Historically, the construction industry has been slow to evolve. It’s a legacy sector that is comfortable leveraging tried and true building methods, materials, and approaches that have stood the test of time, despite the rise of more efficient materials and methods.

It’s no different with labour, and the dearth of skilled labour in construction is not news. For years the industry and government have discussed this challenge and its impact on industry profitability and the strength of the economy.

A gap too far
Technology has made its way into all aspects of the construction supply chain, from logistics to planning, communication, digitization, equipment and robotics, AI, and wearable technology, and it’s changing the very face of the sector, as well as the labour skills required for its optimal function. New technologies, materials, and approaches require new skills and expertise. The reality is not that there is a lack of labour; many people are searching for employment. Instead, there is a skills mismatch and a generational incongruence in the talent pipeline that needs to be rectified. Metalworkers, plumbers, HVAC professionals—they are all in demand.

A skills gap doesn’t necessarily have to pose a threat. Where smaller gaps exist, it is a sign that the sector is in growth mode. Currently, however, employers are having a hard time filling positions and demand is outpacing supply at unsustainable levels.

The rapid pace of technological advancement is complicating matters further, as is the rate of attrition. The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) found that 80 percent of contractors report having hiring challenges in the face of attrition. As the Baby Boomers continue to retire, with them go the skills and experience that have served as the cornerstone and strength of the industry for so long.

In the United States, there are many job seekers in the market but employers are still struggling to find employees, which lends to the theory that it’s not a matter of supply alone, but rather a skilled-labour shortage, as workers simply don’t have the particular skills that make them employable in the face of sustained market demand.

Burning Glass Technologies found that, although the ratio of supply to demand for skilled workers in the construction industry is decreasing each year, there is a greater supply than demand. However, employers are doggedly seeking the cream of the crop when it comes to skills and experience and, instead, need to shift the focus to offering training and experience to grow the next generation of talent.

Gone are the days when hiring based on skills and experience was possible. To better meet the needs of an evolving industry, hiring needs to focus on well-rounded individuals and their soft and technical skills, teachability, and their ability to think critically on the job, while ensuring new talent pools are developed and discovered, for instance, women and BIPOC individuals.

Demand builds, supply doesn’t
In the U.S., worker shortfalls are estimated to be in the millions, a demand that will only grow in the years ahead, especially as decaying infrastructure and an exceptional need for housing increase the pressure on the construction industry.

In Canada, in the province of Ontario alone, non-residential work for the five years spanning 2022 to 2027 includes billions of dollars of investment in transit, utilities, nuclear refurbishments, and mining, as well as other infrastructure improvements that are necessary for healthy economic and societal function. The inability to secure labour will have perilous results. Projects are being delayed or outright paused due to labour constraints and as the laws of supply and demand go, where something is in great demand, it becomes more expensive.

Together with rising material costs, supply chain disruptions, and high interest rates, it’s a recipe for disaster, the impact of which will reach far beyond the sector. Increased worker burnout will lead to reduced rates of productivity, safety, and profitability. Contractors will no longer be able to meet client demand and it will reflect in the overall economic and social fabric of the community.

Targeting a response
The technological skills gap not only affects the labour side of the equation but also the management of operations. Companies can leverage technology and data to take stock of the sector as it exists and better understand where the gaps in employment are and what skills are needed. This is the start to creating a targeted response to talent development that will be sustainable for the long term.

For instance, construction workforce-management tools can allow employers to track experience and skill sets, from which analysis can take place and informed decisions can be made. Luckily, an increasing number of operations are leaning on these technologies.

The 2020 AGC/Sage Construction Hiring and Business Outlook Report found that many operations are taking advantage of new technologies and digital software platforms as part of labour-saving efforts, including building information modeling (BIM), drones, 3D printers, and other automation equipment that reduces human errors and better controls outcomes.

However, more needs to be done to attract talent that’s savvy enough to operate the technology and has the innate capacity to acquire the skills and experience necessary for a rewarding career in construction. Beyond internal processes, there must also be a shift in culture and a commitment to investing in human capital. Employers should be willing to invest in skills training and professional development to grow the skill sets of their employees, in turn creating loyal, dedicated employees who are driven to perform.

Instead of viewing the skills gap as a challenge, it could be seen as an opportunity for companies to invest in themselves, to build improved training models that include new technologies and approaches, and to revitalize experiential learning like apprenticeships, internships, and mentorship programs.

Working for optimal outcomes
Any solution will require a coordinated effort that enlists the help of industry partners, government, and educational institutions, as this is a widespread matter that will need all hands on deck to shift the structure and thinking of a society that has discredited the value of a career in the trades for too long.

By working with local schools and employment agencies to align talent-development activities with actual employment needs, employers in the construction space can create a pipeline for themselves by communicating the available opportunities and the quality of life these professions afford, eliminating misconceptions that have arisen around careers in construction. Employers must tackle the worsening talent shortage and the skills mismatch that could cause chaos in the industry if left unaddressed.

These activities can be supplemented with better wages, new benefits, and other efforts to make a construction career more rewarding, which includes leveraging technology to make worksites more efficient, innovative, functional, and engaging—and safer than ever before. This is, truly, the only chance the industry has to make itself attractive to an incoming generation of the sorts of workers the sector needs to forge ahead.

The post Advanced Technology, Evolving Narratives<p class="company">Filling the Construction Skills Gap</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

Consistency and quality together with highly adaptable workforce development and learning options guarantee that learners and would-be craft experts can now acquire industry-recognized certifications and credentials.

Better careers, better industry
NCCER’s thorough and relevant workforce development programs foster the career advancement of individuals and aid the expansion of the broader industry. The result is a more skilled and effective workforce and a more vibrant industrial sector made up of a variety of people whose lives have been enhanced by quality construction education.

Established in the mid-90s when 11 top contractors banded together to standardize training and offer certifications accepted by the industry, NCCER now has more than 1,000 national and international organizations authorized to offer credentials and certifications that have been used in all fifty U.S. states and twenty countries.

“When you think of construction, it’s an opportunity for entrepreneurship,” says Jennifer Wilkerson, NCCER’s Vice President of Innovation and Advancement. “What’s probably most interesting about construction to me is that someone can start on their tools and one day own their own business.”

Wilkerson’s husband did just that. After completing welding trade school and working for the Dade County school system, he ended up owning his own welding fabrication shop.

“There are a lot of great pathways,” Wilkinson says. “You can go into a craft, loving what you do and knowing this is what you want to do, or you can move up to crew leader, foreman, superintendent, project manager—whatever it might be that you want.”

She stresses that a lot of engineering programs and colleges—for example, mechanical engineering—want people who already have experience in welding, trades, or electrical engineering.

Wilkerson adds that the attitude surrounding construction is changing a bit, with a greater push toward specific career and technical education and not necessarily university. In this country, until very recently, she says, success was defined in one very specific way, which has led to a move through the years away from what was once called industrial arts. In the past few years, however, she’s seen more career and technical education programs start at schools, along with more enrollments.

This also makes good sense financially as many construction companies pay for employees to go through the apprenticeship program, whether in-house or through a college or training organization. “There are lots of opportunities but you’re also looking at the opportunity to work while you’re going to school,” she says.

Broadcasting the benefits
Getting the important message out to students about the many benefits of a construction career remains a bit of a challenge, however.

“We have to do better,” says Wilkerson. “If construction told the story of the hospitals and community centers we’re building, and what we do after natural catastrophes and how we’re the builders and helpers of those communities, many more young people would be interested.”

And make no mistake, younger people are desperately needed. For every four workers who leave the industry right now, only one comes in, and with one-in-four employees in the construction industry older than 55, workers will be (and already are!) in short supply.

