JOB #1 GROWING THE ECONOMY IS
GROWING THE ECONOMY IS JOB #1
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from the ground up
We build Manitoba’s roads 19,000 kilometres to date.
floodways, roadways, power and digital communications, water delivery systems and wastewater removal systems — every day, manitobans depend on infrastructure. F ounded in 1943, the more than 400 members of the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA) build and maintain Manitoba’s infrastructure, the foundation that sustains our quality of life. As the voice of the heavy construction industry, the MHCA is a strong advocate for sustained, strategic investment in infrastructure in a manner that grows the economy and best serves public interests. The MHCA works with all three levels of government to shape public policy to enhance economic prosperity and provide revenues that allow governments to invest in health, education and social Building a strong foundation for Manitobans
We build Manitoba’s winter roads 2,200 kilometres that provide vital connections for remote communities.
programs. It promotes investment in trade-enabling infrastructure that moves Manitoba’s goods and services to markets across the country and across the globe, and it has been instrumental in growing trade networks. The MHCA and its members invest in education and training to develop a skilled workforce, and it is committed to protecting its workforce through its WORKSAFELY™ program. The heavy construction industry generates billions of dollars to the provincial economy and provides meaningful employment, directly or indirectly, to an estimated 17,000 people in our province, and the MHCA continues to work on behalf of all Manitobans. “At the end of the day we’re businesspeople, we’re taxpayers, we’re family people,” says MHCA president Chris Lorenc. “We have a commitment to Winnipeg, to Manitoba, to Canada. We want to see our community, our city, our province grow. And that’s ultimately what drives our Association.” ❚
We build Manitoba’s bridges/structures
2,400 and growing.
Challenge provinCial leaders to demonstrate why they should be premier
Heading into tHe april 19, 2016 provincial election, Manitobans Have tHe responsibility of cHallenging conservative leader brian pallister, liberal leader rana bokHari and ndp leader greg selinger to deMonstrate to Manitobans wHy tHey sHould be preMier. M anitoba has undergone a significant transformation in the past 10 years; but continued growth demands big-picture leadership. Is there an economic growth vision associated with any of the leaders? Is any leader willing to challenge the status quo, to take risks, to think outside the box and be accountable for results? We need to test their strength and courage to lead. Are the leaders committed to the belief that growing Manitoba’s economy should be Job 1? Do they acknowledge that without sustained economic growth generating revenues to governments, discussion about funding our quality of life programs is pointless? What is their strategy to grow Manitoba’s economy? Manitoba’s Capital Region, which includes Winnipeg and 16 surrounding rural municipalities, produces 70% of the provincial GDP. What approaches do any of the party leaders have that speak to a capital region economic growth strategy to harness its natural advantages? Trade is of critical importance to Manitoba’s economy, with upwards of 240,000 Manitobans employed directly or indirectly in trade. Highway 75 carries roughly $19 billion of North/South trade annually and Emerson is Western Canada’s busiest U.S. border crossing. CentrePort Canada — Canada’s first inland port — has the potential to re- establish the region’s global trade profile. It has already attracted 44 new companies with a projected 70 more to come within the next five years. How do the party leaders propose to further support the transformative economic growth role that CentrePort Canada will play? Are the leaders committed to looking North to champion ana reg onstrate to provincial election, onservative leader brian pallister, liberal leader r bokHari and ndp leader
investment in the Port of Churchill and establish it as Canada’s — not just Manitoba’s — Northern trade gateway? Do they recognize that a “Churchill” linked by rail and road to CentrePort Canada creates the Eastern bookend of global trade access for Western Canada? Do they appreciate the potential of bringing untold billions of dollars of trade related economic activity to Manitoba, Western Canada, and by extension our country? Do they link the connection between trade investment in Northern Canada and tremendous economic opportunities for Manitoba’s Indigenous communities? What about taxes? Will they commit to a complete review of Manitoba’s tax system and address the job-killing payroll tax or the low basic tax exemption rates which hurt low- income Manitobans? Are they prepared to restructure the fiscal relationship between Manitoba and its municipalities that were created at the turn of the 20th century and are inadequate for today and tomorrow’s realities? Do they support a fair sharing of revenues, responsibilities and accountabilities between the province and municipalities? Are they prepared to remove the education levy from property taxes? Will they remember that there is only one taxpayer? Our infrastructure is broken. It is important to remember that it is the foundation of our economy and our quality of life. It enables our commerce to be productive and therefore competitive. Ever run on sand? It’s hard. Ever run on a hard, even surface? Much easier. The same holds true for commerce ‘in