As we enter 2025, we need to look at the state of infrastructure in our province and our country.
In Saskatchewan, we have a record number of residents using our roads. With over 1.2 million people in the province, Saskatchewan roads, highways and bridges are seeing more tires hit the surface than ever before.
As we know, Saskatchewan is an export province that relies on its infrastructure to get its goods to market. As our exports grow year over year, the demand of having functional infrastructure to move those products to customers across the globe is imperative to our quality of life.
A thriving economy is how we get to build our hospitals and schools. But to do this we must have the resources to fund infrastructure before a single shovel is put into the ground.
How we fund and maintain our infrastructure has a direct relationship to how successful our economy will be.
This year will be a challenging time for many sectors in Canada and the province as the country faces potential punitive action from our largest trading partner, the United States, in the form of tariffs. Governments will have to come to terms on how to best mitigate the impact tariffs will have on our provincial and national economies.
Building our schools, hospitals and infrastructure will become costlier if the tariffs come to pass. It is time for governments at all levels to think smart when it comes to the priorities of where taxpayers’ money is spent.
One of the government’s basic principles is to maintain functioning infrastructure to support its citizens and its economy. When government takes its eye off the ball to focus on pet projects of their liking, the results tend to be catastrophic, as witnessed by the recent Los Angeles fires.
As we work our way through 2025, our message to governments of all levels is to focus on the core services that maintain a healthy economy, and that starts with proper funding of infrastructure in our cities, province and country.
The Ministry of SaskBuilds and Procurement and Saskatchewan Polytechnic have issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) to procure a new Skilled Trades and Technology (trades) building.
The new trades building is using a Design-Build procurement model for its delivery as the first building planned as part of the new Joseph A. Remai Saskatoon campus.
“This is an important next step in building the new Saskatoon campus,” SaskBuilds and Procurement Minister David Marit said. “We are pleased to work with our partners to make this happen. The Request for Qualifications shows our focus is on creating a top facility for students and industry. Starting this process will help us find the right team to build the new Skilled Trades and Technology building for Saskatchewan Polytechnic.”
The new trades building is the first building planned as part of a new and consolidated campus in Saskatoon. It will be built on a green field site, located at Innovation Place Saskatoon, adjacent to the University of Saskatchewan.
“Saskatchewan’s post-secondary institutions are crucial in positioning the province as a global research leader, further solidifying our reputation as a hub for innovation,” Minister Responsible for Innovation Saskatchewan Warren Kaeding said. “This new campus will open more opportunities for Saskatchewan students and aims to attract top talent to cultivate our future innovation leaders.”
The RFQ is the first step in a two-step process to evaluate and pre-qualify professional service providers for the building. Qualified teams from the RFQ process will compete in the second stage for the design and construction of the trades building.
“I am pleased to see the Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Joseph A. Remai Saskatoon Campus project moving forward,” Advanced Education Minister Ken Cheveldayoff said. “The campus will play a critical role in preparing students who will help meet Saskatchewan’s labour market needs. The Skilled Trades and Technology building will provide a high-quality learning environment for Saskatchewan students, helping keep our province competitive with other jurisdictions and attracting more students and instructors.”
Site preparation work began in September of 2024 and includes the removal or upgrading of underground infrastructure, tree relocation and grading. Site preparation is nearing completion, with substantial completion anticipated in the spring.
The new campus will transform an existing network of several decentralized, outdated buildings into a revitalized, modern, technology-rich learning environment for students and greater opportunities for applied research and investment.
“We are excited to reach another momentous milestone for the Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Joseph A. Remai Saskatoon Campus with the launch of the procurement process for the Skilled Trades and Technology building,” Saskatchewan Polytechnic president and CEO Larry Rosia said. “We have undertaken extensive consultation with faculty, students, the City of Saskatoon and other key stakeholders, and we greatly appreciate everyone’s feedback. This campus will lead the way in applied learning across Saskatchewan, enhancing the student experience and expanding our capacity for applied research and collaboration.”
Since 2022-23, the province has provided $16 million for the project. The 2024-25 Provincial Budget included $6 million for design and pre-procurement work of the new campus. The Government of Saskatchewan announced in September 2023 that it would commit up to $200 million toward the new campus.
