by SHCA SHCA

Sharing news that SHCA members need to know

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Fall Tender Plan Includes $157 Million in Highways Projects

The Government of Saskatchewan is looking to build and protect more of our provincial highway system with $157.3 million in new highway projects included in the 2021 Fall Tender Plan. These projects will continue the Ministry of Highways’ efforts to help stimulate the economy and improve the safety and reliability of Saskatchewan’s transportation network.

“Early notice of our construction plans to the road building industry ensures we can secure contractors and achieve value for money for taxpayers,” Highways Minister Fred Bradshaw said. “I am grateful to the road building industry for the good work they do and I look forward to seeing more work completed next year.”

Some of the significant projects included in the Fall Tender Plan include:

  • Highway 1 – repaving more than 13 kilometres west of Moose Jaw;
  • Highway 11 – bridge rehabilitation over the Qu’Appelle River east of Lumsden;
  • Highway 11 – bridge rehabilitation over Highway 20 east of Lumsden;
  • Highway 11 – bridge replacement over Highway 6 north of Regina;
  • Highway 16 – resurfacing nearly 15 kilometres at Saskatoon; and
  • Highway 46 – installation of traffic signals on bypass lanes at Prince of Wales Drive in Regina.

Tender releases are published in the spring and fall so the industry can thoroughly prepare and bid on upcoming projects, mitigating the risk of price increases and delivering the best possible value for taxpayers.

“The government made an important investment in our highway transportation network at a critical time for our economy,” Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association President Shantel Lipp said. “Our members delivered on that investment and kept many people working during a very difficult time, and we will continue to build upon that investment in the years to come. Done right, a sustained, long-term, robust investment program for Saskatchewan’s highways and trade corridors can help secure for generations to come the standard of living Saskatchewan taxpayers have come to expect.”

The Government of Saskatchewan is improving more than 1,350 km of provincial highways this year, the second of its 10-year Growth Plan goal to build and upgrade 10,000 km of highways. With this year’s projects, the province is ahead of the pace needed to meet this target.

Five New Passing Lanes Opened East of Asquith

The completion of five new passing lanes on Highway 14 west of Saskatoon will provide safer roads for motorists in the area.

Work began in June 2021 to build five passing lanes and resurface two and a half kilometres on Highway 14 between Saskatoon and Asquith. This $8.8 million project is part of a significant investment by the Government of Saskatchewan to construct 30 sets of passing lanes over two years, building on the addition of 27 sets of passing lanes in the last four years.

“Our government remains committed to improving the safety and efficiency of our key highway corridors,” Highways Minister Fred Bradshaw said. “Residents and motorists have let us know how effective passing lanes are and I am very proud of this government’s commitment to build new lanes this construction season.”

Passing lanes are typically a minimum two kilometres in length and are strategically designed to allow motorists to safely pass, reducing congestion and improving traffic flow. Studies have shown passing lanes can reduce collisions by as much as 25 per cent. Highway 10, the province’s first major passing lane pilot project, has seen 75 per cent fewer fatal accidents over the five years since its completion. 

“This near $9-million investment in Highway 14 is greatly appreciated and will benefit not only residents, but also local businesses and industry in the area,” Biggar-Sask Valley MLA Randy Weekes said. “Safety is a big priority in rural Saskatchewan and these passing lanes make good on that priority.”

Other passing lane projects planned for the 2021-22 and 2022-23 construction seasons include:

  • Highway 2 north of Prince Albert;
  • Highway 3 west of Prince Albert;
  • Highway 5 east of Saskatoon;
  • Highway 7 west of Kindersley;
  • Highway 12 north of Martensville;
  • Highway 16 west of Yorkton to Springside;
  • Highway 16 east of Clavet to Highway 6 junction; and
  • Highway 39 between Milestone and the U.S. border.

The Government of Saskatchewan is improving more than 1,350 km of provincial highways this year, the second of its 10-year Growth Plan goal to build and upgrade 10,000 km of highways. With this year’s projects, the province is ahead of the pace needed to meet this target.

Another $300 million in highways stimulus funds is being invested over several years in thin-membrane surface upgrades, passing lanes and improvements to municipal roads and airports.

The Government of Saskatchewan has invested more than $10.6 billion in highway infrastructure since 2008, improving more than 17,100 km of Saskatchewan highways.

Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce Partners with the University of Regina’s Centre for Continuing Education to Deliver High-Priority Programming

The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce (SCC) is pleased to announce a partnership with the University of Regina’s Centre for Continuing Education to deliver programming to Chamber members across the province. With a focus on in-demand skills training, programming will focus on career and professional development through a suite of non-credit certificates, professional microcredentials, badges, prep courses, and customized corporate training. The University of Regina’s Centre for Continuing Education meets learning needs by offering high-quality, accessible, innovative and responsive education developed in collaboration with local industry experts and the community.

Dr. Christie Schultz, director for the Centre for Continuing Education, said, “Partnering with the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce is a perfect way to reach out and serve the professional development needs of businesses across the province.” 

She added: “By providing valuable career development options to employers who need to fill skill gaps through employee training, we’re able to help build a stronger workforce and a more successful Saskatchewan.” 

The University of Regina is a proud member of the SCC, and the two organizations continue to collaborate on identifying and meeting the training needs of the local business community. Recent U of R research shows employers and employees look to continuing education for training in areas such as project management, change management, leadership, collaboration, customer experience and stress management. Programming is currently delivered remotely.

“This partnership is an important step towards recognizing that lifelong learning is increasingly important to business. The University of Regina’s new professional microcredentials are a perfect example of education meeting workers where they are,” said Steve McLellan, Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce CEO. “Through this partnership and others like this, we’re working to provide business with flexible and timely options for workers to upskill, reskill and boost those skills that are in demand by industry.”