the sand‘versus on a well maintained infrastructure. Is the party leader willing to tie investment — not spending — in infrastructure to principles? How about these six: permanent program; focused on economic growth; embracing innovation; harnessing partnerships with the private sector; funded by a dedicated stream of revenues; and subject to public period reviews for adjustment. Balancing the budget? How important is that to any of the leaders? Are they concerned with ongoing budget deficits? How do they propose returning to balanced budgets if at all? Is the candidate for the Office of Premier prepared to reframe budget thinking from ‘how does the government raise money,’ to ‘how does the government harness’ provincial budgets to leverage investment and economic growth? What about political leadership? Do any of the leaders understand the pivotal importance of relationships between the office of the Premier, the Office of Winnipeg’s Mayor and the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM)? Is there a demonstrated willingness to park political differences and collaborate around regional economic growth strategies, appreciate
regional transportation plans including mass transit, all aimed to enable sustained growth, career and investment opportunities for those here and yet in school? Does their vision embrace the objective of Manitoba playing a far greater leadership role with Western Premiers and the Premiers’ Council, to influence, lead and shape national efforts in advancing common nation building interests? And finally do they understand that No leadership = no plan. No economy = no funds. No funds = no programming. What say you Ms. Bokhari, Messrs.’ Pallister & Selinger? Can you demonstrate to us why you should be Premier? Manitobans are waiting. ❚
cHris lorenc, ba, ll.b Chris Lorenc is president of the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA)
mhca.mb.ca
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centreport canada president and ceo diane gray (above right) has welcomed several new infrastructure projects, including the first phase of centreport canada way (under construction above).
location is everytHing, and winnipeg’s position at tHe Heart of tHe continent Makes it a natural trade and transportation Hub. C entrePort Canada is capitalizing on strategic rail, air and trucking connections at its 20,000-acre development in northwest Winnipeg and the municipality of Rosser. “From CentrePort’s perspective, we look at destinations in all four directions,” says president and CEO Diane Gray. To the west, the Asia-Pacific Gateway supports trade to the growing Asian markets. To the south, the Mid-Continent Trade and Transportation Corridor is a vital link to the U.S. and Mexico, and Gray notes that it’s also a critical gateway to Central and South America. “To the east we’re considering European markets and India and then to the north through the Churchill and Arctic gateway there is the potential to further grow trade with Europe because it is the shortest way for Western Canadian goods to reach European markets and vice versa through an ocean connection,” she says. “So we look at corridor and gateway development from all four coasts so to speak, and think that given the Canadian federal government’s interest in international trade and international trade agreements that a national strategy on gateways and corridors complements that nicely.” In 2013, the federal government announced a 10-year, $53 billion New Building Canada Plan. However, a permanent infrastructure strategy would provide predictability, which is important to businesses that are considering investments in equipment and employees. “The challenge for governments at all levels is the budget balancing act, which is how do we manage to achieve our other priorities simultaneously, and things are tradeoffs until often they reach crisis proportions,” Gray says. “So I think having in place a long- term national, sustainable, predictable, adequate infrastructure fund program helps to take away some of the uncertainty around what’s going to happen in three years when Building Canada expires again.” Since its inception in 2009, the inland port has attracted 44 tenants and it plans to add 70 more over the next five years. A $25-million investment in export- and bean-processing facilities from Toronto- based BroadGrain Commodities Inc. has paved the way for speedy development of CentrePort’s 700-acre Rail Park, with construction on Phase 1 expected to be underway this spring. The $220-million, 9.1-kilometre CentrePort Canada Way opened in 2013 and the province plans to extend the four-lane expressway to the Trans-Canada Highway near St. Francois Xavier, creating a bypass to ease traffic congestion in Headingley. The federal government has invested more than $1.4 billion in the Asia-Pacific Gateway and Corridor Initiative. In partnership with the four western provinces and the private sector, more than $3.5 billion has been invested in road, rail and bridge projects that “To the east we’re considering European markets and India and then to the north through the Churchill and Arctic gateway there is the potential to further grow trade with Europe because it is the shortest way for Western Canadian goods to reach European markets and vice versa through an ocean connection.” new direCtions Strengthening Manitoba’s global position
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<< continued
making wise investments in infrastruCture