The Ministry of SaskBuilds and Procurement and Saskatchewan Polytechnic are leading this procurement in partnership from the Ministry of Advanced Education, Innovation Saskatchewan and the University of Saskatchewan.
The Saskatchewan Research Council’s (SRC) latest economic impact assessment shows it has contributed more than $15.5 billion in combined economic and employment impacts in Saskatchewan since it began assessing such in 2003 – including a combined impact of $887 million in this latest fiscal year.
SRC’s 2023-2024 economic impact assessment shows SRC’s impact on the provincial economy in the fiscal year was $785 million. SRC also assisted in creating or maintaining more than 1,682 jobs in Saskatchewan in 2023-2024, a contribution valued at an additional $102 million.
These impact numbers were also accompanied by annual revenue of $83 million generated by SRC in 2023-2024.
In 2023-2024, SRC had a mandate effectiveness of 38, which means that for every dollar the province invested in SRC, SRC’s work contributed at least a 38-times return to the growth of the Saskatchewan economy.
“The Saskatchewan Research Council is dedicated to growing and strengthening Saskatchewan’s economy through research, development and demonstration through the transfer of innovative technical solutions, applications and services,” Minister Responsible for SRC Warren Kaeding said. “SRC’s work is making an incredible impact on the province’s economic growth and is creating thousands of jobs for people across Saskatchewan.”
“At SRC, we are dedicated to strengthening Saskatchewan’s economy with quality private sector jobs and a secure environment,” SRC president and CEO Mike Crabtree said. “This is why our economic impact assessment is so important, as it truly demonstrates the value we can generate from the province’s investment in us.”
With 77 years of research, development and demonstration experience, SRC is Canada’s second largest research and technology organization with 1,400 clients in 22 countries around the world.
Another milestone has been reached as the Government of Saskatchewan, in partnership with Saskatoon Public Schools, announced that six construction contractors have been shortlisted to submit bids for the construction of the new Saskatoon City Centre School. This development shows that the project is progressing steadily toward construction.
The shortlisted contractors are:
Graham Construction
PCL Construction
Quorex Construction
VCM Construction
Westridge Construction
Wright Construction
Saskatoon Public Schools issued the Request for Qualifications and the shortlisted companies were selected through a competitive process, with the aim of ensuring high-quality and timely delivery of the project. These firms will now proceed to the tender stage, where they are invited to provide detailed submissions to bid on the construction contract.
The new Saskatoon City Centre School, funded by the Government of Saskatchewan, will bring together students from the Princess Alexandra, King George and Pleasant Hill neighbourhoods into a single, modern facility. Designed to accommodate up to 400 students from prekindergarten to Grade 8, the school will also include 74 childcare spaces and additional community services.
“This milestone brings us one step closer to delivering a modern learning environment for students in Saskatoon’s city centre area,” Education Minister Everett Hindley said. “This new school will not only provide high-quality education spaces, but will also serve as a hub for community engagement and collaboration, supporting the needs of students and families for years to come.”
Construction is expected to begin following the completion of the procurement process.
“We are excited to have a shortlist of teams for the Saskatoon City Centre School Project,” SaskBuilds and Procurement Minister David Marit said. “This is an important step towards construction that shows our province’s focus on building modern schools for future generations and supporting strong and growing communities.”
Since 2008, the Government of Saskatchewan has committed approximately $2.6 billion toward school infrastructure projects, including 69 new schools and 32 major renovation projects with seven projects approved through the Minor Capital Renewal Program.
CAI Capital Partners (CAI) is pleased to announce that its portfolio company, the Universal Group, and its related companies (together, Universal or the Company) has successfully closed the acquisition of Barricades and Signs Ltd. (Barricades).
Barricades, headquartered near Edmonton, Alta., was founded in 2004 by Robert and Fran van Bruggen and has grown into a leading traffic control company with operations across Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Over the past eight years, the company has been successfully led by CEO Jan van Bruggen who, in partnership with Barrier Ridge Capital, has contributed to Barricades’ development and growth up to this point. As part of this exciting transition to the Universal Group, Bruggen will continue to lead Barricades and will also become a shareholder in the Universal Group.