The SCC’s partnership with the Centre for Continuing Education is part of a suite of programs that Saskatchewan’s network of chambers is building through the Training & Employment Network to provide clear and locally coordinated pathways for workers to be identified, as well as to present learning opportunities that enhance skills for employers.

Upcoming courses can be found on this webpage.

To find out more about the University of Regina Centre for Continuing Education and how to access training programs, please visit https://www.uregina.ca/cce/career-development/index.html.

Report Serious Injuries, Fatalities and Dangerous Occurence

Under The Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020, there is a legal requirement to report all serious injuries, fatalities and dangerous occurrences that occur in the workplace to the Occupational Health and Safety Division.

Call 1-800-567-7233 and select ‘1’ to make a report. The number is monitored for emergencies 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Serious injury of fatality

An employer or contractor shall give notice to the Occupational Health and Safety Division as soon as is reasonably possible of every accident at a place of employment that:

  • causes, or may cause the death of a worker; or
  • will require a worker to be admitted to a hospital for 72 hours or more.

The notice must include:

  • the name of each injured or deceased worker;
  • the name of the employer of each injured worker or deceased worker;
  • the date, time and location of the accident;
  • the circumstances related to the accident;
  • the apparent injuries; and
  • the name, telephone and fax number of the employer or contractor, or person designated by the employer or contractor to be contacted for additional information.

In addition to reporting the incident, an employer or contractor shall provide a copy of the notice to each occupational health committee co-chairperson or the occupational health and safety representative.

Refer to sections 2-2 and 3-18 of the Regulations.

Dangerous occurence

A dangerous occurrence is any occurrence at a place of employment that did not result in, but could have resulted in, the death of a worker or required a worker to be admitted to a hospital as an in-patient for 72 hours or more, and includes:

  • the structural failure or collapse of:
    • a structure, scaffold, temporary falsework or concrete formwork; or
    • all or any part of an excavated shaft, tunnel, caisson, coffer dam, trench or excavation;
  • the failure of a crane or hoist, or the overturning of a crane or unit of powered mobile;
  • an accidental contact with an energized electrical conductor;
  • the bursting of a grinding wheel;
  • an uncontrolled spill or escape of a toxic, corrosive or explosive substance;
  • a premature detonation or accidental detonation of explosives;
  • the failure of an elevated or suspended platform; and
  • the failure of an atmosphere-supplying respirator.

An employer, contractor or owner shall give notice to the Occupational Health and Safety Division as soon as is reasonably possible of any dangerous occurrence that takes place at a place of employment, whether or not a worker sustains injury.

The notice must include:

  • the name of each employer, contractor and owner at the place of employment;
  • the date, time and location of the dangerous occurrence;
  • the circumstances related to the dangerous occurrence; and
  • the name, telephone and fax number of the employer, contractor, owner or a person designated by the employer, contractor or owner to be contacted for additional information.

In addition to reporting the incident, an employer, contractor or owner shall provide a copy of the notice to each occupational health committee co-chairperson or the occupational health and safety representative.

Refer to sections 2-3 and 3-20 of the Regulations.

Effective Sept. 1, 2021, partial benefits will no longer be granted for partial completion of the Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship (SYA) program.

Previously, if a student completed only one or two levels of SYA, they were eligible to receive 100 or 200 hours of trade time respectively when applying for apprenticeship. As of Sept. 1, 2021, these partial benefits will no longer be granted. Only students who complete the whole program will be eligible for benefits. This change has been made to encourage students to fully complete the program.

The purpose of the SYA program is to raise awareness of apprenticeship in Saskatchewan schools by helping young people discover what rewards come with working in the skilled trades.

The SYA program is well-established throughout Saskatchewan high schools and educational institutions, and students typically complete the SYA program over three years from Grades 10 to 12. (It is also possible for students to complete in less than three years if they start the program later than Grade 10.)

High school students who complete the SYA program are eligible for many benefits. When registering as an apprentice in Saskatchewan in a designated trade within five years of their SYA completion date, they receive:

Waiver of apprenticeship registration fee;

Waiver of first level of technical training tuition; and

300 hours of trade time credit.

Adult learners who complete SYA as non-high school students are eligible to receive trade time hours only. Only high school students are eligible for the additional financial benefits. These are the same benefits SYA participants have always been entitled to following full completion of the program.

For questions about this change, please contact the SYA Coordinator at youthapprenticeship@gov.sk.ca or 306-787-2368.

New Registration Process for Employees Working in Compulsory Trades

The Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC) is introducing a new registration process for all employees when they are initially hired into the compulsory trades.

Beginning Sept. 1, 2021, the SATCC will require employers to register employees when they are initially hired into the compulsory trades. A completed Employer Application for Registering an Apprentice Contract (Form 1) and Contract between an Apprentice and Employer (Form A) will be required by the employee’s first day of employment in a compulsory trade as well as the apprenticeship registration fee. This new process also applies to any current employees working in the compulsory trades who are not yet registered.

Registration marks the beginning of one-half of the number of hours in an apprenticeship year (approximately six months or 900 hours) an employee is permitted to work in a compulsory trade as outlined in The Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Regulations, 2020 before becoming indentured.

This registration process allows the SATCC to identify those individuals who intend to become indentured and will give the SATCC the ability to effectively monitor the number of hours an employee is working in a compulsory trade before becoming indentured. It also helps ensure that everyone on site in a compulsory trade is either registered with the SATCC, an indentured apprentice or a certified journeyperson.

By registering, employees will have access to SATCC supports, such as learning supports and disability assessments.

For more information regarding the registration process for employees working in compulsory trades, clients are encouraged to contact us toll-free: 1-877-363-0536 or via email: apprenticeship@gov.sk.ca.