February 13, 2009

Road wide open, says new ORBA president

PATRICIA WILLIAMS

staff writer

With infrastructure renewal topping the political agenda, the coming decade offers “tremendous opportunities” for the province’s roadbuilding industry, says Tom O’Callaghan, newly elected president of the Ontario Road Builders’ Association.

“But it will be up to us to maximize those opportunities,” says the vice-president of estimating at Fowler Construction Co. Ltd. in Bracebridge. “ORBA’s focus will be on helping members to do that in any way that we can.”

In a speech to the association’s 82nd annual convention, O’Callaghan said ORBA has worked for the past decade to get infrastructure on the political radar and move it up the list of priorities like health care and education.

“Today, infrastructure is number one in the public mind and on the political agenda,” he said. “You could almost look at it as a ‘perfect storm.’

“Our core infrastructure is getting old and governments no longer have the luxury of ignoring the need to repair and rehabilitate. Our urban centres are growing and new core infrastructure is needed to support the growth.

“The final element that brings it all together is the fact that governments recognize investment in infrastructure as a proven mechanism for kick-starting a weak economy. It has been proven that a dollar spent on infrastructure has a $4.60 multiplier into the economy.”

A graduate of Ryerson’s civil engineering technology program, O’Callaghan joined Fowler as an estimator in 1987 after a stint at Warren Bitulithic Ltd. He subsequently rose through the ranks to become chief estimator and then vice-president.

The fourth Fowler executive to serve as ORBA president, O’Callaghan said lobbying at Queen’s Park will continue to be a primary focus over the coming year.

“I’m not sure if members realize just how much we have progressed in that area over the past year,” he said.

“We are now working directly with ministries and government agencies on issues that weren’t even on our agenda a year ago. We have come a long way to make our voice stronger.

“We’ve also worked hard to ensure that ORBA is respected as a knowledgeable, proactive and reasonable voice for the civil construction industry. We will build on this strength even more in 2009.”

ORBA represents more than 100 roadbuilding contractors in addition to almost 80 associate members who manufacture, distribute and/or supply products, equipment and services to the roadbuilding industry.

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