March 19, 2010

Canadian Construction Association awards highlight excellence

PATRICIA WILLIAMS

staff writer

The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) has recognized outstanding contributions of both individuals and companies in the non-residential construction industry at its annual awards.

CCA presented awards to five people — including former chair Paul Charette who was named person of the year. Two construction associations and three companies were honoured as well.

This year’s award recipients are:

•CCA General Contractor Award of Recognition: Serge Massicotte of Massicotte Construction Ltd. of Ottawa. Massicotte has been chair of the General Contractors Association of Ottawa, the Ottawa Construction Association and the Ontario General Contractors Association. He has served the CCA in various capacities including chair of the standard practices committee. CCA said Massicotte has consistently demonstrated his commitment to the integrity and ethics of the industry. He has been a major contributor to the development and promotion of standard industry practices.

• CCA Trade Contractor Award of Recognition: Adrian Morrison of Black & McDonald. Currently the company’s Atlantic regional vice president, Morrison has demonstrated “tremendous dedication” to promoting the interests of trade contractors through his work as chair of the Construction Association of Nova Scotia and the Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada. Morrison is also a strong supporter of Techsploration, a program which provides women with opportunities in the trades.

•CCA Manufacturers, Suppliers and Services Award of Recognition: Ian Steer of Aluma Systems Inc. Vice-chair of finance at the Toronto Construction Association, Steer has contributed to the CCA through his involvement on the board of directors, the international business committee and most recently the Manufacturers, Suppliers and Services Council. Steer has helped provide a forum for suppliers to offer their opinions and ideas to the CCA and the industry, CCA said.

•CCA Roadbuilder Award of Recognition: John Flemming, president of Ocean Contractors Ltd. of Dartmouth. Currently chair of the CCA’s finance committee, Flemming has served as president of the Nova Scotia Road Builders Association.

•CCA Member Association Award of Excellence: Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Association. CCA said NLCA exerts a strong influence in the areas of government relations, education and member recruitment. Its relationship with the provincial government has resulted in implementation of a number of exceptional programs, including one which focuses on the challenges faced by the industry in retaining a skilled labour force.

•CCA International Business Award: Aluma Systems International of Concord received the award for its innovative approach to international market development. Aluma has a presence in more than 50 countries worldwide including Central America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia. In the past year, the company has focused its efforts on South American markets.

•CCA National Safety Award: Aluma Systems Inc. Through its commitment to safety, reaching an historic 10 million hours without a “lost time accident’ Aluma has exemplified safety, CCA said. Initiatives in the past year include publication of an advanced environment, health and safety manual, emergency response training for all employees and fall prevention training for employees. Aluma also has demonstrated its commitment to increasing safety through the design and implementation of safety enhancements to product lines, leadership in safety groups and industry initiatives and employee participation in industry safety committees across the country.

•CCA Environmental Achievement Award: Morsky Hy-Speed Soil Nailing Ltd. for its role in fixing the Theodore Dam site in Saskatchewan. CCA said erosion could have endangered the dam’s integrity causing flooding, increasing river sediment and turbidity, reducing water levels and impacting aquatic life. The company was able to stabilize the soil around the spillway making the area stable and able to protect against future river contamination.

•CCA Gold Seal Association Award: Grand Valley Construction Association. CCA said the association has kept the Gold Seal certification program at the core of its educational offerings. By championing Gold Seal certification, the GVCA “is helping guide the construction industry to sustainable success,” CCA said.

•CCA Excellence in Innovation Award: Ledcor Construction Ltd. of Vancouver for Safe Neighbours-A Ledcor guide to protecting the public. Safe Neighbours is unique in providing a humanistic approach to understanding how construction practices and human behavior relate, CCA said. The document was prepared with input from the Vancouver Community College’s hard of hearing and visually impaired departments.

•CCA Person of the Year Award: Paul Charette of Bird Construction Co. Ltd. CCA said Charette has been “a tremendous contributor” to construction associations at the local, provincial and national levels. A former chair of the Ontario General Contractors Association, Charette has served as chair of the CCA’s General Contractors Council as well as the CCA itself. He currently chairs the Coalition of Advanced Skills, a national coalition aimed at seeking continued and expanded federal support for the expansion of Canadian college training infrastructure.

The award ceremony took place during the CCA’s 92nd annual conference.

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