Ottawa Construction News staff writer

The construction timeline for Ādisōke, the joint Ottawa Public Library (OPL) and Library and Archives Canada (LAC) facility at LeBreton Flats, has been extended to December 2026, prompting a request for an additional $18.5 million to cover continued project oversight and contingency costs.

According to a staff report prepared for the City of Ottawa’s finance and corporate services committee meeting scheduled for June 2, the facility’s construction, overseen by general contractor PCL Construction, is now approximately 85 per cent complete.

“The building structure is complete and enclosed, and work is now well underway on interior finishes, building systems, and exterior landscaping,” city staff noted in the report

Despite the physical progress on the structure, the most recent schedule submission from the contractor indicates a project completion date of December 2026. This represents a 12-month delay from the original contractual substantial completion date of Jan. 2.

The staff report noted that PCL’s schedule has “not stabilized” and has faced “additional delays.” As a result, city officials have stated they still cannot confirm an official public opening date for the facility.

“The extended construction timeline results in additional project costs,” city staff outlined in the report. “Continued project oversight, including external resources, and an increase to construction contingency, are required to maintain continuity and rigorous quality control, and to ensure that Ādisōke is delivered to the community as envisioned as an exceptional civic and cultural facility that meets the highest standards of quality and performance.”

The requested $18.5-million budget increase would elevate the total project cost to $352.5 million, up from the previously approved $334 million. The budget has escalated significantly from its initial $175-million estimate, having jumped to $306 million in 2021 before subsequent increases.

Because Ādisōke is a joint facility, the additional funding responsibilities will be shared. The City of Ottawa is being asked to cover $11.5 million, while Library and Archives Canada will contribute the remaining $7 million.

The funds will specifically support two components: continued oversight and supporting services to maintain the continuity of the project team, and a top-up to the project’s construction contingency budget.

The finance and corporate services committee will review the staff report and vote on the funding request at its meeting.

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Ottawa Construction News staff writer

Construction and design professionals looking to deepen their knowledge of architectural wood have a unique hands-on educational opportunity coming up in Ottawa  next month.

The Ottawa chapter of Construction Specifications Canada (CSC) is hosting an in-person continuing education seminar, “Specifying Wood with Confidence,” on Wednesday, June 3.

The event, which runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., will be held at Heritage Grade Woodwork at 2280 Stevenage Dr.

Designed to help the industry confidently specify wood in architectural applications, the collaborative session brings together experts from Heritage Grade, Upper Canada Forest Products (UFP), and the Architectural Woodwork Manufacturers Association of Canada (AWMAC).

The seminar will cover essential topics to strengthen material specification expertise, including:

• Wood species, cuts, and grading
• Veneers and sheet products
• Specification best practices

The session will also feature an in-depth segment on the restoration and rehabilitation of historic woodwork. This portion will draw on the latest AWMAC North American Architectural Woodwork Standards (NAAWS) Guide, specifically addressing Section 3 (Lumber), Section 4 (Sheet Products), and Section 12 (Historic Restoration).

Featured speakers for the event include Laurie Suikki, AWMAC Ontario chapter manager; Mark Paddison, retired program director of Humber College Cabinetmaking; and Sam Pollock, lead at Heritage Grade Woodwork.

Following the educational session, attendees will receive an exclusive guided tour of Heritage Grade’s workshop. The event also includes networking opportunities with industry peers and a complimentary boxed lunch provided by Chef Ric’s.

Attendees can drive directly to the workshop or take advantage of optional transportation via a limousine service. Those interested in coordinating the shuttle service can contact Maria Cristina Villalba, CSC Ottawa events officer, at ma************@****sh.com.

Registration is $60 for CSC members and $85 for non-members, plus applicable fees. Space is highly limited, with a maximum capacity of 24 attendees.

Those interested in attending must register by May 31. For more information or to secure a spot, professionals can visit the event’s page on Eventbrite.

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Ottawa Construction News staff writer

The Napanee Battery Energy Storage System is now in commercial operation, marking one of the largest battery storage projects in Canada and a significant expansion of Ontario’s electricity storage capacity.

The 250-megawatt (MW) facility can supply enough power for up to 250,000 homes for as long as four hours during peak demand periods. Valued at approximately $600 million, the project was selected through the Independent Electricity System Operator Expedited Long-Term 1 procurement process launched in 2022, part of what is described as the largest battery storage procurement in Canadian history.

Energy Minister Stephen Lecce said the project strengthens the province’s electricity system at a time of growing demand.

“Ontario is building the infrastructure needed to power growth, protect jobs, and keep energy reliable and affordable for families,” Lecce said. “The completion of the Napanee Battery Energy Storage System is a major step forward in strengthening our clean electricity grid and securing eastern Ontario’s energy future. This project will help power up to 250,000 homes in eastern Ontario during peak demand, support three highly-skilled jobs and reinforce our plan to build a more competitive, resilient and self-reliant province.”

