

Lastly, DBFM builds from the DBF model with the addition of a long-term maintenance operations rehabilitations portion. In projects governed by this model, the concession period expands from a three-year build to a 33-year project where a maintenance long-term operations provider is brought in to monitor and ensure asset is available for its use. This model also includes a payment mechanism that incentivizes the provider to ensure the asset is available when it’s supposed to be available.

Toigo restated that risk transfer is a key element to all these models, saying, “The cost for private sector borrowing is offset by the risk that the private sector assumes. Rather than us going out and financing these things, we’re using your ability to go to your financiers and get the appropriate funding, and we’re balancing that off with the risk that is retained or transferred to develop that true value for money.”

Alternative Financing and Procurement The AFP Process Toigo’s presentation provided a glance of a typical AFP process. In it, an average of four to five months are taken for Request for Qualifications (RFQs), during which time IO seeks the best teams for the project according to design, construction, financing and maintenance standards. Following this, the Request for Proposal (RFP) stage runs from six to 10 months, depending on the complexity of the project. This timeframe allows teams the time to formulate sound solutions to the projects and not be pressured by restrictive time constraints.

The message for you, as contractors, is whether you are big or small, there is an opportunity for you to be involved in these projects “What we want at the end of this process is a compliant design solution,” said Toigo. “The objective is to not have two teams and one succeed, it’s to have all three succeed and to have the best design solution possible and then look at how is the value now being demonstrated.”

The AFP process also includes a weighty evaluation process, whereby RFQ and RFP submissions are evaluated by a completeness sub-committee, consisting of IO representatives; and both a financial sub-committee and technical sub-committee—both of which involve ministry reps, IO

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Speaking to IO’s involvement, he added: “When we sit across from you and have a discussion with you, it’s not some third party consultant and it’s not anybody else. We’re sitting across from you, we’re hearing what the issues are and we’re working through the issues with you as we get to the RFP close and, ultimately, the commercial close.”

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The Road Builder

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Alternative Financing and Procurement AFP By the Numbers To date, the AFP model has been applied to 70 projects, totalling approximately $30 billion in the market. The value-for-money average has hovered at 11 per cent per project, with total savings estimated to be worth billions of dollars.

In outlining its current progress, Toigo was joined by a panel of IO partners, including Steve Cripps, executive director of MTO Asset Managements; Jack Collins, executive vice-president of the Rapid Transit Implementation Group with Metrolinx; and Greg Percy, vice-president of GO Capital Infrastructure with GO Transit. Together, they spoke about AFP projects in the pipeline, which include: • Air Rail Link Spur Line: A 3km rail line extension to the Air Rail Link, a 25km project to be completed for the Toronto 2015 Pan / Parapan American Games.

• Ottawa Light Rail Transit Project: A project that includes a 12.5km line along existing Bus Route System (BRT) corridor, a tunnel through the downtown core.

• GO East Rail Maintenance Facility: A DBFM project with Metrolinx and GO Transit involving the construction of 600,000 square feet of infrastructure (RFP closes September 2013).

• Eglinton Crosstown LRT & Scarborough LRT: Project scope to include Eglinton Crosstown: Western Alignment and Eglinton Crosstown Tunnel Section, among other major components.

• Highway 69 – CEAA Project 44: Working with MTO on 34km of four-lane road along the Highway 69 corridor from north of the Highway 529 junction to north of Highway 407.

• Windsor Essex Parkway: A new gateway connecting Michigan Interstate 75 to Ontario Highway 401.

• Highway 407 East extension: A two-phase initiative with Phase 1 involving the creation of the 22km West Durham Link and Phase 2 consisting of the extension of the 407 East from Brock Road in Pickering to Highway 35/115.

Opportunities for All In closing, Toigo emphasized AFP will be open to all contractors of all sizes, and that local knowledge remains a factor in all of its decisions. “We want people or firms that understand what it means to work in the Ontario environment. We are encouraging teams to look at partnering with other teams to find the best solution that delivers the best product for the asset we’re delivering.”

“The message for you, as contractors, is whether you are big or small, there is an opportunity for you to be involved in these projects because there’s a lot of work that has to go on that isn’t solely about being a prime team member,” he concluded.

