When an employee injures themselves at work, recovers and re-injures themselves off the job
When an employee gets injured at work, and the Workers’ Compensation Board in that jurisdiction accepts that injury, it accepts that injury for life…or does it?
It does not seem to be a clear yes or no answer, from our experience. As I am sure you are all aware by now, no matter what types of short- or long-term insurance your company might carry to supplement the forced WCB coverage you must have by government legislation, again by legislation the WCB is first payer. What does that mean?
In short, it means that no matter what other fantastic or simple insurance programs you may have, the WCB is the primary “owner” of that injury for the life of it. This is to protect the employee to ensure he/she does not get lost and later dumped if they lose employment with the injury employer or if the plan were to lose sufficient funding.
The WCB’s responsibility is to take the injured worker from the state of injury to the absolute best state of recovery, with the goal being complete recovery to the state the injured worker was in prior to becoming injured and capable of returning to his/her pre-injury duties on a full-time basis. The WCB is then to provide the injury employer with a letter advising the injured worker is fit to return to his/her pre-injury duties and that their dealings with the claimant are done.
If the worker is cleared for full duties by his/her primary medical providers, and then reinjures that specific part of their body away from work, the lost time and medical should not be the responsibility of the WCB and not affect the experience rating of the previous injury employer.
The injury employer may have a short-term insurance program that can help protect the employee while he/she recovers from the non-work injury up to the point where they can return to work again in a full capacity. Depending on the insurance coverage, the worker is usually covered for a percentage of wage loss and medical coverage. This type of insurance does not affect the WCB experience rating and the company’s premiums with WCB and competitive ability to compete for contracts.
Remember, there is no employer advocate to assist them, so they can either do it themselves or hire someone to assist them, again, at their expense.
At times, the WCB seems to take this whole ownership for life of an injury a little too far. They get a report from a physician who indicated a reinjury of a specific part of a body because the first time it was a work injury. They then contact the “injured worker” who advises this is not a work injury, but that it was done while he/she was at home and off duty. They press further, asking the employer of record for an E1 and salary information. They are told the injured worker was not working at the time of the injury, that they have statements from the worker, foreman and timesheets to show he was off duty. Further, the injured worker is already referred to their disability program and is already receiving benefits such as wage loss and medical.
The WCB insists and pushes legislation stating they are first payers, that they are accepting the injury as theirs and they acknowledge the injured worker has stated to them this did not occur at work, but since this part of his/her body was injured previously, this is a reaggravation of a pre-existing condition, so they accept it again fully. The employer has the right to appeal if they do not like this decision, at the employer’s cost. Remember, there is no employer advocate to assist them, so they can either do it themselves or hire someone to assist them, again, at their expense.
The employer, the injured worker and the short-term disability management company hired by the employer are extremely frustrated as they all believe they are doing the right thing by their injured worker and yet the WCB will not listen and instead uses their legislative authority to run over them.
This is not an isolated case, of course, and is not a consistent use of policy, as employers have seen many times when the pre-existing injury issue used in exactly the opposite way.
Competition Bureau’s updated guidelines for procurement processes
On Feb. 5, 2021, the Competition Bureau of Canada (the “Competition Bureau”) released “Competitive bidding processes in the public sector: Procuring good value for taxpayer money” (“Competitive Bidding Processes”). Competitive Bidding Processes represents the Competition Bureau’s most recent publication in the Competition Advocate in some time. Competitive Bidding Processes highlights the increased importance being placed on the framework for public procurement as governments across Canada enact stimulus measures in support of the country’s economic recovery and outlines best practices and offers guidelines that all levels of government should be aware of in government procurement processes. These practices and guidelines help ensure that government procurement processes are competitive and fair, and favour competitive bidding processes to protect public value when procuring goods and services. In this article, we provide a summary of Competitive Bidding Processes, which discusses the importance of competitive bidding, what constitutes bid-rigging and how to recognize it and measures to ensure that bid-rigging does not take place.
Why the need for competitive bidding?
In its report, the Competition Bureau indicates that there are many benefits that stem from competitive bidding, including lower prices, higher quality of goods and services being procured, incentivizing and increasing innovation and building a resilient economy. Public procurement processes can account for 15 per cent or more of a country’s GDP, in normal times. As Canada moves further along the COVID-19 recovery process, there are increased expectations that governments will need to urgently and substantially invest in designing and constructing large infrastructure projects to help stimulate the economy post-COVID.
As Canada moves further along the COVID-19 recovery process, there are increased expectations that governments will need to urgently and substantially invest in designing and constructing large infrastructure projects to help stimulate the economy post-COVID.
Bid-rigging defined
Simply put, bid-rigging is collusion. Under s. 47 of the Competition Act (Canada), bid-rigging is a criminal offence. Bid-rigging occurs when, in response to a call for bids or tenders, two or more potential bidders:
Submit bids containing content that the bidders determined through agreement or arrangement Agree that one or more parties will refrain from bidding or will withdraw a previously submitted bid
In earlier publications, the Competition Bureau discussed that bid-rigging can take many different forms, including:
Cover bidding – where competitors agree upfront on who will win. Losing bidders tweak their submission to ensure it’s less attractive than the winner’s.