“Construction tends to be a short game: I need people today, I need people tomorrow, I don’t have time to wait,” Wilkerson says. “Yes, you need a short game, but you’d better have a long game, too. And the long game is, ‘what are the closest high schools to your projects? Are you sending anyone out to talk to these kids?’ We’re so focused on the urgency of hiring today we’re not thinking about tomorrow, and we’re paying the price for that.”

Women are also being encouraged to enter an industry that has long been male-dominated. To connect with women and assess the issues anew, NCCER interviewed 176 tradeswomen in the field on project sites, in addition to 770 women who weren’t just in the field but also managers, talking to them about how to get more women into the industry.

“We found out, even from the managers, that what women bring to a site is a sense of teamwork,” says Wilkerson. “Women are very focused on everyone doing well; that’s just part of who they are. And while women don’t have the same physical strength or the experience of men, they tend to truly follow the design plans as they’re designed, which includes technology and safer and simpler ways to do things. They follow those plans better and this is noticed and talked about.”

As the lure of the construction industry includes the chance to learn skills and have opportunities to move up while earning solid money, there’s room for flexibility, too, which is especially appealing when it comes to parents and the need for work-life balance.

“Maybe the industry needs to think about shift work and people coming in earlier or staying later and working out schedules that allow for project sites to go longer as you’re dividing up the staff on who can work,” Wilkerson posits. “We’re hoping to help these contractors understand what we need to do and why they need to bring in women—and the benefits of it.”

Progress is underway, but Wilkerson believes more needs to be done, and with only 11 percent of the construction workforce being women, it’s difficult to see the growth.

“Women who’ve been working for years in the field have yet to see a female superintendent or a female project manager,” she adds. “We need to bring women in at that level because the only way you’re going to get women to see the opportunities and stay is if you have them in those positions.”

Launching careers
Another way NCCER promotes awareness is through its Build Your Future (BYF) initiative.

Build Your Future is a grassroots initiative that NCCER has had from the beginning to promote career awareness and how, over the years, you can become so much more. The program offers everything from career packs for career fairs to resources for teachers, parents, contractors, students, and veterans, along with relevant presentations and games for mentors to use in classrooms, all free of charge.

CareerStarter, a free career exploration tool available through the Build Your Future initiative, was released in August 2022 to inform candidates of where to go for various types of training or to get a certain type of job. This program is aimed not only at students but at anyone changing careers.

“If you look at it from a school perspective, students can build a profile and put in information about themselves while they’re still in high school,” Wilkerson explains. “They can look at contractors that have set up pages to advertise themselves. We then ask contractors to put in entry-level jobs, not jobs that need three or four years’ experience.”

Whether it’s summer internships or simply finding something to do after graduation, the CareerStarter allows colleges, community colleges, and training programs to build their own pages with information to help students discover if they want to go into a training program first or directly into a job. The ultimate goal is for them to actually make those connections after exploring the career-awareness aspect.

“The response has been really positive,” Wilkerson says. “About 22 percent of the students in construction CTE programs go into the industry. We’re asking ourselves, why are the other 78 percent that’s taking at least one construction program in school not going into our industry?”

Upon examination, NCCER found teachers simply don’t know the relevant information to pass to their students and had no connection with contracting firms that would offer entry-level jobs. CareerStarter aims to change that with its platform, offering information that assists students in searching for these jobs and a place to connect for both students and teachers.

“It’s been nice hearing back from the teachers, the contractors, and the students themselves who are super excited that they’re now able to make connections,” Wilkerson says.

Supporting small business
Training remains key, and while NCCER’s training has primarily been apprenticeship-based, the organization is focusing now on how to help those small to midsize companies that don’t have training programs and aren’t connected with a training organization. To that end, NCCER is looking at developing its training into bite-sized, just-in-time segments so that would-be students can enroll in self-paced online training that doesn’t have to be led by an instructor.

“We’re looking at how to encourage people to practice their skills more, and to be able to show how the quality of their performance improves as they go through these programs,” says Wilkerson. “I’m really excited about what we’re doing and how it will look when we release these programs.”

Coming together
To push the understanding that the construction industry can be a career for anyone, Wilkerson says the industry needs to come together.

“We haven’t done a good job talking about it. We haven’t found our voice yet, and I think we need to work on that. It means going to the schools—even the middle schools—and supporting programs.”

Changing misconceptions will help, too, she adds, particularly when people don’t see the stadiums, hospitals, schools, or community centers that are built. Construction is so much more, and all of it, of course, relies on proper training.

“Training leads to retaining—and that’s how you get retention,” Wilkerson says. “People want a clear career pathway. One of the things we have to improve is showing that career path. We have to provide the development for them to get there, so it’s really important that there are training programs,” she shares.

“We as an industry have to understand that people want to see their career trajectory, and they need to know they’re going somewhere.”

The post The Long Game – Building Construction’s Future<p class="company">The National Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER)</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

With a team of 125 talented individuals who bring skill and dedication to the ranks at Ell-Rod, clients receive architectural woodwork and custom millwork of the highest quality, as well as commercial-grade cabinets, countertops, wood doors and frames, and other casework for projects.

Further to quality output and competitive pricing, what sets Ell-Rod apart is the support and service that its clients receive throughout the design, installation, and service process.

As Partner and President Rod Finney points out, other fabricators emphasize quality, and Ell-Rod is “no different in that way… but I think the biggest difference is our customer service and our expertise.”

At Ell-Rod Holdings Inc., service is fundamental and while meeting expectations is the standard, the team strives to provide project quality and service that’s unique in the market and keeps loyal clients returning time and again. From providing a seamless experience for its clients—be they architects, designers, general contractors, construction and property managers, or end users—to delivering projects of the highest quality, Ell-Rod continuously showcases its deeply-rooted knowledge and expertise through its work.

The team at Ell-Rod are “fabricators of first impressions,” creating transformative spaces that meet client needs. The dedicated service, attention to detail, and responsiveness of its team of professionals is second to none and through its talent development activities, Ell-Rod Holdings Inc. is sure to uphold its legacy of quality for generations to come.

A little-known fact about Ell-Rod Holdings Inc. is that it’s very much a family affair. With several long-tenured employees, many of whom are related, the team is a big family. “A lot of family members work here: fathers, sons, brothers, cousins, in-laws,” says Project Manager Sarah Mason.

She mentions the eight staff members who have been with Ell-Rod for the thirty years it’s been in operation: “Most of our employees [have been here for a long time.] Even our shorter-term employees average eight to ten years with us. When people come here, they don’t generally leave.”

Finney’s positive attitude with the team no doubt encourages this stability. “You’ve got to give kids a chance,” he says. “We try to hire young people; in fact, we could use about five to six more people in the shop, quality people or young people we can train.”

Experience is part of the special sauce at Ell-Rod, with a system in place to ensure that the knowledge and expertise of its tenured staff are shared with the next generation and not lost with attrition. Finney provides an example of an employee who is training his grandson, who at present is completing high school, to follow in his footsteps. “There’s no age limit at Ell-Rod; just because you are over sixty-five, we don’t say you have to retire. We have someone of seventy, of seventy-two, even of eighty-three. No one is forced to leave: stay as long as you are productive. It’s experience that the younger people can learn from.”

This goes both ways at Ell-Rod. Just as wisdom is passed down to the younger generation, advancements in technology are inspiring change within the operation that is leading to innovations that will support the company long into the future.

“We’re hiring younger people who are bringing in new ideas,” says Finney, “and using cloud-based technology to coordinate with site personnel.” This is the attitude that’s helping Ell-Rod compete at the front of the field from an operational and employee attraction and retention standpoint.

Located in the small town of Orono, just outside the Greater Toronto Area, Ell-Rod serves customers in Ontario, across Canada, and in the Caribbean. Despite this widespread presence in markets spanning Canada and beyond, the local impact of Ell-Rod Holdings cannot be understated.