“I am honored to be leading Barricades into this exciting next phase of growth and evolution,” said Bruggen. “Joining the Universal Group family aligns perfectly with our commitment to building healthy communities and supporting our employees and stakeholders as we strive to be our best. The alignment in vision and values between Barricades and the Universal Group is remarkable, and I look forward to seeing us thrive with their support and expanded network across Canada and the Pacific Northwest.”
The acquisition of Barricades marks a significant milestone in Universal’s strategy to expand its operations and presence in new markets across Canada. The acquisition of Barricades reinforces Universal as one of Canada’s preeminent providers of traffic control services, enhancing its ability to deliver unparalleled service and support for its clients nationwide, with coverage in nearly all provinces.
Barricades and Signs Ltd. is headquartered near Edmonton, Alta. Photo: Alicia Paydli/Unsplash
“We are thrilled that Barricades and Signs is joining the Universal Group of traffic management companies.” said Mike Menzies, CEO of the Universal Group. “This transaction is a major milestone for Universal as we continue to build on our national footprint of being the largest supplier of traffic management services and products across Canada. Barricades expands our footprint into new markets, enabling us to establish operations in Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Barricades also brings to our group additional product lines, further expanding our one-stop-shop capabilities for all our customers’ needs. We are excited to welcome [Bruggen] and the Barricades team as we combine our expertise and drive forward our overall strategic plan.”
CAI’s equity co-investment partners in the combined organization include BDC Capital, Roynat Equity Partners and Frind Enterprises. Debt financing for the transaction was provided by Bank of Montreal, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, The Bank of Nova Scotia and National Bank Financial. Universal was advised on the transaction by Lawson Lundell LLP (legal), MNP LLP (tax), Marsh Canada Limited (insurance) and HUB International Limited (benefits).
As we enter the new year, it will be our opportunity as an association to build on our successes from the previous year.
Our second annual Infrastructure Summit and Trade Show was bigger and better than the inaugural event that we had hosted in 2023.
The Summit included two full days of presentations on subjects that spoke to the future of our industry and how we, in Saskatchewan, can position ourselves to lead by adopting cutting edge technologies that will put us at forefront of our industry. The Summit was also a time for the industry to showcase some of that technology firsthand through our expanded trade show.
Building on the success of the 2024 Summit, we plan on having an even bigger event this year by viewing it through a global lens.
As we know, Saskatchewan had a provincial election in the fall of last year. While there were many changes to the names and faces that sit around the provincial cabinet table, the SHCA was pleased to welcome back the Honourable Minister David Marit to the portfolios of Highways and SaskBuilds and Procurement.
I am happy to say that we have already had productive discussions with Marit on the issues that impact our industry and look forward to keeping the dialogue going. Our message remains the same: When our industry benefits, the province benefits.
Looking ahead, we will continue to engage with the provincial and municipal governments on finding ways to deliver infrastructure projects to meet with the demand of growth in the province.
Last month, Saskatchewan hit yet another milestone for population growth having surpassed 1,246,000 residents for the first time ever. An expanding population means there is a demand for more infrastructure and maintaining our current assets.
New schools and hospitals cannot be built without new roads. New employees heading to their place of work can only arrive safely if the roads and bridges they travel on are safe. Good roads ensure that our economic well-being, as a centre of export to the world remains intact when we ship our goods across the globe.
Our industry is often ignored when government faces economic pressures. It is our duty to raise our voice to make sure that does not happen. This year will have its challenges, but I am optimistic that our strong and united voice will bring positive changes to how we do business here in Saskatchewan.
It was a highlight of my summer to see crews out on worksites doing what it takes to repair or build a road, replace pipes and other infrastructure underground or prepare a site for a future building.
As you have been busy completing those projects, I have been hard at work – along with the board – on some of my own that I am excited to tell you about. You can read more about them in this issue of Think BIG. While those too are important highlights of this year, I say that seeing those crews at work is a highlight because that work is undeniable evidence of all that our industry does to support our communities and the provincial economy.
As I drive around – on roads SHCA members built – I look around to see so much other infrastructure that requires heavy construction to exist. The sidewalk where pedestrians can safely walk to get to a business. Those lots being developed so more houses can be built in a subdivision that will welcome many more families to live in our city in a new neighbourhood that will flourish.
