The IHSA is dedicated to increasing awareness of the need for workplace injury prevention to as wide an audience possible. One of the primary safety issue for the member industries served by IHSA relates to workplace falls. Falls are a major cause of injury and death in Ontario workplaces and a majority of these incidents involve falls from heights.
We are urging you to participate in this year’s Keep Your Promise – Do Your Part campaign. While this is an ongoing longer-term campaign, a week-long Falls Awareness Week will also take place from May 7-11, 2018. This is Ontario’s first week-long awareness campaign to bring attention to falls in construction.
Further to the IHSA Keep Your Promise message campaign, the purpose of Ontario’s first Falls Awareness Week is to remind workplace parties, employers and workers about the importance of their roles in preventing workplace injuries and fatalities stemming from working at heights. Falls Awareness Week is a voluntary opportunity for employers and workers to start a discussion by having a safety talk around fall hazards on the worksite.
Your organizations, unions, and associations can participate in this year’s campaign by instructing supervisors to simply take 15-30 minutes, anytime during your workday from May 7 – 11, 2018, to stop work on their worksite and hold a safety talk about falls prevention and safely working at heights.
IHSA has developed information materials to help hold a successful discussion on the topic of safely working at heights. The free, downloadable resources such as safety talks, magazines and brochures will be available at https://www.ihsa.ca/topics_hazards/fall_prevention_wah.aspx or by emailing doyourpart@ihsa.ca to receive a package of printed materials.
On April 17th the BCA hosted an informal meeting to discuss member’s experiences in dealing with the city’s building department.
We were seeking feedback – good or bad, with the objective of improving project timelines and alleviating red tape.
On May 2nd, the BCA Board of Directors met with Mayor Lehman to have an open discussion of the many issues brought to light in our meeting with members.
The Mayor was aware that there was a problem in the departments, and he assured the Board that it is a priority at the City to rectify the issues.
The BCA board will be coordinating with the Chief Administrative Office and the Director of Planning and Building Services to work on solutions together.
Huronia Alarm & Fire Security Inc. makes donation-in-kind to Hospice Georgian Triangle, Campbell House.
Huronia Alarm & Fire Security Inc. (HAFS) recently installed and donated a security system, access control and door entry systems as well as security cameras to Hospice Georgian Triangle. Hospice Georgian Triangle, Campbell House, is a residential palliative care residence for patients with a terminal diagnosis who are in the last stages of their life. This organization also provides support for the families and friends of the patient and provides a home-away-from-home experience with 24/7 professional care.
Hospice Georgian Triangle’s Campbell House hospice serves residents in the communities from the Town of Blue Mountains to Collingwood, to Wasaga Beach and Clearview Township.
“Continued support for services that we feel are an integral part of our community form the basis for our corporate donations program at Huronia,” said Rob Thorburn Jr, President & CEO at HAFS. “We have a number of relationships with similar organizations in the communities that we serve, and we believe that donating time, products and ongoing monitoring services are just some of the ways that we can help reduce the financial burden that these charitable organizations face each year.”
“The Hospice Georgian Triangle is an important part of the healthcare system in our area that often gets overlooked,” said Chris Johnson, Sales Consultant at HAFS who donated his sales commission for this project. “When the capital campaign to build an addition on Campbell House began, I had no idea that the hospice needed to raise 50% of their yearly operating budget, in addition to the funds being raised to construct the new wing. This organization depends on the generosity of the community to operate, and that’s part of the reason I donated my commission.”
“At the start of any capital campaign, there’s a lot of enthusiasm, but as the project nears completion we depend more and more on the support of our community partners to help our staff, volunteers, residents and visitors continue to receive the ongoing physical, emotional and spiritual care that they need to help them through coping with life-limiting illness,” said Kelly Borg, Executive Director at Hospice Georgian Triangle. “Huronia has proven to be been one of those special community partners who is committed to working with us for the long haul. And for that, we are truly grateful.”
Huronia Alarm & Fire Security Inc. has been in business for over 45 years and is Central Ontario’s leading provider of home and business security and monitoring services, CCTV, fire and safety, lock, key and safe products and services, home theatre, audio and video consultation and entertainment room design, as well as cabling and smart home wiring for today’s home automation requirements.
Photo Caption: Rob Thorburn Jr. (President and Chief Executive Officer) and Chris Johnson (Sales Consultant) from Huronia Alarm & Fire Security Inc. presents Kelly Borg (Executive Director), Bruce West (Board Chair, HGT Foundation) and Janet Fairbridge (Donor Relations Coordinator) of Hospice Georgian Triangle a cheque for $19,164.80. This represents the in-kind dollar-value amount for the supply and installation of a security system and camera system and related sales commission that Huronia donated to the Campbell House palliative care residence.
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For more information contact:
Media Inquiries: Jaclyn Jones, President at Whiting & Holmes Limited, 289-337-3662, jaclyn@whitingandholmes.com.
