roofingbc summer 2011

Chilliwack Roofingcelebrates a milestonewith a “bring it on”attitudeBy Frank O’Brien

Chilliwack Roofing Ltd. celebrates50 years of service to the FraserValley roofing industry in 2011, andpresident Howard Schlamb doubtsthe next half-century will be anyeasier than the last.

“It’s a dog fight out there,”Schlamb said, “The roofing marketis super competitive right now.”

But if you bet on a fight, thesmart money would be on thecontender with experience andbacked by a top crew of veteranswho have overcome tougherchallenges in the past.

Howard Schlamb knows roofing.He started work with his father andcompany founder Oscar Schlamb

back in 1979 after a brief stint inthe oil fields. In 1992 Howard andhis brother (company vice-presidentMelvin) bought the company fromtheir father.

From their Chilliwack location,Chilliwack Roofing has grown intoone of the leading roofingcontractors in the Fraser Valley,running trucks and up to five crewsas far east as Hope and working allacross the Valley.

“We go anywhere the work is,”Howard Schlamb said.

Oscar, now 75, still lends a hand,an indication of the commitmentthat has driven Chilliwack Roofingfrom the beginning.

When Roofing BC caught up withHoward, his crews were finishing a100,000 square foot torch-on rooffor the new Rosedale ElementarySchool in Chilliwack. Other recent

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Roofing Contractors Association of BC9734 201 StreetLangley, BC Canada V1M 3E8

THE VOICE OF PROFESSIONAL ROOFING CONTRACTORS Vol. 8, No. 2 • SUMMER 2011

SUMMER 2011I N T H I S I S S U E :

CHILLIWACK continued on page 6

Women in roofingGender bias is becoming a thing ofthe past as more women enter thetrades. See page 14

Melvin, Oscar and Howard Schlamb

Member profile: 50 years in the fight

FEATURES:Member profile: Chilliwack Roofing.......................1Women in roofing .....................14

ASSOCIATION:President’s message .................. 3RCABC now COR ....................... 4Steep roof training /licensinginitiative in works ......................4

INDUSTRY NEWS:Update: BC Place Stadium roof ..............................10VRCA gears for awards .......... 10Telus tower: 10,000 sf of green roof ........................... 11Surrey hospital expands..........11Largest warehouse underconstruction............................... 12Instant town in Cumberland.. 12Cube design takes woodhonours .................................... 12New metal cutting tool ............13Fire resistant shingles ..............13Steep slope roofing safety..... 18AIBC names architecturalwinners........................................19BOMA awards top projects.....19Fire levels first 6-storey wood building .......................... 20Solar power future in doubt.. 21Horizontal high rise ................ 22Princeton welcomes new copper mine ............................ 24International RoofingSymposium set......................... 24Oxford starts new tower ........ 24Kelowna recovers fromdownturn ................................... 25Building permits up, butresidential slowing .................. 26

COLUMNLegal Affairs: Hiring foreign workers? ........ 26

101 Industries Ltd.Admiral Roofing Ltd. Advanced Systems Roofing and Waterproofing Ltd.Alpha-Duron Roofing Ltd.Alpha Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc.Aquaproof Membrane Services Inc.Arbutus Roofing & Drains (2006) Ltd.Arcona Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd.Arctic Roofing Ltd. Aurora Roofing Ltd.BF Roofing Ltd.Bollman Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd.Broadway Roofing Co. Ltd.Cambie Roofing Contractors Ltd.Campbell & Grill Ltd.Cascade Roofing & Waterproofing (2007) Inc.Chilliwack Roofing Ltd.Coast Hudson Ltd.Coastal Roofing Ltd.Continental RoofingCrown Roofing & Drainage Ltd.Design Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd.D.M. Henderson Roofing Ltd.Eby & Sons Construction Ltd. Flynn Canada Ltd.G & G Roofing Ltd.GRC Columbia Roofing Inc.Harvard Industries Ltd.Heritage Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd.Homan Contractors Ltd.Hunter Roofing Ltd.

Interior Roofing (2001) Ltd.Kelowna Roofing (1984) Ltd.Laing Roofing Ltd.Laing Roofing (Vernon) Ltd.Lam Metal Contracting Ltd.Langley Roofing Co. Ltd.Mack Kirk Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd.Mainline Roofing Co. Ltd.Marine Roofing (1996) Ltd.Metro Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd.Mica Holdings Ltd.Mid-City Roofing & Sheet Metal (2008) Ltd.Nelson Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd.Nielsen Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd.Olympic Roofing Ltd.Pacific Restorations (1994) Ltd.Pacific Waterproofing Ltd.Parker Johnston Industries Ltd.Peter Magas Roofing Ltd.Pocklington Building Systems Ltd.Prince Sheet Metal & Heating Ltd.Raven Roofing Ltd.Roy Dennis Roofing (2005) Ltd.Standard Roofing CorporationTomtar Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd.Top Line Roofing Ltd.Totem Roofing & Insulation Ltd.Trail Roofing Ltd.Transwest Roofing Ltd.Universal Sheet Metal Ltd.Villa Roofing & Sheet Metal Ltd.Western Roofing (Master Roofers) Ltd.

Active MembersProfessional Roofing Contractors that support

an educated and committed workforce

Associate Memberscompanies focused on the manufacture and distribution of qualityroofing products that meet or exceed changing industry standards

AR EPS FoamAtlas Roofing CorporationBlue Ridge Fiberboard, Inc.Building Products of Canada Corp.Canada Metal (Pacific) LimitedCarlisle SynTec Systems CanadaCedar Grove Roofing SupplyCedar Shake & Shingle BureauCertainTeed CorporationCGC Inc.Convoy Supply Ltd.Dow Chemical Canada ULCDuro-Last Roofing, Inc.Firestone Building ProductsGAF/ElkGarland Canada Inc.GenFlex Roofing Systems LLCGeorgia Pacific CanadaGrace Construction ProductsHAL Industries Inc.Henry Company CanadaHunter PanelsIKO Industries Ltd.IntertekInterWrap Inc.Johns Manville CorporationLouiseville Specialty Products Inc.Makin Metals Ltd.

Malarkey Roofing CompanyMansonville Plastics (B.C.) Ltd.Menzies Metal ProductsMercury Metals, a Div of VicwestMule-Hide Products Co., Inc.Owens Corning CanadaPabco Roofing ProductsPacific Roof CentrePhoenix Vinyl Sundecks Ltd. Plasti-Fab (Div. of PFB Corp.)Posi-Slope WesternPro-Line Construction Materials LtdProtecto WrapRMAX, Inc.Roofmart Pacific Ltd.Roxul, Inc.Sika SarnafilSimplex Asphalt Products SiplastSlegg LumberSFS intec Fastening SystemsSoprema Inc.Steels Industrial Products Ltd.Tech-Crete Processors Ltd.Tremco Ltd.Western Wood Truss AssociationWestform Metals

ENGINEERING VALUE... ALWAYS LOOKING FORWARD9734 - 201 Street • Langley, BC V1M 3E8 • Tel 604-882-9734 • Fax: 604-882-1744 • www.rcabc.org

ROOFING BC SUMMER 2011 3

From the President

Diverseworkforcechanges theface of roofingOnce again it is my privilege tooffer some comment on theactivities of RCABC during the pastfew months. I hesitate to call thisissue a summer edition consideringthat there has been little evidenceof warm and dry weather of late.Luckily, living in Prince Rupert Ihave become somewhat immune tothe vagaries of the weather and likeall good farmers (I mean roofers), Icontinue to pray for dryer weatherin order to get to the fields.

In this issue of RBCthe primary focus is onsafety and riskmanagement issues aswell asacknowledgement ofthe increasedparticipation of womennot only in the roofingtrade, but generally intrades traditionallyconsidered as maledominated. Thiscoincides directly with theincreasingly rapid changes in ourindustry, as new owners take overestablished companies and thecompetition for qualified personnelbecomes even more challenging.These new owners will benefit from

a workforce that is diverse, moreeducated and trained in good workhabits as well as safe workprocedures. We are fortunate thatstaff at the RCABC school is focusedto work with the public schoolsystem, an investment that hasresulted in sound recruitmentstrategies of new workers forRCABC members. Whether inroofing, architectural sheet metal,building envelope or steep roofingtraining, RCABC remains a leaderand a yardstick by which otherassociations are measured.

It was with this leadership inmind that the RCABC took theunprecedented step of mandatingthat all contractor memberscomplete the Certificate ofRecognition (COR) Programfacilitated by the BC ConstructionSafety Alliance as an ongoing

membershiprequirement. Thisdecision, as with anysignificant policychange, was notundertaken withoutconsiderable discussionby the RCABC Board.There is no doubt thatit has cost each andevery membersignificantly, whether itrequires a Small or a

Large Company Audit (under orover 20 employees). However it is acost that will have significant returnby reducing time lost to accidents,greater productivity, and bettermorale among employees. Althoughit may be considered a burden to

some, it is one that the RCABCmember firms have taken onwhole-heartedly. At the time ofwriting, nearly every RCABCmember has completed therequirements and / or has receivedCOR Certification. What anachievement, something to be trulyproud of!

This dedication to riskmanagement, by the members ofRCABC, is another indication of thevalue attributed to employees andthe contribution they make to thecompany bottom line.

As we move forward I amconfident that the RCABC willcontinue to be viewed as aninnovative risk taker, a leader that

will remain a notch above otherassociations with a membershipviewed as professional in theroofing industry. Personally, I wouldlike to thank all the members forthe hard work that went into thisachievement. Thanks for yourcommitment and for putting yourmoney on the table.