Those kids playing basketball on a court using materials donated by one of our members. Families packed in a half ton truck that is pulling an RV headed out on the highway to a provincial park to make memories on a family vacation.
That rail line being used by that train carrying cars of agricultural commodities or manufactured equipment to other parts of the country where they will be used or to reach ports to export to other countries. I hear the planes coming into my city knowing they are going to land on the airport runway. I trust there will be a parking lot where I will park my vehicle when I arrive at my destination.
We built that. All of that, which is needed by others in our society. The members of our association are the ones who made sure high quality, durable infrastructure is constructed so other people living in our communities can enjoy a high quality of life.
This infrastructure makes travel easier and safer. Getting to school and work every day is possible in large part because of the infrastructure that our members build and maintain. It prepares for future stages of development so people have places to work and live. These are just a few examples of what our industry contributes.
While it is common to just get the job done and focus on all that is needed to ensure it gets done well, I think there is value in stopping to consider just how impactful that infrastructure is in our daily lives and how significant it is to our society’s functioning. There is so much for a person to notice and take pride in once we start looking for it. While we know it, let’s remind others of it, too.
Over the winter, remind people we built that. In Saskatchewan, we don’t like to brag, but it is valuable to share information about the work you are doing with others. You can tell family, friends, neighbours and associates about what our industry builds. Help them understand the direct benefit of this new infrastructure, but also the indirect benefit, such as the money spent in communities when a crew moves in for the duration of a project. That indirect benefit helps to support their jobs and income.
Telling people which projects we are working on helps others who are not in our industry see that it is real people – not simply dollars and documents – who make infrastructure happen. Reminding other people of exactly what our industry builds and maintains and how that betters the lives of our family, friends and neighbours is an important message to deliver so the value of our industry’s work is recognized and appreciated.
Governments pay attention to the public who vote them into office. Having the public value our contribution to our communities helps reinforce what we as an association say to politicians and bureaucrats we meet with to discuss our industry’s interests.
That is our intention when explaining to the public the three vital industry issues we want governments – provincial and municipal – to address as we communicate to all the importance of our industry to the new government. You can read more about those efforts.
You can also read about an exciting announcement by the SHCA. We have been working to develop an education portfolio for fall 2024 to add another way for the association to provide even more exceptional services to members and stakeholders. That education portfolio has been developed along with Darlene South of Darlene South Consulting Solutions and Jason Tratch of Proteus Waters.
I am looking forward to seeing people learning from these two at our office in Regina. The association views these education and training opportunities as essential in helping members build a sustainable workforce through improved recruitment and retention strategies.
So, this winter, reflect on all the hard work you have done and how meaningful that work is to our province, while you also decide who you would like to send to the training courses.
The Government of Saskatchewan has proclaimed Sept. 23 to 27 as Saskatchewan Construction Week. The week has been proclaimed to celebrate the extensive economic and social contributions made by the province’s dynamic construction industry.
“Saskatchewan’s construction industry is not only a major contributor to jobs in the province, but [it] also plays a crucial role in building the infrastructure necessary for a growing economy,” Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison said. “As we work toward achieving and surpassing our Growth Plan goals of growing the provincial population to 1.4 million people and creating 100,000 new jobs, the construction industry will further excel this growth by building the offices, facilities, housing and more, which contribute to our strong and vibrant communities.”
The construction industry in Saskatchewan is a key driver of economic growth. Last year, real GDP for the sector grew by 13.6 per cent, with the sector’s real GDP reaching $6 billion. Currently, there are over 43,000 (seasonally adjusted) people employed in the province’s construction industry, making it one of the most important economic sectors in Saskatchewan in terms of job creation.
“During Saskatchewan Construction Week, we celebrate the dedicated professionals who form the backbone of our province’s economy,” Construction Associations of Saskatchewan co-CEO Shannon Friesen said. “These skilled workers, often behind the scenes, build the infrastructure that drives our communities forward.”
“Their contributions are vital, not just in constructing roads, schools and hospitals, but in shaping the very foundation of our future,” Construction Associations of Saskatchewan co-CEO Kevin Dureau said. “This week, we honour their commitment, resilience and the essential role they play in ensuring Saskatchewan remains strong and prosperous.”
