Visit Professional Services at Daily Commercial News

Professional Services

August 9, 2010

Electronic bonding slow to catch on in Canadian construction market

The Canadian construction industry has been preparing for electronic bonding, or e-bonding, for much of the past decade.

August 2, 2010

Contractor default insurance catches on in Canada

It’s called contractor default insurance or sub-contractor default insurance and provides general contractors with an alternative to traditional surety bonds.

July 26, 2010

Construction companies remain cautious about surety market

While many construction companies are currently performing well, there are concerns Canada’s economic recovery hasn’t yet established deep roots.

July 21, 2010

HST implementation shuffles the deck for surety industry

Canadian surety companies have historically issued construction bonds according to contract values plus sales tax — GST and PST. That won’t change now that the harmonized sales tax (HST) was implemented in British Columbia and Ontario on July 1.

July 14, 2010

British Columbia looks for Evergreen Line project bidders

The B.C. government is looking for potential bidders to build the long-delayed Evergreen Line, which shows the province is confident funding is available for the project.

July 14, 2010

Legal battles brewing over harmonized sales tax in British Columbia

The local open shop association is squaring off against an anti-Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) group in a battle that involves both sides taking legal action in B.C. Supreme Court.

June 23, 2010

National Institute of Standards and Technology funds research in greener steel coating

A team of three American companies have been awarded $1.79 million from the National Institute of Standards and Technology to create a new way to coat steel faster, cheaper and greener.

June 21, 2010

Alberta School Alternative Procurement project benefitted from early documentation

An Alberta construction team outlined how they designed, commissioned and built 18 LEED schools in Alberta, on a P3 contract, with a month to spare inside a 20-month timeline.

June 16, 2010

Canadian Construction Association seeks shorter payment period for government contracts

The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) is addressing the issue of shortening the period it takes the federal Treasury Board to pay contractors on federal government contracts.

June 14, 2010

LEED certification can carry risk for contractors

Canadian contractors need to be aware of the risk factors associated with the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) Rating System, says a construction lawyer with one of the country’s leading legal firms.

June 27, 2009

Higher education minister insists trades college panels must come first

Apprenticeship ratios and compulsory certification panels will roll out before an Ontario College of Trades is up-and-running because they are issues that need immediate attention, said the minister responsible.

June 27, 2009

For businesses, job coaching is the way to grow

Business coaches can use a variety of approaches to help construction companies reach their objectives and take their businesses to the next level.

June 27, 2009

B.C. Construction Association program helps Aboriginals get jobs

The B.C. Construction Association (BCCA) has developed a program to help an underutilized segment of the workforce get jobs in the construction industry. "We are trying to enable Aboriginal people to get a job in construction, while helping construction companies with labour shortages," said Randy Garon, project manager of the Aboriginal Skilled Trades Employment Program (ASTEP).

June 27, 2009

With fall-arrest equipment, an effective rescue plan is critical

Sophisticated fall-arrest equipment has resulted in increased survival rates in worksite falling incidents. But surviving a fall is only half the battle. Workers waiting for rescue can experience suspension trauma, known otherwise as orthostatic intolerance. This means an effective rescue plan is critical.

June 27, 2009

Alberta Metis set to begin heavy equipment training

Eighteen members of the Métis Nation of Alberta are about to begin a 12-week course that will train them to become heavy equipment operators. The session, which begins July 6 and runs until September 25, will teach them how to operate heavy equipment in the oil and gas, construction and road-building industries.

June 27, 2009

Insurer victorious in latest liabilty coverage battle

Do you find the scope of coverage under your general liability policy confusing? If you do, you’re not alone. Courts in Canada have struggled for years to pin down exactly what coverage is provided by these policies on construction projects.

June 27, 2009

Definition of 'confined spaces' needs simplification: expert

Mention the term 'confined space' on a job site and everyone will have some idea of what you’re talking about. The problem is, they won’t necessarily agree on what it means from province to province and across jurisdictions.