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The Road Builder

53

Keeping Pace with CFAAST

An update on ORBA’s Corporate Financial Assurance Audit Service Team review

I

ssues circling the Corporate Financial Assurance Audit Service Team (CFAAST) have been hot topics for ORBA members. Beginning as an internal governmental audit conducted by the Ministry of Finance to review MTO infractions and claims, the proposed CFAAST recommendations were released in August 2011.

In April 2012, ORBA responded with its recommendations in collaboration with its third-party legal firm BLG, and in May 2012, then Transportation Minister Bob Chiarelli struck a Joint Implementation Committee between ORBA and the Government of Ontario with the purpose of consulting with the road building industry for a final Joint Implementation Committee Report to be presented to the ministry in 2013.

Throughout this process, ORBA has put forward 80 recommendations; 74 of which have been discussed and agreed to by the MTO. Scott Taylor, president of McLean Taylor, chair of ORBA’s CFAAST Committee and a member of the CFAAST Implementation Committee, detailed these resolutions during ORBA’s 2013 Annual Convention and explained how they will impact the industry moving forward.

“We approached CFAAST based on

the principles of fairness, transparency and equity. What we wanted to create is a system or platform where we know contractors are going to get a fair shake if they find themselves in a situation,” he said.

ORBA’s CFAAST recommendations addressed seven key components, including:

Application of Liquidated Damages The first topic on ORBA’s CFAAST agenda, this issue was parked under the understanding that other components of CFAAST would resolve core issues surrounding the Application of Liquidated Damages. According to Taylor, it was a strategy that proved successful: “The big win is that contractors will have the opportunity to have an independent third party review in situations where a delayed claim or an extension of a contract has been applied for. Also, liquidated damages will not be taken until the end of the contract if an extension of time has been requested.”

Dispute Resolution Process “This is a battle ORBA has been fighting for years, and we’re proud to say that we have reached a resolution,” explained Taylor. “The dispute

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ALBERTA

resolution process will eventually find its way into every contract and be active in the contract from the tendering stage.”

Other agreements include: • A roster of pre-qualified referees will be created between the MTO and ORBA to assist with the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) process.

• The ADR process can be triggered at any level of the MTO; field, regional or head office.

• When ADR is triggered, and a decision is rendered before the contract ends, that decision will become provisionally binding throughout the rest of the contract and will exist within the context of the project.

• At the end of the contract, either party can choose to accept the ADR decision or move forward to binding arbitration or litigation.

Although the specifics surrounding ADR have not been finalized, Taylor said ORBA will work with the MTO to formulate rules and procedures for conducting ADR. Overall, he emphasized the aim is to create a fair, accurate and equitable discussion between both parties.

CFAAST UPDATE Contractor Performance Rating and Contract Administrators “Everyone has a story about an unpleasant contract administrator, and we believe we’ve arrived at measures that are going to mitigate these,” said Taylor, leading into a review of MTO’s Contractor Performance Rating Model.

Recommendations in this category include the creation of a mechanism for contractors to provide feedback to the MTO concerning the administration of the contract by the contract administrator (CA); and the creation of a more formalized CA training program to promote consistent application of principles and procedures pertaining to claims, infractions and clauses.

That arbitration will not be considered a “legal procedure” under the terms of the exclusion clause; and, if contractors proceed with a bona fide case, they would not be able to trigger the exclusion clause.

cations Committee (QC) process as a “black box” wherein disputes can find their way behind closed doors and get kicked out the other end without the contractor knowing what occurred during its deliberation.

“We do have a mutual understanding, and we are going to discuss this with the ministry, so take that as a win,” he added.

“What we have attempted to do is make this box as transparent as possible,” he clarified.

Qualifications Committee Taylor referred to the current Qualifi-

Agreed upon recommendations in this category include: • The QC must include a minimum of two non-MTO employees, who

One issue ORBA and the MTO have not yet been able to resolve is that of when a design firm also becomes the CA of the project.

“ORBA feels there is a potential for conflict of interest in defending their design in a claim situation. We are going to proceed to look at resolving this and how we can move forward on it,” he explained, adding that while the MTO would not abide by ORBA’s recommendation of having the CA firm released prior to tendering, it did agree to publish the CA’s name for publicly tendered projects on RAQS within 48 hours of the appointment.

Exclusion Clause Although a chief concern of ORBA, CFAAST’s exclusion clause remained an unresolved issue at the time of Taylor’s presentation.

