Vulcan is the largest producer of construction aggregates in North America with over 340 operating facilities concentrated in 18 states, the Bahamas and Mexico.

Under the terms of the agreements, Vulcan will assume Morien’s interest in Black Point and will become manager and operator of the project in exchange for reimbursing Morien for previous expenditures on the project through milestone payments totaling $1,800,000, and a royalty stream payable on all material sold from the project over the life of the mine.

The first payment of around $1.0 million is due on signing, and a second payment of $800,000 is due upon the approval and receipt of all environmental permitting necessary for the mining and shipping of aggregate from the Project.

With these milestone payments, Morien has secured funding that will support the company’s activities into 2015 and a royalty stream that could be a source of long term cash flow for the company. Since its separation from Erdene Resource Development Corp. in November 2012, Morien has continued to execute its business plan, including the sale of its non-core assets, and now the structuring of a favourable deal for all stakeholders on one of its core projects.

The project consists of the development and operation of a construction aggregate quarry and an associated marine terminal adjacent to the quarry, along the south shore of Chedabucto Bay in Guysborough County, Nova Scotia.

The project is ideally situated with a large volume of high- quality granite located on deep, ice-free water, to enable construction of a deep water marine terminal for aggregates shipments to markets along the eastern and Gulf coasts of the U.S. and potentially to eastern Canada.

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Earlier, a court ruling said the health authority breached its tender contract with Olympic Construction for an extension to the Janeway Children’s Hospital in St. John’s.

The health authority appealed that decision, but on April 10 the Newfoundland Court of Appeal upheld the original ruling.

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Recently, city council passed its annual budget, setting aside money to buy land in the former neighbourhood of Sherwood.

The city has budgeted $175,000 this year to buy one more piece of land and pay for the engineering design.

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The centreis expected to be completed by the end of 2015.

The project will include 18 resident bedrooms and support areas, clinical and therapeutic spaces. The company will also upgrade the building’s HVAC and plumbing/electrical systems.

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The construction of the main road leading to a new wind farm in Guysborough County is about to start.

The Sable Wind Project is a six-turbine venture near Canso.The project has received environmental approval from the province, and the municipality is majority owner, and the utility owns a 49% share.

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The projects are expected to generate an estimated 380 jobs.The first project is a new housing and training facility for the Junior Ranks at Canadian Forces Base Halifax. A joint contract for $64.8 million was awarded to Aecon and SLI of Halifax for this project.

The second is the construction of a new armoury in Bedford, which will be known as the Major Robert Campbell RisleyArmoury. A contract for $6.1 million was awarded last month to PCL Constructors Canada Inc of Halifax.

The new Junior Ranks facility represents the first phase of a two phase project at CFB Halifax, which will see the construction of three new buildings. Phase One will see the construction of a 21 060 m2 complex which includes quarters, dining, galley and mess hall, as well as a 1,169 m2 building which will house a retail store, a concession snack bar, a barber shop and financial services. The first phase, which represents an investment of $127 million, is set to be completed in 2016.

The second phase of the project will see the construction of a modern seamanship training facility, with an approximate area of 7 654 m2. The facility will provide the infrastructure necessary to meet current and emerging training requirements in an efficient and cohesive environment.

The Atlantic Canada Construction Labour and Employee Relations Forum will bring together key stakeholders to explore the issues and topics essential to reengaging Atlantic Canada’s workforce on June 12 and 13 in St. Johns, Newfoundland.

Event co-ordinator Insight Communications says “this exceptional conference will explore the human resources and labour relations issues which are key to completing several major projects on the horizon.”

There will be keynote speeches and several interactive panel discussions.

Speakers include: Denis Mahoney, partner, McInnes Cooper (co-chair); Greig MacLeod, general counsel, Nova Scotia Construction Labour Relations Association, James Moore, president, International Union of Bricklayers & Allied Craftworkers – Local 1; Craig Power (tentative), president, Construction Labour Relations Association of Newfoundland and Labrador; Twila Reid, partner, Stewart McKelvey; Ruth Trask, associate, Stewart McKelvey; Brad Smith, executive director, Mainland Nova Scotia Building Trades Council; and Gary Ritchie, president, New Brunswick Building Trades Council.