Finney notes that Ell-Rod is one of the largest employers in the area, with a strong presence in the community and local economy—a real source of pride. Hiring local and supporting local businesses means that as the company grows, so too does its impact, and currently, Ell-Rod is in growth mode.

“We’re never more than four to six months ahead; that’s the type of business we’re in. It’s hard to believe, with 125 employees, but that’s a fact,” he shares. “Every day we generate sales. The economy is good in our business, but I think part of it is we’re one of the better players so we’re getting our fair share.”

Having been in the business since 1981, Finney and Smith’s passions still burn bright. As heads of the company, they still are two of the first people in the building each day, with Finney overseeing the daily operations and staff, while Smith, who serves as Partner and Secretary/Treasurer, keeps his eye on all the financial aspects of the operation as well as the end-to-end project progress.

“My partner and I are very hands-on,” says Finney. “We’re here all day, every day. We’re here at 4:45 a.m. and there are a couple of other guys here at 4:15 a.m. every day. Our employees all know that they can call us at 5 a.m. and our customers know that they’re going to get one of us. I think that’s a big part of that service that makes us different and better. There are a lot of great cabinet shops out there but I just don’t think they do it like we do,” says Finney. “If someone calls here, we return their call promptly … We’ll have someone out that day to service them if we can.”

Whether it’s a $500 or $5 million project, Ell-Rod Holdings Inc. still takes immense pride in answering the phone and servicing its clients—a good reason why its reputation continues to grow with each project.

Of course, however dedicated Finney and Smith are, nothing—even the exceptional projects Ell-Rod contributes to—lasts forever, and to ensure that there’s not a tremor in the company’s smooth progress when the hand on the helm changes, a succession plan is in place.

The plan, Mason notes, is “to put people in place who can help run it as successfully as Rod and Sandy have done these last thirty years—teaching people what they know.”

One thing is certain, however: the hard work and dedication is worth it. Celebrating thirty years in any business is quite an achievement and while the team at Ell-Rod will take a heartfelt moment to celebrate this milestone, business continues to be… well, business as usual.

The goal is to “keep doing what we’re doing,” says Finney. That means delivering service and projects of a quality that will continue to enhance its name in the community and the market, locally and nationally, for generations to come.

The post Fabricators of First—and Lasting—Impressions<p class="company">Ell-Rod Holdings Inc.</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

With locations in Eliot, Maine, Wolfeboro, and Belmont, New Hampshire, Piscataqua proudly serves residential, commercial, and industrial clients with seasonal and year-round services. From property care to landscape construction and lighting, tree and plant care to snow and ice management, Piscataqua has the teams necessary to meet the needs of all its customers.

A growing business
Piscataqua Landscaping & Tree Service started small. With just a barn, pickup truck, and lawn mower, Booth Hemingway founded Piscataqua in 1979. Over the decades, organic growth and savvy acquisitions saw the business transform into what it is today: a respected entity of around 215 employees and a true New England brand. Today it’s the largest full-service landscaping company in the seacoast area of Maine and New Hampshire.

“Most of the work was done in the high-end residential market along the seacoast of southern Maine and New Hampshire,” says Vice President of Business Development Jay Rotonnelli of the company’s history. “Building good relationships with a lot of general contractors and builders is what has gotten the business to where it is today.”

Although Piscataqua may have started modestly, Hemingway focused on high-end residential from the start, which, through enthusiastic word-of-mouth referrals, soon proved to be a market of great potential.

Rotonnelli was drawn to Piscataqua by its reputation in the landscaping sector, its leadership, and its positive company culture. With 31 years in the landscape contracting industry and his knowledge of both horticulture and business, he was a valuable acquisition for the company.

Around the time Rotonnelli came on board in 2016, Hemingway sold the business to Portland’s Chenmark, a long-term holding company. At the time of his retirement, Hemingway said he wanted to ensure the business he built over almost 40 years was purchased by someone “honest, quality-oriented, and employee-focused.” Piscataqua’s President, Justin Gamester, who had worked alongside Hemingway, seamlessly transitioned the company while partnering with Chenmark to focus on the long game and ensure the relationships with the customers and the team are held in high regard.

As it grows, the company is open to acquiring other successful and promising landscaping businesses. Last year, Piscataqua took on Design & Landscapes by Labrie Associates. “It helped us to offer additional services to clients in our southern area, and become more efficient and reduce costs so we could maintain those clients and build on that as well,” says Rotonnelli. The company is continuing to run the Labrie portion of its business from the current base in North Hampton, New Hampshire.

This summer, Piscataqua acquired CBH Landscape Contractors from owner Christopher B. Haddock. A well-known company located in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire, the move will see Piscataqua become even more efficient and gain additional experienced employees.

“Part of the goal was not only to increase market share, but gain from a staffing perspective as well,” says Rotonnelli, who has seen four acquisitions during his time with the business. “We look to these companies that have really good profit and loss, a great culture and brand in their communities, and good staff. And we were able to come in as a larger company and build on what CBH had started by offering better benefits, 401(k), and things of that nature.”

Longstanding customers
Combining decades of experience with trained professionals, well-maintained equipment, strong safety protocols, and connections to trusted partners, Piscataqua Landscaping & Tree Service is an established industry leader.

Counting actors, sports figures, capital investors, hedge fund managers, and doctors among its clients, most of the company’s work on the residential side is in the higher-end market. In the commercial and industrial sectors, Piscataqua offers green and white services, including landscaping and snow removal.

“Our range is pretty wide, and it’s based on who has what skill sets and who can execute on the work,” says Rotonnelli of the company’s projects, which range in value from $5,000 to $700,000 or more. The company is currently working on a high-end residential project which will amount to an almost $5 million investment in landscaping.

The pandemic is one of the reasons the business is seeing an increased demand for year-round services. COVID altered the dynamics of the business and the industry as a whole. “People are looking for the ‘easy button,’” Rotonnelli says. This is the result of all the rules and regulations that came during the pandemic, such as not being able to meet others in person, and countless other restrictions.

“People are looking for a company that has the support behind them financially—and from a resource standpoint—with the skill sets to come in and take care of things fully. In years past, projects were piecemealed out; as we’ve grown and seen the market change post-COVID, customers want a team, an alliance, to take care of things.”

This may mean taking care of snow and ice removal for a shopping center, or clients with plumbing or electrical needs. “They may call us and ask if we have somebody, and we have our Rolodex of contractors we work with who can hop on this issue for them and keep them moving. So there’s a lot of value with relationships.”

Strength in numbers
Along with its staff of landscaping industry pros, Piscataqua clients appreciate the accountability and convenience that come from dealing with one company instead of several. If projects include low-voltage landscape lighting, the company has well-trained staff on hand to do the job. And if work is more complex, Piscataqua has a network of trusted subcontractors available. Dealing with one business has other advantages, such as less paperwork, defined payment terms, not dealing with certificates of insurance, and more. Clients are secure knowing that Piscataqua is on their side to help.

“They don’t have to make 10 phone calls to reach one person when they can reach out to us with our Rolodex of partners,” says Rotonnelli. This extends to extensive excavation projects. Sometimes, Piscataqua will call on specialized companies, and come in later to do the fine grading.

“It’s all about relationships and partnerships,” comments Rotonnelli. “When we’re working with these general contractors, they get the work done. We come in prior to the project and consult about how things should happen and what the transition looks like toward the end. And they rely on us at the end to come in and help finesse and finalize the project with them.”

Getting the best
On the basis that a company is only as good as its staff, Piscataqua is part of the Workforce Development Project, a project of the National Centre for Construction Education and Research (NCCER). This initiative, along with others, helps bring new staff to the business.

“Everybody here is a sales rep and a recruiter,” says Rotonnelli. “It’s everyone’s responsibility to talk to folks, and if there is an opportunity—whether it’s a foreman out on a project to do extra work, or you’re out with your family somewhere and someone chats with you—we encourage people to keep those communication lines open.”