Bid suppression – a competitor agrees not to bid or to withdraw a bid so a specific bidder is most likely to win
Bid rotation – competitors agree to take turns at winning bids
Market division – competitors agree to divide territory, customers or product markets among themselves instead of competing
The Competition Bureau notes that bid-rigging undermines the competitive bidding process because it allows suppliers, rather than market forces, to determine price and quality. The Competition Bureau claims that bid-rigging can increase the cost of multi-million dollar public procurements by over 30 per cent, which in turn diverts public funds to colluding bidders.
There are no monetary limits on the fines that can be issued for bid-rigging as such decisions are left up to the discretion of the courts. Anyone convicted of bid-rigging can face a jail term up to 14 years, they will also have a criminal record that will be registered with the Canadian Police Information Centre. In addition to the criminal charges and fines, perpetrators of bid-rigging can face civil action from victims.
How can you detect bid-rigging?
Bid-rigging inherently involves backroom discussions and deal-making, which makes it difficult to detect. The Competition Bureau has previously produced documents on detecting, preventing and reporting bid-rigging. Competitive Bidding Processes warns that public officials should be on the lookout for the following warning signs:
Large price deviations between the winning bids and other bids
Identical irregularities across independent bids
Winning bidders refusing to accept a contract once awarded
Once awarded, winning bidders subcontracting to losing bidders
What can be done to deter bid-rigging?
In addition to its earlier publications about detecting, preventing and reporting bid-rigging, the Competition Bureau in Competitive Bidding Processes provides some guidance for all levels of governments to consider in their procurement processes that includes:
Maximizing the pool of potential bidders
Building an understanding of potential bidder capabilities
Requiring disclosure regarding potential subcontractors and their pricing
Requiring bidders to submit a certificate of independent bid determination similar to or based on the Bureau’s model certificate
Conducting follow-up interviews with unsuccessful vendors to understand their rationale in respect of their bids
All of this suggests that potential bidders ought to avoid improper collaboration with their competitors, unless the parties are bidding as a joint venture. In that scenario, parties may wish to seek legal advice when considering any such collaboration or joint venture bids.
If anyone involved in the tendering process suspects that bid-rigging has or will take place, they should file a formal complaint with the Competition Bureau, participate in the Competition Bureau’s whistleblowing initiative or leave an anonymous tip by filing online or contacting the Federal Contracting Fraud Tip Line by phone.
Competitive Bidding Process represents a signal to all levels of government and potential bidders that the Competition Bureau is acutely aware of these pressures and will be monitoring public procurement processes to ensure that all stakeholders act appropriately in the procurement process in order that Canada’s economic investments can be completed without anti-competitive conduct by participants.
Closing remarks
The adverse impact of COVID-19 on the economy will likely increase pressures on governments to expeditiously invest in public infrastructure and other publicly funded projects to stimulate and rebuild the economy. Competitive Bidding Process represents a signal to all levels of government and potential bidders that the Competition Bureau is acutely aware of these pressures and will be monitoring public procurement processes to ensure that all stakeholders act appropriately in the procurement process in order that Canada’s economic investments can be completed without anti-competitive conduct by participants. If bidders or government procurement officers have any questions regarding whether aspects of the procurement processes or bid submissions may be breach of the Competition Act (Canada), they should seek legal advice immediately.
Disclaimer This publication is provided as an information service and may include items reported from other sources. We do not warrant its accuracy. This information is not meant as legal opinion or advice.
As the digital age continues to expand and our everyday tasks (e.g., emailing, banking, online storage) continue moving to the cloud, there seems to be never-ending requests for new login usernames and passwords.
For cloud service providers (those that offer free email, banks, credit card companies, business sites) and your workplace, you likely need a login username and password to access your data. (And your home computer and personal devices should have login credentials enabled, too!)
Password requirements vary from one cloud system to the next and in some cases, there are no format or length requirements. Herein lies the problem for you (and your workplace) – it’s an opportunity for hackers to gain access to your confidential information.
Cloud application providers with no requirements for their password lengths, composition or expiration (i.e., length of time before you need to change your password) allow you to use the same login username and password at multiple sites. The problem with this is once one site is compromised and your password is exposed, hackers can start using your login info at other sites (e.g., targeting popular social networking sites).
So, although these providers might be easy to access, the risk is greater than the benefit of what you’re signing up for.
Ideally, websites will require password length, composition or expiration, but of course this creates a new problem: “How do I remember all my different login credentials?”
One simple solution is to write them down and stick them to your monitor or under your keyboard. It’s probably not the worst solution to maintain your list, but also not the best since hackers and thieves know where to look for this info at places of business or homes. There are also password protection/generation applications, but the best ones come at a price.
So, what can a business or each of us as individuals do? This is where a subset of multi-factor authentication, called two-factor authentication, helps prevent the unauthorized use of your login username and password. If you think of your password as the first “factor,” then adding one more step is the second or “two-factor.”
The “two-factor” can be based on something you “know” or “have” or “are” or somewhere you are.
Something you “know”
The simplest to set up and the most commonly available to consumers (non-business solutions) is the something you “know.” This is usually offered by many sites when you set up your account or enable two/multi-factor authentication. You chose the question and provide the answer.
The questions available to you are usually ones that hackers can’t research to find the answer – so you will not see “what is your birthdate?” The questions are along the lines of where was your mom born? Where did you parents meet? What was the name of your first pet? Although it’s tempting to select a question that has an easy answer, keep in mind the easier it is for you, the easier it might be for a hacker to find, too.