“The MTO does not want to relinquish their power for being able to eliminate contractors from bidding for work,” he explained. “At the end of the day, however, we both want the same thing. We want to keep out the bad apples, and we don’t want to see a fair contractor with a legitimate case be excluded in the future.”

Going forward, ORBA will continue to work on this issue; specifically in regards to two key recommendations: The Road Builder

55

CFAAST UPDATE must make up no less than 30 per cent of the panel when matters concerning Contractor Infraction Reports are being reviewed and deliberated upon.

• The Infraction Report, supporting documents and changes provided to the QC will also be provided to the contractor prior to their meeting with the QC.

• Members of the QC will have no prior involvement in the case.

• Contractors can request a meeting with the QC before a decision on the infraction is made.

• Legal counsel for the MTO cannot be a member of the QC. • The existing 20-minute timeline for a contractor’s meeting with the QC will be extended to 60 minutes, with options for an extension.

• The QC’s written decision will include tangible reasons and justifications. In cases where a sanction is imposed, the QC will provide a statement confirming it has given consideration to all other

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56 Spring 2013

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sanctions or penalties that may have already been assessed against the contractor.

Infractions Regarded as the precursor to the Qualifications Committee, Taylor said ORBA has made numerous inroads as to how infractions are handled, noting, “Our goal again was to create that fairness, transparency and equity at the field level, which is where most infractions will take place.”

In addition to working with the MTO to define the scope of infractions, key recommendations from ORBA include: • An Instruction Notice will be given to the contractor’s senior site representative if the matter persists after one or more verbal warnings have been given.

• The Warning of Infraction Report and all accompanying documents will be sent to the contractor’s senior site representative and the company’s permanent office.

• Once issued a Warning of Infraction Report, a contractor can request for the Regional Contracts Engineer to meet with the contractor in a timely manner.

• The Procedures for Processing the Contractor’s Qualification Report, supporting forms and documents will be revised to include and reflect the additions and changes referenced in ORBA’s report.

• A Fairness Monitor will be appointed to carry out an annual review of activities conducted under the Procedures for Processing the Contractor’s Infraction Report, starting in 2014.

Moving forward, Taylor insisted ORBA and MTO will work to meet on unresolved issues and implement those that have already been agreed to, noting, “The work isn’t over. We do, however, have some very serious and timely deadlines that we’re going to meet, and we will begin to have actual (concrete resolutions) as to how we are going act on some of these issues.”

2013-02-12 9:55 PM

Metrolinx’s “Big Move” Gaining Momentum An update on Ontario’s 25-year integrated transportation plan

M

etrolinx’s Robert Siddall joined ORBA delegates at the 2013 Annual Convention to detail the agency’s progress concerning its “Big Move” initiative.

Drafted in 2009, The Big Move is Metrolinx’s 25-year integrated transportation plan for the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area that seeks to reduce commuting times, double transit mode share, triple the length of rapid transit and cut down on greenhouse gas emissions through a number of large-scale projects.

Since its launch, Metrolinx has made progress on a number of fronts. It has enhanced GO Transit services throughout the region, increasing ridership by up to seven per cent on average per year; spearheaded a new division, which is on track to launch a Union Pearson Express (UP Express) by 2015; and rolled out its PRESTO regional fare card system to numerous regions. Regarding investment, Siddall reported its capital budget has increased significantly throughout the years, rising from $300 million five years ago, when Metrolinx was known as Go Transit, to its current level of $1.8 billion.

“Our expectation is that the level of support from the governments will continue and grow over the next 10 to 15 fifteen years,” predicted Siddall.

Siddall shared a sampling of the 300 to 350 active projects across the region. These included an extension of Toronto’s Light Rail Transit Program and the expansion of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT); as well as its Georgetown South Project and the revitalization of the Union Station, which it is developing in concert with the city of Toronto.

In total, Metrolinx awarded 62 construction contracts in 2012, totalling a value of $678,014,057. These were split between 48 small projects ($1 - $5 million), valued at $41 million; three medium contracts ($5 - $10 million), valued at $24 million; and 11 large contracts (more than$10 million), valued at $612.5 million.

Speaking to the motivation behind some of Metrolinx’s work in Toronto, Siddall noted, “If we can move people faster across the region, that will have a significant impact on their quality of life and our ability to move people to employment in this region.”