Is that the sun I see pokingthrough? Summer is coming and soI wish every professional roofingcontractor best wishes for theharvest and a safe and productiveseason.

Regards, Tony Caputo,

President, Roofing ContractorsAssociation of British Columbia ■

Tel: 604-882-9734 • Fax: 604-882-1744

ADMINISTRATIONExecutive Vice PresidentBrian Hofler, [email protected]

Associate Executive Vice PresidentIvan van Spronsen, TQ

[email protected]

Executive AssistantBarbara [email protected]

EDUCATIONEducation & Training ManagerShirley Caldwell, PID, TQ

[email protected]

Senior InstructorDavid Rice, I.P., PID, RRO

[email protected]

RegistrarCindy [email protected]

TECHNICALTechnical ManagerRob Harris, [email protected]

Technical AdvisorSeverin Wolf, ME

[email protected]

Guarantee AdministratorKaren [email protected]

RISK MANAGEMENTSafety & Risk Management Supervisor

Roger Sové, I.P., PID, [email protected]

MISSION STATEMENTThe mission of the Roofing Contractors Association ofBritish Columbia is to provide its members with the

training, support, and leadership required to enable themto offer customers the highest quality roofing practices,guarantees and business ethics in the roofing industry.

Tony Caputo

LANGLEY – The RoofingContractors Association ofBC has made the Certificateof Recognition (COR), issuedby the BC Construction SafetyAlliance, a condition of newand ongoing membership inthe association. The certificationwas required to have beencompleted no later than June 30,2011.

In a letter to RCABC’s membersthis spring, Associate EVP Ivan vanSpronsenstated, “Most ofour membershave alreadyinvested the thetime and energyto receive thecertification, andI am confidentthat each firm will complete this inthe allotted time frame.”

As van Spronsen pointed out, theRCABC’s “strong message aboutsafety has not gone unnoticed inour industry,” citing an article inWorkSafe’s March-Aprilmagazine, which madereference to thepolicy about CORrequirement.

RCABCmembers havehad plenty of helpto get the CORdesignation.

“RogerSové, ourRisk Manager,has been working diligently inwalking members through theprocess,” said van Spronsen.“BSSCA has also offered to givepreferential assistance inprogram support and to fast-track an application or auditsubmitted by an RCABCmember.”

Stephen Peszel,Manager of Programsfor BCCSA, explains thatthe only cost associatedwith acquiring CORdesignation is paying the

auditor, who is charged withensuring that each company hasfollowed specified criteria inestablishing their own health &

safety program andmanual, and that theemployees have beeneducated about, andare adhereing to, safework practices thatmeet or exceed theprocedures outlined byWorkSafeBC.

The fee for the audit variesdepending on the number of daysrequired to conduct it, and how farafield the auditor must travel inorder to inspect the firm’s job sitepractices.

Peszel ispleased to see

the number offirms that have recognized theimportance of putting an in-depthsafety program into practice. Theinitial monetary investment will payoff in reduced injuries and improvedmorale, not to mention huge

savings in WorkSafeBCpremiums.

“If you think safety isexpensive, wait till you seewhat happens if you have anaccident,” he says. ■

Roofing BC is published quarterly onbehalf of the Roofing ContractorsAssociation of BC and the professionalroofing industry by Market AssistCommunications Inc.

Roofing BC online at: www.rcabc.orgManaging Editor and PublisherJ. Michael SiddallPhone: 604-740-8369E-mail: [email protected]

EditorFrank O’Brien

Consulting EditorBrian Hofler, M.Ed.E-mail: [email protected]: 604-882-9734

CirculationBarbara PorthPhone: 604-882-9734E-mail: [email protected]

Production/Art Director and Advertising AssociatePaddy TennantPhone: 604-507-2162E-mail: [email protected]

Contributing WritersTony CaputoDon SchoutenPaddy Tennant

While information contained in thispublication has been compiled fromsources deemed to be reliable, neitherthe publisher nor the RCABC will be heldliable for errors or omissions. The opinions expressed in the editorialand advertisements are not necessarilythose of the publisher or RCABC.

4 SUMMER 2011 ROOFING BC

Steep roof training /licensing initiatives in the worksThe RCABC has been working with industry stakeholders on a proposal fora Registered Steep Roofer License and Certification Program (RSRLCP) forcontractors who work in the (residential) steep roofing sector.

In a bid to improve work practices and reduce injuries in residential roofconstruction, the RCABC hopes that the training and subsequent licensing ofsteep slope roofers would be mandatory within the province. WorkSafeBCreports dramatic statistics about the incidence and cost of steep-roofinginjuries, which are higher than any other sector of the construction industry.See Don Schouten’s article on page 18.

The Council of Construction Associations (COCA) was quick to lend itssupport for this timely initiative by agreeing that, with the assistance ofpresident Grant McMillan, COCA would lobby for a WorkSafeBC regulationto require the training and certification of workers in the steep sloperoofing industry. The timeliness of this proposal is prophetic consideringthat RCABC has also petitioned the Industry Training Authority (ITA) tomove services for residential steep roofing from the ResidentialConstruction Industry Training Organization (RCITO) to the ConstructionIndustry Training Organization (CITO). COCA provided a letter in support forRCABC’s request in view of its previous endorsement of a licensingprogram, which included a review of the current Residential Steep RoofingProgram Outline.

If the proposal is accepted by the ITA, the development of the pilotprogram could be started as early as this Fall. RCABC EVP Brian Hoflerbelieves it would take a minimum of one year to develop the necessaryresources to run a pilot project. He estimates the finished program may befour weeks in duration (depending on stakeholder input), and includeinstruction in technical applications as well as any risk reduction strategiesthat protect workers as well as improve the quality of the roofing work.

The CITO would work with the RCABC to develop the training criteria,and the resulting licensing program would be overseen by WorkSafeBC.

Hofler, who was hoping for a decision from the ITA by the time RoofingBC went to press, speculated that if approval is given then RCABC, workingwith industry stakeholders, would help to guide the process of redevelopingthe current training materials. Although the Roof, Damp and WaterproofingInterprovincial (IP) training program currently includes a steep roofingcomponent, a new dedicated program could be of value to individuals whoprefer to remain employed strictly in the steep roofing sector. It may bepossible to develop a program of shared competencies, thus allowing steeproofers the opportunity to earn an IP Red Seal designation in the future,Hofler says. ■

RoofingPracticesManualnow onlineThe RCABC Roofing PracticesManual (RPM) is now availableonline. It is the mostcomprehensive roofing manualavailable in Canada, and a mustfor all roofing contractors andspecifiers requesting the RCABCGuarantee for workmanship andmaterials.

The RPM includes theGuarantee Standards forapplication, accepted materiallist with the manufacturer’sdescription of products, andtypical detail drawings for theRGC Guarantee Program. It hasover 1200 pages and is dividedinto 12 sections related to thedifferent material groups anddetails. The manual is updatedtwice yearly, including newlyaccepted roofing products, withinput from RCABC’s TechnicalCommittee.

Anyone writing a roofing orwaterproofing specification cannow access this manual free ofcharge on the RCABC website:www.rcabc.org ■

The BC Construction Industry Training Organization (BCCITO) is here to help our industry train for the future: the right workers, with the right knowledge and skills, the right standards, at the right time for the right needs.

Visit our website:

250.374.0154 250.426.0156

#1– 825 Laval Crescent 548 Industrial Road DKamloops BC V2C 5P2 Cranbrook BC V1C 6R8

www.westernroofing.ca

RCABC: safety at the COR


projects include a new Toyotadealership, the GW GrahamSecondary School, and scores ofboth single-family and multi-familyresidential roofs.

Chilliwack Roofing handles torch-on systems, fiberglass shingles,EDPM roofing, TPO single-plysystems and metal flashings, trimand cladding. The company has ametal shop as part of its 2,300-square-foot Chilliwackheadquarters.

Like the president, many ofChilliwack Roofing’s 30-person staffhave been with the company foryears, some for two decades ormore. The ability to provide steadywork has helped Chilliwack retaintop tradespeople, many of whomhave received training through theRCABC campus in Langley.

Chilliwack Roofing drew on itsown staff to implement the CORsafety program. Company

CHILLIWACK continued from page 1

Three generations of Schlambs – L-R: Nathan, Melvin, Oscar, Howard, Cody, CurtisMelvin’s son Nathan, 23, who works for the company full time, has completed his first year of apprenticeship. Howard’s son Cody, 24, whose goal is to be a teacher, has completed two years of his apprenticeship, and works summers in Chilliwack Roofing’s estimating department. Meanwhile his brother Curtis, 19, is on the rooftops, paying his way through his Engineering degree.

[The crews] haveadapted well to the newsafety regulations...They have learned tostep back, and take fiveor 10 minutes to makesure everything isbeing done right.

Fifty-two modular homes from the2010 Olympic and Paralympic Villagein Whistler are being reconfigured intoTimber Grove Apartments, permanentaffordable subsidized rental homes inSurrey for seniors and people withdisabilities who are at risk ofhomelessness. The building envelopeand other associated work is beingdone on-site by Heatherbrae BuildersCo. Ltd., which sub-contracted theroofing to Chilliwack Roofers. Thestructure was completely tarpedoverhead to keep everything dry whilethe roof was being worked on.

accountant Phyllis Nachtigal took onthe COR audit training and the role ofHealth & Safety Officer. “We felt thathaving an in-house health and safetyofficer would allow more directcontrol,” Nachtigal said, adding thatthe crews have adapted well to thenew safety regulations. “They havelearned to step back, and take five or10 minutes to make sure everythingis being done right,” she said. Thecompany has never had a seriousaccident.Slowdown seen

Schlamb always keeps a close eyeon infrastructure work as a harbingerof construction, and he sees aslowdown coming.