The growth the construction industry has experienced recently has had an overall positive impact on Saskatchewan’s economy, with Statistics Canada’s latest GDP numbers indicating that the province’s 2023 real GDP reached an all-time high of $77.9 billion, increasing by $1.2 billion, or 1.6 per cent. This places Saskatchewan second in the nation for real GDP growth, and above the national average of 1.2 per cent.
Private capital investment is projected to reach $14.2 billion in 2024, an increase of 14.4 per cent over 2023. This is the highest anticipated percentage increase in Canada.
The Government of Saskatchewan also recently unveiled its new Securing the Next Decade of Growth – Saskatchewan’s Investment Attraction Strategy. This strategy, combined with Saskatchewan’s trade and investment website, InvestSK.ca, contains helpful information for potential investors and solidifies the province as the best place to do business in Canada.
Survey tool proves effective in predicting injuries and improving safety performance
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The Saskatchewan Construction Safety Association (SCSA) and EHS Analytics are proud to share the success of an innovative Safety Culture Survey tool, designed to predict injuries and enhance Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) performance. With the participation of almost 800 construction companies, making it the largest survey of its kind administered at an industry scale, the tool has proven to be an effective leading indicator for safety performance.
The survey tool uses the Institute for Work & Health Organizational Performance Metric (IWH-OPM), an eight-item questionnaire developed by IWH to assess values and beliefs around safety within workplace culture. The large-scale participation of the Saskatchewan construction industry provided data collected over three years, through six rounds of the survey. EHS analyzed the data to gain insights and further support the industry’s safety efforts.
Key findings include:
A strong correlation between high survey scores and lower future lost time injury rates.
Identification of areas where safety improvements can significantly reduce injury risks.
Enhanced ability for firms to benchmark their safety performance against industry standards and peers. Confirmation of the effectiveness of COR® certification.
Shortcomings in Canadian OHS performance are not highly related to a lack of tools or equipment.
“Our analysis has proven that the Safety Culture Survey is a true leading indicator of safety performance,” said Mohammad Khalkhali, data science team lead at EHS Analytics. “Finding easy-to-measure, effective leading indicators in safety is incredibly challenging, and the Safety Culture Survey provides companies with the ability to foresee and mitigate potential hazards before they result in incidents. Leading indicators are often considered the ‘Holy Grail’ in safety for predicting risk, and this tool achieves that goal.”
Every SCSA member company is invited to participate in the survey and view their results in a custom analytics dashboard. Companies can see how their score compares to peers, find follow-up questions to make proactive adjustments to their safety program and monitor their performance over time.
“Having insights into one’s own company in a way that can predict incidents is a game changer,” said SCSA president Collin Pullar. “We encourage all of our members to utilize this simple, but insightful culture survey to better understand where they are doing well, but also better recognize and address weakness in their culture to prevent potential injuries. This is a powerful Canadian-built tool, and we would love to see as many companies as possible use it and learn from it to prevent accidents within their workforces.”
“At the Institute for Work & Health, our mission is to conduct and mobilize research that supports policy-makers, employers and workers in creating healthy, safe and inclusive work environments,” said Peter Smith, president of IWH. “To that end, it is heartening to see health and safety organizations such as the SCSA use the IWH-OPM to both understand organizational health and safety practices over time, and to better understand the relationships between these practices and safety outcomes in Saskatchewan.”
The survey is delivered twice a year to SCSA members, each fall and spring.
Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba continue collaboration on the joint memorandum of understanding
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Ministers for highways and transportation in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba in Saskatoon to continue work to strengthen economic corridors that support Canada’s supply chains. It has been a year since a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed by the three provinces.
The MOU commits the partners to jointly working to improve the shared transportation system, to ensure the strength and competitiveness of the Prairie provinces.
Over the past year, the focus has been on regulatory harmonization, advocacy and regional planning. These priorities will continue with additional work on improving multi-modal transport infrastructure for the efficient movement of exports and imports.
The provinces are working on co-ordinated improvements that benefit the entire region, and they link producers more efficiently to markets across the globe. They are creating a prairie regional economic corridor to guide strategic investments in transportation.
