The Construction Record™ Podcast

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast™, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with Thomas Strong, the president and CEO of Building Transformations, about the organization's upcoming industry summit focused on sustainability and ESG, as well as the challenges of getting to net-zero and the opportunities digital technology offers to reach sustainability goals. Strong said energy cons...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast™, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with Dr. Guido Wimmers, the new dean of the British Columbia Institute of Technology's School of Construction and the Environment. Wimmers talks about his initial impressions as he takes on his new role and his previous work both at the University of Northern British Columbia and in Europe, as well as his...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast™, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with Soloway Wright LLP partner Dan Leduc about prompt payment in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada. Leduc said prompt payment is not working the way it should, largely because of contractors not being proactive in pursuing payment. He attributed some of the reticence to traditional relationships, corporate...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, Daily Commercial News staff writer Angela Gismondi speaks with Jason Ball, the president of Ball Construction, to mark the 100th anniversary of the Kitchener, Ont. based firm. Ball reflected on recent 100 th anniversary celebrations including speeches from some veterans of the company's earlier days, his own journey as leader of the company, and...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey discusses the federal government's clean energy tax credit initiative and attached labour conditions through interviews with both Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCAC) president Paul de Jong and Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) president Bea Bruske.   De Jong pointed to the hiring requirements as an i...

On this episode of the Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with ConstructConnect chief economist Alex Carrick and senior economist Michael Guckes about the current housing crisis, how it affects construction and the wider economy and what the differences are between the U.S. and Canada as housing prices climb higher and higher and supply shrinks. Michael explained...

On this episode of the podcast Daily Commercial News staff writer Angela Gismondi looks at the current state of the labour market in Atlantic Canada. She spoke with Construction Association of Prince Edward Island general manager Stanley Sanderson about the challenges faced by the industry that resonate around the country, such as shifting attitudes towards the trades as well as labour shortage is...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with City of Vancouver green building manager Sean Pander and clean energy engineer Brenda Scott Castro about how Vancouver can adapt aging architecture to changing climate conditions. Vancouver's older building stock was built in a more temperate environment but as the world heats up and the Lower Mainland...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) research advisor Jill Engel-Cox and senior building energy research engineer Shanti Pless about the lab's work at helping the world get to net-zero through both new technologies and increased collaboration. Engel-Cox explained how the NREL works and gave a br...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with LiUNA Local 1611 training plan administrator Tom Miller and B&B Contracting Group operations manager Peter Mihalech about an initiative to train Surrey School District students as construction craft workers right out of high school. Miller explained the origins of the program and gave an overview of wh...

On this very special 300th episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Fey is joined by director of news media North America for ConstructConnect Vince Versace to both reminisce about past episodes and look towards the future of the podcast. Warren And Vince delve into the origins of the podcast and highlight notable news stories and episodes that shaped it into the for...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast. Digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with both British Columbia Construction Association (BCCA) president Chris Atchison and BC Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association president Kelly Scott about what their membership is doing both right now and in the upcoming recovery phase after wildfire season has ended. Atchison said one of the to...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey engages in our monthly economic discussion with ConstructConnect chief economist Alex Carrick and senior economist Michael Guckes to discuss interest rates and their effect on the construction economy along with the conditions we'll need to meet to move towards an economy based on renewable energy. As interest rat...

On this episode of the Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with Canada's Building Trades Unions executive director Sean Strickland about Canadian immigration policy and how it affects the construction industry. Strickland detailed how while the Canadian immigration system leans in on bringing highly educated individuals into the country, the focused has largely bee...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with Gensler senior associate and regional associate lead for building transformation and adaptive reuse Duanne Render about the challenges and opportunities of converting office and commercial building stock into residential units. Render explained that much office building stock is simply not suitable for...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with Edmonton Construction Association (ECA) president David Johnson about why he's optimistic about the construction industry's near-term prospects despite substantial headwinds. Johnson recently wrote an opinion piece in The Canadian Business Quarterly detailing why he thinks the Canadian construction ind...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with new Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) president Jeannine Martin about her plans as she takes the helm of the organization. Martin discusses her previous construction industry experience, as well as how she intends to collaborate with the British Columbia Construction Association in the...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor speaks with Association of Equipment Manufacturers senior vice-president of government and industry relations Kip Eideberg about the state of U.S. immigration and how it affects demand for skilled tradespeople. Eideberg recently wrote an op-ed for The Hill placing the blame for stalled immigration reform on both parties in Co...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with Canadian Association of Women in Construction (CAWIC) new president and board member Lisa Laronde. Laronde, who is also the first female president of the road safety group for the Powell Group of Companies addressed CAWIC's diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives as well as recent work with Habitat...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with Ontario Construction Secretariat (OCS) CEO Robert Bronk about that organizations efforts to increase apprenticeship in Ontario. Bronk detailed how OCS and the industry as a whole adapted to the pandemic and that certain benefits sprang from adapting to new circumstances, such as improved sanitation on-...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with ConstructConnect chief economist Alex Carrick and senior economist Michael Guckes about recent strike actions and the ongoing labour crunch affecting Canada and the United States. Michael cited a recent report from the National Federation of Independent Business which cites the need for labour as the n...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with Siavash Mohajer, the senior director of construction at Public Services and Procurement Canada about renovation of the Centre Block of Parliament in Ottawa, a massive project to transform the structure for the 21 st century while preserving its heritage aspects. Mohajer detailed improvements to Canada'...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital media editor Warren Frey speaks with British Columbia Construction Association president Chris Atchison about a Saskatchewan case involving contracts and emojis. Atchison pointed out while the case is not related directly to construction it serves as a cautionary tale for owners and contractors to ensure they are diligent when forming agr...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, Daily Commercial News staff writer Angela Gismondi interviews Harley Valentine, a partner with Castlepoint Numa, the company behind the proposed Thornbury Acres development in Thornbury, Ont., a residential farm co-operative on large lots that will allow the condominium owners of each homestead to utilize agricultural and recreational common elem...

On this episode of The Construction Record Podcast, digital editor Warren Frey speaks with Wayne Dorris, the cybersecurity program manager for the Americas for Axis Communications about some of the pitfalls and vulnerabilities construction firms face as they defend themselves against cyberattacks. Dorris pointed out that construction firms are usually victims of cyberattacks because they are a rou...