Think BIG Q2 2021 is all about Inspiring the Next Generation of Builders. One of the features on this topic focuses on how more than 30,000 kids each year experience STEM opportunities through the University of Regina.
Click here to read more.
Western Canadian Construction Facing Perfect Storm Brewing in Building Material Costs
The perfect COVID-19 storm is brewing, driving up the price of mainstay construction materials by up to 300 per cent with no real end in sight.
The pandemic is being blamed for much of the supply chain and delivery problems while demand is being driven by home-bound individuals spending vacation dollars on home construction over-heating the low-interest general construction market in both the U.S. and Canada.
At the same time, governments have been pumping billions into infrastructure recovery programs.
Flying high are wood product values with Western spruce-pine-fir (SPF) dimensional lumber prices tripling, cedar landscaping product prices doubling, and plywood per sheet prices tripling in three months.
Steel has also been slammed.
SHCA 2021 Equipment Rental Rates Guides and Membership Roster Arriving this Month
SHCA members will receive their 2021 Equipment Rental Rates Guides and Membership Roster this month. Watch for your copy/copies to arrive soon.
Non-members interested in purchasing a physical copy or digital access can contact the SHCA office for pricing and more information.
The SHCA Hot Seat
1. Where are you from?
Moose Jaw, Sask.
2. How did you get your start in the heavy construction industry and who do you credit for getting you where you are today?
After university, I was hired as the utilities engineer and promoted a year later to city engineer for the City of Prince Albert. I credit Arnie McKay, city manager, for taking a chance on a young engineer. The first job provided me with great experience and a strong foundation for my career.
3. What is your career history?
After being with the City of Prince Albert for four years, I moved to B.C., where I was the city engineer for the City of Penticton and later the director of engineering, development and building inspection for the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen. I then moved back to Regina, where I accepted the position of director of water and sewer for the City of Regina. After spending most of my career in the public sector, I transitioned into the private sector 11 years ago with the Morsky Group of Companies. I am currently the chief operating officer and co-owner of the Magnorum Group (formerly Morsky Group).
4. What’s the best piece of business advice you’ve ever been given?
My grandfather told me that it doesn’t matter what you do in life, just be the best at it. I don’t claim to be the best at what I do, but I strive to be, and I know that was his point.
5. What’s your favourite thing about Saskatchewan and working in the industry?
Definitely the people and the relationships that are created. I have found that Saskatchewan people tend to have strong work ethics and are business focused. Even with this focus, they don’t let that get in the way of establishing strong relationships with each other.
6. What is the trait you deplore in others?
Lying and arrogance. I tend to gravitate away from people who have either of these two traits.
7. Where would you most like to live?
Winters in Maui, summers in the Okanagan. That’s my retirement plan, anyway.
8. What do you most value in your friends?
Honesty and a great sense of humour. I also know that my closest friends will always be there when I need them.
9. Who are your favourite writers?
George R. R. Martin, Dan Brown, J. K. Rowling
10. Who are your heroes in real life?
My grandfather – from a very young age, he always believed in me and taught me about having a strong work ethic and high morals.
The WCB’s Employer Resource Centre
The Saskatchewan Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB) understands that it’s not always easy to navigate the workers’ compensation system.
Representatives at the WCB’s new Employer Resource Centre are your point of contact to answer questions, guide you to the right information, provide support materials and connect you with the right person at the WCB.
These are the resources available to employers through the Employer Resource Centre:
- Register your business
- Report and manage your worker’s injury claims
- Pay employer premiums
- Report your payroll
- Create your online account
- And more
Contact the Employer Resource Centre:
- For general inquiries: 1-833-961-0042
- For inquiries on your employer account or worker’s injury claim: 1-800-667-7590
Women in Lead Company Roles
TEC – THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Companies who have joined a TEC group over the past 5 years grew 2.2 times faster that average small and medium sized businesses.
Imagine having your very own peer advisory board.
The SHCA wants to create a confidential group of strong women from the construction industry to hoin us 6-8 times a year to bring together your collective intelligence. These meeting will be guided by an accomplished Chair, who will provide a safe and stimulating environment to accelerate personal, professional, and business growth.
Attend from anywhere. The sessions will be delivered virtually. RSVP to confirm your attendance. The invitation link will be sent once we’ve received your RSVP.
We’re creating this special group because, women approach problems from different perspectives, they face unique challenges, and have unique solutions to tackle those challenges. They’re quite simply NOT men. Women are a growing force within the construction industry, and they should have a seat and voice at the board table, said Shantell Lipp, President of the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association.