Panel discussion topics include: How to Remain Competitive: Reengaging Atlantic Canada’s Workforce for Local Projects, Labour and Workforce Sourcing and Planning, Best Practices in Health and Safety, Use of Project Labour Agreements: Bridging the Gap between Public Policy and Ground Construction and Grievance-Handing Discussion: Best Practices in Designing and Implementing Grievance Mechanisms.

Further information about the agenda and registration is available here: http://www.insightinfo.com/atlantic-canada-construction-labour-employee-relations-forum-2014/.

For sponsorship opportunities, please contact Amy Leung at 416.642.6128 or aleung@alm.com
Atlantic Construction News (Canadian Design and Construction Report) is a media sponsor for the forum.

Here are excerpts from news briefs updated frequently at the Atlantic Construction News website (atlanticconstructionnews.com).

Newfoundland

Conception Bay South plans $10.5 million town hall

Conception Bay South (C.B.S.) expects that a tender for the construction of new town hall will be awarded soon.

Mayor Ken McDonald hopes that construction will take about 16 to18 months for the $10.5-million project.

Provincial and federal funding will contribute about $4.5 million of the costs, with the town footing the rest of the bill.

Stantec offices move to new St. John’s home.

Stantec has moved 120 workers to a new office in St. John’s, the company said in a statement.

The new 30,000 sq. ft.  office at the Kelsey Dr. location takes the place of three previous Stantec offices located on Water St., Torbay Rd. and in the Beothuk building.

“This new, expanded location is a testament to our commitment to the St. John’s community and to our growth in Newfoundland and Labrador,” stated Hal Lewis, Stantec’s regional leader for Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. “Our new home will also help accommodate our continued expansion in the region.”

Currently, Stantec is involved in all major projects in the province, including the Muskrat Falls Lower Churchill Project, Long Harbour Project, Hebron Project and the St. John’s Convention Centre Expansion.

The company employs almost 1,000 staff across 11 offices in Atlantic Canada, with about 200 staff located in St. John’s.

Nova Scotia

Penny Group builds new home community in Porters Lake, Halifax Regional Municipality.

Penney Group is building a new home community project in Porters Lake, Halifax Regional Municipality.

Published reports say that Gail Penney, executive director of Penney Group, plans to preserve 60 per cent of the land in The Villages of Seven Lakes project, which is currently under construction.

“It’s a 634 acre, conservation-designed community,” she was quoted as saying. “People in this area wanted to have people who work in the Eastern Shore also be able to live here.”

When complete, Seven Lakes will comprise a total of six Villages connected to each other by trails meandering through the community, by the lakes and streams, encouraging residents to walk, bike and hike through some of the prettiest landscape in Nova Scotia, according to the Seven Lakes Community website.

Truro approves seniors development

Truro town council approved a senior residential development on Young Street.

The project, by developer Mark Nash of Anglerite Dash Rental Enterprises Limited, includes a 20-unit residential development at 474 Young St., south of the Gero Walkway.

H.B. White builds four N.S. wind energy projects

H.B. White Canada Corp., a subsidiary of White Construction Inc., was selected as the engineering, procurement and construction contractor to build four community wind energy projects in Nova Scotia, reports North American Wind Power.

The 24-MW portfolio consists of the 10 MW Pockwock Community Wind Project, 6 MW Millbrook Community Wind Project, 4 MW Truro-Heights Community Wind Project, and 4 MW Whynotts Community Wind Project.

The projects were developed as a portfolio under the Nova Scotia Community Feed-In-Tariff program, through which each project is partially owned by the local community. The four projects entered into agreements with Vestas to supply 12 total V100-2.0 MW turbines in late 2013.

New Brunswick

Government invests $1 million in teen apprentice program

The New Brunswick government is investing $1 million over three years to expand the New Brunswick Teen Apprentice Program, which gives high school students early training and employment in the skilled trades.