The MOU commits the partners to jointly working to improve the shared transportation system, to ensure the strength and competitiveness of the Prairie provinces.
“By keeping the momentum of the Prairies’ MOU going, we can continue to improve western economic corridors that will enable the efficient movement of Prairie exports and imports to and from markets around the world,” Alberta Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors Devin Dreeshen said.
“For Saskatchewan people, improving transportation efficiency with initiatives like these supports our strong and growing export-based economy,” Saskatchewan Highways Minister Lori Carr said. “A strategic approach helps the province invest in key services and helps build and protect our quality of life.”
Saskatchewan has already achieved its Growth Plan pledge to increase exports by 50 per cent. The province continues to expand export infrastructure to increase the mobility of Saskatchewan’s products to international markets over the next decade. Exports support a vibrant business community and ensure an improving quality of life for Saskatchewan people.
Seventy per cent of Saskatchewan’s economy is dependent on exports. In 2023, Saskatchewan exported $49.3 billion in goods. Saskatchewan goods reached 163 countries, with 32 of those countries receiving over $100 million in provincial exports.
Canada’s construction industry unveils critical report on climate resilience
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On Sept. 9, 2024, the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) released a report emphasizing the urgent need for increased investment and stronger policies to protect Canadians and their critical infrastructure from the increasing threats of climate change.
The report, titled Climate resilience in construction: Building for a sustainable future, stresses the importance of building resilient infrastructure that can withstand extreme weather events, protect lives and support community well-being. Recent incidents, like the flooding in Toronto and wildfires in Jasper, show these threats are real and disrupt the everyday lives of Canadians. Calgary’s broken water main signals even deeper problems with Canada’s aging infrastructure.
“Canada’s infrastructure is the backbone of our communities, but it’s under threats from climate-related disasters,” said Rodrigue Gilbert, CCA president. “With much of our infrastructure aging or in poor condition, we must act now to future-proof our infrastructure and meet our environmental goals.”
The construction industry is already working to build sustainably, but it cannot do it alone. Significant investment, strategic planning and collaboration are needed to build infrastructure that is both resilient and sustainable.
“The construction industry is making progress in reducing our environmental impact,” Gilbert said. “But to reach our net-zero objectives and protect our infrastructure, we need support from both stakeholders and all levels of government.”
Key points from the report include:
Urgent need for investment: To protect infrastructure assets and address the rising strain from increasing population and housing developments, substantial investment is essential.
Industry progress and challenges: The construction sector is actively working to reduce its environmental impact, but long-term sustainability requires broader support and collaboration. Incentives to pilot new processes and technologies are also needed.
Policy environment: We need effective policies to ensure infrastructure is built to last. This includes addressing issues like labour shortages, procurement, alternative delivery models and supply chain challenges.
“Too often, infrastructure investment decisions are based on what’s politically expedient, not what’s genuinely needed in a given region of Canada,” said Gilbert. “We need to focus on projects that are ‘shovel-worthy,’ not just ‘shovel-ready’ to ensure Canadians have the infrastructure they depend on.”
Highway Hotline introduces new highway condition terminology
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Saskatchewan’s Highway Hotline has updated the terminology it uses to describe winter driving conditions.
The new terminology offers more clear and concise messaging that will help drivers make decisions about winter travel. The updated language is also more consistent with neighbouring provinces, which will make using the Hotline easier for people travelling across Western Canada.
“The construction industry is making progress in reducing our environmental impact. But to reach our net-zero objectives and protect our infrastructure, we need support from both stakeholders and all levels of government.”
– Rodrigue Gilbert, CCA president
“The Highway Hotline is used millions of times throughout the year to help travellers plan ahead,” Highways Minister Lori Carr said. “These changes will help drivers make an informed decision while having better consistency with our neighbouring provinces and national standards.”
The new primary conditions include:
Bare: Road appears black, meaning all wheels of a passenger vehicle are on a bare surface.
Partly Covered: Road appears yellow, meaning two wheels of a passenger vehicle are on a snow or ice-covered surface.
Covered: Road appears pink, meaning all wheels of the vehicle are on snow or ice.