“Crews have to be putting pipes inthe ground before there is anybuilding,” he said, “and there is lesspipe going into the ground.”

Schlamb says the recession thatrocked most of Canada in 2009 is justnow being felt in the Fraser Valley.

For example, Chilliwack has seenthe largest decline in housing startsof any urban centre in BritishColumbia this year. For the first fourmonths, there has been a total of 86home starts, down 69 percent from2010. Multi-family starts are down75 percent.

This represents a challenge toChilliwack Roofing, which runs threeresidential crews.

The answer: go after jobs furtherafield and compete for governmentcontracts, such as the $77.5-millionprison expansions planned for theFraser Valley over the next threeyears. This includes expansions atboth the Kent and Matsquiinstitutions.


SBS vapour retarder being applied to the steel Q-deck ata new Shoppers Drug Mart being built in Abbotsford

Health & Safety Officer Phyllis Nachtigal withChilliwack Roofing’s safety manual, which is“over 1,000 pages, and constantly undergoingchanges and updates.” Nachtigal adds thatwith institutional and government contractswhere the RGC guarantee is specified, theircustomers are now asking to see thecompany’s health and safety program beforework commences. The entire document hasbeen put on disk to easily and economicallysatisfy those requests.

Laying of acoustic insulation at the new Rosedale Elementary/Middle School in Chilliwack

The Rosedale project continues with acoustic insulation, vapourretarder, Polyisocyanurate insulationand tapered EPS crickets


“We will have to wait for theprivate sector to start up again,”Schlamb said. Meanwhile,Chilliwack Roofing will do what itdoes best: offer competitive pricingand a sterling reputation for qualityservice.

Rated A+ by the Better BusinessBureau and a long-time member ofthe RCABC, Chilliwack has an edgeagainst many in the constructionarena.

Schlamb is a director of theRCABC and he is proud that hiscompany was one of the first tosign on for insurance coverage withRCA Indemnity Corp, one of manyadvantages he sees in RCABCmembership.

“Being a member of RCABC putsyou into the top echelon of theindustry,” Schlamb said, “andwithout the RCABC guarantee youcan’t really compete on the biggerprojects.”

When Schlamb is not workinghis typical 12 hour days, he likes tohelp friends with constructionprojects, fishing on the Fraser River,and sharing time with Alison – hiswife of 28 years – his two sons andone daughter, all three of whom arein university.

Secession planning? The 50-yearold may think about it later – butwhoever succeeds him will have avery strong foundation to build onanother fifty years of successfulbusiness. Meantime, he has anotherfight to win. ■

A single family residential project underway in Chilliwack

A muti-family strata complex in Surreyundergoes a cedar shake conversion


BC Place Stadiumroof over budgetMontreal-based Canam Group says it is facing a $25million cost overrun for the steel structure for thenew BC Place Stadium roof.

Marc Dutil, chief operating officer of the CanamGroup, told the Vancouver Sun that the installationof the cables ended up costing “several, severaltimes” the estimated cost in order to keep the projecton schedule. The company is absorbing the loss.

“Vancouver is going to have the largestretractable cable-roof in the world and the largest ofsomething always comes with new things,” he said

of the difficulties encountered in attaching the cablesto their towers and stringing them over the stadium.

Dutil said Canam has set aside $25 million tocover the cost over-run and that he expects therewill be no impact on either the cost to BC taxpayersor on the scheduled September 30 opening of thestadium for a BC Lions game.

The overall contract for the retractable roof wasawarded to PCL, which sub-contracted the steelfabrication and cable assembly to the Canam Groupfor $120 million.

The Canam Group, in turn, sub-contracted thecable assembly to French company Freyssinet. Dutilsaid Canam is attempting to work out a plan torecover some of the losses with its sub-contractor,according to the Vancouver Sun report. ■

In 2010, a Landmark Award was given to ITC Construction Group for the Woodward’s Redevelopmentproject, only the third time in the 22 year history of the VRCA awards that the Landmark Award waspresented. Photo: VRCA

VRCA gears for industry awardsVANCOUVER – The Vancouver Regional Construction Association has receivedall the entries and will be presenting the 2011 annual Awards of Excellence onOctober 19 in Vancouver.

The 18th annual awards, which often include projects that involved membersof the RCABC, will be presented at the Vancouver Convention Centre West.

Categories include construction projects valued at up to $15 million; projectsbetween $15 million and $40 million; and projects over $40 million. ■

BC Place Stadium to open this September. Photo: The Sports Market


By Dermot Mack

General contractor EllisDon has been chosen tobuild the $512 million expansion to the SurreyMemorial Hospital –the largest health careproject in BC’s history.And while site work hasbegun, the roofingcontractor has yet to benamed, according toEllisDon projectengineer Ahmad Tadbin.

“It will not be agreen roof,” Tadbin said,adding that he expectedthe roofing contracts tobe awarded “within afew months.”

The hospitalexpansion is apublic/privatepartnership betweenthe provincial government via Fraser HealthAuthority and a private consortium, IntegratedTeam Solutions. The design is by CEIArchitecture Planning Interiors and ParkinArchitects.

The hospital addition includes an eight storeycritical care tower and a new, larger emergencydepartment about five times the size of theexisting building.

The project is designed and will be built toachieve LEED gold certification. It will alsomaximize the interior and exterior use of wood

in keeping both a Surrey and provincialgovernment “wood first” policy for institutionalconstruction.

BC Finance Minister Kevin Falcon said:“Combined with the new $237 million JimPattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centrethat is set to open in June, we will have addedover three quarters of a billion dollars toSurrey’s health-care infrastructure.”

The expansion at Surrey Memorial will alsoinclude a roof-top helipad and renovations tothe existing hospital.

The new emergency department will becompleted in 2013 and the critical care towerwill open in 2014. ■

Telus tower: 10,000 squarefeet of green roofBy Dermot Mack

The new Telusheadquarters indowntownVancouver willnot only cost$750 millionand include onemillion squarefeet of space, itwill also sporttwo forests aspart of a largegreen roof.

The project isbeing developedalong Georgia Street in downtown Vancouver and, according to Telus, will be one of themost technologically and environmentally advanced sites of business and urban living inthe world.

Telus has partnered with Westbank Projects Corp. on the project. The design is byHenriquez Partners.

The general contractor is Icon Pacific Construction Corp. of Vancouver, the constructiondivision of Westbank.

The Telus development will create half a million square feet of new office space formultiple tenants and 500 new residential units. All the units will set new standards forenvironmental sustainability. The 22-storey signature office tower will be the first buildingin Canada built to the new 2009 Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)platinum standard, and the 44-storey residential tower will be built to LEED goldstandard.

“Telus Garden will be a breathtaking place to live and work,” said Telus CEO DarrenEntwhistle. “It will be an architectural icon that will consume 30 percent less energythanks to its responsible, leading edge design.”

The new head office will feature 10,000 square feet of green roofs, providing organicproduce for local restaurants, and two “elevated forests”, 22 floors above the street.

The project’s construction will pump hundreds of millions of dollars into the localeconomy and create three million person-hours of employment during construction,Entwhistle added. Work is scheduled to begin this fall and be complete in 2015. ■

The biggest health care project in BC history, the Surrey Memorial Hospital expansion will becomplete by 2014. The roofing contracts have yet to be awarded. Photo: EllisDon

$512 million Surrey hospitalexpansion breaks groundRoofing contracts – which will include a heli-pad – will be called this year

“Instanttown”planned forCumberland COMOX – Vancouver-based TrilogyGroup is proceeding with an“instant town” at the Village ofCumberland, about six miles

southwest of Courtenay on theIsland Highway. The biggest realestate development planned in BC,the 640-acre project is called Cayetand has been approved for 1,300homes and 800,000 square feet ofretail and other commercial space. Itis also the site of a planned regionalhospital.

John Evans, president of Trilogy,and one of the original WhistlerVillage developers, says thecompany will spend about $110million preparing the property for

development, including addinginterchanges on the Island highwayand Comox Valley Parkway.

The land is the only point on theIsland Highway, which runs northfrom Nanaimo, that allowscommercial development within1,000 feet of the highway.

Trilogy has provincial approvalsfor the infrastructure work andexpects to begin tendering in thefirst quarter of next year, Evanssays. He said the retail developmentwill include a mix of big-box stores

and a “lifestyle mall” such as LarcoDevelopments has built in SouthSurrey and West Vancouver’s ParkRoyal expansion. Some 50developers have expressed interestin the project, including seven fromAlberta.

The provincial governmentforecasts that the population of theComox Valley will increase by 43percent over the next 25 years,compared to a growth rate of 34percent for the province of BC in thesame period. ■


Chuck Bailey Centre made primarily out of woodPhoto: City of Surrey

Cube design takes wood honoursBURNABY – The City of Surrey’s 20,000-square foot Chuck BaileyRecreation Centre, designed by CEI Architecture Planning Interiors, has beenselected as one of five recipients of the prestigious Wood WORKS! Awards.

Michael McNaught, the centre’s design architect, said wood is thepredominant element in the Centre. It is used structurally to support a 40-foot glass cube that serves as the entrance to the building. Wood also formsthe swooping edge shape of the roofline. Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts calledthe Centre ‘‘a beautiful architectural landmark in our City Centre. Byincorporating a lot of wood and environmentally-friendly features, thefacility is more sustainable and efficient.”

