Over the past few months, the OGCA has ramped up its efforts to provide members with information on two important topics that are going to impact how you all carry on business. The first is the legalization of Marijuana. We have conducted one webinar already and a second one, focusing on the need for a proper and robust “Fit for Duty Policy,” is upcoming. Members can also access legal support from our APP member Norm Keith of Fasken Martineau.

This past May 14, 200 contractors from diverse areas of trades and construction gathered at Eagle's Nest Golf Club to participate in an interactive panel discussing the Construction Lien Act.

“Something really big is coming July 1 so you really need to pay attention,” said Clive Thurston who served as the panel’s moderator.

“We hope that you will come and join us at our own new Head Office to participate in this exciting all day Technology Forum!”  Register Now!

Click here for the latest edition of the Ontario Electrical League Newsletter.

Singleton Urquhart Reynolds Vogel LLP (Singleton Reynolds) is pleased to announce that Bruce Reynolds has been named Global Construction Lawyer of the Year for 2018 by Who's Who Legal. Reynolds was named in a category comprised of top-ranked construction lawyers from around the world.

The award is based on research, interviews and nominations from industry and client participants who, according to Who’s Who Legal, "…unequivocally identified [Bruce] as the leader in this practice area."

“Changing safety culture in Ontario requires both a short-term and long-term vision.” – Rob Ellis, Founder, MySafeWork & League of Champions Ambassador

The League of Champions was proud to support and participate in several events during The Power of Safe Choices: Safety Week 2018, May 7-11. We also continue to recognize May as Safety Month.

League members such as Black & McDonald, Eastern Construction and PCL got the ball rolling at the end of April with corporate safety events and recognition of the National Day of Mourning on April 28. Champions, OGCA staff, students and teachers were also present for the live stream and taping of MySafeWork’s Courageous broadcast.

On May 7, we kicked off Safety Week with Industry Association Patron, the Ontario Clean Water Agency (OCWA). They invited Rob Ellis to speak to their staff at two locations in Mississauga.

The League of Champions also exhibited at Skills Ontario on May 7 & 8. We participated in conjunction with Industry Association Patron, Infrastructure Health & Safety Association (IHSA). Other League Patrons included Christian Labour Association of Canada (CLAC), Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), George Brown College, and Humber College.

More recently, on May 17, EllisDon Corporation held an appreciation lunch for its staff at the Cooksville GO Station Redevelopment project. Paul Casey, Vice President, Programs & Strategic Development at IHSA, addressed the crowd on behalf of the League.

Thank you to all of the League of Champions Members and Patrons who continue to make health and safety a priority and to raise the bar for safety culture within the construction industry.

On Wednesday, May 9, during Safety Week, the Niagara Construction Association (NCA) hosted its third annual Niagara Safety Awareness Day and Tradeshow, which included 19 exhibitors and a barbecue lunch for all.

The League of Champions was pleased to welcome NCA as a Partner Patron. OGCA’s own Clive Thurston and David Frame were on site for the induction ceremony, as was Ontario’s Chief Prevention Officer (CPO), Ron Kelusky.

Clive Thurston discussed the League of Champions and explained the significance of the Jersey of Courage. He was then pleased to welcome Carol Janis, NCA President, to the League. After a few words from Ron Kelusky, OGCA staff joined together to present Ontario’s CPO with his very own Jersey of Courage. Finally, David Frame wrapped up with a talk on the new Safety Pass Program.

Once again, welcome aboard Niagara! For more information on the Niagara Construction Association (NCA), please visit https://niagaraconstruction.org

We have two exciting opportunities for League of Champions Members and Patrons to get involved and support high school students. Please save the dates and remember to bring your jersey!

Monday, June 11
MySafeWork will present in conjunction with a panel of industry leaders (including Champions).

Time: 10:00 – 11:00 am; Champions to arrive at 9:30 am.
Location: Father John Redmond Catholic Secondary School
(28 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Dr, Etobicoke, ON M8V 4B7)

Tuesday, June 12
Rob Ellis has cordially invited all Champions to participate in Next Steps, the annual event held by the Hamilton school boards in support of the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP). This is a school-to-work program for grade 11 and 12 students. Jessica DiSabatino will present to signed apprentices entering the post-secondary workforce.

Time: 9:30 – 10:30 am; Champions to arrive between 9:00 – 9:10 am
Location: Mohawk College
(Stoney Creek Campus, 481 Barton St, Stoney Creek, ON L8E 2L7)

To RSVP for either event, please contact Andrea by email at andrea@theloc.ca.

Rob Ellis, founder of MySafeWork, has been inspiring important conversations in health and safety for the past 19 years. Whether speaking to thousands of front-line employees or to a small group of executives, Rob pushes everyone to think differently about safety culture, and their personal rights and responsibilities.