Something you “have”
This one is typically based on a code that you must enter after your password is accepted. There are cell phone applications and tokens (small devices that generate the code) that generate a code that you can enter after your password is accepted.
There are also services that can send a text or call your cell phone with a code you enter in order to access your account or in the case of a phone call, press a number to permit your login.
Once one site is compromised and your password is exposed, hackers can start using your login info at other sites.
Something you “are”
This one is primarily based on biometrics, such as a fingerprint, retinal scan or a voice print. For example, many mobile devices and applications allow you to sign into your account with your fingerprint.
Somewhere you are
This is also known as “geofencing.” This permits you to login (or not login) when you are in a certain geographic region. For example, an application that only allows you to login if you are located within a five-kilometer radius of your place of business or house.
Let’s get into why two-factor authentication is so important.
Historical data shows us that hackers have breached some of the most significant cloud services and have gained access to millions of usernames and passwords. Sometimes, these same usernames and passwords are used at other sites by people like yourself, so it’s only a matter of time that one of the hacked username/password combinations allows cyber criminals into another application you have access to. (Remember: hackers have nothing but time and use multiple computers to try username/password combinations on various sites.)
Enabling two-factor authentication
Recently, cloud service providers have started to offer two-factor authentication (or in some cases multi-factor, which means more than one question must be answered).
This feature isn’t always turned on by default, so it must be enabled by you, the “user” of the account. (Tip: Search in the service provider’s online help for two-factor or multi-factor or search on the web to see how to set up two-factor for your service provider.)
The recommendation is to enable two-factor/multi-factor authentication on all your personal accounts (e.g., email, bank, credit card, online shopping). After your password (the first factor), then the second, third and fourth factors (or more) are something the hacker will have a difficult time guessing or researching. For them, having only your login information won’t be enough to break into your account. Hopefully, they’ll give up and move on to the next person.
Two-factor and working remotely
In 2020, a large part of the workforce moved to a “working remotely” strategy. In some cases, this may have presented an opportunity for hackers to gain access to your corporate network. Guess what your first line of defense is? Two-factor or multi-factor authentication! Make sure your business has enabled two-factor/multi-factor authentication and if not, enable it on your business account.
It takes a bit of extra work to use two/multi-factor authentication, but it takes less time than recovering your online accounts (and life) if you’re hacked.
The Saskatchewan Polytechnic Women in Trades & Technology program has been helping women access careers in the trades for more than three decades
For more than 30 years, the Saskatchewan Polytechnic Women in Trades & Technology (WITT) program has encouraged women to think about non-traditional career options and addressed barriers that may limit their participation in these fields. Greatly influenced by the women who founded Saskatchewan Tradeswomen in the 1970s, a movement that eventually formed Saskatchewan Women in Trades and Technology (SaskWITT), Sask Polytech’s WITT program recognizes now, more than ever, the array of opportunities awaiting women in traditionally male occupations and, in turn, the great opportunity that women afford the industries that hire them.
“Women bring to the job site more than the hard skills they learn in their programs of study,” said WITT program head Brittany Grimsdale. “Diversity in the workforce often means new ideas, and different areas of strength.”
WITT encourages exploration, offering a range of programs and events, including camps, info sessions, courses and mentorship. The Girls Exploring Trades and Technology, or GETT, camp that launched in 1991 has grown from one-day to five-day camps – reaching over 3,600 girls in grades six, seven and eight in a program aimed at demystifying trades and tools in a fun environment with a focus on problem solving. Camps have expanded in subject area in recent years to include those with a technology focus. During this past year, programs and camps shifted online to accommodate COVID-19 restrictions to in-person learning.
WITT’s Exploratory Workshops teach women aged 15 and older basic carpentry, welding, electrical or plumbing skills, and a separate technology-focussed exploratory course introduces women to a variety of basic technology skills. Says a past participant, “The WITT program helped me discover potential careers that I wouldn’t have realized before taking part in one of their workshops. With the help of some wonderful people at WITT I was given the encouragement and confidence to decide the next step towards my future.”
An informal mentorship program run by WITT goes beyond curriculum to match students and apprentices with experienced professionals. Women are matched on field of expertise, family situation or cultural background. The mentorship program includes a few networking events throughout the year, which are great opportunities for the women to discuss challenges, celebrate wins and learn about new job opportunities.
The global pandemic has made the future unclear for many sectors, but for the heavy construction industry one thing remains clear: Saskatchewan continues to grow, and the provincial government remains committed to stimulating economic recovery by investment in capital projects as demonstrated by their $7.5 billion, two-year capital plan announced in May 2020. Construction and related industries will need skilled and trained workers to capitalize on opportunities and rise to new challenges. Saskatchewan Polytech’s WITT program is helping to ensure that there is diversity within the pool of available hires, benefitting everyone.
People treatment as a continuous improvement strategy in construction environments
According to constructible.com, the demand for construction is growing much faster than the number of skilled workers, and the industry is facing a skills shortage like never before. Specifically, The Bureau of Labour Statistics suggests that overall employment of construction labourers and helpers is projected to grow five per cent from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations. If there is work, and that work pays reasonably well, why don’t people want to work in the industry? Why, according to Gallup, are only 33 per cent of your employees fully engaged? And why, according to Digital Builder, is there a 21.4 percent industry-wide construction employee turnover rate?
There are a few possible explanations, and not surprisingly, they all relate to civility.