improve the flow of trade from B.C. port cities to Canadian and U.S. destinations, including CentrePort Canada Way. But so far, there hasn’t been a formal federal strategy to support the Mid-Continent Trade and Transportation Corridor and an Arctic gateway linked to the Port of Churchill. “Products move through a variety of means whether it’s over the road through trucking or by rail and a significant amount to international destinations also moves by ocean carrier so you need port development,” Gray says. “But it also helps to support the northern distribution of goods and development within northern Canada as well as the potential at some date possibly to be part of a Northwest Passage connection to the Asian markets.” Manitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA) president Chris Lorenc notes that the Port of Churchill is the shortest route to Russia/ Eurasia destinations. “It’s a full nine days shorter turnaround than any other port and most people aren’t aware of that. And when you consider that it costs somewhere in the vicinity of $50,000 each day to operate a container ship, if you’re saving nine days in costs that’s a half million dollars per round trip. That’s not an insignificant benefit.” The Manitoba Chambers of Commerce (MCC) is calling on the next provincial government to establish a northern commission to assess transportation and infrastructure needs, consider opportunities for new distribution networks in the far North and develop a long-term strategy for the Port of Churchill. Climate change has resulted in longer shipping seasons in recent years, but it also has negative impacts beyond environmental concerns. Winter roads are open for shorter periods, and the rail line from Gillam to Churchill is notoriously unstable, built on permafrost that shifts as it thaws. MCC president Chuck Davidson says trains have to reduce speeds to as little as 16 kilometres per hour to travel safely, but the line is still plagued by frequent derailments, making it slow and unreliable. Davidson and Lorenc say a business case still has to be made for development of the Port of Churchill, but it’s time to make the effort. “The Golden Boy faces north because the theory was, the vision at the time was the economic opportunity for Manitoba is in northern Manitoba,” Lorenc says. “It’s been ignored for far too many decades.” Gray says it is challenging to build infrastructure on tundra and permafrost, but Canada isn’t the only country that has to deal with northern infrastructure issues, and we might be able to learn from Russia and other northern nations. “Does there need to be significant investment to support trade growth through the Arctic? Absolutely there would need to be, but we do have a real asset in the Port of Churchill. It is a national asset. It is the only inland deep-sea port in the Arctic and just because it’s what I describe as under-infrastructured now it doesn’t mean that that has to be its permanent sentence,” she says. “There is an ability I believe for governments and the private sector with First Nations to work together to turn this into what is truly an asset for trade for our country.” ❚
M anitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA) president Chris Lorenc doesn’t want governments to spend money on infrastructure. He wants them to think of every dollar allocated to infrastructure as an investment. “Investment suggests a different level of cerebral consideration of what you’re going to be doing with the funds,” he says. “Any fool can spend. It takes thinking, it takes planning, it takes discipline to invest.” According to a 2013 Canada West Foundation report, government investments in infrastructure fell from about 5% of GDP in the 1960s to 2% by 2000, resulting in an infrastructure deficit of billions of dollars. On a local level, municipalities are dealing with crumbling roadways, wastewater systems that are nearing the end of their life cycles and the need to develop new facilities. On a national level, improved trade routes are needed to facilitate the safe, efficient flow of goods to national and international markets. The MHCA encourages all three levels of government to adopt six fundamental principles to address the deficit and guide future investment: PERMANENT Programs should be permanent, not unlike our ‘permanent’ health care, education, and public safety programs. Infrastructure investment is our economic and social health care program. FOCUS ON ECONOMIC GROWTH Infrastructure plans should focus on economic growth investments as a matter of first priority, without ignoring key assets that already enable or support economic activity.
EMBRACE INNOvATION Innovation in design, construction, maintenance and rehabilitation should become part of the design challenge (and opportunity) landscape, to stretch the service life and reduce life cycle infrastructure maintenance costs. HARNESS PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE PRIvATE SECTOR Infrastructure investment strategies should harness partnerships with the private sector — the engine of innovation, growth, jobs, prosperity, taxes and revenues to government. DEDICATE REvENUE STREAMS TRANSPARENTLY Infrastructure investment budgets should not rely on election cycles but should be sustainably funded through transparently dedicated revenue streams, including growth taxes, to these purposes. ANNUAL REvIEW FOR ADJUSTMENT AND CORRECTION Ensure legislated mandatory annual and transparent public reviews of infrastructure programs to account for expenditures, experience-based adjustment for the future, and ensuring discipline to investment purpose. A disciplined, principled and objectives- driven plan is in our collective economic and social well-being best interests.