Rob is available to speak at your next event. He delivers a personal story and a strong message with compassion and humor. With his ability to connect and deliver to any audience, Rob will inspire your company to achieve greatness in safety culture.

Did you know that League of Champions Members and Patrons save on speaker rates? When requesting Rob, contact us directly at andrea@theLOC.ca in order to secure the League of Champions discount.

Health and Safety are two key aspects in any workplace - but especially construction, where protocols must be followed carefully because of the potential for risk.

The OGCA celebrated Safety Week from May 7 to 11, attending a variety of health and safety events, seminars and competitions, demonstrating our commitment to educating workers and promoting the highest standard of workplace health and safety.

Sean Scott of PCL is quoted in support of Safety Week and Safety Month.

“EllisDon has been using the Safety Pass for all of our new hires in Ontario and has received great feedback on the course content. It has provided our new workers and co-op students with the basic general hazard awareness that they need before entering our projects.

With the opportunity for our subtrades to complete the training, we have now organized our project on boarding so that workers who have the Safety Pass can proceed directly to work on completion of the site-specific orientation. SkillsPass makes it easy to ensure that the worker has completed the training.

We encourage all of our Sub Contractors and EllisDon site personnel to complete the Safety Pass. This will streamline the on boarding process and ensure that all worker have received the basic hazard recognition they need before entering our job sites.” Dan Fleming CRSP, EllisDon

The construction industry is excited with the Safety Pass. The new, robust H&S orientation program aims to immediately assimilate and immerse new and existing employees to have a basic knowledge of the 13 most common hazards exposed on a worksite.

We are pleased to have support from OGCA members whose intent is to push it to all their employees and subtrades including: EllisDon, Alberici Constructors, Ltd, Walsh Canada, Rutherford Contracting, Timbro and Pomerleau.

To learn more about how you can get your Safety Pass, visit www.ogca.ca or click here to watch the last Safety Pass Demonstration.

The federal government has rejected the $1.5-billion sale of Aecon Group Inc. to a state-backed Chinese buyer, effectively bowing to fierce opposition to the deal as Canada navigates sensitive trade talks with the U.S. Click here for the full story in the National Post.

When you call for a Home & Auto Insurance quote we will donate $5 to the MS Society of Canada. Click here for more details.

Pick Your Plan. Reserve Your Tools. Exchange on the Fly! Do your equipment needs change from project-to-project, or are the tools you need as unpredictable as the weather? Then a Stephenson’s FLEX Membership is right for you!

We are into the last two weeks of the election and it is looking like we will have a new government on June 8.

The shifting polls to date suggest that the governing Liberals are struggling to rebuild their popularity as more than 80% of voters agree it’s time for a change. The early PC lead has slipped and the ballot question isn’t changing the government, but which change do they prefer?

The May 22, 2018 issue of the Ontario Legislative Reports is now available. Please click here to read. Other issues can also be found by clicking here.

OGCA is co-sponsoring a second construction industry conference on understanding and dealing with legal cannabis on June 12th at Eagle’s Nest Golf Club (click here for details). The focus will be on managing your employees who may be users and it will include:

1. The cannabis regulations you need to know as an employer
2. Distribution, sale and enforcement
3. Health and safety, including onsite safety, WSIB, and issues related to accommodation and
   addictions
4. Lessons learned from other jurisdictions

Rob Ellis of MySafeWork and the League of Champions will be a guest presenter speaking about the challenge, and implementing a safety culture.

The conference is free of charge to OGCA members. Please contact Amina Dibe at Rescon dibe@rescon.com

SAC is holding a series of webinars directed at key stakeholders as a result of the New Construction (Lien) Act. 

There are 3 different sessions, each targeted to a different group:

• June 14 – GCs - click here to register
• June 19 – Trades / Suppliers - click here to register
• June 20 – Public Owners - click here to register

There is no charge to attend. 

We have some new and exciting webinars coming up in June that you don’t want to miss.

Norm Keith will outline the need for a Fit for Duty Policy, the TTC court case that upheld its Fit for Duty Policy, and the essential elements of a Fit for Duty Policy.

Presentation will be held on June 6, 2018 | 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Register today.

Eric Lee will be delivering presentation on Construction Management (CM) ~ a form of project delivery that takes a team approach to the construction process. Eric will explain to you the key provisions and philosophy behind these contract forms (Contract 5A & 5B), e.g. the schedule of services that are considered necessary for CM projects, important considerations if a Construction Manager is required to perform part or all of the construction work, construction estimates, administration of trade contracts, insurance requirements etc. You will better understand the risks and rewards of Construction Management.

Presentation will be held on June 13, 2018 | 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. | Register today.