Rough workplace culture
In traditional construction environments, you need to show you are not “weak.” Fitting in often requires being “rough,” which might include engaging in what many perceive as uncivil behaviours, including:
Swearing
Calling people names
Ignoring people
Criticizing people in public
Walking away when people are talking to you
Shouting
Demonstrating physical strength, e.g., punching a wall, stomping, making a fist
Toughing it out when you experience small injuries
Crowding others, e.g., getting into their personal space
Overtalking and/or interrupting
Rolling your eyes
Gesturing rudely, e.g., giving the finger
Shutting people down verbally
Speaking in a harsh tone
Taking a staunch stance, e.g., wide postures
Failing to acknowledge others
Avoiding showing softness, e.g., formal thank you, hugging, too much smiling
Avoiding apologizing
And generally, just not being “nice”
Some of this behaviour might be understood as normal or acceptable by those who live in these organizations, but technically, these are uncivil behaviours that, when left unaddressed, collectively create a toxic work culture.
Construction worker stereotypes
In an article, “Three Myths of Construction Workers: ‘Why we are not Second-Class Citizens,’” Forrest Sim outlines three common myths about construction workers.
Construction workers are all gross and shout catcalls Construction workers are just dumb brutes who only know how to swing a hammer Construction sites are dirty and dangerous
Clearly, labeling is uncivil. That these stereotypes prevail potentially results in self-fulfilling prophecy – that is, some construction workers lower their behaviour standards because they believe they are perceived negatively anyway. And employers, site supervisors, clients and the public potentially treat workers badly because they believe the stereotypes. In either case, this labeling and categorizing is hugely detrimental and certainly impacts how people working in the industry are treated.
Survival of the fittest mindset
As a result of a “be strong to survive” mindset, construction sites are often not perceived as great places to work. Sure, noise, safety concerns, time constraints, stress, the union aspects, etc. may contribute to what can be described as a negative workplace culture, but the hard truth is that for the most part, the lack of niceness is due to leadership (including supervisors and managers) and their respective attitudes toward what constitutes acceptable “people treatment.”
In her public presentations, Colleen Munroe, the president of Hugh Munroe Construction Ltd., has spoken about an “old boys club” mentality that still exists in the construction industry. One example of this mentality is the belief that employees should do their job because that is what they are paid for – in other words, they do not need to like it! This attitude impacts how people are treated on the job.
“People treatment” is a term coined by Lewena Bayer, the CEO of Civility Experts Inc. Bayer refers to an overall attitude about what constitutes a fair and good way of interacting with people. People treatment includes how you speak, nonverbal gestures, the extent to which you are empathetic and how you define honesty and integrity. An individual’s idea of positive people treatment can vary from one context to another.
In order to navigate the interpersonal dynamics of both the workplace and the world at large, each of us – but especially those of us in leadership positions – need to be able to both convey positive people treatment and read cues and behaviours of others so that we can encourage civility in interactions. The recommendation for construction organizations, where command-and-control management style and the often-associated negative verbal and nonverbal behaviours might be deeply ingrained, is to focus on social intelligence training. In a very short time, this strategic training can build skills such that there is immediate, measurable impact to the workplace culture – specifically to the overall “tone” of communications.
People treatment includes how you speak, nonverbal gestures, the extent to which you are empathetic and how you define honesty and integrity. An individual’s idea of positive people treatment can vary from one context to another.
According to Civility Experts Inc., “social intelligence” is the ability to read and effectively interpret verbal, nonverbal, tonal and contextual cues. Social intelligence includes social radar (being present and paying attention), social style (ability to adapt your approach to interaction) and social rules (knowledge of the unwritten and written guidelines that vary with context).
Social intelligence teaches people the following skills that can offset communication skills gaps, enable people who cannot problem-solve on their own to ask questions and builds trust such that people can collaborate more effectively.
Social intelligence training enables people to:
Read verbal, nonverbal, contextual and situational cues to interpret the mood, motivation and needs of others
Exhibit nonverbal, verbal and situational cues appropriately
Be present, e.g., pay attention to what is going on around them
Recognize when gestures, language, behaviour or approach is grounded in culture, generation or gender nuances
Pick up on very subtle changes in tone and behaviour, e.g., to sense when a mood shifts
Learn unwritten rules, e.g., unspoken and unwritten expectations for how to live in a certain environment, e.g., aspects of workplace culture
Learn written and known rules, e.g., codes of conduct, regulation, etc.
Become self-aware, e.g., of one’s own social style
Adapt one’s social style to what is appropriate or required for a certain situation
Adapt to change quickly, e.g., due to ability to shift social gears when necessary
Respond to events calmly, e.g., due to ability to anticipate and/or monitor
Recognize appropriate time to ask questions
See aspects of personality that are otherwise unnoticed
Send positive first impression
Make others feel at ease
Build trust, e.g., due to paying attention
Be a better listener
Be cordial, e.g., approachable
Show humility, e.g., recognize when help is needed
Read emotions, e.g., be empathetic when needed
When leaders in construction have high
social intelligence combined with some experience interacting with others in the workplace context – for example, they know the general expectations for the workplace culture, they know the industry jargon, have some knowledge of the terms and processes, etc. – they can apply their social intelligence in a way that fosters social acuity.
