Category
COVID-19 Updates
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SMS designs portable ICUs made of shipping containers
In response to COVID-19 and the risk of a second wave of infections, Winnipeg-based SMS Engineering has designed portable health-care treatment units based on repurposed shipping containers, freely offering the drawings as ‘open source’ for anyone to develop. SMS is…
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Hatch delivers cleaning supplies to remote Indigenous communities
Following the onset of COVID-19 and the challenges of meeting increased demand for safety products in the face of a disrupted supply chain and restricted community access, Hatch reports it delivered care packages of cleaning supplies to every family in the…
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Saskatchewan adds stimulus package for highway infrastructure
The government of Saskatchewan is releasing a stimulus package of $300 million for new highway projects in an effort to improve the province’s economy during the COVID-19 pandemic, along with road safety and traffic capacity. The projects are part of…
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WinSETT Centre launches GoFundMe campaign to outlast COVID-19
The Canadian Centre for Women in Science, Engineering, Trades and Technology (WinSETT Centre) has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise donations during the COVID-19 pandemic, as its sources of revenue—including face-to-face, facilitated workshops and sponsorships—have dried up for now, with…
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Technical Safety BC lets engineers register designs online
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Technical Safety BC has reportedly become British Columbia’s first regulator to move equipment design registration—as required by the Safety Standards Act and Regulations—fully online. With the shift to virtual processes, engineers no longer…
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LED module fights viruses and bacteria on escalator handrails
The module uses UVGI technology.
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Consulting engineers respond to pandemic
Both response and adaptation to COVID-19 have been rapid.
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Essential construction projects reopen in Ontario
As of today, Ontario’s government is allowing certain workplaces and businesses—including construction projects—to reopen, as long as they comply with strict public health measures and operate safely during the COVID-19 crisis. The additional construction projects that may now proceed include…
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Quebec to reopen all construction May 11
Jean Boulet, Quebec’s minister of labour, employment and social solidarity, confirms the province’s entire construction industry will reopen on May 11. “Residential construction sites, which resumed operations on April 20, have demonstrated their commitment to protecting the health and safety…
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SNC-Lavalin PAE to supply mobile health units across Canada
The federal government has chosen SNC-Lavalin PAE—a joint venture (JV) established in 2002 to support Canadian Armed Forces operations overseas—to augment national health preparedness efforts during the global COVID-19 pandemic with the design, delivery and construction of up to 10…
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Rare earth pilot plant retrofitted to produce hand sanitizer
Geomega Resources, a rare earth magnet recycling developer working with consulting engineering firm Hatch, is retrofitting its pilot plant facility in Boucherville, Que., to produce hand sanitizer for hospitals that urgently need it during the global COVID-19 pandemic. A team…
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The ‘Problem A’ way to create marketing content that sells
Use brief, helpful content to showcase your capabilities.
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Fredericton defers, replaces infrastructure projects during pandemic
Fredericton’s city council has chosen to postpone two infrastructure renewal projects that were scheduled for this spring and summer, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The planned projects on Regent Street (between Queen and King Streets) and on Union Street have…
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More industry events reorganized during pandemic
Here is an update on how upcoming industry events are being reorganized during the global COVID-19 pandemic: – The newly established Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance’s (FGIA’s) Summer Conference, planned for June 22 to 25 in Chicago, Ill., is being…
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Where does your province stand? Construction slows, but jurisdictions take different approaches
(Editor’s note: the following story was originally published by our sister publication, On-Site, and we thank them for allowing us to share it with our readers.) Little more than a month into the crisis already guaranteed to define the early…
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CCA supports keeping health-compliant federal construction sites open
The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) supports the federal government’s decision to keep construction sites open during the COVID-19 pandemic for projects that involve defence, security, infrastructure and the administration of justice and government, so long as compliance with public health…
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Feds list engineering among essential services during COVID-19 crisis
On Apr. 2, federal minister of public safety and emergency preparedness Bill Blair released “Guidance on Essential Services and Functions in Canada During the COVID-19 Pandemic,” a non-binding, advisory document intended to assist jurisdictions and businesses in determining which employees…
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ASHRAE responds to COVID-19 with new epidemic task force
In an effort to respond to the current global COVID-19 pandemic and provide guidance for preparing the built environment for future epidemics, ASHRAE has established a new epidemic task force. The group-within-a-society will help deploy technical resources to address current…
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COVID-19 and standard CCDC/CCA clauses
At the time of this column’s writing on Mar. 30, 2020, Canada has reported 7,297 cases of COVID-19 (both presumed and confirmed). In a continued effort to ‘flatten the curve’ and slow the spread of the virus, the federal and…
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Legal bulletin: Construction contracts and COVID-19
This short legal bulletin raises some of the key legal considerations in managing the rapidly evolving impacts of the pandemic on the construction industry.
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ACEC-Canada asks federal government for industry support
The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies – Canada (ACEC-Canada) has written to the prime minister and several cabinet ministers with specific recommendations for how the consulting engineering community can retain its capacity to help the federal government mitigate the COVID-19…
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PM Springfest rescheduled
Given ongoing developments with the COVID-19 crisis, the organizers of PM Springfest—an annual event for buildings’ engineers, property and facility managers, developers, owners and operations and maintenance (O&M) staff—have rescheduled the show from early April 2020 to late March 2021.…
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CCA recommends keeping construction operational
The Canadian Construction Association (CCA), which represents more than 20,000 member firms across the country, is recommending construction and related manufacturing activities remain operational, for the time being, during the global COVID-19 pandemic. The association points out, as part of…
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As Ontario closes non-essential workplaces, essential construction continues
To further contain the spread of COVID-19, the government of Ontario has ordered the mandatory closure of all non-essential workplaces effective today at 11:59 p.m. ET. The closure will be in effect for 14 days, with the possibility of further…
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Crisis management expert shares business advice during COVID-19
Now is not the time for half measures. Suzanne Bernier, an internationally recognized crisis expert, is calling for businesses to be more proactive in combating the spread of COVID-19. To “flatten the curve” and prevent health-care systems from being overloaded…
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Building Lasting Change conference postponed
The Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) has postponed its 2020 Building Lasting Change (BLC) conference due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. The event was planned to take place in Toronto in early June. CaGBC made the decision earlier this week,…
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CMPX 2020 postponed
The Canadian Mechanical & Plumbing Exposition (CMPX), originally scheduled for Mar. 25-27, 2020, has been postponed following the World Health Organization (WHO’s) declaration of the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. “Just 10 days ago, we were confident the show would…
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ASHRAE addresses COVID-19 in buildings
To help address coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) concerns with respect to the operation and maintenance of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, ASHRAE has launched a new ‘preparedness resources’ webpage for building industry professionals. “The recent escalation in the spread…
