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

The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) will launch a Construction for Canadians Tour, an 11-episode national docuseries designed to give Canadians a behind-the-scenes look at the country’s housing and infrastructure projects.

Filming begins in June and will span 12 weeks, visiting 21 active and recently completed construction sites across 10 provinces. The tour will feature local elected officials, industry leaders, and construction professionals, highlighting the planning, technology, and skilled trades that make major projects possible.

“Canada has set bold goals for housing and infrastructure delivery,” said Rodrigue Gilbert, CCA president. “While construction is central to the homes, roads, hospitals and public infrastructure Canadians rely on every day, much of the work that goes into delivering these projects happens out of sight. This series is about opening the door and showing Canadians the incredible effort, coordination and skilled talent required to build our country.”

The series will address common misconceptions about construction and demonstrate the complexity and expertise needed to deliver critical infrastructure. The tour will also provide opportunities for direct engagement at worksites and candid conversations en route.

“The success of Canada’s construction sector depends on strong collaboration across the industry and with communities,” Gilbert added. “Construction is often misunderstood. People see the final result but not the planning, technology, skilled trades and teamwork required to get there.”

The announcement coincides with CCA’s annual conference, which brought together more than 500 Canadian construction leaders to discuss national priorities and cross-border collaboration amid evolving Canada-U.S. economic and infrastructure policies.

Full details of the Construction for Canadians Tour, including specific stops and filming locations, will be released in the coming weeks.

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March 2026

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Ontario Construction News staff writer

Some of Canada’s major labour organizations are urging Ottawa to put workers at the centre of any renegotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement as preparations begin for the pact’s mandatory 2026 review.

Leaders met with Dominic LeBlanc, the federal minister responsible for Canada–U.S. trade and intergovernmental affairs, for what they described as a high-level roundtable on the future of CUSMA amid rising trade tensions and renewed threats of U.S. tariffs.

Canadian Labour Congress president Bea Bruske said unions delivered a “clear and urgent message” that Canada should not accept a revised trade deal that weakens domestic industry or costs Canadian jobs.

“Any deal that undermines Canadian jobs or weakens Canada’s ability to build its own economy would be worse than no deal at all,” Bruske said in a statement following the meeting. “The United States has increasingly abandoned the rules-based trading system, using trade pressure to weaken workers, destabilize supply chains, and advantage corporations.

“Canada must respond from a position of strength, not concession, and refuse to sacrifice workers to appease U.S. demands.”

Bruske was joined by leaders from several large manufacturing and building trades unions representing sectors heavily exposed to trade policy decisions, including auto manufacturing, construction and resource-based industries.

Unions warned the federal government against what they characterized as past mistakes in trade negotiations, arguing that Canada has seen domestic production and industrial capacity eroded through sectoral tariffs and trade concessions. They pointed to ongoing U.S. tariffs on industries such as automotive manufacturing and softwood lumber, which they said continue to cost Canadian jobs and strain local economies.

The Canadian Labour Congress is calling on Ottawa to pursue a “workers-first” trade approach that protects regulatory space for industrial policy, strengthens domestic manufacturing and supports supply-chain resilience. Labour leaders also said Canada must defend its ability to invest in future industries without trade rules being used to undercut wages, public services or workers’ rights.

At the negotiating table, unions said Canada should insist on strong, enforceable labour protections, including greater use of CUSMA’s Rapid Response Mechanism to address alleged labour rights violations across North America.

Labour leaders also pressed the government to involve unions directly in the negotiation process, arguing that workers and their representatives have deep, practical knowledge of the industries most affected by trade policy.

The message from unions, Bruske said, was unified: the upcoming CUSMA review should strengthen Canadian industries and working-class communities, not “hollow them out” in the rush to renew the agreement.

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Ottawa Construction News staff writer

Canada’s housing affordability crisis is being driven as much by government taxes, fees and levies as by supply constraints, the Senate banking committee says in a new report that urges Ottawa to take a stronger leadership role in lowering costs and boosting construction.

The Standing Senate Committee on Banking, Commerce and the Economy resumed its housing study in October 2025, nearly two years after issuing an interim report with 10 recommendations as home prices continued to climb and ownership slipped further out of reach for many Canadians.

After hearing testimony over nine meetings, senators concluded that many housing markets face a troubling paradox: home prices remain unaffordable even as construction and land costs have eased. Young Canadians, in particular, are under growing financial strain, with many believing home ownership is no longer attainable.

“The urgency of the situation calls for coordinated and coherent action among all stakeholders and levels of government,” the committee said in its final report, which includes 12 recommendations aimed at reducing prices, increasing supply and improving access to housing.

Among the most significant proposals is a call for a 100 per cent GST/HST rebate on all new housing valued below $1 million, phased out for homes priced between $1 million and $1.5 million. The committee also recommends that the $1-million threshold be indexed annually to inflation.