Ontario’s electricity demand is forecast to rise by as much as 90 per cent by 2050, increasing the need for storage systems that can offset peak demand and help manage extreme weather events.

The Napanee facility includes 284 battery storage units, transformer stations, transmission connection infrastructure and ancillary components. It is designed to store electricity generated during low-demand periods — including output from Ontario’s nuclear fleet — and release it back to the grid when demand increases.

The project also highlights local supply chain involvement, including 72 medium-voltage transformers manufactured by Stein Industries and procured through Nbisiing Power.

“Through strong collaboration and a shared commitment to excellence, Atura Power and Ameresco worked closely with all project partners to successfully deliver this important energy infrastructure ahead of schedule,” said Bob McCullough.

“Reaching commercial operation early is a significant milestone and a clear reflection of the dedication, expertise, and teamwork across the entire project team. We’re proud to support Ontario’s energy future through coordinated efforts that prioritize reliability, innovation, and local impact.”

Construction and development of the facility supported about 120 jobs across skilled trades, engineering, transportation and manufacturing. The completed site is expected to support ongoing operational and technical employment in the region.

The project follows the refurbishment of the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station, another major Ontario energy infrastructure milestone completed on time and on budget.

Ontario officials say battery storage, nuclear refurbishment and hydro expansion are central to a broader strategy aimed at ensuring reliable, affordable electricity while supporting domestic supply chains and long-term economic growth.

“At Atura Power, we are investing in modern technologies that strengthen system reliability and enable the integration of more intermittent non emitting generation, while maintaining the dependable electricity supply Ontarians rely on every day,” said Tom Patterson.

“Delivering this project ahead of schedule and on budget reflects the skill and dedication of our project team, including our joint venture partner Ameresco Canada, and the many trades and engineering professionals who made it possible.”

Vittoria Bellissimo, president and CEO of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association, said energy storage is becoming increasingly important for grid stability.

“Energy storage is the Swiss Army knife of the electricity system,” Bellissimo said. “It can store energy for later, step in when demand spikes, and keep the grid stable and costs down.”

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Ottawa Construction News staff writer

The City of Brockville has received $24.6 million in provincial funding to replace the Centeen Park Main Pumping Station, a long-planned upgrade to one of the area’s most critical pieces of wastewater infrastructure.

The funding was announced by Steve Clark, MPP for Leeds–Grenville–Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes, at Brockville City Hall ahead a City Council meeting in May.

The investment will allow the City to move forward with replacing aging infrastructure that supports public health, protects the St. Lawrence River, and ensures Brockville’s wastewater system can accommodate future housing and employment growth.

“This project has been identified as a priority for many years,” said Matt Wren, Mayor of Brockville. “This provincial funding allows us to advance a critical infrastructure project that strengthens our wastewater system and supports long-term growth, without placing the full financial burden on local taxpayers and water system users.”

“From an operational perspective, this upgrade is essential to maintaining a reliable and resilient wastewater system,” said Peter Raabe, Director of Engineering and Infrastructure. “City staff are pleased to see this long-planned project move forward and are focused on delivering it safely and effectively.”

The funding is provided through Ontario’s Municipal Housing Infrastructure Program – Health and Safety Water Stream, which supports projects that improve water and wastewater systems while enabling community growth.

Replacing the Centeen Park Main Pumping Station will improve system reliability, reduce environmental risk, and help ensure Brockville’s infrastructure keeps pace with future demand.

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The City of Kingston is calling for nominations for its 2026 Livable City Design Awards, recognizing projects that have enhanced the city’s built environment and public spaces over the past three years.

Held every three years, the awards celebrate excellence in urban design, architecture and landscape design that contributes positively to Kingston’s livability.

City officials say eligible projects can range from housing and mixed-use developments to heritage conservation initiatives, parks and other public realm improvements completed between Jan. 1, 2023 and Dec. 31, 2025.

“Whether it’s a new housing or mixed-use development, a heritage conservation project, a new park space or anything in between, we want to know what projects have resonated with the public and made a positive impact on the livability of Kingston over the last three years,” said Sukriti Agarwal, manager of policy planning for the City of Kingston.

“A livable city is one that is designed for all residents to move around easily, connect with one another, and enjoy,” Agarwal added.

The competition is open to both public and private projects, and nominations may be submitted by anyone. Full eligibility requirements are available on the City of Kingston’s website.

Submissions must be received by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30. Eligible entries will be reviewed over the summer by a panel of experts, while members of the public will also have an opportunity to vote for a People’s Choice Award winner in the fall.

Award recipients will be recognized at a ceremony later in the year.