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education, the environment, health and child care — as manitobans prepare to go to the polls on april 19, the leaders of the provincial ndp, progressive conservative and liberal parties are jockeying for position on key issues that resonate with voters. S ix business organizations representing a broad spectrum of the community and economy want to re-focus the political discourse. They’re calling on the leaders to focus their platforms to address one overriding issue — growing the economy. “At the end of the day, without an economy generating revenue to governments it’s moot to talk about how much more money we want to invest in infrastructure or health care or education or any of the other social programs that shape our quality of life,” says Manitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA) president Chris Lorenc. “That’s why we’ve said as a business community that in our opinion growing the economy is Job 1.” let’s get growing Parties urged to base election platforms on economic foundation the manitoba heavy construction association (mhca), business council of manitoba (bcm), canadian manufacturers and exporters (cme), manitoba chambers of commerce (mcc), manitoba home builders’ association (mhba) and the winnipeg chamber of commerce (wcc) have presented party leaders with the document growing manitoba’s economy, outlining seven key public policy pillars in support of economic growth: fiscal coMpetitiveness Manitoba must have an effective and fiscally prudent government committed to creating a competitive tax jurisdiction to attract and retain new investment. venture capital Commitment to the creation of an accessible venture capital fund and supportive tax credit policies to leverage investment in the growth of new and existing businesses. global trade Commitment to pursuing an expanded global trade profile for Manitoba which derives substantial economic benefit. infrastructure investMent Commitment to a strategic, sustained, disciplined approach to investment in Manitoba’s core infrastructure. aboriginal engageMent Commitment to the creation of an Aboriginal Engagement Strategy to ensure inclusion and partnership in economic growth policies. skilled workforce Commitment to attracting, educating, training and retaining a skilled, responsive workforce is fundamental to ongoing economic growth. “new fiscal deal” for Municipalities Commitment to address the existing fiscal framework between the province and municipalities to meet the challenges of the future. ssociation (mhca), anadian anitoba chambers uilders’ association hamber of commerce (wcc) conomy, outlining seven key public policy mcc), manitoba home b he winnipeg chamber of have presented party leaders with the document anitoba’s economy, outlining seven key public policy manitoba’s construction association ( anitoba (bcm), canadian exporters (cme), manitoba the manitoba heavy business council of m manufacturers and of commerce (mcc (mhba) and t
While the seven pillars are not prioritized, Business Council of Manitoba president and CEO Don Leitch says the BCM’s main focus is on improving fiscal and economic performance. “We continually hear that Manitoba is doing fine, we’re the second or third best growth rate in the country, but part of that is so many provinces are doing so poorly,” he says. “So being in second or third place when everybody else is failing or having negative growth rates is not something to brag about and quite frankly 2% or 2.5% is not good enough.” At the same time, Leitch says the province must drive toward a balanced budget. “None of us advocate drastic, huge, immediate cuts. We’re saying, ‘Set a target and a deadline and move to it,’ ” he says. “High interest costs on our debt every year leave us at great risk when interest rates begin to move up. And when interest rates move up we will pay significantly more every year to service the debt, and when we’re servicing the debt with tens of millions of dollars more a year that is tens of millions that is not available for the health sector, the education sector, into infrastructure, so let’s focus on the fiscal.” The BCM and Manitoba Chambers of Commerce are among the organizations that endorse a comprehensive review of personal, business and corporate taxes to shape a more competitive climate that’s attractive to young people, entrepreneurs and established businesses. MCC president Chuck Davidson says we shouldn’t underestimate the impact of Manitoba’s 8% PST on big businesses that might see substantial savings with a move to Saskatchewan, where they would pay 5% PST. Like the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerce and Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters, the MCC supports the creation of a venture capital fund to leverage investment in new and growing businesses, to encourage innovation, and to keep our innovators from seeking greener pastures outside the province. Developing and retaining a well-educated skilled workforce in areas from trades to technology, science, engineering, law and business is a priority for the business community across the board, along with a stronger focus on engaging the fastest-growing segment of Manitoba’s population, the Aboriginal community. “One out of five kids entering the public school system now is Aboriginal, soon to be one out of four,” the BCM’s Leitch says. “We want to make sure that they complete their public education and graduate from high school at the same rate and at the same levels as every other student in the province of Manitoba. It’s critically important. You’ve got a huge pool, reservoir of talent out there that we are not utilizing and they are being denied the opportunity to fully participate in the economy.” Trade in everything from furs to oilseed to manufactured goods has always been vital to Manitoba’s economy and the group of six is supportive of international agreements like the Canada and European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement and the Trans- Pacific Partnership, as well as improvements to Canada’s national Agreement on Internal Trade and participation in the New West Partnership with B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan. Trade-related infrastructure that supports economic growth takes precedence, but like everyone else, business leaders dodge potholes as they drive to work each day. They rely on digital infrastructure, sewer and water and all the other services municipalities are called upon to deliver. And they understand all too well that addressing infrastructure and municipal revenue needs go hand in hand. “We’re not for a second denying that the regular streets and roads have to be taken care of,” Leitch says. “You’ve got to have a