The program connects employers with potential apprentices, enabling high school students to get a jump start on a career in the skilled trades. It allows students starting in Grade 10 to experience a trade; gain three years of summer employment; earn credits toward graduation; and complete the first level of a formal apprenticeship.

In 2013, the program grew to 30 students with 17 employers providing hands-on work opportunities in 18 trades. In 2014, it will expand to more communities, with more than 70 students working for 30 employers in more than 20 trades.

Applications for students will be accepted in March. Interested students and employers are encouraged to contact the program directly. Provincial funding for the New Brunswick Teen Apprentice Program is made possible through the Canada-New Brunswick Labour Market Development Agreement and the Canada-New Brunswick Labour Market Agreement.

Kennebecasis Park Elementary School renovated and expanded in Rothesay

The newly renovated and expanded Kennebecasis Park Elementary School officially opened Feb. 25 in Rothesay.

The renovation included upgrades to its architectural, mechanical and electrical systems; as well as a wheelchair lift and site improvements to improve accessibility.

The school was also enlarged through the construction of a 1,545 sq. m.  addition that features new classrooms, resource and administration spaces, and a gymnasium/ancillary space. The school now accommodates about 200 students.

Prince Edward Island

Prince Edward Island plans road and bridge projects

Communities across the Prince Edward Island will benefit from road and bridge improvements that will be made during the coming construction season, according to Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Robert Vessey.

“When we make strategic investments in our transportation network it carries multiple benefits for Islanders,” Vessey said. “It makes our roads safer and more efficient, creates jobs and builds our economy, and improves the quality of life in our local communities.”

The second round of tenders for the 2014 construction season was released March 5.

Tenders for the latest round of projects were to be accepted until 2 p.m. on March 27. To learn more about tendering opportunities, visit www.gov.pe.ca/tenders.

Seniors living centre under construction in Charlottetown

Construction is underway on a 40-unit, wheelchair-accessible seniors living centre in Charlottetown.

It’s an apartment building that is focused on seniors but is not a community care facility. The City of Charlottetown issued a permit to the McInnis Group (1993) Inc. for the project, which has a lot of seniors’ properties, several of them in Summerside.

The building is expected to be ready for occupancy by late fall.

BuildForce Canada delivers comprehensive labour market forecasts for construction trades across Canada. Here is a summary of recently published reports for Atlantic Canada. Comprehensive reports are available at constructionforecasts.ca.

New Brunswick construction industry must focus on rebuilding workforce

Planning for major new projects will be a top priority for New Brunswick’s construction industry, as retirements and out-of-province projects draw on the skilled labour pool, according to BuildForce Canada.

The 2014–2023 Construction and Maintenance Looking Forward forecast shows a moderate decline in construction employment over the next two years before the start of new major engineering projects create employment opportunities in 2016. Across the outlook scenario, industry faces the growing challenge of an aging workforce, with as many as 6,000 skilled tradespeople or 28 per cent of the current labour force expected to retire.

“Replacing retirees and building up the workforce is essential,” said BuildForce Canada executive director Rosemary Sparks. “The goal is to be ready when specialized workers are needed for pipeline, mining, and marine terminal projects starting in 2016.”

These projects may also involve recruiting New Brunswick’s skilled trades back from other provinces and/or hiring a temporary workforce from outside the province.

BuildForce Canada’s forecast also shows:

• Residential employment declines in line with decreased new housing starts, with the decline partially offset by moderate growth in renovations work.
• Proposed new major industrial and engineering projects translate into strong demand from 2016 to 2018 for a selected group of trades and occupations with specialized skills and experience.
• Competition for skilled labour from resource projects in Western Canada, including current and new projects in Alberta and British Columbia over the near term, as well as immediate opportunities in Newfoundland and Labrador.

“The challenge is convincing skilled workers to stay and others to come back when projects at home ramp up,” added Sparks. “That’s why now is the time to focus on recruitment, training and retaining a skilled labour force.”PEI’s local construction industry must convince skilled workers to stay

Keeping skilled workers at home will be a major priority for Prince Edward Island’s construction industry to help counter rising retirement rates, as retirement losses cannot be entirely offset by young people entering the workforce for the first time BuildForce Canada reports.