Wood WORKS! is a national initiative of the Canadian Wood Council. Itsgoal is to support innovation and provide leadership on the use of woodand wood products. ■

Rendering shows scale of development of Cayetproject at Cumberland. Tenders for constructionshould be called next year. Photo: Trilogy Group

Largestsingle levelwarehouseunderconstructionThe Beedie Group is planning thelargest single-level warehouse everbuilt in the Lower Mainland, a504,000-square-foot building in theQueensborough area of NewWestminster.

Kruger Inc., a tissuemanufacturer, has contracted thebuilding, and it is expected tocontinue a trend towards bigindustrial projects.

Kruger’s future warehouse won’tbe Metro Vancouver’s largest. Thattitle belongs to the 685,000-square-foot warehouse near NewWestminster’s Braid Street SkyTrainstation that Woodward’s built in the1980s and is now used in part byBest Buy Canada. It was completelyreroofed last year.

Avison Young principal RobGritten believes the recent boom inwarehouse construction marks theend to a lull that started during the1990s. “In the last few years therehave been several million squarefeet built in the 400,000-square-foot size range alone,” Gritten said.“That’s really unusual for ourmarket. We haven’t seen thatbefore.” ■


IDEAL TKO hole cutter.Photo: IDEAL

New metalcutting toollaunchedSYCAMORE, IL – A new carbide-tipped hole cutter that can drillthrough metal roofs will fit anystandard drill, according to IDEAL,which introduced the TKO holecutter this spring. It can be used fordrilling holes for electrical, HVAC ormaintenance work.

An ejection spring wrappedaround the drill cleanly ejects slugsand creates burr-free openings, thecompany claims.

IDEAL TKO hole cutters areavailable in a full range of sizes upto two-and-half-inch. ■

ROOFING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

Tel 604 882 9734 Fax 604 882 1744 Email [email protected] www.rcabc.org9734 201st Street | Langley, BC | V1M 3E8

ENGINEERING VALUE... ACHIEVING OUTSTANDING RESULTS

A culture of innovation, sound management principals and education delivers sustainable value

and enhances customer satisfaction. RCABC has set the standards for the roofing industry with

a commitment to continuously improving quality and performance. RCABC supports these high

standards with the industry’s most comprehensive Guarantee Program.

Identifying alternative methods to achieve objectives with quality assurance practices –

that’s the RCABC Guarantee Corp’s successful approach to sustainability!

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KANSAS – DaVinci Roofscapes ispromoting its fire-resistancepolymer shingles as a replacementfor residential cedar shake roofs.

According to the company, itsBellaforté snap-fit tiles, made from

a polymer to look like slate, arerated Class A for fire retardance.

Backed by a 50-year limitedwarranty, the Bellaforté 12-inchslate roofing tiles include anintegrated rain gutter, leading edge

tab and rain dam. The roofing tiles use 20 percent

less material than traditionalsynthetic and natural slate shingles,saving resources and reducing thetile weight, DaVinci claims.

A square of Bellaforté roofingtile weighs 185 pounds, and helpsreduce both installation time andlandfill load due to reducedconstruction waste, the companysaid in a release. ■

DaVinci Bellaforté polymer roof tiles.Photo: DaVinci Roofscapes

Fire resistant shingles touted

by Paddy Tennant

Anyone who has watched theRCABC’s recruiting video “Show MeThe Money” will have seen

interviews with a few of theremarkable young womenwho have gone through theroofing apprenticeshiptraining program. They arestrong, hard working anddetermined to be verygood at what they do.

One common threadwe have heard fromthese women is thatmost of their malecounterparts areembracing theirpresence on the job

site – not because oftheir gender, but because

of their skills and workethic.The video is aptly named –

the wages can be veryattractive, and are enough of acarrot to be the main reasonmost roofers were initiallydrawn to the trade. But thework isn’t suited to justanyone. In fact, very fewpeople have “the right stuff”.

“If you don’t prove thatyou can do it, and be thereevery day with them, andnot take days off becauseyou broke a nail, they don’twant you there,” saysKristeen (Cullen) Coyle ofRaven Roofing.

In order to keep upwith the physicaldemands of roofing, thewomen build andmaintain a high levelof fitness. Tiffany(McLain) Newman ofAlpha Roofing &Sheet Metal inVictoria says “youdevelop strengthon the job,” andadds that shedoesTaekwondo

with her daughters “to stay limberand keep strong.” It has paid off forMcLean, who stands just over fivefeet tall. Newman’s boss, Alphasuperintendent Albert (Abby)Desloges, comments “She convincedme that she would pull her shareand that I would not bedisappointed.” Newman has not lethim down – she was recentlynamed BC’s top roofing apprenticefor 2010.

When not teaching, RCABCroofing instructor Simone Ballardrenovates her house and works inthe garden. Misty McInnis, a third-year apprentice with Raven Roofingin Surrey, goes swimming to keepin shape.

Flynn’s Heidi-Lynn Froehlerlearned how to handle thepotentially back-breaking aspect ofthe trade through the RCABC’sapprenticeship training program. “I was concerned about things likeheavy lifting, but they don’t let youlift anything too heavy any more –you’re supposed to have a buddysystem,” she says.

“A lot of it is very heavy, and it’shard on the body, but if you worksmart you’re not going to get hurt,”adds Ballard.

In addition to the demands oftrade work itself, women withchildren are faced with extraburdens, such as balancing aworkday schedule with child care.

In order to work around thesummer heat, roofing crews startearly – 5:30 or 6:00am if possible.Anyone with young children knowsthat day care providers don’t startthat early in the day.

Newman is fortunate – herhusband gets their three daughtersto day care and school, and she isoff work early enough in theafternoon to pick them up.

But most mothers in trades aren’tthat lucky. Many spend hours everyday getting children to and fromschool and, when working at aremote job site, arranging day careand transportation.

Pride and prejudiceLike most trades, roofing

has traditionally been a male-dominated field. And thereare still a few die-hard menwho would like to keep itthat way. “The older guyspush you really hard to makesure you can do it,” saysCoyle, echoing the sentimentsof her female peers.

“Some guys think thatbecause they’re stronger thanyou they’re superior. You justhave to outshine them inother areas.” says Newman.

Women currently representjust 4 percent of constructiontradespeople, estimates AbigailFulton, vice president of the BCConstruction Association. “Weprobably need to see that figure at15% before women will no longerfeel stigmatized, and we’ll see morefemale-friendly construction sites.Fulton is optimistic however,speculating that there is “probablyless sexism” in construction than inmany other professions, and thatthe numbers are increasing, albeitslowly.

Rebecca McDiarmid, pastpresident of Canadian ConstructionWomen, has seen a change inattitude countless times. “As soon asthey understand you know whatyou’re doing, [the negativity] stops.”

Ballard had encountered some

negativity from a few men whohadn’t gotten to know her andrecognize what she could do. “Someguys want to be big and tough.They feel like it takes away fromthem when there are women on thejobsite, and will do whatever ittakes to try and show you that youcan’t do your job.”

McInnis related how she has hada few unpleasant experiences with[older] men who are not open towomen in trades. “I think they feelthat their jobs are threatened if awoman can do the same thing theycan,” she says.

These women all dealt withperceived inequality the same way –by proving that they could do theirjob just as well as the men.


Above: Misty Mcinnis of Raven Roofing,applying cap stripping to a curb on a newSave-On-Foods being built in Abbotsford

“If you that yo and be day wit not tak because a nail, want y

Kristeen

“I’ve neverencountered a boythat has ever tried toput me down becauseI’m a female... never”

Heidi-Lynn Froehler

Phyllis Nachtical,Health & Safety Officerof Chilliwack Roofing

McInnis is now veryhappy at Raven. Heremployer, Neil Rook,describes her as “areally good worker.”It’s a win-winsituation, according toMcInnis: “I really likemy crew, and theyview me as worker,not a woman.”

Newman describesherself as “very lucky”to be working with her“awesome crew andcompany.”

Some femaleroofers are fortunate in that theyhaven’t had to prove themselves inorder to be accepted as an equal.Heidi-Lynn Froehler, who hascompleted two years of herapprenticeship with Flynn, sayshappily, “I’ve never encountered aboy that has ever tried to put medown because I’m a female... never,ever.”

As it turns out, Froehler’scomments are illustrative of thehealthy camaraderie that can beenjoyed by today’s mixed-genderroofing crews.

McInnis comments withbemusement, “Once they get toknow me, they almost baby me –they won’t let me do any heavylifting. They like to be gentlemen.”

“You get a lot of attention whenyou come on at first.” says Coyle.“The guys wonder what you’redoing there.” Now that she’s provenherself, she says “It’s mostly good –[the men] want to help you with theheavy lifting and stuff.”

Newman speaks fondly of herclose-knit crew. “We’re all part of ateam – we help and complementeach other... like a big family.”Sugar and spice

It would appear that today,especially at the apprenticeshiplevel, any preconceived notions andgender bias are quickly dashed.

RCABC Education and TrainingManager Shirley Caldwell pointsout that “By the time [women] comehere they are at the end of theirfirst apprenticeship year, so havealready integrated with the men.”

In the classroom setting,Caldwell has observed, “Women areoften more focused. They take theirtraining seriously.”

Ballard believes that rather thanone gender being stronger in someareas than the other, “Women andmen see things differently – wehave different perspectives. Thewomen I had [as students] tooktheir training very seriously, as didthe ESL or other minorityapprentices. They feel like theyhave to work harder in order to betaken seriously.”