comprehensive strategy, and that leads into that whole new fiscal deal for municipalities and why it’s critically important as well to enable the local governments to maintain the roads.” Lorenc chaired the Infrastructure Funding Council appointed in 2010 by the Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) and the City of Winnipeg to address the growing infrastructure deficit. A council report issued in 2011 made 16 recommendations regarding actions municipalities should take on their own, actions they should take together with the Manitoba government and advocacy positions municipalities and the province should take with the federal government. However, Lorenc says its 17th and last recommendation was the most important. It called upon the Premier to establish an expert subject matter panel with representation from the province, Winnipeg, AMM and the private sector, to develop a fiscal plan for a new Manitoba Municipal Infrastructure Funding Agreement. Given that the fiscal framework under which municipalities operate today was designed at the turn of the 20th century, it’s about time. Lorenc says municipalities need access to new revenue streams, which might flow from having a greater share in provincial and federal tax revenues and/or having the ability to implement their own growth taxes. However, there has to be transparency — municipalities must identify how they plan to use those new revenues and they must be held accountable. Davidson says as long as municipalities rely on property taxes as their main source of revenue, it’s difficult to maintain infrastructure and it’s a challenge to engage in public infrastructure projects that are cost-shared with provincial and federal governments. He points to the City of Thompson, which needs to raise $12 million for its share of a $36 million water and sewer plant. “This is a community of 13,000 people. They just don’t have those revenue accesses that the other levels of government have,” Davidson says. With an election on the horizon, Davidson says it’s important to steer discussion away from politics as usual and instead focus on public policy and how we’ll shape our province’s future. “People in Manitoba care about jobs, they care about growing opportunities,” he says. “When you have that growing economy you’ve got additional dollars that can be spent on those things that are important to people — like the social programs, like education, like health care — but you need a growing economy to fund those programs.” ❚
“We’re not saying, ‘This is what you must do.’We are saying, ‘These are the seven pillars that we recommend you build your economic platform around,’ ” Lorenc says. “We have suggestions around each of the seven, but we’re less interested in being prescriptive and more interested in forcing them to engage in policy discussion around why do they think Aboriginal engagement is important and what would they do on that file; why do they think a fiscal deal for municipalities and the province is important and how would they address that; what is their strategy associated with infrastructure and a skilled labour force and balancing budgets and venture capital.”
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meet the equipment Making the Grade
A workhorse of the heavy construction industry, the crawler tractor (dozer) is usually the first piece of heavy equipment on a project site. Because it runs on two tracks that distribute its weight over a wide surface area, much the way snowshoes distribute a person’s weight on soft snow, it won’t sink into soft ground, and the tracks give it superior mobility on rough terrain. A concave blade attached to the front of the machine can swivel and move up and down with the assistance of hydraulic arms. Different blades with replaceable cutting edges are used to push dirt and rock ahead of the machine. Operators use one control to
operate the dozer and a different control to operate the blade. A ripper attached the rear of the machine has teeth to break up hard surfaces, just as a spading fork is used to loosen compacted soil in a garden. While a crawler tractor can be used to level ground, a motor grader is more precise. The operator controls the height and position of the blade — often with the aid of a GPS system for added speed and accuracy — to create a level surface during road construction. The motor grader is also used to create v-shaped drainage ditches at the side of the road. In winter, it may be equipped with a front- mounted blade for snow clearing operations. ❚
heavy machinery makes short work of jobs that were once powered by people and livestock. once known as bulldozers, crawler tractors have evolved into high-tech pieces of equipment.
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women at work Breaking the mold in heavy construction
Photo by Darcy Finley
colleen Munro wasn’t afraid to get Her Hands dirty wHen sHe joined tHe faMily business, HugH Munro construction ltd., as a young teen. Her face got pretty dirty too. A n inspiring speaker at SHEday at RBC Convention Centre Winnipeg in January, Munro got a lot of laughs when she told a crowd of 800 about an early experience driving a packer. The men on the crew were going out of their way to make sure she ate plenty of dust when she spotted rescue on the horizon — her father driving onto the job site. Relief was short-lived: He waved and kept on driving. “I didn’t really appreciate it at the time, but when I look back there was the lesson of it. You have to survive,” she says. “I don’t think he did it on purpose. I think he realized that he wouldn’t do me any favours by babying me, and the guys would resent it even more …. I had to take it.” In the 1970s, Munro was a rarity in construction. She says there still aren’t a lot of women in the industry, but these days, they’re welcome. “It can be a great opportunity for women, whether it be operators, welders, mechanics; the great thing is we need people. We’re short in our industry, so we would love to have more women in our crew,”she says, adding the benefits extend beyond the financial rewards. “You can take a look back and see some of the projects that you’ve worked on that are there for our province, and I think it’s a rewarding career for a lot of women.” There’s no shortage of career options in construction and Munro says women have a lot to offer to the industry. “Compared to most men operators they’re gentler on the equipment. They keep it cleaner, they’re consistent, you know all those things you want in an employee I think women bring to a job site,” she says. “Women are much more collaborators — I mean I’m obviously generalizing, but anybody who wants to say we are the same, we’re not the same. We have different strengths and different weaknesses.”