SpecificInquiries relating to Huronia Alarm & Fire Security Inc: Rob Thorburn Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer at Huronia Alarm & Fire Security Inc., 705-445-4444, rthorburn@huroniaalarms.com
SpecificInquiries relating to Hospice Georgian Triangle &/or Campbell House: Kelly Borg, Executive Director at Hospice Georgian Triangle, 705-444-2555, borgk@hospicegeorgiantriangle.com
On January 16th, 2018, Defence Construction Canada held a seminar for the Barrie Construction Association on how to obtain a security clearance to work at CFB Borden, a construction forecast for 2018 and an overview of their ebidding process. Copies of their presentations are below. If you have any questions regarding this material, you can contact the Barrie Construction Association office at info@barrieca.com, or visit the Defence Construction Canada website at https://www.dcc-cdc.gc.ca/english/homepage/ .
Huronia Alarm & Fire Security Inc. (HAFS) recently donated an access control security system to Operation Grow. Operation Grow is an initiative of Huronia Transition Homes. The program is designed to provide women with low-barrier employment opportunities a chance to gain valuable work experience apprentice-skills, earn a living wage and transition to mainstream employment, by growing fresh produce and herbs year-round, through unique vertical farming and cultivation practices. The greens will be sold by volunteers from a retail space at their new location; 436 Bay Street, Midland, Ontario.
“Security for the new premises and the safety of the people who work and visit the property is of the utmost importance,” said Kevin Leonard, COO of HAFS. “Huronia has been long-time supporters of Huronia Transition Homes, and I personally fundraise for this organization through my association with the Midland Y’s Men and our annual Walk a Mile event. To be able to donate and install security equipment that will help ensure that the women and volunteers at Operation Grow can work safely and securely is a perfect fit to HAFS’s corporate giving policy, and we are thrilled to be involved in this really unique self-sustaining program.”
“There is a peace of mind that these access control products give our staff, volunteers, residents and visitors,” said Kathy Willis, Executive Director at Huronia Transition Homes. “Huronia has been an outstanding community partner and this donation is an indication of their commitment to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our women.”
Huronia Alarm & Fire Security Inc. has been in business for over 45 years and is Central Ontario’s leading provider of home and business security and monitoring services, CCTV, fire and safety, lock, key and safe products and services, home theatre, audio and video consultation and entertainment room design, as well as cabling and smart home wiring for today’s home automation requirements.
Photo Caption: Kevin Leonard, Chief Operating Officer of Huronia Alarm & Fire Security Inc. presents a cheque for $3,000 to Kathy Willis, Executive Director at Huronia Transition Homes’ new social enterprise Operation Grow. This represents the dollar-value amount of the access control security system that Huronia donated to the Operation Grow facility.
December is a time for reflection, and as I look back on 2017 it has to go down in the record books as the most successful year for the BCA. For over twenty years, the BCA has lobbied the Provincial Government for change to the antiquated Construction Lien Act. What does this mean? Year after year, the BCA staff and board met with MPP’s to educate them on the real struggles faced every day by our members. Delayed payments in the construction industry are the norm, not the exception. While MPP’s over the years have sympathized, it was not until the introduction of Bill 142, Construction Lien Amendment Act, 2017, that any real hope for revolution was seen.
During three days of hearings at Queen’s Park, the Standing Committee on the Legislative Assembly heard from many stakeholders – some in favour of the legislative changes and some opposed (those against tight payment timelines). A strong argument for the passing of this Bill was needed. I was proud to address the Standing Committee during these hearings and fight for BCA member’s rights. The right for a fair day’s pay for a fair day’s work.
Under the newly re-named Construction Act, the vital proposed changes fall into three broad categories. Prompt Payment of Invoices – owners will have to pay contractors within 28 days of receipt of an invoice. Contractors will then have 7 days to pay their subcontractors. If all or part of the invoice is in dispute, the payer must give a notice of non-payment along with an explanation. The undisputed amount must still be paid. The Act creates a short-term dispute adjudication process to resolve payment disputes. The Modernization of the Act includes numerous changes including extending the lien period from 45 to 60 days and making the release of holdback mandatory. The BCA is fully committed to educating our members and local municipal purchasers on these sweeping changes.
The BCA alongside the Council of Ontario Construction Associations was involved in the creating of legislation, giving the BCA Members a voice. This is what belonging to the BCA means. I am proud of what our active board, our dedicated staff and you, our loyal members have achieved together.
I invite you to read the attached Year-End Report which highlights the business of the BCA in 2017 and how your membership dollars were utilized and it will give you a glimpse of what the board and staff will be undertaking in the coming year. A complete list of the BCA Standing Committees and the mandates of those committees is included along with our 2018 Calendar of Events. I encourage you to contact the board or myself with any comments or concerns and to let us know how we can help you.
In closing, I along with my staff and the Board of Directors wish all members, your families and employees a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and prosperous New Year.
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