Through the H-2B program, the company temporarily brings in 46 individuals from Guatemala who have worked for them for years. Not only are they enthusiastic and hard-working, but many are skilled in masonry, carpentry, electrical, and plumbing, and train others during their stay in America.

“We work with them to have them help educate some of the younger folks here who want to learn,” states Rotonnelli. “It’s been a great way for us to mesh together and utilize resources, so everybody is getting training on the job every day while they are here,” he says.

Fostering a team environment, Piscataqua is active in many charitable initiatives, from sponsoring school sports teams to supporting the Music Hall in Portsmouth and the Seacoast Humane Society. One of the biggest is the Salvation Army, which sees staff purchase new unwrapped gifts for kids at Christmas. “I’m super proud of those things with our company. You never have to ask; our employees are asking us what is going to happen because they want to give back, and that fosters a sense of pride.”

Both Rotonnelli and the company are active on a variety of boards, associations, and committees. These include the Advisory Board for the Sanford Regional School District as part of its horticultural program and trade programs. Others include the Maine Landscape and Nursery Association, the Snow and Ice Management Association, and the New Hampshire Landscape Association. Currently, Rotonnelli is president of the Irrigation Association of New England.

“We try to keep ourselves out there,” he says, “not only to give back but to stay current with technology and be innovative in our industries. As labor challenges continue, that’s one thing we have to stay focused on—being innovative.”

The post Growing Landscapes, Growing Relationships<p class="company">Piscataqua Landscaping & Tree Service</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

This year, Pomerleau is welcoming a new CEO, Philippe Adam, the company’s former Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. The new leadership will guide the company as it takes on larger projects in the coming years. With all these exciting changes occurring, one thing remains the same at the company: its deep-seated values.

Core values
At the heart of Pomerleau’s culture lie its core values, which provide a guiding foundation for its employees.

Excellence, adaptability, love, innovation, and authenticity are the pillars upon which Pomerleau operates. Authenticity drives ethical decision-making and fosters trust both internally and with clients. Love is nurtured through teamwork, knowledge-sharing, and creating an environment where diverse perspectives are upheld and respected. Pursuit of excellence is a constant driving force, encouraging innovation and continuous improvement. Adaptability enables Pomerleau to embrace change, stay ahead of industry trends, and navigate challenges with agility.

Employee well-being
Pomerleau recognizes that its greatest asset is its people. To ensure the well-being of its employees, the company has implemented various initiatives including, in 2019, the PX3 ecosystem of in-house professional development programs specific to career and personal development. The dedicated training centre has in-house designers, and the company works with external vendors to provide more general training opportunities, like health and safety. From interns to project directors, Pomerleau invests in talent from day one.

This investment goes beyond training. Mental and physical well-being are prioritized at the company. Several programs have been established to encourage employees to put their health first, including the Pomerleau Challenge. Since 2009, Pomerleau has been hosting challenges to promote well-being and perseverance and raise money for charities across Canada. Participants are given the resources to train together prior to the event. Together, they work toward a common goal, while building relationships and learning from one another—something that is witnessed on the company’s sites daily.

This year, Pomerleau celebrated the fifth edition of the Challenge by taking over 500 participants and 75 volunteers to Bishop’s University campus in Sherbrooke, Quebec, to live Pomerleau’s values through exercise and team building. This was the company’s largest Challenge yet. It featured 15 obstacles that tested communication, problem solving, and collaboration skills. The company provided each participant with high-quality training resources prior to the event. Offices across the country trained together for months to compete, and the results were astounding. Together, they completed each challenge, and raised $112,000 for Tree Canada and the Canadian Mental Health Association. The proceeds from the Challenge will be used to regenerate forests and set up mental health initiatives. Additionally, the wood used in the construction of the various events will have a second life and will be reused by Bishop’s University and the organization REVE nourricier to build planters for urban agriculture, which will create a lasting impact on local communities.

Read about some of the participants’ experiences below:
“I had the best experience with my teammates. Our team was synergetic, and we really had a lot of fun! This event helped me learn more about some of the colleagues I come across every day, and it made me feel part of something bigger: a work family filled with love and collaboration!” – Justine Amélie Kellenny, Human Resources Advisor – HR Services Development

“What a unique experience! At Pomerleau, we often talk about family and taking care of each other. This includes sport, which is a way of feeling good mentally and physically. For three months, we were lucky enough to have access to indoor sports classes. The goal made me want to push myself! The day of the Challenge was magnificent and memorable! In teams of seven colleagues from across Canada, we overcame 15 challenges. The key was communication and collaboration, an extra challenge when you don’t speak the same language and don’t know each other. I don’t know of any other company that offers its employees such a wonderful time! I can’t wait for the next challenge!” – Julia Pigny, Senior Special Projects Manager

“Training was an opportunity to get back into shape, but the most enjoyable part was doing the workouts with my site crew.” – Julie Loiselle, Health and Safety Coordinator

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion (DEI) and ESG
Pomerleau’s culture thrives on innovation and sustainability, with a strong focus on integrating new technologies and environmentally responsible practices. The company encourages employees to think creatively, embrace new ideas, and push the boundaries of what is possible in the construction industry.

This year, the company released its first Integrated report, a combination of its Activity and Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) reports. Last year, Pomerleau outlined its ESG commitments and objectives through its platform, Perspective. This year, the company is demonstrating how the plan has been put into action. The company’s dedicated team of ESG professionals are executing initiatives that reflect the six priorities they have outlined: Climate Change, Circular Economy, Community Relations, Indigenous Relations, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), and a Culture of Innovation.

The strategy is in line with several of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including number ten: reduced inequalities. In 2022, the company achieved one of its goals by communicating its DEI statement and instating Respect and Civility training across the company. Pomerleau has always been committed to creating a work environment that enables its employees to fulfill their potential and to ensure that all of its teams and stakeholders feel represented in the company’s ways of doing things. The company has adopted a strategy based on one single ambition: promote DEI, focusing first and foremost on respect.

Pomerleau seeks to integrate DEI as a fundamental part of all of its practices and processes. This year, the company has two goals. By 2023, Pomerleau strives to establish an advisory committee and deploy a training and coaching strategy with the aim of raising DEI awareness among Pomerleau’s managers. The company also plans to complete the review of its key talent management processes to better integrate DEI into its ways of doing business. This report and the company’s commitments have become an active driver for recruitment as younger professionals especially seek socially responsible companies.

Future forward
By fostering a collaborative environment, Pomerleau encourages employees to work together, share knowledge, and contribute their unique perspectives. This culture of collaboration fuels innovation, driving the company to continuously explore new technologies and sustainable practices that shape the future of construction.

The post A Deep Dive into Pomerleau’s Culture<p class="company">Pomerleau</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

The Ontario Home Builders’ Association (OHBA) has long emphasized the urgent need for more housing in the nation’s most populous province. It is estimated that at least a million new homes will need to be built over the coming decade as Ontario far surpasses its current population of 14.53 million. As the voice of Ontario’s building, land development, and professional renovation sector, the OHBA champions the residential construction sector.

Representing 4,000 member companies organized into 27 local associations Ontario-wide, this voluntary Association provides powerful advocacy efforts, including serving on Ontario task forces, collecting, analyzing, and distributing information to all members and the public, promoting housing choice and affordability, and many other valuable initiatives.

OHBA Job Ready Program
In Canada and the United States, the issue of a housing shortfall is multifaceted. More than a matter of supply, affordability, and rising interest rates, a primary factor is the lack of skilled trades to build new homes and renovate existing ones.

In Canada, about 5,000 Baby Boomers retire every week; in the U.S., some 10,000 Boomers reach age 65 every day. Many of them dedicated decades to the building industry, but sadly take their expertise into retirement with them. Combined with a dearth of younger persons entering secure, well-paying professions like carpentry, electrical, and plumbing, this means there just aren’t enough skilled men and women on job sites.

