The Government of Saskatchewan (GOS) has received several environmental certifications and awards from the Saskatchewan Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA), which recognizes excellence in building performance and sustainability.
BOMA BEST (Building Environmental Standards) is one of Canada’s largest environmental assessment and certification programs for existing buildings. It recognizes excellence in energy and water use, air quality, tenant comfort and wellness, custodial upkeep, waste management and reflects the dedication and day-to-day efforts of staff who manage, maintain and support government facilities.
“We are pleased to see so many Government of Saskatchewan properties receiving these environmental certifications,” SaskBuilds and Procurement Minister David Marit said. “This reflects the progress we are making under the province’s Prairie Resilience Climate Strategy, and our growth plan goals for 2030.”
This year, 11 GOS buildings received BOMA BEST certifications. This includes eight gold and three silver:
Wiciwakan Place in Meadow Lake (Gold)
Regina Provincial Courthouse (Gold)
Paul Dojack Youth Centre (Gold)
Lloyd Place in Regina (Gold)
Government House in Regina (Gold)
McNevin Building in Nipawin (Gold)
Eiling Kramer Building in North Battleford (Gold)
Saskatoon Equipment Repair Depot (Gold)
Melfort Court of Kings Bench (Silver)
E.I. Wood Building in Swift Current (Silver)
Saskatchewan Polytechnic E.A. Davies Building in Saskatoon (Silver)
As part of the BOMA BEST Certification process, eligible buildings also underwent ENERGY STAR assessments. Four government buildings received ENERGY STAR certification based on their scores:
Eiling Kramer Building (score 84) – more efficient than 84 per cent of similar buildings nationwide.
El Wood Building (score 81) – more efficient than 81 per cent of similar buildings nationwide.
Lloyd Place (score 87) – more efficient than 87 per cent of similar buildings nationwide.
Wiciwakan Place (score 91) – more efficient than 91 per cent of similar buildings nationwide.
In addition to these certifications, three government buildings earned BOMA Earth Awards for 2024, presented to buildings that obtained the highest overall BOMA BEST score in each asset class. Recipients of these include the Government House, which was the highest-ranked Universal Building, Lloyd Place for the highest-ranked Office Building and the Saskatoon Equipment Repair Depot, for the highest-ranking light industrial score.
GOS received recognition not only for buildings, but employees as well. The Ministry of SaskBuilds and Procurement Environmental Manager, Elena Diebel, was awarded the Lloyd Rogers Member of the Year Award and has been nominated nationally for Member of the Year. This award honours a member who has demonstrated leadership, initiative and service to the commercial real estate community.
These certifications are a step towards the Government of Saskatchewan’s Prairie Resilience: A Made-in-Saskatchewan Climate Change Strategy. The work undertaken to receive these awards and certificates answers the strategy’s call for reduced energy consumption in government-owned buildings.
The Government of Saskatchewan remains committed to improving sustainability and taking action on climate change.
Just because we’ve always done things one way doesn’t mean we shouldn’t consider alternatives.
That was the message from Glen Arthur, alternative delivery manager, Western Canada, for Kiewit Infrastructure Markets & Strategies in his presentation about procurement at the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association (SHCA) Infrastructure Summit and Trade Show, held in Regina late in 2024. Arthur explained progressive delivery models, which are an alternative to traditional procurement.
Progressive delivery projects involve collaborative teams where the client, engineer and contractor are integrated to collectively make decisions regarding projects, rather than the contractor and project designer working in silos. Arthur says progressive models deliver solutions for projects with complex design and phasing – with long lead times for materials – that are high risk, require in-depth research, involve multiple stakeholders, have local subcontractors and are time and budget sensitive.
Progressive delivery combines a project’s design and build stages. Instead of a transitive model where progress is passed from design to construction, this approach engages all parties from Day One to create collaborative solutions for projects and clients. Primarily originating in Australia, this model has now been used around the world, delivering approximately $90 billion of work worldwide.
“One of the problems we are seeing on large projects is that they are sometimes late and over budget – this is becoming a problem,” said Arthur, who points out that using a collaborative progressive delivery model may solve these problems. “You have a more efficient team, a more efficient timeline and all parties are engaged from Day One to create collaborative solutions.
Also, because the team is all sitting around the table together, you can discuss innovation – something you can’t do when you don’t work as a team. I believe bringing more innovation to projects will be one of the biggest advantages of this model over time.”
Arthur says this model is effective when a project has six main characteristics:
The project has risks that can’t be defined before tender
The cost of transferring risks is prohibitive
A collective risk-management approach will produce better outcomes
The owner can positively influence project outcomes by staying engaged
There is significant pressure to get started quickly
Traditional delivery models have produced poor outcomes on past projects, even resulting in legal or mediation activities
The key, Arthur says, is early stakeholder and local contractor engagement, and client collaboration. One example of this model is the Waaban Crossing in Kingston, Ont., a project that was awarded the 2020 Infrastructure Innovation Award by the Ontario Road Builders’ Association. Arthur says the City of Kingston had only $180 million for this project and knew it needed creative solutions to stay within its budget.
“Early collaboration between the integrated project delivery parties facilitated development of a constructible solution within the city’s budget,” said Arthur. “Key was bringing the steel supplier to the table early in the process since that was going a big part of procurement.”