Munro says if she hadn’t been born into construction — she entered the world the same year her late father started the company — she probably wouldn’t have given a career in the industry a second thought, or a first thought. “Really, construction just wasn’t an option for women in my day,” she says. “We want more women in our industry and a lot of us are willing to train, and there’s also a lot of courses that are offered now through Red River College, through MITT (Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology), through the Manitoba Construction Sector Council that will help train women for this industry.” A member of the Minister’s Advisory Council on Workforce Development and a board member of Apprenticeship Manitoba, Munro is active with the Manitoba Construction Sector Council and MITT education programs, and her company works in partnership with First Nations on local workforce training and development for men and women. In 1995, she became the first — and so far, only — woman to serve as Board Chairperson of the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA) and the Western Canada Roadbuilders & Heavy Construction Association (WCR&HCA).
Hugh Munro worked on the original Red River Floodway and the company has tackled projects including the Winnipeg Floodway expansion, the Lake St. Martin Emergency Channel, CentrePort Canada Way, the East Side Road Authority all-weather road and Manitoba Hydro’s Bipole III. Its services include site excavation, drilling and blasting, laying fiber-optic cable and clearing snow for the City of Winnipeg. Often, the company will train workers on-site and help them move up the ladder. “If somebody is going to excel and we see that they could be in surveying or project management there’s all sorts of courses now that can be taken to strengthen that position,” Munro says. The lifestyle can be tough. Job sites are often in remote areas where workers stay at construction camps for 21 days at a time, and Munro says if you’re a family person you need to have solid support at home. Her own husband, Burt Lancon, has been that support for her and their teenage daughter, Steele — who got a strong name from her parents as well as strong role models. Munro says the industry still isn’t as politically correct as more traditional jobs for women, but as she tells workers of
“We can be part of the change or we don’t participate, and I’d rather be part of the change than not. Maybe it doesn’t go as fast as I’d like it some days but you know it is happening.”
From one man with one piece of equipment — a dozer for clearing bush — the company she runs has become a major player in the heavy construction industry, with 250 pieces of equipment, trucking and service arms and up to 300 employees whose livelihood is her main focus. “There are a lot of families that survive by making their money with this company. That’s a real motivator for me,” she says. “My main goal is that I’m very loyal to the people that worked with me since I was a kid and it’s kind of, we’re like a family … I call them lifers all the time. It’s just paying respect and hopefully we can still do a good job and go to the next stage together.”
both genders, you’ve got to “suck it up, buttercup.” “We can be part of the change or we don’t participate, and I’d rather be part of the change than not. Maybe it doesn’t go as fast as I’d like it some days but you know it is happening.” There’s a lot of camaraderie in construction and Munro says she enjoys getting away from the business of running a business and visiting job sites. But she’s not tempted to hop on a packer or dozer, although the equipment has improved along with the atmosphere. “When I was there you didn’t have the rollover protection, you didn’t have a cab. You were out in the baking sun.” ❚
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berens river first nation chief jackie everett (third from right) and hugh munro construction ltd. owner colleen munro with meemeeweesipi construction students who took part in training with the manitoba construction sector council. photos courtesy of manitoba construction sector council
working partnerships Training programs benefit industry and communities construction of an all-season road is bringing a world of opportunity to fly-in first nation coMMunities on tHe east side of lake winnipeg. and tHe road runs botH ways, providing a MucH-needed local workforce for tHe Heavy construction industry.