“We are focusing on bringing in workers because if you don’t have the workers, you can’t make the homes,” says Sajida Jiwani of OHBA. “In the next ten years, 90,000 workers will leave and retire. We have to adjust and hire at least 116,000 to 220,000 new trades.”

Before becoming OHBA’s Chief Operating Officer two years ago, Jiwani gained considerable experience in other roles, including that of account manager and business manager. Passionate about the Association and its mission, she is driven by the vision of more and more people entering the construction trades in the province.

The OHBA Job Ready Program is helping fill the province’s construction sector gap. New workers from under-represented groups are provided with fundamental building and safety training. From there, they are partnered with employers for a paid work experience where they are “supported with on-the-job training and mentorship to introduce participants to a career in the construction industry,” according to the Job Ready website.

“There is no better time to prepare new workers for the construction sector, which is expected to see increased demand over the next several years due to major construction projects planned across Ontario. With our focus on recruiting groups currently underrepresented in the industry, we’re also contributing to a more diverse and inclusive future workforce.”

Building on success
Receiving funding from the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development of Ontario for the past three years has enabled the OHBA Job Ready Program to put together comprehensive programs to introduce unskilled workers to the market.

A work in progress, the first year saw Job Ready building a path for students to gain soft skill training, such as in ethics, Ministry of Labour training, and House 101 construction. In a short time, students were taught the basics, including how to use a tape measure and technical terms used on construction sites. The second year of Job Ready saw further refinements.

In its third year, a second level of training called Level Up was introduced. This provides two weeks of necessary soft skills and four weeks of the Level Up boot camp. This is being undertaken through a partnership with Skilled Trades Canada and a trade school that helped put the program together.

Over four weeks, participants will learn about measuring, flooring, framing, some electrical, and how to work on a job site as they build a bathroom from the ground up. Classes are limited to 21 so they are manageable. “And I can tell you one thing,” says Jiwani, “all of these participants have come to class.”

Job Ready does not involve any cost to the trainees, and personal protective equipment (PPE) is provided. Applicants must meet certain requirements. These include being at least 18 years of age, able to work 40 or more full-time hours per week during placement, eligible to work in Canada, and holding a driver’s license. Although there is no cut-off age, and the program has seen some older adults, most participants are from 21 to 27 years of age. Some are starting out on their working lives, while others are changing careers.

The first cohort of Job Ready comprised 145 participants, and the second, 155. Continuing to grow, the next round will see 170 applicants selected. Paid work placements will be with Ontario employers in areas in Niagara, Simcoe, Hamilton, St. Thomas, Durham, Quinte, Kitchener/Waterloo, and Ottawa.

Program participants will receive payment from their employers during their placement period. Very much a win-win situation, employers will receive $1,500 for each employee they place who is taken on by the company. This is especially beneficial for smaller companies in the province.

“For larger companies, it’s not about the money. It’s about finding that confident, skilled worker,” says Jiwani.

Sometimes, she notes, employers aren’t even asking for the money, which is still sent. Many employers view hiring Job Ready candidates, whether as general construction labourers, carpenter’s assistants, sales and administrative support staff, or in other roles, as a boost to their business.

Applications for Round Four of Job Ready open in September, to be submitted by October. Approval will take place at the end of March 2024, with the program starting on April 1.

Building careers
Some of the reasons behind the program’s success include the roles of enerQUALITY and buildABILITY. The Number One certifier of energy-efficient housing in Canada, enerQUALITY works on behalf of the OHBA, providing Job Ready candidates. enerQuality manages the program and serves as a partner together with buildABILITY, which creates tools supporting change initiatives and is in charge of the employer portion of the program.

Potential candidates are identified through career fairs, high schools, email information sessions, and a recruitment firm. Interested persons can access the Job Ready website at https://www.ohbajobready.ca/ for more information on training.

“We make sure that we put participants in the program of their choice, and ask if they really want to be in construction,” says Jiwani. She praises Skilled Trades Canada for its model, which utilizes a three-month-long course. Seeing their programming was what prompted her to wonder what results could be achieved in a single month, instead of three. As the program evolves, the next cohort will dismantle the bathroom that was built by students in the previous session and then reassemble it, giving students experience in both demolition and construction.

Eager to share the Job Ready model with others, Jiwani is in talks with Alberta about licensing agreements. “What I’m trying to reach with this programming, and the funding we’re receiving from the ministry, is how to make it a sustainable model. This could include providing a bank of employees or licensing to other provinces,” she says.

“Every member of my organization knows they have to make an impact to make sure we resolve the issue or help make a massive dent in skilled trades. My members are all on board with this program, and there’s a lot of support.”

The post A Shortage of Homes, a Shortage of Homebuilders—and an Answer<p class="company">Ontario Home Builders’ Association (OHBA)</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

With a high demand for skilled tradespeople both in Canada and the U.S., these jobs are essential to daily living whether through manufacturing, transportation, or construction, and while there are still widespread misconceptions that a skilled craft is merely a job and not a career, many trades demand technological expertise and extensive training. However, the serious shortage of youth in the trades has left many positions unfilled, with concern rising that this trend will persist as many long-time employees start to retire.

Enticing younger workers is imperative and Lépine Apartments, with more than 60 years of experience in the development of new rental markets in eastern Ontario, has recently created a series of television commercials to do just that. Airing during Hockey Night in Canada to expressly promote careers in the trades, Lépine aims to actively work to recruit more youth into a lucrative and satisfying career.

“Instead of advertising our products, which is building rental apartments, we’ve modified it to promote the construction industry and the various skilled trades there, showing them to a younger portion of the workforce,” explains President Francis Lépine. “Apprentices are the newcomers into the industry, so we’re putting younger faces in the ads and hoping children and young adults in this province realize maybe there’s something else.”

In the last 30 to 40 years, the government, the media, and the school system have pushed for computer knowledge and university education, he says, overlooking the potential and benefits of the skilled trades. Lépine’s television ads aim to rectify this by bringing more awareness to this area of education.

“This is something they encourage very young in school, asking kids, ‘what do you want to do when you’re older?,’” says Lépine. “Children have two years of kindergarten, then 12 years to get through high school, and then you’re telling them to go to university for another five—nearly two decades of a young person’s life sitting on a bench listening to other people telling you things. Basically, they’re coming out of school at 18 years old and nobody has taught them any trades.”

While a university education doesn’t guarantee any kind of career and is still pushed more heavily, Lépine isn’t convinced there’s still a stigma attached to the trade industry.

“The education industry is simply promoting its own industry,” he says. “The higher the degree of education [there is], that increases the workforce and the education system. The education industry is working for its own benefit, not necessarily for the total society and all the different people we need to run a society.”

While Lépine is working to help change that with its advertising, the crux of the problem still lies with governments and educators to continue to push for students to consider the trades, he says. In the 1970s and ‘80s, for instance, Quebec heavily promoted the building of all kinds of infrastructure projects and from hydro dams to highways and bridges, with industry workers at the forefront.

“People building these things spurred people to join the construction industry in that province,” he says. “I think this type of advertising is not too dissimilar than when the Armed Forces used to do serious recruiting aimed at young people.” Maybe the message being sent presently isn’t strong enough, he adds, especially when it comes to the dire need for a construction force in this country.

There’s also a basic lack of knowledge of the trades, with many people not realizing both its financial stability and the ability to learn while engaged in a paid apprenticeship.

“They can go and really start learning and making money right away from the start and they don’t have to spend five or ten years in school before being able to practice their trades,” Lépine says. “It does pay well, and the risk of not having a job in this industry is next to nothing.”

Targeting young people also includes women, says Lépine, who adds that the industry’s technological advancements have made it easier than ever for women to do the work. And when it comes to advertising, it’s also important for young girls and women to see themselves reflected, he adds.

