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Happy holidays and all the best for 2025! Here's a roundup of some of our favourite content from 2024. Best enjoyed in front of a roaring fire with a big glass of cheer.
- Patrick Flannery, editor
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Demand for federal cash to help defray the cost of home energy renovations spiked in recent months, forcing the government to close applications for the program in mid-February, almost a year earlier than expected. With more than half a million applications for the Canada Greener Homes Grant in, the program was nearing its $2.6-billion budget. Enbridge Gas, which partnered with the federal government to deliver the grant program in Ontario, closed its own application portal abruptly in early February.
» Read More...
Many Canadian businesses are facing an uphill battle, as evidenced by a 41.4 percent surge in business insolvencies in 2023 when compared to 2022. The latest data from Equifax Canada's Market Pulse Quarterly Business Credit Trends Report also points to a 14.3 per cent uptick in the number of businesses that missed a payment on a credit product (Q4 2023 vs. Q4 2022). One significant contributor to this mounting stress is the repayment of Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) loans.
» Read more...
This year saw governments make several announcements of major investments in programs to train skilled workers and attract young people to the trades. Here's a roundup of some of what went on.
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The Ontario government is introducing the Working for Workers Five Act, 2024, building on its previous four Working for Workers acts. The act contains a suite of measures to support workers, including requiring that menstrual products be provided on larger construction sites and mandating that washrooms are clean and sanitary. The legislation, the first of its kind in Canada, aims to make the skilled trades more accessible to women and support women at work.
» Read more...
The 2020 National Model Codes were released in March, providing an updated set of model construction codes that will make Canadian homes and buildings safer and more accessible, while responding to climate change. The new Codes include the National Building Code of Canada 2020, the National Fire Code of Canada 2020, the National Plumbing Code of Canada 2020, and the National Energy Code of Canada for Buildings 2020.
» Read more...
Tool maker DeWalt, a Stanley Black & Decker brand, celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2024. The brand has been delivering tools for professional tradespeople around the world since 1924 when the company was founded by Raymond DeWalt, a tradesman in Pennsylvania who became a power tool pioneer when he sought a way to streamline and expedite wood-cutting operations. His journey led to the invention of the “Wonder-Worker,” an adjustable electric radial arm saw that provided the ability to execute multiple operations on one affordable piece of equipment, and the creation of DeWalt.
» Read More...
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| Editor's Picks of the Year |
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After water, concrete is the most consumed man-made substance on earth. Yet, its key ingredient — cement — has a substantial environmental impact and is responsible for over 85 percent of concrete’s carbon footprint and nearly eight percent of all global emissions. In Canada alone, cement manufacturing accounts for about 1.4 percent of the country’s carbon dioxide emissions, according to Canada’s National Inventory Report. It’s not surprising then, that the historically low-profile cement industry is garnering a lot more attention in recent years.
» Read More... |
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In May of 2024, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce declared a state of emergency due to the escalating substance abuse and overdose crisis in multiple municipalities. According to the OCC’s “Beyond Emergency Declarations: Charting Ontario’s Course Through the Substance Use and Overdose Crisis” report, Canada’s construction industry is one of the most impacted sectors with 31 percent of opioid-related deaths. “The heavy reliance on opioids for pain management, combined with the stigma around mental health and lack of access to appropriate care, compounds the risk of dependency and overdose.”
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When working at elevated heights, you need to have a mobile and stable platform to work safely. Fortunately, that’s what equipment like scissor lifts do perfectly. Scissor lifts are a type of man lift used by several trades and professions including electricians, HVACs, welders, event managers and more. There are a couple of types of scissor lifts including electric and diesel-powered models. In this article, I will highlight the differences between the two types, as well as advantages and disadvantages, to help you understand which type to utilize in your business.
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As renovation contractors, I am sure, much like myself, you have all encountered your fair share of small kitchen design challenges. Years of working almost exclusively on smaller, older homes have provided me with plenty of those very challenges. Frustrated by the lack of useful design information for dealing with small kitchens, I took it upon myself to develop a few rules of my own.
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Espisito and Koblik, the husband and wife owners of Otis Interiors in Guelph, Ont., have discovered a better way of doing business. They leverage their creative and operational expertise with a careful design plan including intensive homeowner consultation, milestones, acquisition of all permits and drawings and a payment and procurement schedule to achieve a high level of preparation before anyone swings a hammer. The process could take as long as a year, but the result is happier clients, a smoother and more profitable process for the organization and higher quality results. Listen to them talk about their professional approach and how others might join the party.
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Dave Henderson, senior technical services manager for the Residential Construction Council of Ontario, is concerned about the increasing complexity of building codes. He goes over at least six major changes that are proposed for the 2025 National Building Code update, each of which will add significant costs to new homes and renovations requiring permits. He reflects on his time working on code development in Ontario and how far we have come from the 10 principles of code development they observed then. Codes used to be about ensuring minimum, enforceable standards for safety…today, it looks like they are being used as a vehicle to push various government policy agenda.
» Listen now!
Steve Johnston of Omnigence, a private equity firm investing in the construction sector, has a stark warning. He sees a real risk of long-term stagflation (inflation coupled with low productivity and high unemployment) in our present conditions and government policies. His white paper lays out the broad details, but he joins The Hammer to talk about the specific effects in Canada’s homebuilding sector and what will be needed to avoid them.
» Read More...
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Canada’s national trade show dedicated to concrete, construction and the aggregates industries is happening on Feb. 12-13 2025, in Toronto, Ont. The Canadian Concrete Expo (CCE) 2025 will be the seventh annual show.
» Read More...
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The NAHB International Builders' Show is the largest annual light construction show in the world. The 2024 show welcomed 76,000+ visitors from more than 100 countries.
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Join us February 13th, 2025, as the ECA hosts our largest event of the year, the Builders Connect Expo (BCE). The BCE will gather over 600+ member & industry leaders for a full day of engagement, learning, and celebration. Combining the best of two well-known events (our Builders Connect Luncheon and Hub of Construction Expo), the BCE will include:
A buffet breakfast and a keynote presentation from Eric Morin, Senior Analyst at CIBC Asset Management
A full trade show with over 70 booths, featuring members showcasing to members.
Our Builders Connect Luncheon program, featuring a keynote from Tyler Waye, a renowned leadership and expert on work, a speech from Minister of Infrastructure Pete Guthrie, and our Volunteer Impact awards, videos & more.
Happy Hour - Enjoy a beverage and network with over 600+ industry leaders while being serenaded by Edmonton's own Leo Martinez.
» Read More...
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CHBA's Home Building Week in Canada is the national home building event of the year! Connect with industry leaders from across the country during an intensive series of Association business meetings and celebrate the best in home building and renovation from coast to coast. Taking place Sunday, May 11 to Thursday, May 15, 2025.
» Read More...
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Brockville, Ont. - Must have a minimum 4 years experience in the residential construction industry
» Apply now
Red Deer. Alta - We are looking for somebody to install and repair electrical systems in multifamily residential buildings.
» Apply now
Kelowna, B.C. - We are seeking somebody to measure and cut piping, and connect piping using welding and brazing equipment.
» Apply now
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