Travel Not Recommended: Road appears blue, meaning that visibility is less than 250 metres and could become impassable.
Closed: Road appears red, meaning the highway is impassable.
The colour white was removed because it did not show up well on the digital maps. The maps will continue to indicate poor visibility using a dotted line.
During the winter driving season, road conditions are updated a minimum of four times daily or whenever there are known changes that affect drivers.
The Highway Hotline has existed for more than 50 years. It provides information on highway conditions, road closures, construction zones, ferries and border crossings. As of February 2024, it now allows users to track the progress of plows involved in snow removal and ice treatment. This real-time information helps drivers make informed decisions to protect their safety.
Company Charged, Fined $100,000 for Serious Worker Injury
Adler Firestopping Ltd. was charged for contravening subsection 12-5 (2) (a) of the regulations (being an employer failed to ensure that every scaffold is designed, constructed, erected, used and maintained so as to perform safely any task that the scaffold is required to perform, resulting in the serious injury of a worker).
Three other charges were withdrawn.
As a result of this charge, the court imposed a fine of $71,428.57, with a surcharge of $28,571.43, for a total amount of $100,000.
The charge stemmed from a worksite incident that took place on Nov. 28, 2022, on the Thunderchild First Nation in Saskatchewan. A worker was seriously injured as a result of a fall from a work platform.
How Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers transformed equipment auctions
Photo: Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers
In 1958, the three Ritchie brothers – Dave, Ken and John – owned and operated a furniture store in Kelowna, B.C. At the time, the store was having financial challenges, so they decided to liquidate the store’s inventory to pay off some debt. This was the brothers’ first auction.
Now, after more than 65 years since closing the furniture business, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers has grown to become one of the largest heavy equipment auctioneers in the world, as well as a premier destination for pre-owned construction equipment.
“The brothers went through a couple of iterations auctioning off a variety of commodities until they found their niche and landed on the heavy equipment side of things,” said Jason Huber, Ritchie Bros. regional sales manager – Saskatchewan and Manitoba Industrial Division. “Ritchie Bros. recognized a need in Western Canada for someone to form a marketplace where sellers could part with equipment that they no longer needed, and buyers could acquire that equipment through a public, transparent and unreserved auction.”
“The reality is, because we are not tied to a specific brand, type or industry, nobody sells more heavy yellow iron and heavy trucks and trailers than we do at Ritchie Bros., thanks in large part to the support of SHCA members.”
– Jason Huber, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers
In the 1980s, Ritchie Bros. went through a period of expansion, setting up shop in the United States in Texas, California and Florida. To this day, the company’s February Orlando Sale is one of the largest events of its kind in the world, seeing thousands of pieces of equipment and hundreds of millions of dollars of transactions occurring over a six-day period. Building on its success over the years, Ritchie Bros. now has operations across North America, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Middle East.
Global reach, local perspective
Despite its growth, Ritchie Bros. maintains a strong Prairie presence. The company has three major yards in Saskatchewan at Saskatoon, North Battleford and Rouleau. Ritchie Bros. employs approximately 100 people in the province.
“Because of our agricultural background, Western Canada is probably the most auction savvy market in the world,” said Huber. “There’s no question that farmers, as a rule, love auction sales. They remember their dads dragging them to sales when they were kids. They remember the smell of pies and burgers in air and the sounds of auctioneers calling out, and for many it was just a big community social event. This nostalgia for auctions continues to be strong across the Prairies, especially in Saskatchewan, which remains a very dominant market share in our auction space – rivalling anywhere else in the world.”
Photo: Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers
This global presence is what sets Ritchie Bros. apart from the competition. There are a lot of auction houses that can find homes for equipment, but their reach is generally limited to a local audience. This is not the case for Ritchie Bros., where equipment can be sold in Saskatchewan and potentially be sent anywhere in the world.
“It’s not unusual to see our sales end up in another country – we often see something like older Caterpillar equipment ending up in the Middle East,” said Huber. “It’s always a highlight when we see far away places pop up on the map whenever the bidding happens. It’s a real treat when we go back to our customers and say, ‘You know that piece of equipment that you had in your fleet that you got rid of? It’s going to Vietnam or it’s going to Mexico City, or Dubai.’ They usually get a kick to hear where it all ends up.”