equipment operators, blasters, drillers and skilled labourers. “They don’t have to bring in their workers and the local workforce is ready for opportunities. And they understand the commitment, they understand what’s required of them, they understand that at the end of the day it’s a good paycheque,” he says. “So it builds a good economic base of money staying in the community, and therefore it builds up good role models and so forth, so there’s big effects from this one training program that we did in regards to the job readiness.” MCSC is mandated to identify and deliver, or facilitate delivery of, the education needs of the construction industry. This includes pre-employment skills training to Gold Seal-
accredited programs for construction supervisors. It was formed in 2009 by five associations: The Manitoba Heavy Construction Association, Construction Association of Rural Manitoba, Manitoba Building and Construction Trades Council, Manitoba Home Builders’ Association and the Winnipeg Construction Association. Castel says job-readiness training covers a broad range of topics, from time management to work ethics, and there’s a strong focus on building a professional pool of workers who are also role models in their communities. “We want to make sure we empower the employers but also empower the community to take on these jobs and be self-sufficient, and in order to do that we have to educate the community about their role.” ❚
I n 2014, Hugh Munro Construction Ltd. and Berens River First Nation’s Meemeeweesipi Construction forged a joint venture that included a training component to prepare the local workforce for drilling, labour and heavy equipment operator jobs. Now, a unique Blaster in Training Certificate program is on the launch pad, thanks to a partnership between the Manitoba Construction Sector Council (MCSC), Berens River First Nation, Hugh Munro Construction and blasting experts Austin Powder. MCSC indigenous liaison Ron Castel says the curriculum and training videos are being completed and MCSC has already delivered job- readiness training. “There’s pre-employment and there’s life skills, but I don’t call it that, I call it job readiness
because that’s what we’re doing, getting them ready to go to work,” Castel says. “Basically, we’re getting the community ready to take up responsibility for their community projects.” Two years ago, MCSC provided mentorship training for Hugh Munro and Meemeeweesipi Construction staff, along with job-readiness training for 19 local workers, including three women, two of whom went on to train as heavy equipment operators. The East Side Road Authority has a 30% local hiring requirement, which is far exceeded by Hugh Munro Construction. Castel says the training programs are a win for the community and the industry. When other companies are awarded construction contracts in the area, they’ll have access to a pool of experienced
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10 wednesdaY march 23, 2016
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ground Control High-tech simulators put students in driver’s seat
it looks like an industrial video arcade, but tHe Heavy equipMent operator certificate (Heoc) prograM’s training siMulator lab at tHe Manitoba institute of trades and tecHnology (Mitt) is anytHing but cHild’s play. D eveloped in partnership with MITT, the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA) and Manitoba Construction Sector Council (MCSC), the new program harnesses technology to give students hands-on experience operating hydraulic excavators, rubber tire loaders, crawler tractors (dozers) and motor graders. “It’s not a game. The more we work on it, the better we do get,”says trainee Ben Sutherland, who works for E.F. Moon Construction in Portage la Prairie. Manipulating controls on a John Deere motor grader simulator, Sutherland, 32, is finding it a challenge to maintain a level grade on a computer-generated cul de sac, one of several lesson plans students must master during the eight-week course. “Most of the tasks they have on here are pretty difficult actually,” says Sutherland, who expects to be certified as an excavator operator following a 160-hour practicum with E.F. Moon. Launched in January with an initial intake of 16 students, the program got off the ground with a $150,000 investment from the province of Manitoba to help purchase four simulators. Toromont CAT donated funds to offset the cost of two of the initial simulators and Brandt Tractor donated three more. The first program of its kind in Manitoba, HEOC is a game-changer for the industry. Until now, heavy construction has not had the benefit of public-sector support for workforce training and education. “If you’re an apprentice or a tradesperson there’s all kinds of education and training funds, whereas for our skilled labourers — our equipment operators in particular — there hasn’t been anything,” says MHCA president Chris Lorenc. Typically, companies train their own employees as they work their way up the ladder from unskilled to skilled labourer and on to small equipment operator and heavy equipment operator. MHCA has offered heavy equipment operator training for the past decade, including a significant amount of training with First Nation communities. However, leasing equipment is very expensive and while it’s being used for training there are additional costs associated with loss of productivity. Having access to simulators helped reduce costs from up to $17,000 per person, depending on the training location, to about $5,800 per person. And support from the federally funded Canada-Manitoba Job Grant has made the program more accessible. Since 2014, the grant has been available to help employers develop their workers’ skills, with costs split three ways between the grant program, the employee and the employer, who may cover the employee’s costs. The first class was made up of 12 students who work in the heavy construction industry, three who have some experience with heavy equipment and a former carpenter who is retraining for a new career after losing three fingers in a workplace accident. The course wrapped up in mid-March and each student must complete a 160-hour practicum with their employer within one year, after which an MHCA evaluator will assess their skills. MITT workforce development consultant Beverlie Stuart says instructors, stakeholders and MITT are conducting an evaluation of the program, but she anticipates that it will be expanded to accommodate multiple intakes in 2017 and that it will be extended to students who are not yet working in the industry. “We’ve had a lot of interest, a lot of phone calls,” she says. MHCA Heavy Equipment Operator Training Academy instructor Phil McDaniel and Hugh Munro Construction safety and training instructor Brent Good fielded a number of queries on-site from MITT students. There’s also been keen interest from high school students and entry-level workers who want to pursue a career in heavy construction and from the Manitoba Métis Federation and various indigenous organizations in rural and northern Manitoba. The program was planned to be mobile and Stuart says the hope is that more simulators can be acquired and transported to mobile training sites throughout the province. MCSC Director of Education and Training La Donna Ogungbemi-Jackson says an existing curriculum was updated and fine-tuned for the HEOC program, which combines classroom and simulator training. Representatives from heavy construction companies attended a series of focus groups to help determine what topics should be covered. The result is a well-rounded approach to give students a grounding in everything from basic surveying to work-site communication skills, with a strong focus on safety. The simulators actually track safety violations and will shut down in the event of a major violation. They also calculate the cost of any damage to equipment caused by operator error. Lorenc says programs like HEOC demonstrate the industry’s commitment to training and excellence. He is a long-time member of the national Gold Seal committee, which is a certification program for managers of construction projects, and MHCA hopes to become involved in the certification of a number of other trades with the industry. “We’ve made significant investment in education and training. We think that is the key to our future productivity and competitiveness. We think it’s important to associate continuous education and improvement with careers in our industry.” ❚
the heavy equipment operator certification (heoc) program delivered at the manitoba institute of trades and technology (mitt) combines classroom and simulator training. students must complete a 160-hour practicum within one year following graduation.