To address rising municipal costs, senators suggest Ottawa tie federal infrastructure funding to equivalent reductions in municipal fees, where permitted by provincial or territorial law. They also call for stronger oversight of municipal approval processes and safeguards to ensure developer-built services are not counted again in development charges.

Transparency around housing-related costs is another key theme. The committee recommends that all taxes, levies and charges be directly levied on purchasers and fully itemized to eliminate so-called “tax-on-tax.”

The report also urges the federal government to work with provinces and municipalities to establish best practices for municipal approvals and to use financial incentives to encourage adoption.

To strengthen the housing sector, the committee recommends reducing municipal reliance on development charges by exploring alternative funding models, including tax-free municipal bonds and spreading infrastructure costs more equitably across governments. It also calls for more detailed and forward-looking population and immigration forecasts to help local governments plan housing supply.

Other recommendations include creating a national housing data and accountability framework, supporting small and medium-sized builders in adopting modular and factory-built construction, and offering incentives to spur demand for those housing types.

On access and affordability, senators suggest Ottawa examine whether renters should receive tax benefits similar to homeowners and consider a national home renovation tax credit to improve energy efficiency, accessibility and the creation of secondary suites.

The committee also recommends studying whether restrictions are needed on institutional investment in rental housing and expanding federal support for non-market housing through direct funding, low-cost financing and partnerships with non-profits, co-operatives and Indigenous housing providers.

Taken together, the report argues, the measures are necessary to restore affordability, increase supply and ensure Canadians can access housing in a market increasingly strained by costs embedded at every level of government.

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Special to Ottawa Construction News

Work on a test phase preceding the planned construction of high-speed rail line between Toronto and Quebec City is to begin in 2029 or 2030, says the CEO of Alto, the federal Crown corporation managing the project.

Martin Imbleau told reporters in Montreal that the first 200-kilometre phase will connect Montreal and Ottawa and function as a test case for construction on the eastern and western parts of the Toronto to Quebec City project that is slated to begin by 2032.

Engineering work on the Toronto-Ottawa and Montreal-Quebec City tracks is to begin during construction of the Montreal-Ottawa route.

“Construction of the western part and eastern part will start probably a couple of years after the initial construction period,” Imbleau said.

Prime Minister Carney has said the Liberal government’s new major projects office would fast-track engineering and regulatory work to get construction underway within four years. Imbleau said some expropriations will be necessary but did not provide details.

The Crown corporation plans stations for Toronto, Peterborough, Ottawa, Laval, Montreal, Trois-Rivières and Quebec City.

In a speech at the Montreal Chamber of Commerce, Imbleau cited the challenges an “intense urban environment” poses to a railway that would see up to 72 trains per day traversing a 1,000-kilometre corridor on electric tracks at speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour.

The network would cut travels times to make for a trip of less than one hour between Montreal and Ottawa.

Alto estimates project costs at between $60 billion and $90 billion, though Ottawa has not made a final funding approval decision.

A three-month public consultation is set to begin this month and continue through March, including an Indigenous consultation that has already commenced.

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Susanna McLeod

Special to Ottawa Construction News

The time ticked down for the old building, neglected for decades and crumbling. The village council considered demolishing the then nearly two-century-old Ham House in historical Bath, Ontario, when rescue arrived. The heroes didn’t have capes, but they had plans and energy.

In the early 1800s, the village of Bath (founded 1784) was thrumming as the County of Lennox & Addington’s base of commerce and a military training hub. The waterfront harbour was a hubbub of shipping and shipbuilding activity, and later. As the population grew, the village featured some of the earlier schools and places of worship in Upper Canada. Ham House, named for George Ham, began with the Farmers Store constructing a vernacular two-storey timber-frame store and home in 1816 with woodclad exterior.

Constructed in Neoclassical style, Ham House embodied “strong Adamesque or Federal period features that lean heavily on ornate details,” said “Explore Historic Bath,” Loyalist Township Heritage Committee report, 2021. Adamesque style was developed in the late 1700s by brothers Robert and James Adams in Scotland, the design focussing on symmetry and refined details. Derived from Georgian architecture, the Federal style emerged after the American Revolution ended in 1783.

George Ham was a sergeant with the 1^st Regiment, Addington Militia in 1812 at the eruption of the War of 1812. (The War lasted until 1815.) Ham rose to Lieutenant Colonel in Cobourg’s Northumberland Militia by the 1837 Rebellion. His older brother, Peter (B. 1791), was also an Addington militia member. Purchasing the property in about 1818, the brothers became merchants under the name George Ham & Co.