“From doing electrical work to driving equipment, many of the skill sets that a woman can do are similar to a man. The industry is evolving at a good pace, and with the use of hydraulic or electrical equipment, a lot of the big, heavy, manual chores of the past also now have some software adaptation to them so everyone can actually perform most of the tasks.”

When not striving to attract young people to the industry, Lépine is busy with its own endeavours, some of which endorse the company’s dedication to ecological stewardship. For example, large solar panels have been erected on the rooftops of a number of projects, and although still in its first year, Lépine hopes the technology will prove beneficial, both environmentally and financially.

“Hopefully it works out well. I don’t expect it will make a big difference with consumption, but it should reduce it,” he says. “If everything goes as planned, it should be maybe 15 to 20 percent of electrical consumption at least in summer. And the quality of these panels is supposed to last for 25 years, so over the long run, what will be the cost of energy in 10 to 20 years from now?”

As Ontario has come up with a solution for the metering, charging, and billing of power to the consumer for apartment buildings or condominiums—similar to public charging stations which use credit cards with a QR code—Lépine has also been installing a number of charging stations at its projects.

“It’s a pragmatic solution and it’s financially feasible. We’ve been wiring underground garages for electric cars since 2010 and we’re going to add another 400 charging stations throughout a number of buildings.”

On the innovation side, the company has done some amazing work with prefabricated concrete walls as seen at The Normand in Kanata. At this all-prefabricated concrete apartment building, Lépine has created a maritime theme featuring bright, nautical colours that replicates wood siding—complete with woodgrain imprints—and white wood frames around the windows, recreating a typical maritime dwelling.

“It’s an innovation with the quality of the form liners and the placement of different reliefs with form liners, and an application of a five-step paint stain and sealer on the building,” Lépine explains. “We raised the bar still another step with precast, and we’re regularly pushing new frontiers of design to create more masterpieces out of concrete while still using the same quality techniques for long durability but also giving them a different flair.”

Looking ahead, the company will continue to raise the bar in construction while promoting Canada-based production. The pandemic exposed the dangers of relying on offshore supply chains for a wide variety of industries, which is why Lépine is committed to encouraging more made-in-North America products.

“This interdependence on global supply chains puts our countries at risk. We’re dependent on materials that come halfway around the world,” Lépine says. “We talk about sustainability and the greening of things, so why would be bring something from halfway around the world that is more environmentally friendly to get from closer by?”

The company is also encouraging the warehousing of materials to reduce dependence on time-sensitive deliveries of material.

“Construction is like manufacturing—it’s a production chain,” he says. “If you start missing a product here or there in the production chain, the whole thing bogs down eventually. So securing product is important and then having warehousing capacities to have a reserve of material to be able to supply jobs without being so time-sensitive.”

Lépine also stresses the importance of keeping industry within the country instead of “farming” everything out. “Becoming a consumer society will spell doom for a country in the long run,” he says. “No one can just buy, buy, buy, and not produce.”

This decision will also inevitably lead to healthier, thriving communities. “These manufacturers create more vibrant communities where they are, which gives the people in our communities work.”

This ongoing commitment to keeping labour, manufacturing, and supply local is a mainstay of Lépine’s business vision and one exemplified by his pride in Canada.

“We’re in the best country in the world; if you can’t make it happen here, where in the world are you going to make it happen?” he says. “I think often as Canadians we’re a little bit too modest or too shy, but at one point, we have to acknowledge a few things and then take the initiative and move forward.”

Moving forward in this industry means continuing to reach out to youth, educating them, and letting them know the benefits and importance of trades for the future. “Our workforce really is already here,” says Lépine. “Our next generation are here and they can do this. They can work this, but we need to guide them.”

The post Building Solid Foundations for Youth in the Trades<p class="company">Lépine Apartments</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

Bringing tenacity, curiosity, and hard-earned experience to the industry, Matt Young, President and Chief Executive Officer of Republic Developments, may be a new name in Toronto’s highly competitive property development market, but don’t be fooled; he’s been a rising star and has now branched off on his own, looking to make his mark in some of the city’s oldest communities.

His business philosophy is tethered to doing good and leaving the city better off than he found it, taking on projects he sees as being city-building opportunities. He believes that, by going into any project with an attitude of only reaping as much money as possible from it, developers are less likely to invest in the health and wellness of communities. “When we think about success in a project, we recognize it has to be a financially successful project… but it also has to contribute positively to the community. It has to be an addition and a benefit, not just something that takes away or utilizes what the community already has,” he says.

“It has to add something that all of the stakeholders—local residents, politicians, city staff, purchasers, our team—can feel proud of.”

When it comes to challenging projects, Republic Developments does not shy away from complexity. “We see ourselves as the developer who takes on the most complicated, challenging projects and over-performs. We’re very focused on execution excellence. We’re ambitious. We focus on the details,” says Young. “I’ve jokingly described us as the Navy SEALs of development. You bring us in when the problem is particularly challenging, and we execute.”

His passion for property became evident during a summer vacation from university, when he was a labourer working for an uncle doing property renovations. The results of his hard work sold Young on exploring a career in the property industry where his knack for analytical and creative thinking could bring more of this to life. As he had been particularly fond of architecture since childhood, exploring real estate became the obvious next step. After graduating from Western and eventually completing a post-graduate qualification in property development, he was offered his first position in 2009.

Young joined one of Canada’s leading firms, Lifetime Developments, known for its high-rise buildings of 200 to 800 units across as many as fifty storeys. He learned everything he could by removing “no” from his vocabulary, working as hard as possible, and treating his time there as on-the-job training. He then leveraged his experience to secure his next role with Capital Developments, where he continued learning and establishing a track record and reputation for himself in the industry.

His aim in searching for these positions was to find companies executing large, challenging projects with a small team because, he figured, he would get the most exposure and gain the most experience this way. In both cases these “were big, impactful, high-profile projects that I got to experience at [companies] where there was a small and lean team, so I was able to touch and explore most parts of the business,” Young says. “We were doing great architecture, working with incredible consultants, and I was able to work with the best people in Toronto [and] have a meaningful impact.”

Following his tenure at Capital Developments, Young was eventually ready and fully equipped to become the leader of his own development company.

Today, Matthew Young is a dynamic leader who brings a tremendous energy to everything he does. Navigating a newly formed company during COVID was a daunting task but by hiring a team of bright young minds with whom Young could establish his vision and requirements for excellence, combined with some seasoned industry experts, he struck upon a winning outcome. With eight people on staff and more joining soon, Republic Developments is off to a strong start and growing rapidly.

The fledgling business purchases difficult-to-develop plots with multiple challenges, and one such plot is in Scarborough, near where Young grew up. He went looking at sites to purchase in the area and found one he passed on his school route every day as a teenager.

As fate would have it, the well-hidden site was ripe for development. It is supremely located adjacent to the Scarborough GO station on a line giving access to areas in all directions, and is only an 18-minute ride away from downtown Toronto. After buying four-and-a-half acres of land surrounding the plot, Young managed to get the owner of the neighbouring 20-acre plot to agree to a sale at the end of January 2020. The property came with its own needs, however; environmental contamination, zoning challenges, and other issues have made the development of the property difficult.

Yet, armed with knowledge and expertise, the Republic team knew that this property was ready to be transformed into a 15-minute community with all the amenities that have historically been out of reach for those without cars. The vision for the site is of beautiful buildings overlooking parks and public spaces, with views to Lake Ontario, and access to a new community centre, daycare, a direct connection to a new GO Station, and everything else needed to create a thriving and complete urban hub.

The project is ambitious in an area known to be one of the larger food deserts in Toronto—something the company has plans to remedy by including a new grocery store. Now, all that is needed is zoning permission before it will establish what is likely to be the best thing that has happened to this part of town in a long time.

