Sewer and Watermain

February 8, 2012

Ontario court finds privilege clause in tender permits bypass of lowest bidder

In a formal binding bidding process, owners are under an implied duty to award to the low bid. However, this duty remains subject to exceptions, particularly where the owner includes reserved rights and privileges in its tender call that permit a bypass of the low bid or the cancellation of the tendering process.

February 7, 2012

York Region, Ontario approves subway construction expenditures

The Regional Municipality of York, which is the upper level of municipal government for cities and towns immediately north of Toronto, recently approved a capital budget that includes $332.2 million for rapid transit construction projects.

February 3, 2012

BML Multi Trades president Jim DiNovo takes helm of Hamilton-Halton Construction Association

Incoming Hamilton-Halton Construction Association (HHCA) president Jim DiNovo, president of Brantford’s BML Multi Trades Group Ltd., has put a commerce degree to good use in a career that has spanned several industries.

February 2, 2012

Ontario should review Municipal Class Environmental Assessment criteria: Report

A review of Ontario’s Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) concluded that the province should review certain criteria that will help determine projects likely to have fewer rather than larger environmental impacts. The report, by environmental lawyer Frank Zechner, was commissioned by the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO)

February 1, 2012

Hampstead, Quebec to spend $4 million on road construction

The town council of Hampstead, Quebec, on the island of Montreal, approved a three-year capital works program that includes $4 million on road rehabilitation in 2012.

January 31, 2012

Mark Van Bree takes over as Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association president

Don Sloat, outgoing president of the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association, passed the torch over to incoming president Mark Van Bree at the OSWCA annual general meeting and conference. The OSWCA worked with other organizations to re-introduce the One Call Act, which went through first and second reading at Queen’s Park. If passed, the Act would establish Ontario One Call Ltd. as a not-for-profit call centre, single point-of contact, for all underground utility location services in Ontario.

January 24, 2012

Toronto council approves $1.1 billion in capital projects

Toronto City Council has approved a capital budget that was essentially unchanged from that recommended by the executive and budget committees recently.

January 23, 2012

Plans in the pipe for World Plumbing Day March 11

Plumbing organizations across Canada are teaming up with the Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada (MCAC) and the Canadian Institute of Plumbing and Heating (CIPH) to celebrate World Plumbing Day. The March 11 event is dedicated to helping the general public better understand the vital role the plumbing industry plays in protecting public health and safety.

January 19, 2012

Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association lauds Toronto 2012 water rate change

As Toronto politicians, labour leaders and pundits argue over the city’s tax-supported proposed budget the head of the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association (OSWCA) is praising city council for approving a nine per cent increase in water rates.

January 18, 2012

New environmental regulations can create challenges and opportunities

Juli Aboucha of Willms & Shier Environmental Lawyers LLP and Dan Bunner of Environ Canada, talked about changes to environmental regulations, such as the Records of Site Condition in Ontario, during the annual Construction Superconference in Toronto.