Working with members
Ritchie Bros. has long been a member of the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association (SHCA), its members often seen at auctions bidding on equipment.
“The members of this association are, by and large, our customers and people who we go to see and visit with on a regular basis,” said Huber. “The reality is, because we are not tied to a specific brand, type or industry, nobody sells more heavy yellow iron and heavy trucks and trailers than we do at Ritchie Bros., thanks in large part to the support of SHCA members.”
Photo: Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers
Ritchie Bros. is not only a source of equipment. Because the company is not just a single dealer with a specific brand, and sells all brands, makes and sizes, Ritchie Bros. has a unique vantage to see where the market is going. As such, many of the questions Ritchie Bros. receives from SHCA members and customers revolve around how the market is doing and when the best times to buy and sell might be. Answering those questions is a team in the background of Ritchie Bros that has its finger on the pulse of emerging trends in dealer inventory or Original Equipment Manufacturer output, as well as an eye on which direction prices are heading.
This expertise was especially useful in the face of the extreme supply and demand disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are still coming out of what is likely the most chaotic market that we’ve ever been a part of,” said Huber. “There was such a scarcity of equipment during COVID-19 that, no matter the condition, everything for sale brought in top dollar and the sellers were kept very happy. In recent months, however, the pendulum has swung and the companies that paid inflated prices are being hit by heavier interest rates – in some cases that results in bankruptcies and more equipment going to auction. This means we are seeing prices levelling off as the supply of yellow iron and core construction gear goes up and, while prices remain strong, it’s nowhere as crazy as it was during the pandemic.”
The evolving auction
With customers becoming accustomed to online applications like eBay, Kijiji and Facebook Marketplace, Ritchie Bros. has been watching the auction space slowly evolve for years. However, the pandemic accelerated the pace of that evolution.
Where the local auction was once a must-attend event that drew crowds, much like a travelling circus, the trend today sees people wanting to go online on their computers and smartphones to bid on equipment. Ritchie Bros. has made it simple for people to bid at RBauction.com from their homes and offices, the front seat of their trucks and even their combines, as auctions today have become more of a transactional activity as opposed to a social event.
“The auction business has certainly changed post-COVID,” said Huber. “Auctions used to be a party that we would hold multiple times a month. Now, they have people watching what’s going on from their computer screens and there’s not a lot of interacting with other human beings.”
“It’s not unusual for us to run into a second or third generation contractor that still [has] the very first grader that their dad bought to start the business, and there is an absolute emotional attachment to the past – we help them work through that and make the auction a positive experience.”
– Jason Huber, Ritchie Bros. Auctioneers
While the day of sale may be different in the business of auctioneering, there is still a very human element behind the scenes in the leadup to auction day. The real thrill for those working at Ritchie Bros. is getting to work one-on-one with the contractors who may have excess equipment or – better yet – are at a point in their career where they’re eyeing retirement. When that happens, Ritchie Bros. works with the customer to make sure they can end their careers on a proper note and, whether it’s been five years or 50 years, the auction house takes pride in giving them the public fanfare they deserve for a career well lived.
“And at the end of the day, if we’ve done our job right, the conversation post sale with the customer, more often than not, leads to tears or gratitude from the person or their spouse or their family, and sometimes a little sadness,” said Huber. “It’s not unusual for us to run into a second or third generation contractor that still [has] the very first grader that their dad bought to start the business, and there is an absolute emotional attachment to the past – we help them work through that and make the auction a positive experience.”
The road forward
Looking ahead, Ritchie Bros. aims to continue providing the same global reach and personalized service that has brought it success over the years. Part of this means continuing its strategic expansion into new areas. In 2023, Ritchie Bros. completed a significant acquisition of IAA, Inc. (IAAI), which brought the company into the salvaged car business.
“IAAI was the number two salvage car company in North America,” said Huber. “So, we now have this whole division of salvage car that opens up other opportunities for us throughout North America – and around the world – in terms of our ability to come to scale, in terms of a real estate footprint, and in terms of what we’re able to offer our customers when it comes to service levels and the ability to remarket their equipment, whether that’s an auto or a bulldozer.”