A Wonderful Life and Outstanding Career: Remembering Carlyle Murray
We are deeply saddened to share the news that our long-time colleague and friend, Carlyle Murray, P.Eng., PMP, passed away on May 8, 2021 after battling cancer, a heart attack and a stroke. News like this is difficult to process, and we are in touch with Carlyle’s family to offer our support.
Carlyle’s impact within Stantec, the City of Regina and industry was clear. Throughout his extensive career, he worked very hard to contribute in a meaningful way, as can be seen through a few of his career highlights:
- He contributed to the engineering industry for over 50 years, the “Gordie Howe of Engineering”
- He improved the City of Regina’s maintenance systems, including the winter maintenance program; he found efficiencies in their asphalt and concrete construction programs, and introduced Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) equipment into the municipal roadways fleet
- He was a very successful project engineer and project manager, having one of the best track records for keeping projects on budget and schedule. He had a long and distinguished career in engineering, and we were blessed to have him as part of our team.
Carlyle’s extensive consulting background made him a key partner in the planning and delivery of infrastructure projects in Saskatchewan and particularly with the Ministry of Highways. His role gave him the opportunity to engineer and manage a variety of projects ranging from roadway projects, including grading and surfacing, hydraulics and culverts, civil works, land development and special projects such as civil site designs for Federated Co-op. On March 9, 2021, Carlyle celebrated his 11th anniversary with Stantec.
Throughout his career, Carlyle prioritized having a positive impact on those around him, for the betterment of the community. He was engaged in many charitable endeavors both corporately and in his personal life. Whether it was Stantec social events, Stantec in the Community, Rotary Club, providing education to our youth through his foundation, supporting friends and family, heading to a Rider game or companionship with Carlyle’s Coyotes, Carlyle always put his community first and was a real pleasure to be around. In addition to his contributions to his communities, he was very active in ACEC-SK and the betterment of the consulting industry, providing much-needed knowledge, time and energy to improve and evolve our industry. Carlyle has made a positive impact on many of our communities, clients and careers, which will always be remembered.
Carlyle believed in education and providing opportunities for others. In 1993, he founded the Carlyle Murray Educational Foundation through The Regina Industrial Parks Rotary Club. This foundation is a registered charity and provides an annual post-secondary scholarship to a Regina area graduating Grade XII student. If you are interested in contributing to the Carlyle Murray Educational Foundation, please reach out to Jerry Boulanger at jclan@sasktel.net or by calling 306-527-0671. A charitable donation receipt will be provided upon request.
Government Invests $1.5 Million in Community Airports to Support Economic Recovery
The Government of Saskatchewan is investing $1.5 million in the Community Airport Partnership (CAP) program as part of Budget 2021–22. This funding will provide improvements to 19 community airports around the province. When combined with local matching dollars, CAP represents a $3 million investment in provincial airport infrastructure.
“As a commercial pilot myself, I know of the benefit these investments will have on some of our more rural and remote communities,” Highways Minister Fred Bradshaw said. “These revitalization and rehabilitation projects will bring some much-needed upgrades to some of our community airports and runways, leading to better usage and reliability for medical, emergency and transportation services to all regions of the province.”
Last year, the Government of Saskatchewan more than doubled its funding for the CAP program to $1.5 million, an increase of 114 per cent over the previous year. A portion of the 2021–22 investment, $650,000, comes from the $2 billion stimulus package announced in mid-2020. The Ministry of Highways will be investing $300 million from that stimulus fund over several years into projects like resurfacing of runways, improvements for pilot assists at airports and several other highways specific projects.
“It’s exciting to see the upgrades taking shape at the Moose Jaw Municipal Airport,” Moose Jaw Mayor Fraser Tolmie said. “We thank the Government of Canada and the Government of Saskatchewan for recognizing the value of this project and making significant investments that will provide long-term benefits to our community.”
“The Tri-Communities of La Ronge, Village of Air Ronge and Lac La Ronge Indian Band, as well as the surrounding districts, are thrilled that we are receiving the CAP grant for the much-needed servicing and repairs of the La Ronge Airport,” La Ronge Mayor Colin Ratushniak said. “As a vital hub and gateway to Northern Saskatchewan, we provide an important service to air ambulance and aerial firefighting and ensure the capabilities to connect families and tourists with commercial services. The CAP grant will ensure that we can continue to offer the highest of standards and safety to our clients, which in return ensures the economic growth of Northern Saskatchewan.”
Since 2007, more than $10.5 million has been invested in Saskatchewan’s community airports. When coupled with 50/50 matching community contributions, the CAP program has generated more than $21 million in airport improvements. A total of 38 different communities have benefited since the program began.
Resurrecting Old Injuries
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.
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