RCABC Risk Manager (andformer instructor) Roger Sovéconcurs. “Their work is as good asthe men, but they work harder toprove themselves,” he says.

Raven Roofing’s Neil Rook hashired four female roofers, one ofwhom he says was with the

company “for nine or ten years.”Coyle, currently on maternity leave,has been with Raven for five years.According to Rook, the women whohave worked for him “pay moreattention to detail and take morepride in what they do.”

Does female presence affect

men’s behaviour? Rook claims “Theguys act better, the languagechanges – the women are a positiveinfluence.”

RCABC’s Sové agrees, with onehumorous observation: “Usuallythey try to clean [the language] upa bit, but I’ve known some women


Show Me The Money – top left: Heidi-Lynn Froehler of Flynn Roofing; below, left: Kristeen (Cullen)Coyle of Raven Roofing; above: Tiffany (McLain) Newman of Alpha Roofing & Sheet Metal with afellow apprentice at RCABC’s training facility. Photos: Wendy Bancroft, It’s About Us Productions

don’t prove ou can do it, there every th them, and ke days offe you broke

, they don’t you there.”

n (Cullen) Coyle

“Women currently represent just 4 percent ofconstruction tradespeople... We probably need tosee that figure at 15% before women will nolonger feel stigmatized, and we’ll see morefemale-friendly construction sites.”

“Women and men seethings differently –we have differentperspectives. Thewomen I had [asstudents] took theirtraining very seriously,as did the ESL or otherminority apprentices.They feel like they haveto work harder in orderto be taken seriously.”

Simone Ballard, RCABC roofing instructor

“We’re all part of a team –we help and complement

each other... likea big family”

Tiffany (McLain) Newman

RCABC’s Shirley Caldwell talks withfemale students at a career fair

whose language was worse thanthat of the men!”Focus on safety

Although it is difficult to findstatistics regarding gender androofing safety, there is a feelingamong women in the industry thatthey are probably more safetyconscious than many of their malecounterparts.

For example, safety isparamount to Phyllis Nachtigal,Health and Safety Officer forChilliwack Roofing (also profiled inthis issue – see page 7). Nachtigalshows off a binder that sits fourinches thick on her desk. It is full ofinformation that “is constantlybeing added to,” and she is proudto say that the company has neverhad a serious accident.

Nachtigal quotes her employer,Howard Schlamb, as saying that“women are well suited for safety –they are ‘pickier’ and more diligent.”

She also speaks with amusement

at her “boys” on the roof, who sayan exaggerated “yes, Mom” inresponse her mother-hen approachto their well-being. A path of stepping stones

Caldwell attends career fairs at

secondary schools, and encouragesmore women to get into roofing“for the financial stability andindependence. But it also opens updoors for other things. It’s a ticketto mobility. A ticket of qualification

in trades training is equal to twoyears towards a college diploma onyour resumé,” she says. “Thecombination oftraining and fieldexperience is avaluable assetwhen it comes tofurthering youreducation at theuniversity level.”

McInnis, whowill write her IPred seal inDecember, gotinto RCABC’sapprenticeshiptraining throughthe EFry program.“Shirley andSimone were myrole models,” shesays, referring tothe life-changing experience ofbeing mentored in a well-payingtrade. For McInnis, her roofing

ticket is ensuring both a goodincome and a stepping stone to abetter future – she plans to work

towards aconstructionmanagementdegree from BCIT.

Ballard hasgone from the roofto the classroom –she had been oncall as a fill-ininstructor atRCABC’s Langleycampus untilearlier this year,when she wasasked to take overthe position on afull-time basis. Atthe time, one ofher supervisors atParker Johnston

Industries was overheard to saywith audible despair, “I’ve just lostmy best guy.” ■


Tiffany (McLain) Newman of Alpha Roofing &Sheet Metal in Victoria was recently namedBC’s Top Roofing Apprentice for 2010. Sheand a guest will stay in a suite at the RiverRock in December. She will be presented witha plaque at the RCABC Annual GeneralMeeting Awards Lunch and is invited to theRoofer’s Reindeer Rampage (Christmas Party).

Newman will also receive a bursary cheque

for $400.00, a plaque and a gift, in additionto lunch with her crew, courtesy of RCABC’straining manager.

The honour is bestowed annually on theapprentice who has most successfullycompleted all three levels of training andpassed their IP exam.

Alpha superintendent Albert (Abby)Desloges is thrilled. “She is a delight”, he says,

“Tiff is a real asset to the team and I think theother co-workers look up to her.” He adds thatNewman “is now in the process of heading upAlpha’s in-house pre-apprentice program forall our new flat roofers belonging to our local276 here in Victoria.”

Francis Gallichan of Alpha’s Kamloopsbranch also commented favourably: “TheKamloops and Vancouver branches are proud

of Tiffany’s efforts and accomplishments.”Success stories like Newman’s help pave

the way for more women who are interestedin a roofing career. “If I were to meet anyother women that could do this work, then Iwould consider them for employment,” saysDesloges.

As for Newman, she says simply “I like tocall myself a journeygirl.” ■

Right: TiffanyNewman with hercrew: “They areawesome... the best,”she says.

A tip of the (hard) hat to Tiffany

“Shirley andSimone were myrole models.”

RCABC’s Education and Training ManagerShirley Caldwell

Misty Mcinnis working at an Olympic site

Above: Gord Burdge,Alpha Victoria’smanaging partnerpresenting Tiffanywith her IP certificate

“Tiff is a real asset to the team and I think the other co-workers look up to her.”


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SteppingstonesWhere do we go from here?

Abigail Fulton, Vice President ofthe BC Construction Association(BCCA), says she would love to seemore women get into constructiontrades. With the lack of skilledtradespeople in the province, she isconfident that they would never beout of work and would be betterable to provide for their familiesthan many other women in moretraditional jobs.

As a roofer, Cullen is passionateabout encouraging roofers to gothrough the apprenticeship processand get their IP ticket. “It’simportant for every [roofingapprentice] to go to school. You geta taste of every aspect of roofing,”she says, and adds “The RCABCtraining is wonderful.”

Ballard observes with visibledismay, “The younger generation [ofboth genders] don’t want to get intophysically hard trades. The schoolsdon’t push the trades either. That’ssilly. We need trades more thanprofessions for survival. We can livewithout a lawyer, but not without aroof. Roofing is an essential service.People pay big bucks for their roof,and they want it done properly.”

If Caldwell has her way, thecountless hours of hard work willpay off in the form of more youngpeople entering the RCABC’sapprenticeship program, and with

increasing numbers of womenamong them.The BCCA offers two programsfunded through the IndustryTraining Authority (ITA), which aredesigned to help people get into theskilled trades, and specifically in afield best suited for them.Women’s Trades TrainingInitiative

The Women’s Trades TrainingInitiative (WTTI) is geared towardshelping BC’s employers get theskilled workers they need bymatching them up with women whohave some experience or who wantto start a career in the trades. TheWTTI also connects women with thetraining they may need to start outin the industry.

WTTI is currently funded throughthe Industry Training Authority ofBC’s ‘Women in Trades Training’program. This is a Canada-BCLabour Market Agreement fundedpilot program targeted towardswomen who are not EI clients orwho are employed in a low skilledposition and lack certification, ahigh school diploma or essentialskills.

WTTI works with women whohave an interest in entering theskilled trades as well as thosewomen working in a skilled tradewho may need support or guidancein furthering their careers.

WTTI is also working to developa mentoring network for womenacross the industry to assist withbetter retention on the worksite.

Skilled Trades EmploymentProgram

The Skilled Trades EmploymentProgram (STEP) is a no-feeemployment program that works tomatch potential workers withemployers. It assists eligible clientsby presenting them with trainingand employment opportunities, andcontinuing to work with newemployees and employers to ensurea good fit.

STEP was originally launched asa partnership between the BCCAand the Construction Sector Councilin 2006 to help foreign-trainedskilled workers find employment inthe construction industry wherethere was a lack of availableworkers. This laid the groundworkfor what has become a verysuccessful employment program.

Since that first project, the STEPNetwork has grown to includeemployment programs that serve allCanadian residents wanting a careerin any of the Industry TrainingAuthority recognized trades.

STEP works with people andindustry; with direct access toemployers across the province itsTrade Employment Specialistsconnect skilled workers withemployers in need of those skills.

Each Trades EmploymentSpecialist, or TES, has experienceworking with the trades. Theyunderstand the work, the industryand the challenges faced in gettinginto the skilled trades. They researchthe nature of each specific trade,and are able to provide job profiles

to clients interested in any givenline of trade work.

“Each year, people get into thewrong trades for the wrongreasons,” says Randy Garon, whomanages STEP at BCCA’s provincialhead office in Victoria. By assessingeach individual client’s aptitudes,interests and skills, the TES’s ensurethat workers get into the tradethat’s right for them, and thenintroduce them to an employer whowill be a good match.

The relationship forged betweenthe worker, the employer and theTES is the real strength of the STEPprogram, according to Garon.“We’ve had huge success”, he says.In fact, STEP has developed such astrong reputation for matchingqualified workers with newemployers that some companiesrely solely on the STEP staff forreferrals when they are ready tohire.

TES’s continue to work withclients and employers even afterthey have been placed, providingguidance and support which reducesthe risks associated with a new hireand easing the transition into thenew position for the worker andemployer.

Garon estimates that in anaverage year STEP sees only “aboutthree or four hundred women” seekassessment, training and jobplacement in skilled trades.