Owner advantages
Arthur stresses one of the biggest advantages of this model is cost overruns were reduced by 50 per cent. Other advantages for the owner included:
Faster and less expensive procurement process
Significantly less spending on up-front advisers
No stipend costs
Early cost and schedule certainty
Reduced claims
All parties aligned in “best for project” decisions
Improved relationships and partnership between private and public sectors
Overall fastest delivery from project inception to shovels in the ground
Fewer boundaries to limit innovation
Contractor designer advantages
Advantages for the contractor and designer included:
Alignment of interests between all project parties
Constructability built into design
All parties aligned in “best for project” decisions
Direct collaboration with client
True collaboration leading to innovative solutions
Real-time stakeholder feedback
Canadian success story – Northwest Territories Tłı̨chǫ All-Season Road
Arthur stresses that good partnerships lead to innovation and success, and one of the best examples of a great partnership that used the progressive delivery model is Tłı̨chǫ All-Season Road, built in the Northwest Territories.
This 97-kilometre, all-season gravel Highway 3 links the remote northern community of Whatì with its neighbours in the Northwest Territories. It is the first P3 project in North America with an Indigenous government having an equity stake. The project is also notable for its unique approach to handling long-term risks related to climate change.
“This project had challenging terrain – muskeg, permafrost, extreme temperatures and it is just below the tree line,” said Arthur. “There’s sand, gravel, rock, wildlife, and you are working with traditions such as traplines and culturally important sites.”
The Government of the Northwest Territories worked in partnership with the Tłı̨chǫ Government to advance the project, which was funded jointly by the Government of Canada (25 per cent) and the Government of the Northwest Territories (75 per cent). The project involved replacing the southern section of an existing winter road so it would adapt to the impacts of climate change, provide uninterrupted access to Whatì and increase the winter road access to the communities of Gamètì and Wekweètì.
All-weather access reduces the cost of living for the region, enhances residents’ quality-of-life through increased social opportunities and will attract further interest from industry interested in exploration and development of natural resources.
The project is a 28-year, performance-based agreement to design, build, finance, operate and maintain this 97-km, all-season gravel highway, replacing a winter-only ice road. The owner of this project is the Government of Northwest Territories, and the capital ceiling was $200 million.
The model was Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Maintain (DBFOM):
Construction began in fall 2019 with a target date for substantial completion of Nov. 30, 2021, but the project finished a year ahead of schedule.
Arthur says one of the biggest advantages of the project is construction and maintenance meant significant employment and training opportunities for Tłı̨chǫ residents, supporting the development of a strong northern workforce. Fifty-five per cent of the labour was local, and many workers transitioned from construction to work on the ongoing maintenance of the road.
“This progressive model exceeded all requirements and expectations that the client had of us,” Arthur said.
Presented by Northbridge Insurance, the Canadian Construction Association’s (CCA) National Awards ceremony was held on March 14, 2025, during the Annual Conference in Québec City. This year’s recipients represent the industry’s best and brightest. Congratulations to this year’s recipients for their exceptional contributions to the Canadian construction industry.
Geza Banfai, CCA 2024 Pinnacle Leader Award – sponsored by PCL Construction
An advocate for the Canadian construction industry for over 40 years, Geza’s commitment to legal reform, mentorship and the advancement of industry best practices promotes collaboration and efficiency in project execution, and helps the industry navigate challenges in an evolving legal landscape.
PCL Construction, CCA 2024 Environmental Achievement Award – sponsored by CHUBB Insurance Company of Canada
Recognizing PCL Construction for their Fairmont Royal York Decarbonization Project, which is a landmark achievement in sustainable construction, proving that even heritage buildings can evolve to meet modern environmental goals.
Construction Association of Nova Scotia, CCA 2024 Workforce Excellence Award – sponsored by RAISE Underwriting
Through a deep commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility, the Construction Association of Nova Scotia is shaping a workforce that truly represents the communities it serves.
Calgary Construction Association, CCA 2024 Partner Association Award – sponsored by Bockstael Construction
The Calgary Construction Association is more than an industry leader – it’s a driving force for change. Affectionately known as “Little CCA,” the association is reshaping the industry by prioritizing services and focus areas that members need, such as dedicated public and media relations, advocacy and workforce strategies, and membership engagement events and activities.
Westcor Construction Ltd., CCA 2024 Gold Seal Award – sponsored by Travelers Canada
Westcor is a general contracting and construction management services company that aims to build a better world for clients, community and employees. Reflected by its people-first culture, Westcor empowers its people to reach their full potential and promotes Gold Seal certification as a recognized standard of excellence.
Anthony DeVito, CCA 2024 Young Leader Award – sponsored by McMillan LLP
Anthony DeVito, GSC, is a passionate advocate for the construction industry and has spearheaded multiple initiatives to address skilled labour shortages. His community spirit is equally inspiring, and in his just-over-a-decade long career, he has earned the respect of colleagues and industry peers alike.
Groupe AGF, CCA 2024 Community Leader Award – sponsored by Marsh Canada Limited
For AGF and the Gendron family, community involvement and a culture of philanthropy are an integral part of corporate life. With over $4.5 million donated to causes across Canada and more than 750 employee-led fundraising events since its foundation’s inception, AGF unites its workforce, strengthens communities and demonstrates that collective action can create lasting impact.
Enviro-Ex Contracting Ltd., CCA 2024 Excellence in Innovation Award – sponsored by Intact Surety
Enviro-Ex Contracting’s Highway 97 Cottonwood Hill Phase Two Slide project overcame extraordinary geotechnical challenges, setting new standards for efficiency, safety and environmental responsibility, and stands as a testament to the potential of advanced technological integration in heavy civil construction.
PCL Construction, CCA 2024 National Safety Award – sponsored by Vipond Inc.
At PCL Construction, safety isn’t just a priority – it’s a core value of every worker, every shift and every site. This unwavering commitment has led to zero fatalities in the past three years and an extraordinary 16.7 million hours worked without a lost-time incident. “This year’s award recipients demonstrate the best of the best of our industry. Congratulations to everyone for the recognition of their great achievements,” said Rodrigue Gilbert, president of CCA.
The call for nominations for next year’s awards opens this fall.