“In the development industry, I probably know Scarborough better than anyone,” says Young. “It’s has had bad PR over the years… but I know that was absolute nonsense. Cities change and evolve over time with investment, and Scarborough had seen very little investment for decades.” Once on a roll, Scarborough Junction will be one of the biggest developments in the Greater Toronto Area. As an experienced industry player, Young knows that a neighbourhood’s story can be changed, and who better to initiate it?

Another up-and-coming project, Bellwoods House, a 13-storey brick and glass gem comprising 322 units at 111 Strachan Avenue, Toronto, will be a promising addition to this verdant section of the city. The vision with this project is to create a livable and stylish community catering to urban tastemakers, entrepreneurs, and professionals who love being downtown, but want a real neighbourhood feel.

“Given that it is my first project, I wanted to do something timeless—something people would want to live in. We want something that when it is built and finished, will be a very desirable place to live,” Young says. A lot of unexpected detail and little luxuries will enhance the condominiums’ impact. They will be so lovely that Young plans to live there himself.

“The first project we do sets the tone for our brand and for the types of buildings we build, our quality and our reputation,” he adds. Some of Bellwoods House’s best features, perhaps, are the unobstructed skyline and sunset views and access to over a dozen beautiful parks within walking distance—including Trinity Bellwoods Park—only a short walk away. The building will also integrate a gorgeous heritage structure that will add character and romance to this modern but contextual design. But there are also little touches of details that can be found throughout the building. A lobby scenting system will ensure the building smells like a 5-star hotel at all times. Smart technology throughout the building including smart locks, thermostat, and light switch for suites, smart security, and a building app will ensure the lived experience for residents is as seamless and effortless as possible.

Sheltered at the calm centre of these parks, the building is only a five-minute walk from four of Toronto’s liveliest neighbourhoods, namely King West, Queen West, Ossington, and Liberty Village. Retail space, a D.I.Y. bike mechanic shop, a pet spa, co-working space, a podcast studio, and a high-end gym are also on offer at Bellwoods House.

1266 Queen Street West, to be situated in Parkdale, is the company’s next big project, and this is another area of Toronto that has not seen much investment in a while. Republic Developments is champing at the bit to turn this land into another thriving community. Its approach to this project is to leverage the assets that already exist, like an adjacent park, and expand on them to improve the condition for the local community and residents alike. The company will also be creating a community space within the building to serve local residents, though the use of this space is still being determined. To date, public engagement has been positive, with the community recognizing investment in new housing needs to happen, and the team is excited to help shape the future of this gateway to Parkdale.

Young’s choice of the term “city builder” to describe Republic is purposeful, and reflects his philosophy on investing in and improving the communities in which he builds. And sometimes, these investments are in people and organizations that are doing their part to strengthen communities.

Since meeting the founder of FEED Scarborough, Suman Roy, shortly after purchasing the land for Scarborough Junction, Young and his team have seen an opportunity for an important partnership that has helped strengthen and provide support to this evolving community. Roy established the charity to help answer the need for food security that exploded in the wake of COVID-19. Republic Developments supports the effort by giving the charity an industrial warehouse from which the charity’s main distribution depot operates.

In addition, Young came up with the idea of funding urban farming with raised vegetable beds on the property, which Roy established with the help of volunteers. “It’s become an outdoor events space, which was particularly exciting during COVID. The food that was grown went into food boxes that the food bank was handing out to families in Scarborough,” Young says.

The benefit generated from this initiative goes beyond feeding people, however; the site is also farming honey, children are learning how to cultivate their own gardens, and many friendships have been and continue to be born around this marvellous community project.

“As we gear up for eventual development on that property, we will look at moving [the initiative] to [another] location on the site over time. In a perfect world, we will find a long-term home for them in the community. They are incredible people doing great work,” Young says of the project that has grown into six food banks and numerous other programmes since its inception.

In addition to this good work, the company also supports Scarborough Health Network through Young’s work on their real estate committee raising money for the Love Scarborough campaign. He also has a cycling club, UNC, which commits itself to popularizing cycling in Toronto. As an avid cyclist, growing this network is one of Young’s greatest pleasures.

Republic Developments is also looking into establishing its own charity that will work toward providing affordable housing in and around the city. “Obviously, we want to be successful but I care about people,” he says. “I love this city. I grew up here. I want to see the city grow and thrive. But it needs help. It needs investment. It needs support, so I am doing what I can to fill some of the holes I see,” Young says of what he considers to be his moral obligation and his burgeoning company’s trademark.

The post Creating Transformative Communities<p class="company">Republic Developments</p> appeared first on Construction In Focus.

It was in 1983 that Ernie Luchetta founded Marble Trend in Toronto and was later joined by younger brothers Frank and Tony. More recently, the family company, which maintains a showroom and warehouse in Toronto and sales representatives across North America, has grown to include Ernie’s daughters, Gabriella and Alessandra, and Tony’s son, Anthony.

A very personal touch
In the early years, the business focused solely on Italian marble, with Ernie Luchetta travelling to Northern Italy and quarries in Massa and Carrara, the same area which provided the six-ton block of pure white marble from which Michelangelo sculpted David all of five centuries ago.

Italian marble, formed from limestone in the Mesozoic age, is highly valued for its luxurious crystal-like appearance and lustrous sheen, but in addition to this surface appeal, Ernie Luchetta brought a checklist of requirements to meet for the marble that he hand-selected for his clients.

“I’m looking for slabs that are visually appealing or ‘in vogue’ at the moment,” he says. “Is it a ‘healthy, sound’ material, or does it have inherent issues that need to be taken into consideration?”

A further consideration involves ensuring that the pattern in the slab is balanced throughout. This refers to the wavy lines created when the limestone was transformed by extreme heat and pressure, or the colours which were formed by impurities such as iron oxide or bituminous material, giving tonal variations ranging from grey and black to shades of blue, green, pink, yellow, or brown, making every slab unique.

What this means for the end users, whether designers, architects, contractors, or businesses and homeowners, is that they can have not only the luxury of the finest products but the reassurance of dealing directly with the person who hand-selected the piece.

A family-run business also means continuity, says Gabriella Luchetta, and a focus on customer relationships. “If every time you go to a business you have somebody new helping you, it destroys the relationship aspect. Tony has maintained a customer base for over 30 years and when people return to us, they have the same people to help them,” she explains.

“This happens all the time. People will say, ‘I bought a countertop from you 30 years ago, and now we’re redoing our house, or building a new one, and we want that same quality that will last another 30 years.’ Or we’ve supplied materials for their interior and now they want something for the exterior—for around their pool area, for example. It’s great that we’ve had that imprint on people and it’s amazing to hear.”

Another benefit to clients is the pure passion the family puts into the business. One of Gabriella’s roles is in media and marketing, but she takes on many other roles because, as she says, “When it’s your family business, your heart and soul go into it and you just help out wherever you can. Sometimes I even fall asleep with the phone in my hand, updating our social media accounts.”

So much more than marble
Over the course of 40 years, Marble Trend has expanded the range of surface materials it supplies. With the same exacting standards used to select the finest Italian marble, the company’s offerings have grown to include porcelain, terrazzo, quartz, concrete, wood, glass, brick, granite, feldspar, larvikite, and sintered stone. These are sourced worldwide from 20 countries, including Canada. Ernie Luchetta tells us that the company also exports Canadian stone to Italy and worldwide.

Some unique lines Marble Trend can supply included INAX porcelain tiles, inspired by traditional Japanese culture; Fruilmosaic, a line of handcrafted stone mosaics; and KREOO and LITHOS, leading lines of Italian handcrafted natural stone furnishings such as tables, sinks, and lamps. Ernie Luchetta goes on to describe larvikite, marketed as LUNDHS Real Stone. Found solely in Norway, larvikite is created by the unique geology of the mountainous areas and has been attracting attention from European designers for its versatility.