Fulton hopes those numbers willdramatically increase, and looksforward to the day when “thesewomen will go into business for

themselves.” Then, she will knowthat the BCCA has done its job well.

Women inconstructionsupported,awarded Included among the VancouverRegional Construction Association’sAnnual Awards of Excellence is theOutstanding Woman in ConstructionAward.

The award, sponsored by SuperSave Group and CanadianConstruction Women, is presentedeach Fall with the other VRCAAwards of Excellence.

Canadian Construction Women(CCW) is an organization whichprovides its members withopportunities for support,mentoring, networking, communityinvolvement, learning anddevelopment. It acts as a resourceabout construction and exists toattract and retain women in theindustry.

This year, the VRCA AnnualAnnual Awards of Excellence will beheld Wednesday, October 19.

Applications must be in to VRCAby August 22 for consideration bythis year’s selection committee.Entry forms and criteria areavailable online atwww.vrca.bc.ca/VRCAAwards/page/entry%20forms.aspx ■


Prevent falls in steepslope roofingBy Don Schouten

Having worked in the roofingindustry for more than 20 years, Itake it personally that safetycontinues to be a major concern inthe steep slope roofing industry. Infact, it’s difficult to read thestatistics, month after month, andsee just how many workers aregetting injured in this profession.

Let me share a few of the mostsobering stats with you.

In 2010, the steep slope roofingindustry accounted for 34.7 percentof the total number of penaltiesWorkSafeBC issued that year — thehighest out of any otherclassification unit (CU). Of the 256penalties totalling more than $3million imposed upon non-compliant employers, the steepslope roofing CU involved 89 ofthem.

One of the biggest reasons forthe number of penalties in steepslope roofing comes from falls. Fallsin steep slope roofing producemore than 40 percent of allconstruction claims and more than80 percent of all claim costs. It hascost this CU $14.4 million over thelast five years, with an average ofalmost $64,000 per claim.

If this weren’t enough, falls tendto result in the most severe injuriesto workers, who are off work for an

average of almost three and a halfmonths. The most serious andcostly type of fall isfrom a roof, which hasan average claim costof $122,000 per claimand, on average, putsa worker out of workfor 160 days — that’smore than five months.

Those are thenumbers. Grave as they might be,they’re not the most compellingargument to plan for safety andprevent falls. The most convincingreason is the potentiallydevastating effect a fall injury canhave on a worker and the family ofthat injured worker. Falls oftenresult in the most serious injuries;these injuries can be life-changingfor both the worker and theworker’s family in all ways:physically, emotionally, andfinancially.

The fallout from a work-relatedinjury is something no one canattach a price tag to. When aworker gets injured, it canirreversibly alter not only that’sworker’s life, but the lives of his orher co-workers, friends, and family.Planning safety

You can’t avoid working atheights in the roofing business, butyou can minimize or eliminate thechance of a fall occurring. Planningfor safety is an essential part ofpreventing falls; in fact, it’s asimportant as having the rightmaterials and tools to build theproject.

When you’re planning to preventfalls, a simple strategy to follow isthe fall protection hierarchy. The fallprotection hierarchy describes thedifferent forms of fall protection,and ranks them in order ofeffectiveness. At the top of thehierarchy is the need to identify fallhazards that can be eliminated. Thenext most effective strategy is tobuild guardrails around the workingarea. Following that, a fall restraintsystem should be implemented toprevent workers from falling.

Finally, there are fall arrest systems,which protect workers after they

fall by stopping themin mid-flight, beforethey hit the surface.

WorkSafeBC hasseveral resources onfalls to help you planfor safety. Check outthe Construction pageunder Safety at Work

on WorkSafeBC.com. Here, you’llfind safety books and bulletins,slideshows and videos, toolboxmeeting guides, and much more.There’s also information on struck-bys and overexertion, the other twofactors that contribute to the highrate of injuries in steep sloperoofing.

I know how challenging it can beto meet all the demands placed onyou at work, to do a quality jobunder tight timelines, and toincorporate safety into everythingyou do. But I’ve also experiencedhow devastating it can be when afellow worker gets injured on thejob and you know they won’t begoing home in one piece. Don’t letan injury happen to you or thepeople around you: make sure youplan for safety. ■

Don Schouten is WorkSafeBC manager ofIndustry and Labour Services – Construction.Contact him on any construction safety mattersat 604-214-6989 from the Lower Mainland, ortoll-free 1-888-621-7233. Or [email protected].

Raising awareness, reducing injuries www.bccsa.ca

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Reducing falls from heights: getting greater buy-in for tying off

Don Schouten

“Falls in steepslope roofingproduce morethan 40 percentof all construction[accident] claims.”

There’s no guard railhere, and the rooferis not tied off.

There’s no guard railhere, and this man isnot using fall protection.

There is no toe board orbarricade in the work areato protect people belowthe working surface.

Since there’s no guard rail, the roofershould be standing with his side tothe roof perimeter. For the last 6.5feet without a guard rail you mustnot turn your back on the edge.

This man is hammering (steel on steel) so should be wearing eye protection.


ADVERTISE IN ROOFING [email protected] 604-507-2162

SURREY, BCTel 604.596.3787Fax 604.596.4559

CHILLIWACK, BCTel 604.795.7355Fax 604.792.2355

MAPLE RIDGE, BCTel 604.463.4553Fax 604.463.1298

CALGARY, ABTel 403.262.1008Fax 403.262.1018

AIBC names architectural awardsVANCOUVER – The Architectural Institute of BC (AIBC) has named the 2011 Architectural Award winners. TheLieutenant-Governor of British Columbia – Merit Recipient went to Walter Francl Architecture Inc. + Nick MilkovichArchitects Inc. for the green-roofed Creekside Community Centre, part of the Olympic Village complex in Vancouver.

Other winners include:• Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia – Medal Recipient – Bing Thom Architects Inc., for the Arena Stage at

the Mead Center for American Theatre.• Lieutenant-Governor of British Columbia – Medal Recipient – Patkau Architects for the Beaty Biodiversity Centre

/ Aquatic Ecosystems Research Laboratory• An AIBC Special Jury Award for outstanding “place making” went to Henriquez Partners Architects for the

Woodward’s redevelopment in Vancouver.• A special award for ingenuity went to Kobayashi + Zedda Architects Ltd. for the John Tizya Cultural Centre. ■

The Creekside Community Centre captured anAIBC architectural award for Walter FranclArchitecture Inc. + Nick Milkovich ArchitectsPhoto: Bob Matheson

BOMA namestop projectsVANCOUVER – The Building Owners andManagers Association (BOMA) Pacific hasnamed its winners of the BOMA BCAwards for 2011.

The Pacific Centre renovation, byCadillac Fairview Corporation, won for theTOBY Award in the over one millionsquare foot category, while OxfordProperties won the EARTH award forenvironmental stewardship in managingthe Guinness Tower, also in Vancouver.

The contractor/supplier of the yearwent to HVAC supplier Haakon Industries.

The renovation of Pacific Centre,Vancouver, took the TOBY award fromBOMA. Photo: BOMA

RICHMOND – A May fire thatdestroyed BC’s first six-storeyresidential building being built withwood has ignited a debate in theconstruction industry.

The non-fatal Richmond blaze atthe Remy, a 251-unit condominiumand social housing project burnedfor more than five hours.

The fire should convince theprovince to re-examine the recentdecision to allow mid-rise woodframe construction, instead of fire-resistant masonry materials such asconcrete block, according to theMasonry Institute of Canada.

The Richmond project was to bethe first example of a six-storey all-wood structure, as allowed under

the changes to the BC BuildingCode, which came into effect in2009.

“Human life and the safety are atquestion here,” said Bill McEwen,executive director of the MasonryInstitute. “Engineered woodproducts, which are used extensivelyin these types of buildings, arefabricated with glue, and can burnfaster than regular wood products.The firewalls in the Richmondproject were made of wood anddrywall. Concrete block walls couldhave protected these buildings, bothduring construction and moreimportantly during occupancy.”

But the Canadian Wood Councilsays the fire could have happenedat any construction site. “Wood is asafe, durable building material,” saidWood Council president MichaelGiroux, noting that 90 percent ofCanadian homes are made out ofwood.

“Wood mid-rise construction wascommon in the early 1900s, andsome of these buildings inVancouver are still in use today,”Giroux said. ”To suggest that theoutcome of the fire at the Remyproject in Richmond would havebeen the same if the building hadbeen fully completed, is notplausible,” he said. The Councilexplains the fire occurred while thebuilding was under construction.

This meant that fire safety featuressuch as sprinklers and gypsumboard protection, as well as firedoors in firewalls, all required in thecompleted building, had not yetbeen installed. “The firewalls in theRemy project were made of steeland two layers of one-inch-thickgypsum liner panels – with wood-frame walls to protect them fromday-to-day wear, as required by theBritish Columbia Building Code,” theCouncils states. “The use of othertypes of noncombustible firewallslikely would not have stopped thefire under these samecircumstances.” However, PaulHargest, president of the CanadianConcrete Masonry ProducersAssociation, argues that woodcomposite elements, such asoriented strand board, give offfumes when they burn, “increasingrisk to firefighters on the scene andto occupants in the building.”

Dana Westermark of OrisConsulting, the developer of theRemy, said the fire would not deterOris from rebuilding the projectfrom wood. “The fact it is a six-storey [wood] project was not afactor in the fire. I am confident inour project and equally confident inwood as a construction material. Mycompany has built hundreds of unitsin wood without incident,”Westermark said. ■


Keep current with Roofing BCCanada’s “best trade magazine”only a few clicks awayWe’re proud to say that Roofing BC has beencalled “the best trade magazine in Canada” and“a must-read” by industry professionals.