BIG MOVE UPDATES Looking ahead, Siddall provided an update on some of Metrolinx’s major “Big Move” initiatives, including progress and studies made on the Goods Movement, and Metrolinx’s ambitious transit expansion, which it plans to carry out over the next 10 to 15 years. He included an overview of Metrolinx’s next wave of projects, which are anticipated to total $34 billion, create upwards of 900,000 jobs, and bring upwards of $130 billion in economic benefit.

“It’s a big program, and the impact of that program is essential for the economy of this province and for the quality of life of this region,” he added.

Lastly, Siddall touched on Metrolinx’s investment strategy, emphasizing the agency was committed to promoting fairness in distributing costs and spreading the benefits and contributions equally amongst the regions, noting, “Whatever we do, we have to show people that we’re spending money wisely and that we’re spending it where we say we’re going to spend it. We have to show we are achieving opportunities for innovation and actually moving these opportunities forward and creating something that is the best value for people that are paying for it.”

INDUSTRY PARTICIPATION Siddall took a moment to emphasize the importance of the ORBA/Metrolinx Joint Contractors Council—an initiative set up to bring the association in on the ground floor of The Big Move. To date, Metrolinx has met with ORBA on four occasions to discuss issues including the length of procurement, documents, strategies for getting more innovation into the procurement process and other vital issues.

“I hope the people who have been participating with us in those ORBA discussions feel the same way as I do in that we’re open and receptive to improving our processes to making them better,” he said. “I believe that there’s more that we can do to improve the efficiencies and effectiveness of our capital programs, and also impact the operating costs and life cycle costs for some of these capital projects which are going to be significant for this region moving forward.”

More information on The Big Move can be found at www.BigMove.ca.

The Road Builder

57

ORBA New Members Associate Members AMG Metals Inc.

global network. The business area innovates for sustainable productivity in surface and underground mining, infrastructure, civil works, well drilling and geotechnical applications.

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Since 1980, AMG Metals Inc. has been a supplier of quality aluminum and metal products. Certified by the Canadian Welding Bureau to CSA Standards W47.2 for Aluminum and W47.1 for Steel, the Ministry of Transportation of Ontario has designated AMG Metals Inc. as one of the few suppliers of several metal highway products.

In addition, AMG Metals Inc. manufactures products for the municipal and industrial water and waste water industries, supplying aluminum access frames and covers and a wide range of allied and accessory stainless steel and aluminum products.

As a result, the industry has relied on AMG over the years to provide quality, timely service, whether it be for “supply only” or “supply and install.”

Mr. John Pierson, 905-453-6113 www.amgmetals.com

Atlas Copco Mining & Rock Excavation

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BFL offers a complete range of Commercial Insurance products and services, Risk Management and Risk Control services and Employee Benefits Consulting Services to businesses, professionals, manufacturers and local governments, national and international organizations, and groups and associations.

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Granite Claims Solutions

Since 1976, Granite Claims Solutions has provided claims handling, risk management and third party administration services to local, national and international insurance markets, risk managers, brokers and public entities.

Headquartered in Toronto with 44 branch offices across Canada, Granite offers a cross-country presence to the domestic and casualty insurance industry, with over 300 specialty claims adjusters, marine surveyors and Third Party Administrators.

Granite provides clients with their 24/7 online claims reporting and on-call telephone claims service, a team of dedicated professionals licensed across all lines of insurance in all Canadian provinces and territories, commitment to best-practices through the Granite Quality Initiative Program, and an ability to customize a claims management program tailored to each client’s individual needs.

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HMA Equipment Company of Canada

HMA specializes in the Paving and Aggregate industries in Ontario. They are the authorized dealer for ROADTEC in Ontario, as well as representing both TELSMITH and DEISTER. HMA equally offers quality replacement parts for all makes and models including ROADTEC, TELSMITH and DEISTER, along with engines, transmissions and final drive. With a 22,000 sq. foot facility, they offer a fully equipped shop, a fully stocked Roadtec parts department, lube trucks as well as 24/7 field service. brian@hmaequip.com Mr. Brian Keveryga, 519-938-8163 www.hmaequip.com

ORBA new MEMBERS Lakeview Hospitality Lakeview Hotels & Resorts (need the little R for registered trademark here) offers a diverse collection of hotels across Canada. Designed with your travel needs in mind, whether it for business or pleasure, the Lakeview family provides the friendly service, value and quality that you expect.