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wednesdaY march 23, 2016 11
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the mhCa membership advantage MeMbersHip Matters manitoba heavy construction association (mhca) members enjoy many advantages through membership. mhca has the business tools and pursues advocacy activities to help you and your company participate and grow:
• the bi-annual mhca free press insert reaches in excess of 160,000 readers each issue with key industry messages related to the links between infrastructure investment and economic growth, the industry contribution to our economy, careers in our industry, the benefits of our WORKSAFELY™ Program and much more • network with existing and potential new clients, and with key government elected and department officials at our always sold out annual events including: Curling Bonspiel, Spring Mixer, Breakfasts with Leaders, Golf Classic and Chairman’s Gala • participate in MHCA Standing Committees and help shape and influence provincial, municipal and related agency policies, practices and regulations, and investments in infrastructure, taxation and economic growth policies
• advantage your employees and company’s safety through MHCA’s worksafely™ program and its COR Certification • be seen to be a part of a 400-plus member voice Association of the heavy construction industry with a reputation for presence, profile and impact with groundbreaking results in support of industry issues and its growth MHCA: Presence Profile & Impact.... Groundbreaking results. to learn more about the benefits of mhca membership, visit www.mhca.mb.ca/membership or contact christine miller, mhca’s events, membership & office manager at 204-947-1379 or via email at christine@mhca.mb.ca.
• The ‘annual ‘mhca directory’ features a ‘yellow pages’ of heavy construction services by category. It provides recognized Equipment Rental Rates for bidding and retail purposes. It IS the business tool for public and private sector purchasers of heavy construction industry services • ‘the heavy news weekly’ electronically provides timely information regarding tender ads and results; WORKSAFELY™ Training; vocational education; member events; and industry news relevant to your business
WE’RE STRONGER TOGETHER... so let’s all speak with one voice.
www.amm.mb.ca
IN MANITOBA, local Councils are responsible for 60% of infrastructure but are allowed to collect just 8 cents of every tax dollar to get the job done. PLUS, they have little to no say in how the rest gets spent. That’s why they’re inviting you to join them in speaking with one voice. Because Manitobans are always stronger, together! This campaign, tell your candidates that your community deserves its fair share of tax dollars and a fair say in how they’re spent. Please make sure your voice is heard.
training when you need it, where you need it tHe Manitoba Heavy construction association (MHca) is coMMitted to providing training for new or eXisting workers in tHe Heavy construction industry. Whether is it provided directly by the MHCA — such as all aspects of safety, human resources, workplace development and leadership skills — OR, Heavy Equipment Operator Certificate (HEOC) training in partnership with the Manitoba Institute of Trades & Technology (MITT); OR, pre- employment, mentoring or cultural sensitivity training with the Manitoba Construction Sector Council (MCSC), the MHCA is the one-stop shop for the heavy construction industry education and training needs. Training can be delivered in the MHCA classrooms or on-site at the employer’s place of business across Manitoba. The MHCA also delivers training to First Nations directly in their communities, works with the Métis community to support its training needs and provides training for municipal workforces in their locations. Upon completion, students receive a certificate from the MHCA. We can shape and scope the nature of training to suit what is required by an employer, First Nation community or Municipality. For information about Education & Training, contact Jackie Jones, MHCA WORKSAFELY/COR Education & Training Coordinator at 204-947-1379 or via email at jackie@mhca.mb.ca
AMM President, Chris Goertzen joins forces with Winnipeg Mayor, Brian Bowman as well as other Mayors, Reeves and Councillors from across Manitoba.
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