LUNDHS Real Stone/Larvikite is available as slabs or tiles, needs no sealant treatment, is easy to maintain, and is great for water areas such as spas, backsplashes, countertops, and steam showers, due to its non-absorption properties. It also contains reflective minerals that generate a natural range of colour choices. In keeping with Norway’s progressive stance on environmental issues, the company is ISO-14001 certified. As Larvikite is composed of almost 100 percent feldspar with zero percent quartz, it eliminates any danger of silicosis for workers in Norway or the installers in North America.

The company also plans to recycle 100 percent of leftover Larvikite aggregate by 2025 and to encourage vegetation to return to the Norwegian quarries when they close, so environmentally aware end users can feel good about this product.

Exclusive – Natura sintered stone
“Marble is an ‘imperfectly perfect’ stone,” Gabriella explains. “It tends to show scratches and little dents or bumps with use, and some people don’t like that. They want a perfectly flat, smooth stone, and what Ernie has been able to do for those customers is source some of the best-sintered stone on the market, becoming the exclusive distributor for Natura, which is made in Italy.”

Sintering is the process of grinding and compacting leftover pebbles and rock-sized bits from quarries that would otherwise go to waste and forming a solid mass of material by applying heat and pressure, without melting the material to the point of liquefaction. Sintering is similar to the metamorphic geological processes that occur naturally and transform limestone into marble.

Sintered stone differs from other engineered stones, however, which use a similar process to convert aggregate into a solid mass. Sintered stone is carbon-neutral and 100 percent natural, whereas other engineered stones are a composite of stone and other substances, including polymer resins.

Natura sintered stone has many benefits. It’s hard—more so than some granite surfaces—and non-porous, so doesn’t require a sealant. Hence it’s scratch-resistant, durable, stain-resistant, heat-resistant, food-safe, and unaffected by UV rays.

The Natura line of products is tailored to suit specific needs. Natura is ideal for interior use, including elegant wall panelling and fireplace surrounds as well as countertops and backsplashes, but also outdoors around pool areas and cabanas, while the Natura Esterno line offers high durability and load capacity for outdoor applications, including patio flooring, steps, and interlocking pavers.

Indeed, the benefits of sintered stone sound quite remarkable. But what about the unique patterns that make natural stone so attractive? Are they sacrificed in the effort to produce a sturdier, more durable product?

Through the magic of digital printing, it turns out they are not, “and the slab can be made to have a marble, onyx, concrete, brick, or any other surface pattern,” Gabriella says. The possibilities are inspiring, with over 300 patterns within the collections, making choosing just one the most difficult part.

Marble Trend is currently looking forward to a launch party for Natura Sintered Stone at its newly renovated showroom in October for invited key industry guests—architects, designers, and construction engineers. “We’ll have a little shindig, with music and food and the opportunity to taste some of the fine wine Ernie imports from Italy,” Gabriella shares. “We launched the line during COVID, and that was hard… but now we’re going to seriously promote it. I think once people see the samples for themselves and hear Ernie speak on the Natura products, they’ll understand that this is a truly incredible product.”

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Offsite construction and prefabrication is an interesting business, explains Marchesani, because of the degree of control Panelized Building Solutions has over the work. The company does not, in truth, share this space with a lot of competitors thanks to the unique approach it takes. PBS does not sell its panels to other framing contractors or builders but instead provides a supply-and-install package for its customer base, coupled with top-tier client communications and services.

“Where we excel is the service,” Marchesani affirms. “We control all aspects from the time the builder has the design, to curating materials… to production and panel design, to installation.”

As housing shortages are front of mind across both the Canadian and international construction markets, PBS seeks to counter them by offering off-site home construction. Marchesani explains that the company essentially pre-fabricates an entire house in a factory, thereby reducing the possibility of material shortages and offering the builder a greater comfort level as well. In fact, managers on a building project needn’t have to worry about logistics at all, as PBS is happy to take that kind of work off the plate of its customers.

“Typically, our installation foreman will coordinate with a PBS logistics manager and deal with any scheduling internally, leading to less friction between parties and greater peace of mind for the builder,” explains Marchesani. This is indicative of the high degree of communication that PBS encourages in its client relationships, as builders come to rely on the company to point out anything in their architectural plans that needs to be altered or improved.

A deep study of a client’s plans and assisting in the editing of those plans is another part of the company’s offering. Marchesani has spoken with several clients over the years who praise the company for this communicative and helpful approach, adding that they feel they can sleep better at night because of the level of comfort PBS provides.

Since Construction in Focus’ previous article on the business in 2021, PBS has added another two wall lines to its production lineup, as well as greater capacity on its production floor and more roof production. A great deal more exposure for the company has also been generated in that time, as it has continued to expand its client base. PBS intentionally deals with both mid-sized and larger builders needing 250 to 500 homes a year as well as smaller builders with 50 to 150 homes annually, which gives it a bigger overall pool of builders with which to work.

The company has built upon both its service and its engineering capacity, Marchesani adds proudly. Speaking to the latter improvement, he remembers how engineering tasks used to be contracted outside of the business but have now been brought completely in-house, allowing for a greater degree of control for roof and floor engineering.

Marchesani shares that many of the bigger builders are gearing up for a busy future. 2025 is being earmarked as a big start year for housing, as government initiatives at every level call for more housing. This has led to a lot of calls from builders to PBS, who is ready to meet the demand. Today’s builders, he feels, are secure in calling on PBS because of its ability to reliably produce a large volume, but he has a bit of doubt if 2025 will see that specific level of predicted growth, especially as some industry trades integral to housing—manufacturers of windows, bricklayers, and siding—are back-ordered significantly or are seeing a significant shortage in their skilled trade. PBS also continues to proudly work together with the Ontario Home Builders Association and agrees with its values of creating more homes and greater construction safety, issues that will only become more important in the upcoming years.

As has become clear in many industries, the shortage of labour continues to be a real issue. PBS is at the forefront of dealing with this because the nature of its offsite construction and prefabrication work cuts down on labour and building time. Marchesani adds that only about three to four workers total are required to site install a house. Onsite installation takes approximately half the time of the traditional stick build.

Cranes are crucial for offsite construction and prefabrication work and are necessary to the entire process, especially to framers. PBS owns twenty mobile telescopic rotating handlers purchased exclusively from Italian manufacturer Magni Telescopic Handlers and its North American distributor, Stanmore Equipment Ltd. Marchesani affirms that putting two to three cranes on a site to serve the framers is “like having ten guys on a job,” and that cranes are an all-important asset to any job on which the company embarks.

Although he admits that this swift timeline has led to some criticism that PBS is too quick in its methods, he feels that not enough other trades are doing this kind of work to improve, which can lead to delays in the building process. However, Marchesani and PBS are hopeful that the housing demand can be met by today’s builders and that any interruptions will ultimately be dealt with.

The company’s plans for the rest of the year and beyond are to continually improve its service, especially to see where else it can provide more service to the builder. Marchesani’s credo around this is, ‘How do we make it easier for them?’ For example, the company has just invested in a temporary stair production line to be used during construction projects before permanent stairs are built, and this is another small way that it can take more off the plate of clients during a project.

PBS celebrates its first decade in business in 2023, during which time Marchesani and his crew have learned quite a lot. Chiefly, he names service as a key takeaway. “We get [so many] compliments on how our service is worth it… you can be a premium [service provider], but not if you don’t give good service.”

If the builder client does not see a speed and quality benefit, then it likely is not worth the price point, so being a one-stop shop for builders has been critical to the company’s success. Controlling all aspects of the business and bringing as much in-house as possible to control the whole process has been one of the best decisions PBS has made for itself in its opening decade. Marchesani sums up what the company can and will do for its clients: “Give us basements and concrete, and we’ll take care of the rest.”

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