Month: May 2021

Our Jordan Bateman and TheOrca.ca’s Maclean Kay dig through the political issues of the week, including the NDP Government’s lack of response to an escalating Metro Vancouver gang war, how political parties should be funded, Ellis Ross’ leadership bid, and COVID.

Kudos to ICBA members Hall Constructors, Jacob Bros Construction & Tybo Contracting for loaning vital equipment to Abbotsford School District’s Heavy Equipment Operator career program. You’re making a real difference in young people’s lives — and drawing more quality people into the trades!

Over the past 13 years, Abbotsford Career Programs has delivered the Road Builders Foundation and Heavy Equipment foundation course to high school students. This is the only Heavy Equipment Operator high school program in Canada.

In 2020-21, the program partnered with Thompson Rivers University for instructor and curricular support. Their qualified staff is ITA certified and experienced in the delivery of this course throughout BC. Companies donated equipment for training purposes over two weeks of pit operation.

ITA requires the following equipment:

• 2 Excavators
• 2 Dozers
• 2 Loaders
• 2 Articulated Rock trucks
• Skid Steer
• Backhoe (If possible)

The cohort consisted of 16 high school aged students, both male and female. Each student rotated through the various equipment over the 2-week period in the gravel pit. Students obtained up to 8 hours on each piece.

Career programs provide:

• All required insurance coverage, up to $2,000,000 for commercial liability and $5,000,000 for equipment coverage.
• Low Bed transportation
• Fuel
• Daily grease
• ITA Certified Instructor
• 2^nd Pit Boss: Tech Teacher with 10 yrs HEO experience.

All students are in grade 12 and look for work placements at the conclusion of the program.

With the support of our local businesses, Abbotsford has been able to provide young adults this training opportunity so they are prepared to safely enter the workforce as future Heavy Equipment operators.

More at https://careers.abbyschools.ca/programs/trades-programs/heavy-equipment-operator

Kerry and Jordan talk about two of ICBA’s signature programs: our Painting & Decorating Red Seal Challenge course (www.icba.ca/painter) and our ICBA Workplace Wellness Program (www.icba.ca/wellness).

Painting Red Seal Challenge

The Red Seal Challenge Program for Painter and Decorators is designed to develop the theoretical and practical knowledge of experienced Painter and Decorators to prepare them to successfully challenge the Red Seal exam and build their understanding of the trade.

Thanks Concord Painting & Wallcovering, Corrcoat Services, Lincor Enterprises, M&L Painting, Sherwin Williams and Cloverdale Paint for your incredible support of this program!

Over 14 weeks, participants will work through the course content of Levels 1, 2, and 3, with online courses, virtual classroom sessions, video demonstrations and other activities to ensure that all learning styles are supported. Participants will not need to take time off work for this program. Participants will not need to take time off work for this program.

Topics covered in the program are:

• Use Safe Work Practices
• OH&S Regulations and WorkSafeBC PPE Safety Training Overview
• Workplace Hazards
• Trade Math Fundamentals
• Drawings and Specifications
• Industry Tools and Equipment Surface Preparation
• Paint Technology
• Colour Theory Paint and Coating Application
• Correction Paint and Coating Failures
• Wood Finishes
• Decorative/Specialty Finishes
• Wall Covering Procedures
• Industrial Paints and Coatings
• Spray Application

Please note: This program is recommended for anyone wanting to challenge the Painter and Decorator Interprovincial (IP) Red Seal Exam who can prove a minimum of 8,100 work hours of directly related work experience. It is recommended that participants have approval from their Apprenticeship Authority.

Details at www.icba.ca/painter

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ICBA Workplace Wellness Program

Offered free-of-charge to ICBA members, our new Workplace Wellness Program is designed to promote individual wellbeing and to foster healthy culture change in construction workplaces, through engaging information and resources. The program is scalable to companies of all sizes, and features ongoing client support and self-paced online courses and other delivery tools.

Materials Delivered Monthly — Theme-specific materials are delivered in digital formats:

• Overview of theme and resources
• Multiple short educational pieces
• Multiple toolbox talks
• Site posters
• Virtual professional development courses (optional add-on)
• Plus an engaging, self-paced online course, delivering informative multi-media content, including practical tips and links to other resources.