Indicators of social acuity
Leaders need to have high “social acuity” – that is they need to have a keen social sense. They must be consistently accurate and timely in their perceptions and assessments of social settings. They need to know how to:
Read contextual cues
Be attentive to the nuances of workplace culture
Navigate politics in union environments
Identify who will be an ally and who will be a challenge
Build trust
Repair broken trust
Consider contextual aspects when timing everything from greetings to feedback to workplace coaching and performance reviews
Communicate in a way that leaves everyone involved in the interaction feeling valued
Acknowledge differences that make a difference, e.g., related to gender, culture, generation
Give timely and effective feedback
Monitor and manage nonverbal cues to boost credibility and perceived competence
Adapt supervisory approach and style to meet the needs of individual workers
Apply adult learning principles
Maintain credibility as a leader but still be perceived as approachable by the production team
One of the outcomes of high social acuity is a recognition that everyone in an organization has value. But we must be careful not to attach only monetary value to individuals. In Doing Virtuous Business, Theodore Roosevelt Malloch writes, “Every person has a fingerprint of personality and potential and desire to contribute. When we define people solely in economic terms, our motivational and incentive schemes tend to become mechanical and manipulative. We try to define a system that will idiot-proof the process, which can, in turn, make people feel like idiots.”
From a civility perspective, each individual has value as a human being. As such, every individual is deserving of respect just because they are human and on the planet. (Trust, however, is something that must be earned and not every person is deserving of trust.) In terms of workplace value, individuals at all levels should be acknowledged for:
Potential (amount of potential might vary)
Intelligence (nature of intelligence might vary)
Education (type and extent of education might vary)
Social contribution (nature and volume of social contribution might vary)
Experience (time on the job and type of experience might vary)
Resilience (extent of resilience might vary)
All these elements are aspects of value, but it is each individual’s understanding of civility and his/her choosing civility that enables us to recognize and appreciate these aspects of value. Without civility, and without respect, people often fail to see the value of others. As such, it is important to also recognize what Bayer describes as the civility quotient.
The idea is that when everyone in a workplace understands that everyone has value, overall civility and positive people treatment in the organization improves.
With more than 20 years in the workforce, Christian Masotti is a continuous learner who believes that the ability to combine his technical skills – including Lean, Six Sigma and Kaizen – with social intelligence and cultural competence have been the key to his success. In addition to a stint with the Canadian Football League as a professional athlete, Masotti has worked for Ford, Toyota, Chrysler, ArcelorMittal and MLSE, and is now a three-time published author who also leads the Civility Experts Inc. Worldwide Lean on Civility Consulting team.
“Many people perceive having respect, exhibiting kindness and treating people well as a sign of weakness – but this is a costly mistake.” – Christian Masotti
This article includes excerpts from Lean on Civility, Masotti & Bayer, 2020.
GCL makes the switch from construction to sales, rental and repair
No one knows the ups and downs of the Saskatchewan economy better than Treverr Poole. When the oil and gas industry was booming and potash was thriving from 2008–13, his company, Garry’s Construction Ltd. (GCL) was thriving with 50 employees and upwards of 70 pieces of equipment. After oil and gas dried up, potash took a downturn and then the pandemic hit, his crews and equipment sat idle at his facility in Edam.
That’s when he made the crucial decision to pivot into a new business. GCL now specializes in heavy equipment sales and rentals and he formed a complimentary company, Garry’s Heavy Repair (GHR), which provides heavy duty mechanics for truck and trailer sales.
“There was a time when we were making good money and my crew were getting well paid, but it was very stressful. Then in 2014 the oil and gas industry crashed and big projects were cancelled. It got really quiet for about nine months and we didn’t have much income coming in. It was pretty scary. I’d been through ups and downs before but I could tell that this was different and there wasn’t going to be a big comeback like before,” said Poole.
With the construction side fading, the company’s heavy duty mechanical work began to take on more importance. GHR was operating in a 15,000 square foot facility with an overhead crane for repairing his equipment. Poole began expanding into repairing other equipment, such as farm trucks and trailers, and that seemed to be the future.
Another factor that led him to exit the construction business was the death of his two long-term foremen within a few months of each other. One succumbed to cancer and another to a heart attack. Some of the members of his crew found other jobs while the company waited for other work to come in, and while the pay may have been less, they were assured of a paycheque. This discouraged them from returning to the construction industry.
Poole contacted his friends at Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers and decided to sell his construction equipment. Once he recognized the tax implications from the sale, he agreed to keep about 20 pieces that he could use as rentals. The equipment includes dozers, track hoes, scrapers, compactors, rock trucks and much more. Today, his equipment can be found at a provincial government irrigation project near Swift Current, at an elevator site near Kindersley and at various road construction projects in different areas of the province.
Although GCL has been involved in numerous heavy construction projects over the years and Poole has been asked to bid on other projects that have come up, he’s content to stay focused on sales, rentals and repair. He has no intention of returning to the construction side of the business.
“Now I don’t have to deal with projects and timelines that impact my weekends. Now it’s like any other business and we can shut the door at the end of the day. Before it could be seven-days-a-week and sometimes 24-hours-a-day,” he said.
“Now it’s like any other business and we can shut the door at the end of the day. Before it could be seven-days-a-week and sometimes 24-hours-a-day.”
– Treverr Poole, GCL and GHR
GCL Origins
GCL traces its roots back Poole’s father, Gary, who started in the industry in the late 1960s by building roads for a local construction company. After serving as foreman for a while, he decided to strike out on his own and formed GCL in 1974.