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Ottawa Construction News staff writer

Ontario Construction News is marking its 7th anniversary as the trusted Canadian platform for construction industry advertising, news coverage, and sector celebrations, continuing to serve as a leading choice for companies looking to reach a targeted construction audience.

Over the past seven years, the publication has expanded its services to better support advertisers across Canada, offering streamlined tools and improved digital functionality for submitting construction service postings (CSPs) growing to over 12,000 daily subscribers and over 200,000 active site users.

As part of its newest upgrade, Ontario Construction News has introduced a new online Preview and Approval feature within its online CSP ordering system. After users input their data and upload required forms, they can now review all submitted information in full before moving forward.

Once the details have been verified, users are prompted to confirm accuracy by checking the box:
“I agree that the details above are correct and ready for publication.”

They can then proceed by clicking “Confirm & Proceed to Checkout”, which takes them directly to the payment and checkout page.

Katherine Jeffrey, office manager at Ontario Construction News, says the improvement is designed to enhance accuracy and user confidence in the submission process.

“This new preview step gives our advertisers a chance to double-check everything before it goes live,” said Jeffreys. “It’s a simple but important enhancement that helps ensure accuracy and makes the ordering process smoother for our clients.”

In addition to the new feature, Ontario Construction News reminds advertisers that the office is open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., supporting next-business-day publishing for submitted content.

The organization says the continued upgrades reflect its commitment to providing efficient, reliable, and industry-focused advertising services as it enters its eighth year serving Canada’s construction sector while also being the leading customer service provider for response time, follow up and accessible staff.

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Ontario Construction News staff writer

The Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association (GOHBA) is raising concerns about new data showing that more families with children are moving out of the City of Ottawa and into surrounding municipalities, as affordability and housing mix continue to shape regional population shifts.

The association said intra-provincial migration trends indicate Ottawa is increasingly losing households seeking ground-oriented, family-friendly housing, even as the broader region continues to attract new residents from elsewhere in Ontario.

“Over the past year, the City of Ottawa has made meaningful progress to streamline and improve its development approvals process, with the goal of becoming the most housing-friendly city in the country,” said GOHBA executive director Jason Burggraaf. “While the market has been stuck in a very long period of low activity, it is critical that the City remain committed to these reforms.”

Burggraaf said the improvements to approvals processes will be essential when housing demand rebounds, allowing construction activity to scale more quickly.

New analysis from the Missing Middle Initiative suggests Ottawa has been losing families with children to surrounding communities over the past decade, despite continued regional population growth.

“While the region as a whole continues to gain people from elsewhere in Ontario, a growing share are choosing communities outside Ottawa’s municipal boundaries in search of more suitable and affordable housing,” said Mike Moffatt, founding director of the Missing Middle Initiative.

The data also points to diverging demographic trends within the region.

“The City of Ottawa itself is losing kids and mid-to-late career professionals, while gaining large numbers of college-age adults and, to a lesser extent, early career professionals,” Moffatt said. “Communities surrounding Ottawa are attracting more kids and late-career professionals, while also gaining residents across all age groups.”

The concerns come as multiple levels of government advance housing policy measures aimed at increasing supply and reducing development costs.

Recent initiatives include Ontario’s Bill 98, which focuses on accelerating home construction, and the Canada-Ontario Partnership to Build, which aims to reduce development charges. The province has also approved Official Plan Amendment 46 for Ottawa and urged the city to address gaps between municipal and provincial growth projections.

A joint meeting of Ottawa’s Finance and Corporate Services Committee and Planning and Housing Committee is scheduled for May 5, 2026, to review progress on the city’s Housing Acceleration Plan.

GOHBA is urging the City of Ottawa to maintain its focus on housing affordability and continue working with provincial and federal partners to lower the cost of new housing supply.

The association said increasing the availability of family-oriented housing within city boundaries will be key to reversing outward migration trends.

“More and more growing families are moving outside the City to find the type of housing they want,” Burggraaf said. “They are telling us with their actions that Ottawa needs to meet that market demand for ground-oriented, family-friendly homes, or we’ll continue to lose young families.”

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Ottawa Construction News staff writer

BROCKVILLE – GerrAudio Distribution has been appointed as the exclusive Canadian distributor for CEDAR Audio, a global leader in digital dialogue noise suppression and audio restoration.

The partnership, announced March 25, brings CEDAR’s full portfolio of Emmy and Academy Award winning technologies to the Canadian market, supporting sectors ranging from broadcast and live sound to forensic analysis and security.

Based in Cambridge, U.K., CEDAR Audio is credited with inventing digital dialogue noise suppression and spectral editing. Its solutions are used worldwide to enhance audio clarity and remove noise in high-stakes environments, including film studios, newsrooms, and live concert venues.