Found coast-to-coast, the Lakeview family of hotels includes: Lakeview Inns & Suites, Lakeview Signature Inn, Lakeview Resorts, Four Points by Sheraton, Holiday Inn Express, Super 8, Travelodge, and Days Inn. From the comfort of select-service hotels to the convenience of full-service hotels and the relaxation of waterfront resorts, they have what you’re looking for.

In Ontario, join them in Barrie, Chatham, London, Ottawa, Sudbury, Timmins, Toronto and Thunder Bay. Ms. Michelle Julien, 204-947-1161 www.lakeviewhospitality.com

PinPoint GPS Solutions Inc.

Founded in 2006, PinPoint provides end –to-end GPS tracking and mobile workforce solutions for a wide variety of market segments. Combining innovative technology and a focus on service, customers are delivered a significant and quantifiable return on investment, achieved through cost reduction, improved customer service and increased revenues, reduction in business risk, reduction in carbon footprint, and increased control over field operations.

Recognized by Landscape Ontario for their approach to understanding requirements, PinPoint was endorsed as the preferred fleet tracking partner for its members. This recognition was followed by a similar endorsement from the Heating Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada.

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Contractor Members EllisDon Corporation Don Smith and David Ellis Smith began the company in 1951. Starting with only four people, they quickly became the first Canadian contractor to own their own tower crane and to fully computerize their accounting and cost systems.

EllisDon is comprised of their people, their clients, people and the special relationships between them. It’s these relationships at the core of what EllisDon offers, because their contribution doesn’t have to end with the build, but rather can bring value to the entire lifecycle of a structure or whatever project you’re trying to bring to life.

EllisDon is engineers, researchers, developers and quality assurance experts. Innovators with Building Information Modeling, facility management, information and communication technology, project management and sustainable building - a multitude of faces and the wonderfully imaginative minds behind them.

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The Road Builder

59

ORBA new MEMBERS Contractor Members High Road Maintenance

High Road Maintenance offers a full range of highway maintenance and project management services for both private and public sector clients. Expert crews work collaboratively with clients to develop creative approaches for project management, highway maintenance and road construction services, resulting in strong, mutually successful, long-term relationships.

The High Road team blends years of experience with innovative technologies, a fully scalable equipment fleet and value-added practices to deliver custom solutions that meet each client’s unique needs. Expect a creative approach from talented professionals who respect deadlines, understand budgets and excel at exceeding expectations.

Mr. Bill Latchie, 613-547-5591 www.highroadmaintenance.com

Interpaving Limited

Upper Canada Asphalt Inc.

Interpaving Limited is a privately held company formed in 1972. The company’s head office is located in Sudbury, Ontario with a regional office in Timmins, Ontario. They specialize in site servicing, paving, concrete sidewalk and curbs, excavation and trucking.

Over the years the Interpaving Group of Companies has expanded into aggregate, asphalt, and real estate development.

In 2006 the Interpaving Group began manufacturing a wide variety of aggregate products at its plant. In 2009 the company purchased a portable hot/ cold mix asphalt plant and a portable reclaimed asphalt pavement/pugmill system. All products manufactured by these two divisions are used by the Interpaving Group in addition to contractors and the general public located in the Region of Sudbury.

Mr. John Argento, 705-522-9444 www.interpaving.com

With over 10 years of experience, Upper Canada Asphalt is a leader in road and parking lot maintenance. Equipped to handle jobs of all sizes, they provide excellent, cost effective, long-term results for each project.

Upper Canada Asphalt takes the time to develop relationships with each customer, understand their projects and then create a plan uniquely suited to each client and their goals. With extensive experience with commercial, industrial and municipal clients, including contractors, architects, airports and property managers, no job is too large or small for their asphalt maintenance experts.

Services include line painting and pavement marking, crack sealing, route and seal, asphalt seal coating, paving and repair Mr. Kevin Guidolin, 866-906-8227 www.uppercanadaasphalt.com

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60 Spring 2013

fax: 905•727•1229

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12-02-23619:47 AM The Road Builder

Putting Ontario’s Road Building Story to Paper Rob Bradford

ORBA’s Legacy Project update nears first draft

I

n June 2012, Rob Bradford left his post as ORBA’s executive director to begin work on the ORBA Legacy Project; an initiative designed to capture the story of Ontario’s road building industry in a publication slated for release in late 2013. This winter, Bradford returned to ORBA’s 86th Annual Convention to share his work-in-progress and generate buzz for the upcoming book.