“He probably started with five pieces of equipment and had about 10 guys working at any given time. It was all road construction work and a bit of oil. He didn’t go looking for work but rather took work when it came to his door,” said Poole.
Poole started working at the company while just a teenager and began running things when he turned 22 in 1994. Over the years, the company worked on a variety of major projects including Husky Oil fields, the Kramer Tractor facility and an industrial park – all near North Battleford. GCL also constructed the road between Highway 16 and Battleford and did considerable work for the BHP Jansen Potash Mine site.
“We were doing potash work here and then over here we were doing oilfield work. We were really, really busy. I remember those days because people asked me if you’re busy and I would say that it just couldn’t get any busier. There just weren’t any more operators and equipment to work on more projects.”
But by 2015, it was becoming clear to Poole that the days of the major projects were coming to an end. He had also reached many of the goals he had set up for himself when he became the owner – hitting his sales targets and achieving financial independence. So it was time to move onto the next opportunity.
His cousin Darcy took charge of GHR and it has become a successful operation since large vehicles in the area always need to be maintained and repaired.
“There are still trucks going up and down the highway and they need to be repaired. Even combines need to be serviced. Farmers run large operations and they don’t want to fix large equipment so we are able to do that for them.”
The Next Generation
Just like when Poole took over from his father, his own son has shown an interest in the business. Trayton can often be found lending a hand at GHR and visiting auction sales to see if there is equipment that can be purchased and repaired so it can be either rented or sold. As the next generation becomes more involved in the business, Poole says his father still enjoys visiting the company and seeing how things are progressing.
GCL has been a SHCA member for many years and Poole said they likely joined when his father was still in charge. He says it is important to be a member to get the latest information and to know that the industry is being supported and promoted.
“This is a new and exciting time for our business,” he said. “It’s even a little bit scary, but it’s also exciting to see what can be done with this new venture and to see how it will turn out.”
Few sectors can admit it has been business as usual over the past 12 months.
A global pandemic transformed life as we knew it. Mandatory lockdowns, limited capacity for restaurants and retail outlets, working and learning remotely all wreaked havoc on local, provincial and national economies.
Amidst the chaos, the heavy construction industry hummed along relatively unscathed, albeit with a few adjustments.
Overall, the industry enjoyed a productive season in 2020 and expects more of the same this year as much of the world continues to grapple with the coronavirus.
“Despite COVID-19 and all of the additional precautions that were put in place, we actually had a really productive year [in 2020],” said Shantel Lipp, president of the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association. “I think we got more built last year than we did the year before (2019). I don’t know if part of that was because there were fewer people on the roads and that meant fewer obstacles and fewer shutdowns at certain times.
“Despite COVID-19 and all of the additional precautions that were put in place, we actually had a really productive year [in 2020].”
– Shantel Lipp, Saskatchewan Heavy Construction AssociatioN
“It was a banner year for road construction in terms of the amount of work we accomplished.”
Early in the pandemic, road builders and the work they do was considered by the government an essential service. Lipp praised SHCA members for their dedication to adhering to enhanced health and safety protocols that were introduced last year.
Safety meetings became virtual or were altered for those in attendance to be physically distanced. Equipment was frequently sanitized throughout the day, hand-washing stations were added to job sites. Those were just a few of the adjustments that crews made to enable them to safely work a full season during a pandemic.
Because of their actions, there were no major outbreaks of the virus on job sites across the province.
“The guys were extra diligent because they knew that should a COVID outbreak happen on their job site, they were going to be shut down for two weeks,” she said. “And you talk to any contractor, they’ll tell you that they can’t afford to be shut down for two weeks.”
The look was similar in Manitoba, a province that enforced a full lockdown for several months in 2020.
Chris Lorenc, president of the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association, says his members continued working last summer through adjusted procedures. He says daily temperature screening was common on job sites, as were virtual meetings with occupational health and safety officials to ensure everyone knew what was expected.
“Our industry has been permitted to continue providing its construction, maintenance and rehabilitation services throughout the pandemic, so we’re very grateful for that,” he said.
Viewed as an economic driver, the road building industry will be relied upon to stimulate the local and national economies post-pandemic. Provincial governments and the federal government already have indicated additional spending for this sector.
Road improvements are coming to more than 50 rural municipalities across Saskatchewan, thanks to $16.5 million in funding from the provincial government’s two-year, $7.5 billion infrastructure stimulus plan.
The funding is part of a three-year plan with the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities to upgrade municipal roads, bridges and culverts.
In Manitoba, the provincial government unveiled last summer the $500-million Manitoba Restart Program. Of that funding, approximately $150 million is dedicated to resurfacing more than 240 kilometres of provincial highways and $65 million for major projects that will improve highway safety.
Major irrigation projects that will benefit members in both provinces are in the works. The Saskatchewan government plans to embark on a $4-billion irrigation infrastructure project at Lake Diefenbaker.
It’ll be the government’s biggest infrastructure project to date and SHCA will be major players over the next 10 years of construction in three main phases.
The government said it will create more than 2,500 construction jobs per year over the next 10 years, which is welcomed news to our industry.
In Manitoba, Lorenc is waiting to see the outcome of discussions between the provincial government and the federal government over the terms of the Lake Manitoba–Lake St. Martin outlet channel project (a $550-million, multi-year project that aims to mitigate the impacts of flooding).