“We are pleased to welcome GerrAudio as our distributor for Canada,” said Andy Trott, CEO of CEDAR Audio, in a statement. “GerrAudio has a strong national presence and a longstanding commitment to serving the Canadian professional audio industry. The company has built deep relationships within the live and broadcast markets, and the team clearly shares our ambitions for growth and continued expansion in North America.”

For Brockville-based GerrAudio, the addition of CEDAR Audio strengthens a portfolio that already serves specialized vertical markets, including test and measurement and mission-critical communications.

“CEDAR Audio is recognized worldwide as an innovator and leader in this specialized segment of the audio industry, and their hardware and software products fit naturally into our portfolio as another valuable tool in the professional audio signal chain,” said Bob Snelgrove, president of GerrAudio Distribution.

Snelgrove noted that CEDAR’s capabilities in speech enhancement and noise suppression align with the distributor’s work in broadcast and post-production, while also complementing its support of government and industrial applications.

“CEDAR’s capabilities also complement our efforts in vertical markets where we support test and measurement, communications, and mission-critical audio systems for government, forensic and commercial/industrial applications,” Snelgrove added.

GerrAudio will provide sales, technical support, and market development for CEDAR solutions across Canada, coordinating with dealers, system integrators, and broadcasters.

GerrAudio Distribution is a leading Canadian distributor of professional audio, communications, and test and measurement solutions.

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Ottawa Construction News staff writer

QUÉBEC CITY – TramCité has selected two consortia as preferred bidders for major contracts on the city’s new tramway network.

Tram Alliance will handle the civil works contract, while Québec Connexion Capitale will take on the systems contract. Together, they will be responsible for designing and building the infrastructure and operational systems for the 19-kilometre TramCité network.

The selections followed a competitive and transparent request-for-proposals process led by CDPQ Infra, conducted under the supervision of an independent monitor.

Tram Alliance includes Construction Kiewit Cie and EBC Inc., with Kiewit Conception as the engineering subcontractor, supported by WSP, Artelia, Cima+, and Régis et Richez_Associés.

Québec Connexion Capitale is made up of AtkinsRéalis Major Projects Inc. and Siemens Mobilité Ltée, with a joint venture of AtkinsRéalis and Siemens as the engineering subcontractor.

Proposals were evaluated on technical quality, project approach, team expertise, execution capacity, knowledge of the local market, schedule compliance, and financial framework adherence.

“Strong market interest and the quality of the proposals received confirm the credibility and attractiveness of a project that will durably transform mobility in Québec City and generate significant economic benefits for the region,” said Daniel Farina, president and chief executive officer of CDPQ Infra.

Jean-Philippe Pelletier, vice-president of TramCité, said the selection represents a “key milestone” and allows the project to rely on highly qualified teams while staying within the budget framework.

The consortia will now work with the rolling stock supplier during a 14-month co-development and detailed design phase, refining technical solutions, consolidating planning, and preparing for upcoming construction.

TramCité is a 19-kilometre urban tramway project jointly undertaken by the Government of Québec, the City of Québec and CDPQ Infra, with financial support from the Government of Canada. The project aims to improve mobility, reshape travel habits, and support regional economic development.

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Ottawa Construction News staff writer

Construction Specifications Canada (CSC) Ottawa chapter is inviting industry professionals to go behind the scenes of high-performance door manufacturing during an upcoming technical seminar and facility tour.

The event, titled “Sound Matters: Acoustic Performance & AMBICO Facility Tour,” will take place on Oct. 16 at the AMBICO Limited headquarters at 1120 Cummings Ave. The session is designed to provide architects, engineers, and specifiers with a deep dive into the technical requirements of acoustic openings and the manufacturing processes that support them.

The afternoon will begin with a technical presentation focused on the science of sound control in the built environment. According to the event organizers, the session will cover critical topics such as Sound Transmission Class (STC) ratings, the impact of perimeter sealing systems on acoustic integrity, and how to properly specify door assemblies for sensitive environments like healthcare facilities, recording studios, and government buildings.

Following the seminar, attendees will be guided through AMBICO’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.

“This is a truly exciting time at AMBICO,” the company said in a recent statement regarding its ongoing growth. “As we enter our 70th year of family-owned operations, we continue to purposely invest in our future… not only in state-of-the-art machinery—new press brakes and process improvements—but also in a top-tier management team.”

The tour portion of the event will offer a firsthand look at how specialized products—including blast-resistant, fire-rated, and acoustic doors—are engineered and fabricated. Experts will be on hand to demonstrate the precision required to meet rigorous international standards such as ASTM and ANSI.

The event is scheduled to run from noon (lunch provided) to 4:00 p.m. EST. Registration is required, and tickets are available through the CSC Ottawa Chapter’s Eventbrite page. Participants may be eligible for continuing education credits, as the technical content aligns with the professional development requirements of several architectural and engineering associations.

For more information and to register, visit the CSC Ottawa Eventbrite listing.

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