Roofing BC makes it easy to stay up to datewith the roofing industry in western Canada. It’sfree, and easy to get on the mailing list. Log onto www.rcabc.org then click on ‘Roofing BC’ onthe left of the page, then on ‘Click here to join our mailing list’.

Past issues of Roofing BC are also available on the site. ■

PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40014608

RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO:

Roofing Contractors Association of BC9734 201 StreetLangley, BC Canada V1M 3E8

THE VOICE OF PROFESSIONAL ROOFING CONTRACTORS Vol. 8, No. 1 • SPRING 2011

SPRING 2011I N T H I S I S S U E :

Clearing the airOld technology finds new life in air-cleaning Noxite roofing products.See pages 8-9PARKER continued on page 6

FEATURES:Member profile: ParkerJohnston Industries..................1,6Project profile: BC’s first air-cleaning roof installed ..............8Innovation:TPO coated accessories ...........10Vegetative roofing systems .. 12Tying off for fall protection.... 14Profile: Pro-Line .......................15Roof Lifters: adding space ..... 21

ASSOCIATION:President’s message .................. 3Crane certification in effect ...... 4CRCA ROOFTech 2011 ...............4Changing of the guard .............. 5RPM now online ....................... 5Subscribe to Roofing BC ........17

INDUSTRY NEWS:Reroofing dominates BC........... 4Modular homes for BC? ......... 16 JM building EPDM plant .........16Canada Place’s PTFE roof ...... 16 Blind leading the sighted ....... 17RKW buys Danafilms.............. 19Colourful roof shingles ........... 20Architects’ festival coming.......18Carlisle’s new Polyiso plant ....18Steels, Owens Corning deal... 18

COLUMNLegal Affairs: Ugly Facebooks ....................... 22

RCABC: changing of the guardNot good-bye, but see you soon. See page 5

Strategic planning in PhoenixRCABC members map the future.See page 3

MemberprofileCapitalimpactParker Johnston hasshaped Victoria’s skylineBy Frank O’Brien

Rod Parker, immediate pastpresident of the RoofingContractors Association of BC andgeneral manager of ParkerJohnston Industries Ltd., of Victoria,is no newcomer to the roofingindustry.According to Parker, when his

school principal “gave me a weekoff” at age 12 he landed a jobpacking half-buckets of tar to aVictoria rooftop.The education proved profound.

Today Parker, 34, helps head one ofVancouver Island’s largest roofingcontracting companies. With a staffof 250 with 35 field crews, Parkerhas been involved in some of thebiggest – and most challenging –construction projects in BC’s capitalcity.In the past two years alone,

Parker Johnston has completedroofing contracts for the RoyalJubilee Hospital Patient Care Tower,the 17-storey, glass-roofed Atriumoffice tower downtown, theUniversity of Victoria SocialSciences and Mathematics, thePacific Institute for Sport Excellenceand all four phases at the giantDockside Green, said to be the mostenvironmentally progressivedevelopment in the world.Currently, the veteran firm is

working on contracts for the 80,000square-foot Uptown Phase IIshopping mall in Saanich; LandRover Victoria and the NorthSaanich Middle School.

Rod Parker, general manager of Parker Johnston Industries Ltd., Victoria

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BURNABY – The travails of one ofthe leading Canadian companies inthe solar field underscores achallenge that threatens the entiresolar industry: solar may notsurvive without continuousgovernment funding.

Day4 Energy Inc. of Burnaby,which makes photovoltaic modules,recently laid off 30 employees,which will reduce the company’sstaff from 200 to170. The companyis hoping thelayoffs will help itstay afloat overthe next six to 12months.

But Day4’s ownauditors – PricewaterhouseCoopersLLP (PwC) – are questioning thecompany’s ability to survive. InDay4’s consolidated financialstatements for December 31, 2010,and 2009, PwC expresses“significant doubt about thecompany’s ability to continue.”

George Rubin, Day4’s presidentand CEO, blamed a glutted market,falling prices and reducedgovernment subsidies for thedownturn. However, he said hiscompany is now well established asa premiere producer of photovoltaic

(PV) modules, and will emerge atthe end of 2011 on solid ground.

Day4’s financial woes underscorethe pitfalls of relying ongovernment subsidies, said RossMcKitrick, a Guelph Universityprofessor and Fraser Institute seniorfellow who specializes inenvironmental economics.

“I would expect that anycompany that’s dependent on

public subsidiesfor its profitabilityis going to be introuble.”

Day4’s primarymarkets are inGermany andItaly, which

heavily promoted solar energythrough feed-in tariffs. Those tariffsare now being scaled back.

McKitrick said it’s folly forgovernments to subsidize solarenergy in the first place.

“Fundamentally, the problem issolar power is the most expensiverenewable at this point and it’s justnot competitive,” he said. “It wasnever really clear why thesegovernments all signed up for thesesubsidy programs to begin with.”

Paul Kariya, executive directorfor Clean Energy BC, said there’s a

general glut of power generation.In the U.S., for example, he said“Obama dollars” bolstered windpower to the point of saturation.

He added that a looming naturalgas rush resulting from newdiscoveries found in shale rockformations, in northern BC andelsewhere, could add to renewableenergy company challenges.

“We’re quite nervous thatgovernment is being pressured byindustry … [to] go with the gasoption, and let’s be done with allthese expensive renewables,” Kariyatold Business in Vancouver. ■

Solar panels: sales and prices have fallen overpast two years. Photo: DJH Multi media

Solar power future in doubt

“Any company that’sdependent on publicsubsidies for its

profitability is goingto be in trouble.”


“Horizontalhigh rise”among hugeroofingcontractsMajor projects will meanroofing work for yearsBy Frank O’Brien

Members of the RCABC are likelysharpening their pencils as theyprepare to bid on some of the largeresidential roofing contracts comingup this year.

Projects that have not yetdecided on roofing contracts includea “horizontal high rise” on FalseCreek, a 43-acre multi-familydevelopment in Burnaby and a 130-acre waterfront project on theFraser River.

“We haven’t named a roofingcontractor yet,” said a spokesmanfor Onni Group, as the developerbegan marketing Central, a mixed-use residential and office tower onQuebec Street at the site of aformer Chrysler dealership. Thedesign, by architects Bruce Hadenand Joost Baker, is radicallydifferent than neighbouring high-rises in South False Creek – and ittranslates into more roof space thanon normal towers.

The building is a tower laidhorizontally across two smallersupporting towers. The top tower

links the two supporting towers,which are parallel to each other,and spans a 25,000-square-footcentral courtyard.

In all, the development will rise18 or 19 storeys, and offer 304residential units in two towers,including the horizontal section, andretail and office space in the other.Final Vancouver City approval isexpected this July, with acompletion date by 2013 at theearliest. Construction contracts areexpected to be decided by this

coming September.The Central is designed as LEED

Silver, which likely means someform of green or energy-saving roofsystem.River District

Meanwhile, ParkLane Homes andPolygon, two of BC’s largest homebuilders, will begin construction thisyear on River District, a 130-acreresidential and commercial projecton the Fraser River. The site is theformer Canadian White Pine milland is one of the last pieces of

undeveloped waterfront land in thecity. The area was formerly knownas the East Fraser Lands.

The River District developmentplan features a mix of townhomes,low- and mid-rise apartments andhigh-rise towers. The future phasesof the community will also includeshops, a grocery and small formatretail, a community plaza, two newschools and a community centre. Inother words, work for roofingcontractors for the next decade ormore.

The City of Vancouver andParkLane have already unveiledplans for the 6,000-square-footcommunity centre, which includes agreen roof, an indication thatenvironmentally aware constructionwill likely characterize thedevelopment.Canada Safeway lands

Canada Safeway has called forbids from 50 developers, mostly inBC, to purchase a 43-acre parcel ofland it has for sale in Burnaby.

The property runs along 11th

The Central mixed-use project on False Creek will include two towers linked by a third vertical “tower”. The Onni Group project has not named a roofing contractor or general contractor for the LEED Silver development. Photo: Onni Group

River District willinclude thousands ofhomes, two schools and retail buildings on a 130-acre site on theFraser River in southVancouver. There shouldbe a decade worth ofroofing contracts yet to be awarded. Photo: ParkLane Homes


Avenue and 18th Street and isdesignated multi-family residentialin the City of Burnaby’s officialcommunity plan. The parcel iswithin 800 metres of the EdmondsSkyTrain station, surrounded by six

major bus routes, adjacent to mainroadways including Kingsway, 10thStreet and Marine Drive and is inclose proximity to five schools anda variety of other amenities,making it a prime location for

additional residential construction.The bids are being considered as

of June 1, according to Trevor Lee,senior real estate manager forCanada Safeway. Lee said CanadaSafeway is not interested in a joint

development for the land.“We want to sell it outright,” he

said, noting it is the largest suchland sale by the company in BC.

If a winning bid is accepted inJune, construction bids would likely

be called by 2012 at the earliest,sources say. The developer wouldhave to go through a rezoningprocess from industrial toresidential and then public hearingsand the design process. ■

A green-roofed, 6,000-square-foot community centre isplanned as part of the massive River District development.

Canada Safeway expectshigh-density residential and retail development on a 43-acre site in centralBurnaby, which will be sold to the highest bidderthis June. Constructioncontracts will be awarded,at the earliest, in 2012. Photo: Canada Safeway

Princetonwelcomesnew coppermine PRINCETON – The June opening ofthe $440 million Copper MountainMine just outside of Princeton hasgiven the South Okanagan town aneconomic shot in the arm thatshould soon lead to moreconstruction.