“The stimulus program announced in 2020 didn’t flow nearly as much as was anticipated, so we assume that it will flow at a healthier clip for the construction season this year.”
– Chris Lorenc, Manitoba Heavy Construction Association
“The stimulus program announced in 2020 didn’t flow nearly as much as was anticipated, so we assume that it will flow at a healthier clip for the construction season this year,” Lorenc said. “There will be a nominal increase to the highways capital program…the Lake Manitoba project…If all of those approvals, along with the Investing in Canada’s Infrastructure program, materialize, I think Manitoba’s economy will get a good shot in the arm with infrastructure programs.”
In Alberta, the province plans to provide more infrastructure dollars to municipalities this year through the Municipal Sustainability Initiative (MSI) with a $1.2-billion investment to provide economic stimulus and create jobs.
But this means a funding drop to $485 million in each of the following two years, where municipalities were initially slated to split $860 million.
Despite the cut to municipalities, a $20.7-billion capital plan will invest in 41 new infrastructure projects across the province and create about 90,000 jobs through 2024.
The 2021 capital plan will include new construction of roads, bridges, overpasses and water projects.
“When you consider that 65 per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product is tied to trade and roughly 18 per cent of Canada’s workforce is tied to trade, it’s really important for Canadians to understand and for governments to understand this,” said Lorenc. “There is the infrastructure we want like our parks, swimming pools and recreation facilities. There’s infrastructure we need like healthcare facilities and schools. And then there’s the infrastructure that pays for all of these things – that is our trade infrastructure.
“We think there should be a significant long-term focus on investing in trade gateways and corridors in Western Canada to allow the region to become an even more prolific global trade partner to keep the economy humming.”
More than 30,000 kids each year experience engineering and science camps through the University of Regina
Little did a group of University of Regina engineering students realize that when they developed a summer camp for kids more than 25 years ago, they were laying the foundation for a program that would engage more than 30,000 kids annually on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programming.
That initial idea has grown to become EYES: Educating Youth in Engineering and Science. Not only does it deliver annual summer camps in an inclusive and safe space, but it has also expanded to provide satellite programs in other communities as well as on-reserve locations. The program also features workshops, all-girls camps, field trips, maker days and professional development for teachers.
“Our primary reach is in the summer and that’s where we have between 30 and 40 full-time undergraduate students and between five and seven high school students who assist with the program,” said Megan Moore, manager, engineering outreach. “During May and June, under normal circumstances, we conduct school workshops all over the province. In 2019, we did more than 18,000 km worth of travel.”
The Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science provides space for the summer camps and EYES works with community partners on delivering the program in local schools and community centres. The program has been delivered in communities such as Estevan, Weyburn and Swift Current as well as Indigenous communities including Kawacatoose, Ocean Man, Kahkewistahaw, Whitebear and Cote.
Moore says EYES places an emphasis on diversity and inclusion, and it provides financial assistance to children for whom the camp fee is a barrier. It also provides free camps and workshops to selected community schools in Regina, which are situated in neighborhoods with low household incomes and a high Indigenous population. EYES also works with the Open Door Society to provide a weeklong camp for newcomers to Canada.
Although the university faculty is supportive of the program as it encourages students to consider STEM careers, EYES is self-supporting and relies on corporate support, donations and registrations for its operating costs. Moore says EYES also recognizes that every community is different and strives to ensure that as many students can participate in their programming as possible.
For Regina community schools, for example, Moore says EYES worked with the Regina Public Library to provide technical equipment and curriculum materials so teachers could sign out these materials through their library cards. Other communities may require corporate partners in order to deliver the camps.
“On-reserve camps may be completely sponsored in that community. We recognize that there may be barriers so we provide things like breakfast and lunch, and bring our tech out there so the kids can use them,” explained Moore.
Instructors develop programming
The program is targeted at students in Grades 2 through 9 and the programming varies per age group. The instructors can develop their own projects based upon a base curriculum, but typically students will be involved in creating their own experiments such as growing their crystals, creating forensic fingerprinting and developing marble rollercoasters.
When they start their program, the instructors will review their program goals, decide what they want the kids’ experiences to be like, and discuss their own strengths and weaknesses in developing a camp. It also means that each camp will be a unique experience for both the instructors and the participants.
When Pokémon hunting was at its height in 2019, an instructor adapted Pokémon cards into cards featuring different flora and fauna, which the kids had to find. They even got to battle each other, just like in the real game. Students also have the opportunity to dissect frogs, use 3D printers and place table tennis balls in garbage cans filled with liquid nitrogen to watch them explode.
“We take all of these projects and then make sure that they are applicable to real life,” said Moore. “It’s one thing to blow up a garbage can, but it’s another thing to attribute that experiment to exothermic explosions in Saskatchewan mining. We need to explain the importance of these explosions so when they go home they will understand how the cracks in stone allow miners to extract potash.”
“We take all of these projects and then make sure that they are applicable to real life.”
– Megan Moore, Manager, Engineering Outreach
Moore says she can personally relate to how the program impacts young people. She came from a rural community and attended a two-day, all-girls EYES camp, which helped spark her interest in STEM. Many student instructors attended EYES camps and have now come full circle in delivering the program to other kids. One instructor has been involved with the EYES for 13 years – starting as an elementary student at a day camp and eventually becoming an instructor.