“This has been a fascinating project for me after working with the road building industry for more than 30

69 Commerce Crescent Acton, ON L7J 2X2

Tel.: (519) 853-3650 1 (800) 563-6656 Fax: (519) 853-1036

www.metropavementmarkings.ca 62 Spring 2013

years, and I wanted to give the folks at the convention a taste of how fascinating the history of our industry is,” said Bradford. “By the end of the year, they will be able to read it for themselves, and I hope that ORBA members find our industry and its vital role in the development of the province as interesting as I have.”

The Legacy Project was conceived by ORBA past-president Les Cruickshank and supported by the association as a way to document the experiences, insights and anecdotes surrounding Ontario’s roads and road building stakeholders. Its goal is to tell the history of Ontario’s infrastructure from the laying of its first rudimentary roads to the paving of Ontario’s first highway; the industry’s partnership with the Ministry of Transportation; the evolution of its equipment, people and processes; and the many milestones in between.

Bradford aims to draw on his extensive industry history and journalism experience to colour the book with personalized accounts, adding, “As much as possible, we want the story told by the contractors and people who lived the history of the industry.

We have already interviewed over 80 people, and we want to let them tell the story.”

ORBA’s Legacy Project With this in mind, Bradford and his team of researchers have travelled to all corners of Ontario in pursuit of the workers, owners, innovators and regulators within the industry. In addition to in-person interviews, the team also conducted phone interviews and extensive research. Now, with hundreds of hours of interviews, volumes of research material, and boxes of illustrations and photos at his disposal, Bradford is tasked with building a cohesive, informative and entertaining story based on the countless pieces of information before him.

“The scope of the project is so huge that you have to be selective about what pieces will help you build the story without any major holes, while realizing you can only use a fraction of the information that you have,” he said. “We have to make sure the whole story is there and comes together properly, but there are many more books to be written if you want to drill down into the nitty-gritty of the many vital parts of the road building industry.”

With the last of the interviews underway and a first draft nearly complete, the Legacy Project is on track to hitting all its marks. The final draft is slated to be turned in to ORBA’s Legacy Committee by June 1, 2013, after which it will be subject to revisions, editing, layout—and finally—publication. The 8 1/2 by 11 book will include an estimated 400 written pages and up to 150 pages of photos. It is slated to be featured at the 2014 ORBA convention.

“I started (my) career over 35 years ago with a degree in journalism as a rookie labour reporter at the Daily Commercial News, so to have the opportunity at this point in my life to write the history of the industry to which I became attached and came to love is a tremendous honour and privilege,” reflected Bradford, adding, “The story is far bigger than I ever imagined, and my only regret is that there will be so much more to tell when we are done.”

Following his presentation, Bradford encouraged ORBA delegates to help the project by contributing any stories or information about companies, people or other subjects related to the industry’s history. “We want to know about your first job in the industry, the equipment you worked on, personal experiences with contractors and especially the quirky and compelling stories about the people you worked with. Tell us about the interesting projects, the tough projects or specific experiences with

MTO, municipalities or other owners.

Tell us about somebody you admired, or even somebody you didn’t admire.”

“If you think it’s interesting we probably will too,” he said.

Rob Bradford is delivering the project through his newly established company, InSite Services. Those who are interested in adding their stories and information can contact him by phone (905) 466-1944 or by email at r.bradford@cogeco.ca.