For the past few years, theCopper Mountain Mining Corp. hasbeen developing the mine again,bringing hundreds of workers on

site to build the infrastructure, andnow employing 247 workers for

regular mine operations. It is thefirst new metal mine to start in BCin more than a decade.

“It used to be that only Fridayafternoon there’d be so muchtraffic, you have to wait to let carsgo by before you could cross thestreet,” said Princeton mayor RandyMcLean. “Now, every day is likeFriday.”

McLean points to the pine-beetledevastation as one reason whypeople are so excited about thisproject.

“I think why there’s been thissupport [from government and

community] is that revenue fromforestry is diminishing in theInterior so from a revenueperspective, they’re really interestedin other communities seeing thepositives about the miningindustry.”

The mayor sits on the SouthernInterior Beetle Action Coalition(SIBAC), which has been given $3million over three years to helptowns whose economy is sufferingdue to the pine beetle epidemic.

“We were expected to be one ofthe hardest-hit communities,” saidMcLean. “Then the mine came. I

said, ‘Folks, we don’t qualify [forhelp] anymore.”

The new mine has already led tothe opening of a Coopers FoodStore and the start of threecondominium projects and twodetached-housing subdivisions.

The town will hold a referendumthis year on a new recreation centreas well, according to MayorMcLean.

Copper Mountain has provenreserves of five billion tons ofcopper, plus gold and silver, and isexpected to have a lifespan of atleast 17 years. ■


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International RoofingSymposium setOTTAWA – Canada’s National Research Council is working with the U.S.-based Oak Ridge National Laboratory in presenting the National RoofingContractors Association (NRCA)’s International Roofing Symposium. Theevent will be held September 7-9, 2011 in Washington DC.

NRCA is hosting the symposium that focuses on emerging technologiesand roof system performance. It will provide a forum for the formalpresentation of roofing industry research and the latest information aboutthe science of emerging technologies, including reflective roof surfaces,vegetative roof systems and roof-mounted photovoltaic systems.

In keeping with the traditions of previous NRCA symposia, the 2011symposium will bring together industry leaders, researchers and otherindustry stakeholders. Preferred topics include:• high-performance roof systems;• roof systems that incorporate renewable energy;• energy efficiency; and• life-cycle analysis of roof systems.

For information, contact the conference chair, William Good of the NRCA.Email: [email protected]. ■ Oxford to

start towerin Vancouver VANCOUVER – Oxford PropertiesGroup has announced thedevelopment of a 35-storey,270,000-square-foot office tower at1021 West Hastings, Vancouver, thecurrent site of the historicUniversity and Quadra Clubs.

Chuck We, director of leasing forOxford, said the tower would betargeted LEED Gold Core and Shell.No word yet on the type of roofing.

The tower is set for completionin the summer of 2014 under thedirection of lead contractor LedcorGroup.

The development of 1021 WestHastings is a joint venture betweenOxford, which will oversee allaspects of the development andmanagement of the property, andco-investor Canadian Public PensionInvestment Board. ■

New Oxford tower on West Hastings willaim for LEED Gold status. Photo: Oxford

KelownarecoversfromdownturnKELOWNA – Kelowna is recoveringquickly from the 2008-2009recession with a series of newconstruction projects underway.

Now, with even charteredaccountants getting excited aboutthe recovery, the city of nearly100,000 is ready to reclaim itsstanding as one of the hottestconstruction zones in WesternCanada.

Evidence is seen on Kelowna’sSouth Pandosy Street, where sevenbuildings were taken down for theconstruction of the $25 millionmixed-use SoPa project by localdeveloper Edgar Fenwick.

SoPa, which started in the midstof the downturn, has already leasedout all of its block-long ground-floorretail, which will open in 2013.Above the retail are 96 residentialcondominiums capped by largeluxury penthouses, priced from $1.2million to $1.3 million.

Only three of the eightpenthouses remain unsold, yetSoPa’s residential component won’tcomplete for four years.

A report this year from theChartered Accountants of BCforecasts a recovery that began in

2010 is gaining traction right acrossthe Thompon-Okanagan region.

The report found that, aftersustaining significant job losses in2009, the regional economyrebounded last year with theaddition of 9,200 new jobs. With ajob growth rate of 3.7 percent, theregion exceeded the averageprovincial increase of 1.7 percent,the study found. Also, the numberof business incorporations andestablishments increased in 2010,reflecting growing entrepreneurialand investor confidence.

Government spending has helpedto put a base under the constructioneconomy, with a number ofinstitutional projects going ahead.

These include the $433 millionKelowna General Hospital

expansion and the $25 millionexpansion of Okanagan College.Together with the University ofBritish Columbia Okanagan,Kelowna has more than 11,000university students during theschool season.

Retail is the strongest sector inKelowna’s commercial real estate.Orchard Park Shopping Centre, thecity’s main mall, is currently under

renovation to welcome Best BuyElectronics, which will open thisyear in about 34,000 square feet.The mall is 100 percent leased, asin Kelowna Crossing ShoppingCentre, Spall Plaza and the big-boxCentral Park Power Centre on theedge of town.

Kelowna also has 1,320 acres ofzoned industrial land and a further1,721 acres marked for industrialuse under the official communityplan.

Colliers International expressesthe optimism seen by the CharteredAccountants, noting that “increasedconsumer confidence, increasedexports and increased federal andprovincial spending” will allow BC’sthird largest city to soon return toprosperity. ■


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Scuka Enterprises Ltd. handles the concrete pour for a new seniors residence in Kelowna. Photo: Scuka Enterprises Ltd.

Model of Kelowna General Hospital expansion


LEGAL AFFAIRS

Hiringforeignworkers?New employmentsafeguards now in effectby Robert Smithson

Temporary foreign workers inCanada have had numerousemployment standardsand administrativerequirements in placefor their protection.Effective April 1, 2011,a range of newsafeguards came intoeffect.

At a high level, thenew safeguardscomprise a deeperassessment of thegenuineness of the joboffer from theCanadian employer, a two-yearperiod of ineligibility from hiringtemporary foreign workers foremployers who fail to meet theircommitments, and a four-year limit

on the length of time sometemporary foreign workers maywork here.

Job offers to temporary foreignworkers will now be assessedtaking into account the genuinenessof the job offer, the consistency ofthe job offer with the terms of anyfederal-provincial/territorialagreement, the history of theemployer in hiring temporaryforeign workers over the previoustwo years, and the length of timethat the foreign national being hiredhas worked in Canada.

The assessment ofgenuineness of thejob offer will lookspecifically at whetherthe employer isactively engaged inthe business, whetherthe job offer isconsistent with theneeds of theemployer, whether theemployer isreasonably able tofulfill the terms of the

job offer, and whether the employerhas previously complied withapplicable laws regulatingemployment in the jurisdictionwhere the worker will be employed.

PenaltiesEmployers who have failed to

meet commitments as promised inpast job offers and who have failedto provide reasonable justificationor to rectify the situation byproviding appropriate compensationto the former employee may facethe refusal of work permitapplications or being deemedineligible to hire foreign workers fortwo years and having their namedisplayed on a government website.

Many temporary foreign workerswill now be subject to a four-year‘cumulative duration’ limit on thelength of time they may work inCanada. This regulation is notretroactive – the clock starts tickingon April 1, 2011 for all temporaryforeign workers, regardless of howlong they have already been inCanada.

The four year limit may not,however, include periods duringwhich the foreign worker was on an

extended unpaid leave, on parentalleave, or was unemployed. After aforeign worker has reached his orher four year cumulative durationlimit, he or she will not be grantedanother work permit in Canada foran additional four years (after thattime has elapsed, the worker willagain be permitted to work here).Check exemptions

Numerous categories of foreignworkers will be exempt from thefour year cumulative durationregulation, so federal websitesshould be consulted for theexcluded categories.

Temporary foreign workers haveaccess to the same remedialmechanisms as Canadians when itcomes to labour and employmentstandards. Provinces and territorieshave primary responsibility forenforcement of labour standardsand have offices that can assist allworkers regarding fair pay, hours ofwork, rest periods and generalworking conditions.

Workers should contact theappropriate authority in theprovince or territory they work in ifthey have concerns about theirworking conditions. Ultimately, theprotection of the rights andentitlements of vulnerable foreignerworkers in Canada might be betterviewed as our collectiveresponsibility so we should all be onthe lookout for possible abuses. ■

Robert Smithson is a labour and employmentlawyer. This subject matter is provided forgeneral informational purposes only and is notintended to be relied upon as legal advice.

Robert Smithson

Building permits up, butresidential slowingVANCOUVER – Building permit values in the Lower Mainland-Southwestregion rose significantly in March, led by a surge in non-residential activity,according to a Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) analysisof Statistics Canada building permit report.

Total building permit values in the region jumped 61 percent in Marchcompared to February 2011, to $634.3 million. Non-residential permitvalues surged to $307.9 million, up 173 percent for the month, while thevalue of residential permits increased 16 percent to $326.4 million.

Commercial building permits were at their highest value since May2008, the VRCA reports.

For the first three months, building permit values were up 12 percent inthe Lower Mainland-Southwest region to $1.398 billion compared to thesame period last year. The growth was led by a 56 percent increase in non-residential permits to $504.1 million. Residential permit values declined to$893.7 million, down 4 percent compared to same period last year. ■

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