Thanks Canada Life for your support of ICBA Wellness!

More details at www.icba.ca/wellness

ICBA’s Jordan Bateman and TheOrca.ca’s Maclean Kay begin with a tale of the greatest hockey player of all time (not really) before getting into the latest #BCPOLI happenings, including QP heckling, weird COVID comms decisions, sick leave and more.

Sean Hodgins grew up in the construction business and is now the president of ICBA Builders’ Circle member Century Group, a family-owned business that was started in 1957. The company is based in New Westminster, BC but has recently been doing a lot of work in Vancouver working alongside local communities and neighbourhoods to add flavour and housing as needed. The mid-sized real estate development and management company handles its own construction while also managing enough income-producing properties to balance the tables.

Over the past few years, Sean has seen a lot, but nothing compares to the past 12 months as he has watched the construction process and housing market flip-flop in terms of local government and red tape. He commented that for a bit at the beginning it was almost refreshing to work with inspectors and the government as they waived some protocols and practices due to COVID. However, now the protocols and practices are back in place, and units are roadblocked waiting on permits. Sean commented that he would “like to think there would be a better way to deal with this process” and that “expediency isn’t caught with due process” which makes it harder to survive.

Interestingly enough, Sean works constantly with local governments despite acknowledging the difficulties with regulations, with the final goal of creating purpose-driven housing communities. He strongly believes that “local government needs to lead an intelligent discussion” to get local communities more involved in the planning processes. For example, if a neighbourhood feels they want better transit options then they need to be open to denser communities, which can be a difficult but necessary evil to address. His dream would be for local governments to really sit down with their people to discuss what they want upfront instead of waiting until people disagree with building permits and turn council meetings into a “shooting match at public areas.”

In fact, one of Sean’s favourite projects while at Century Group was the construction of 3 Civic Plaza which is the largest project they created in Surrey. They worked closely with the Surrey City Development Corporation and identified a need to add sophistication to the downtown and the need for a hotel because there wasn’t much to offer in the industry-focused area.

Outside of improving government engagement, Sean reiterated the need to get more women into the construction industry stating that “we are much better, but we have to be better-er.” He explained that they need the viewpoint of women to create better projects, and the construction industry in general needs to “really embrace and make a welcoming and inclusive environment” because this should not be “an alpha-male industry.”

On this episode of Training Thursday, Kerry and Jordan discuss an upcoming live online training session: Introduction to Construction Delay Claims.

This presentation is meant to advance participants’ understanding of construction delay claims. It will include multiple examples to help explain the principles of delay claims, the damages and the allocation of responsibility for delay among the project participants. There will also be a detailed review of planning schedules and as-built schedules, using different methods of presentation from actual construction projects to assist in explaining these concepts.

Wednesday, May 19, 2021: 12:00pm – 2:00pm Pacific Standard Time (PST)
Register: https://icba.simplesignup.ca/en/7451/index.php?m=event

Topics covered:
– Delay claims
– Loss of productivity claims
– Ways of presenting delay claims
– Preparation of delay claims
– Damages claimed
– How courts treat claims

Instructor: Mark Braidwood is a principal of SHK with more than 22 years experience. He is a litigation lawyer with expertise in the areas of construction, commercial and insurance law. Mark has conducted trials and appeals in all levels of British Columbia courts, and has acted as counsel in arbitrations, administrative hearings and mediations. Mark’s construction practice includes representing all parties involved in construction disputes, including owners, developers, construction managers, contractors and engineers. Mark’s broad commercial practice includes cases involving shareholder disputes, director and officer liability, contract and business disputes, product liability, leases, sale of goods, and related issues. In Mark’s insurance law practice, he acts for both insurers and insureds, defending claims and prosecuting subrogated claims. Mark lectures and provides seminars to industry and legal professionals. Mark enjoys acting as a Moot Court judge at the University of British Columbia, and he regularly provides pro bono legal services for Access Justice.

Wednesday, May 19, 2021: 12:00pm – 2:00pm Pacific Standard Time (PST)
Register: https://icba.simplesignup.ca/en/7451/index.php?m=event

All courses: icba.ca/courses