More than 30,000 kids and upwards of 40 high school and university student leaders participate in the EYES program each year Photo courtesy of EYES Program, University of Regina
“When we pitch summer work to the university students, one of the questions we always ask is who has attended an EYES camp. It’s always surprising to see at least a third of the students raise their hands that they have been EYES campers,” said Moore.
She adds that now that the program has been in existence for so long, one of the new priorities is to better determine the impact that EYES is having on STEM recruitment at the university. EYES camps help students go beyond traditional school programs such as chemistry and biology and delve into areas such as geology, geography, epidemiology and other science and engineering fields.
Benefitting more than kids
But it’s not just the kids who benefit from the EYES program. Moore says the undergraduate students learn skills like managing programs, conducting risk assessments and understanding safety concerns, which they will be able to use after they graduate in their professional lives.
SHCA members can support the program in several different ways. Moore says they are always looking for mentors who can (virtually) meet with the kids and discuss what they do. The kids will know very little about construction so the chance to discuss the opportunities and challenges with someone in the profession will be a rewarding experience for the students.
And, of course, EYES is always on the lookout for corporate sponsors for any members who would like to lend their financial support. The program is particularly interested in organizations that would be willing to sponsor a camp in an Indigenous community.
Milestone School may take on a new look by the end of this school year, thanks to a community initiative spurred by students.
For the past several months, Rebecca Carson’s Grade 4 class has been drawing, designing, fundraising and pitching their plans for an outdoor classroom to school board officials, local businesses and community groups.
Their hope is to construct a gazebo-style structure adjacent to the school that would be used as a classroom setting and double as a community meeting room outside of school hours.
“Through COVID, the school’s goal is to be outside as much as possible when learning,” Carson explained of the project her students have taken on. “When we’re outside, students are able to space out and learn without wearing their masks. When we’re in the classroom, we try to space out as best we can. Sometimes we’re just not able to be six feet apart and, therefore, not able to take off our masks.”
Ideally, Carson said a local construction crew would construct their desired outdoor classroom. The students voted to build a rectangular, partially enclosed gazebo with two walls with stadium-like seating and a third open wall with a chalkboard. The structure would seat roughly 25 people.
The Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association drew inspiration from the students and the work they’re doing and donated to the project.
As of the end of February, the class was still searching for a local construction company to complete the project.
The hope is to have the Saskatchewan Outdoor Classroom – named by the class – standing by the end of June, with the finer details like painting and tree planting to follow.
“I’m hopeful that any business that is able to help us out for the actual construction aspect, if they wouldn’t mind having Grade 4 students in little hard hats and safety vests helping out where they could,” she said. “I would love if the students could play a small role in that part of the construction to continue with their learning process.
“I would gladly sacrifice a day of class time if the students were able to learn in a different way by doing something with that.”
The Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association drew inspiration from the students and the work they’re doing and donated to the project.
“I think what caught my eye was when the story aired how ‘Saskatchewan’ it was and how well it tied into the belief of the association and our members on giving back to the community,” said SHCA president Shantel Lipp. “It was also a great reminder of the prairie-born ‘fix it on the farm’ mentality that lives here. If there’s a problem, we look at ways to find a solution and that’s what those kiddos are doing with this project.”
Carson’s class, along with others from the school, took advantage of the warm fall weather and shifted much of their learning outdoors in September and October. However, with the exception of a large play structure, the majority of the school grounds is bare – no trees to provide shade or barriers to protect from the wind.
The students occasionally would grumble about being outdoors and exposed to the elements.
They soon started talking about wanting a structure where they could be sheltered from the sun and the wind, all the while being outside and learning.
Carson was on board with the idea. But rather than taking control of the situation, she deferred to her students to address the problem and find solutions. Carson would simply act as a guide.
The students split into groups and got to work.
“The kids started doing their research. They looked into structural designs, drew their own designs and presented all of their work to the class and to school board officials,” Carson said, adding the students factored in wheelchair accessible paths and ramps leading to the structure and which trees they’d like planted on the school property.
Water drainage from the roof of the new structure would filter into a water collection jug, with the collected water used to help grow the newly planted trees, all of which would be native to Saskatchewan.
There’s a catch, however.
Approximately $60,000 is needed to build the structure. Plus, Grade 4 students aren’t exactly equipped for such a job.
This hasn’t deterred the students.
Carson is using this as a learning opportunity and grading the students on various steps throughout this process. They’re being graded on their designs, collaborative work in groups, math-related tasks like adding donation totals and their oral presentation to school board officials.
Students worked with architecture firm Crosby, Hanna and Associates to create concept drawings.
They’ve also been calling local businesses and pitching their outdoor classroom plan and asking for donations.
“I asked the students, ‘How are we going to get the money to pay for this?’” said Carson.
The kids suggested different themed food days – selling ice cream treats, hosting a sandwich or a pizza day, a bottle drive and selling tickets to raffle baskets.
At the end of February, the class had received more than $6,500 in donations to raffle baskets from several local businesses like Redwing Shoes and gift cards to Temple Gardens Hotel & Spa in Moose Jaw.
Every dollar received through donations will go into the Saskatchewan economy.
Anyone interested in making a monetary donation or donating items to raffle baskets or purchasing raffle tickets can phone Milestone School (306-436-2292) or contact Rebecca Carson (rebecca.carson@pvsd.ca).