“With as many as 1,500 workers retiring over the next 10 years, attracting, training and retaining a skilled workforce is more important than ever for the local construction industry,” Sparks said. “It will take real planning to replace the rising number of retirees.

BuildForce Canada’s forecast also shows:

• Labour requirements will rise with new investment in industrial and utility projects, and commercial and institutional building, helping to reduce unemployment rates to below average levels in 2015 and 2016.While total employment by the end of the outlook period is virtually unchanged from 2013, with labour requirements met by the local workforce, this trend makes no allowance for workers finding jobs outside the province.
• A brief downturn in residential activity in 2014 is followed by increased activity over the medium term and brings investment back to current levels.

“The real challenge will be encouraging skilled workers to stay, and convincing others to return home when conditions improve in 2015,” added Sparks. “That’s when retirement pressures really set in and the province will need a larger skilled workforce to draw on.”

Retirements and resource boom test Newfoundland and Labrador’s construction industry

Labour requirements of large resource projects coupled with the retirement of almost 25 per cent of the province’s workforce over the next decade, create complex challenges for the construction industry, according to BuildForce Canada.

The 2014–2023 forecast shows the main challenge is recruiting for several large and remote resource and infrastructure projects. Between 2007 and 2012, provincial employment grew by 70 per cent, or 6,000 workers, with the vast majority hired for resource projects. Construction employment reaches a record high in 2013 and 2014, before these projects wind down and many workers move on to jobs in other provinces.

“That’s what the construction industry really has to prepare for,” Sparks said. “Some of these workers will need to stay for ongoing projects, capital and maintenance work, and to replace as many as 4,700 retirees over the next 10 years.”

BuildForce Canada’s forecast also shows:

• Housing starts increased by almost 75 per cent from 2006 to 2012, with residential employment rising by 35 per cent during this period.
• Housing starts slow over the medium term and then remain at approximately 2,600 starts annually. Renovation work rises moderately, partially offsetting the decline in new residential. The residential sector may face skilled labour challenges, driven by an aging workforce and the potential for workers to be drawn to major resource projects.
• Commercial and institutional building is closely linked to the provincial economy with steady but moderate growth expected, while industrial and engineering construction rises and falls with investments in mining, electricity generation and transmission and offshore oil projects.
• “Industry has worked hard to keep pace with changing demands,” Sparks said. “Recruitment plans will need to be continually adjusted and tailored for each trade and occupation, to counter worker mobility and rising retirements.”

Young recruits key to building Nova Scotia’s construction industry

With well over 6,000 workers retiring over the next decade, Nova Scotia’s construction industry will need to step up efforts to attract more young people, with  modest employment growth at the same time as the industry faces an increase in retirements and out-of-province resource projects, BuildForce Canada reports.

“Up to 25 per cent of the workforce will be retiring over the next decade, creating a real need for young, skilled workers,” says Sparks. “There is a lot of opportunity in construction, making it a great career choice for young people.”

• Employment opportunities will shift to industrial and utility projects, with commercial, industrial and utility construction supporting current levels of employment. Modest job growth and equal gains and losses will balance activity in most years to 2023.
• Employment remains unchanged in the residential sector, as a gain in residential renovation balances a moderate downturn in new housing.
• Nova Scotia’s older than average workforce adds to the pace of retirement, with just over 6,600 workers retiring over the next 10 years across all 33 trades and occupations tracked.

“Projects in other provinces and industries, such as shipbuilding, also create skilled labour challenges for the construction industry,” added Sparks. “This is the new reality that makes recruiting, training and retaining a skilled construction workforce more important than ever.”

The social enterprise hub will be built in the city’s Waterloo Village neighbourhood.

Tenants of the planned 15,000-square-foot building near Prince Edward Square will focus on pulling people out of poverty.They are expected to include the Saint John Learning Exchange, Vibrant Communities, and the Human Development Council.

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