Steel Foundation Products Precast Concrete Piles, Seamless, ERW & Spiral Weld Pipe Sheet Pile, Bearing Pile, WF Beams

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The Road Builder

63

Setting the Standard

1-866-623-6766 14 locations conveniently located throughout Ontario

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64 Spring 2013

Cold In-Place Recycling

Asphalt Paving – Excavating, Grading – Sand, Gravel Sewer and Watermain 37462A Huron Road R.R. #2 Clinton, Ontario N0M 1L0

Office Fax Email

519-482-3694 519-482-7886 lavis@lavis.ca

SPRING

2 0 1 3

The quarterly publication of the Ontario Road Builders’ Association A.J. Braun Manufacturing Ltd. . ..............19 www.ajbraun.com Aluma Systems ..........................................51 www.aluma.com Aon Reed Stenhouse Inc. ........................49 www.aon.ca

Bruell Contracting Ltd. .............................66 Canadian Asphalt Industries Inc. .........60 www.canadianasphalt.com Canadian Scale Company Ltd. .............55 www.canscale.com

Advertisers Index Flo Components Ltd. ................................29 www.flocomponents.com Fowler Construction Ltd. ..........................13 www.fowler.ca GeoShack North America Inc. ...............17 www.geoshack.com

Aviva Insurance Company .....................48 www.avivasurety.com

Capital Paving Inc. . .................................56 www.capitalpaving.com

Benson Tire .................................................64 www.bensonorg.com

Carillion . ..........................Inside Front Cover www.carillion.ca

Bitumar Inc. ................................................55 www.bitumar.com

Cedar Signs Inc. ........................................61 www.cedarsignsinc.com

Ideal Pipe ...................................................27 www.idealpipe.ca

Bluewave Energy .......................................53 www.bluewaveenergy.ca

Con Cast .....................................................52 www.concastpipe.com

John Deere Credit . ...................................59 www.johndeerecredit.ca

Bomag (Canada) Inc. .......... Outside Back Cover www.bomag.com

CRS Contractors Rental Supplies ..........10 www.contractorsrentalsupply.ca

Lecol Inc. . ...................................................27 www.lecol.com

BPT Components & Parts . .......................64 www.bpt.on.ca

Electrical Safety Authority .......................11 www.esasafe.com

McAsphalt Industries Ltd. ..........................4 www.mcasphalt.com

Hoskin Scientific ........................................49 www.hoskin.ca Hutcheson Sand & Gravel . .....................10 www.hutchensand.com

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Stevenson and Hunt Insurance Brokers Limited www.sthunt.com The Road Builder

65

ADVERTISERS INDEX SPRING

2 0 1 3

The quarterly publication of the Ontario Road Builders’ Association

Advertisers Index

M & L Testing Equipment Inc. ..................54 www.mltest.com

RMCAO ........................................................25 www.rmcao.org

Metro Pavement Markings Ltd. ..............62 www.metropavementmarkings.ca

Roadtec ........................................................5 www.roadtec.com

Nilex Civil Environmental Group . ..........15 www.nilex.com

Roto-Mill Inc. . .............................................59 www.rotomill.ca

Nortrax ........................................................21 www.nortrax.com

Schooner Transport . .................................54 www.schoonertransport.com

Ontario Barrier Wall Ltd. ............................6 www.ontariobw.ca

Sokkia Corporation ..................................34 www.sokkia.ca

On Track Safety Ltd. ....................................9 www.ontracksafety.ca

Steed and Evans Limited .........................53 www.steedandevans.ca

Peninsula Construction Inc. . ..................64 www.peninsula.ca

Stevenson & Hunt ......................................65 www.sthunt.com

Peto MacCallum Ltd. . ..............................64 www.petomaccallum.com

Stinson Equipment Ltd. .............................37 www.stinson.ca

Petrela, Winter & Associates . ...................8 www.petrela.com

St. Mary’s Cement .....................................49 www.stmaryscement.com

Pipe & Piling Supplies (Central) Ltd. ....63 www.pipe-piling.com

Strongco Inc. . ............................................31 www.strongco.com

Western Surety Company . ......................53 www.westernsurety.ca

Powell Mobile Barriers .............................61 www.powellmobilebarriers.com

TBT Engineering Limited ...........................63 www.tbte.ca

Weston Forest Products Inc. . ..................61 www.westonforestproducts.com

66 Spring 2013

The Guarantee Company of North America ....................................33 www.gcna.com Toromont Cat ................. Inside Back Cover www.toromont.com Tracks and Wheels . ..................................14 www.tracksandwheels.com Travelers Canada .....................................23 www.travelerscanada.ca United Rentals of Canada ......................43 www.unitedrentals.com Valley Blades Limited ...............................47 www.valleyblades.com Wajax Equipment . ......................................3 www.wajax.com Walker Aggregates ....................................... www.walkerind.com

WIN THE BID, MAXIMIZE YOUR PROFIT.

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