Operating the general store in the easterly side of Ham House, the brothers received a variety of merchandise shipped from Montreal to the local port. A Kingston Chronicle newspaper ad on December 1, 1820 mentioned that “they just received a fresh supply of goods, in addition to their former stock, which they will dispose of very low for cash, short approved credit, or in exchange for Merchantable wheat.” 

Briefly in local politics, in about 1925, George Ham dissolved the business partnership with his brother. Settling in Cobourg, Ontario, he was appointed Justice of the Peace. Peter Ham operated the store for several years until he died in 1829. By the late 1930s, the Hawley family was living and working in Ham House as innkeepers, receiving a tavern licence in 1840. Partitions were added and perhaps staircases were adjusted to accommodate guests. As decades evaporated, the house passed through several owners and underwent updates. Municipal services were installed when the village laid water and sewer pipework in the late 1960s.

Although designated a heritage building, Ham House was disintegrating. Averting de-designation in 2010 by Loyalist Township—and potential demolition of the building—the village community “rallied to its defense and both saved and restored the property,” stated Ontario Heritage Trust. (OHT)

Ron Tasker (a Director of the Frontenac Heritage Foundation) and Bonnie Crook purchased the property. With friends and community help, they launched into restoring Ham House, starting with thorough historical research. “The building was lifted, its foundation rebuilt, and the neoclassical and other water damaged structures replaced and restored,” described OHT. “This work met high conservation standards…and convinced the local council that poor material conditions on an exceptional heritage structure are not insurmountable conditions for its restoration.”

“Over time, elegant features were stripped off, slowly dumming it down until almost indistinguishable from a late 19^th century barn,” said Tasker. Re-sided in wood board over a century ago, the home was left “with not a trace of paint on it. Most of the damage we repaired had been inflicted on it in the 19^th century.”

The interior of Ham House was similarly desperate. “It took two years to strip the interior of the building back to its original elements, removing nearly 40 tons in layers of drywall, plywood and plaster,” Tasker and Crook wrote. “This care allowed us to recover pieces of original millwork and construction lumber re-used when modifications were made.” The team also found historical treasures.

Whiskey bottles and tavern keg spigots were gathered, “and many pottery fragments spanning from the mid-18^th century through to turn-of-the-century hotel ware,” the renovators said. British Navy and American military buttons from the early 1800s were found. A musket ball, and a bounty of coins and tokens surfaced, including a 1762 Spanish Real and 1778 Loyalist Copper. An impressive find seemed to be a broken commemorative plate, celebrating the Lachine Canal opening in 1825.

Tasker, Crook and participants earned awards for their exceptional restoration from Ontario Heritage Trust in 2020, and Lieutenant Governor’s Award in 2021. Along with the façade’s elaborate cornice with fanlike motifs, described Explore Historic Bath, Ham House shines again with “large reeded Doric pilasters [dividing] the wall into three sections, emulating a Doric temple for the store entrance.”

 ©2025 Susanna McLeod. Living in Kingston, Ontario, McLeod is a writer specializing in Canadian history.

Sources:

 “2020 recipients of the Lieutenant Governor’s Ontario Heritage Awards,” Ontario Heritage Trust.

“Advertisement, George Ham & Co.,” Kingston Chronicle, December 1, 1820: pg. 3.

Blumenson, John. Ontario Architecture, Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1990.

“Explore Historic Bath: 4. Ham House, 353 Main Street,” Loyalist Township Heritage Committee report, 2021.

Ham House, Bath, Ontario, c. 1816: Walls Can Talk.

“Village of Bath Heritage Conservation District Plan Update,” Loyalist Township Heritage Committee, 2013.

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Ottawa Construction News staff writer

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe is positioning the nation’s capital as a testing ground for federal-municipal housing cooperation, citing a recent $400-million partnership with Prime Minister Mark Carney’s government as a blueprint for the province.

Speaking at the Greater Ottawa Home Builders’ Association (GOHBA) annual Mayor’s breakfast on Jan. 8, Sutcliffe touted the city’s resilience in a challenging economic climate, noting that Ottawa has bucked the trend of slowing construction seen in other major Ontario markets.

“We want to lead the country,” Sutcliffe said. “We want to say yes to housing and we want to say yes to more affordable housing.”

The mayor highlighted a landmark agreement signed last month with the federal agency Build Canada Homes. The deal commits $400 million toward the construction of 3,000 affordable homes in Ottawa, utilizing factory-built technologies designed to cut construction timelines by half.

“Together we committed to investing $400 million… That is a giant leap forward for affordable housing in our city,” Sutcliffe said.

The optimistic tone comes as Ottawa recorded a 22 per cent year-over-year increase in housing starts through October 2025, a figure that stands in sharp contrast to the declines witnessed in the Greater Toronto Area and other parts of southern Ontario.

Sutcliffe attributed part of this success to the city’s aggressive Housing Action Plan, which includes the upcoming elimination of 13 types of development studies and a new Zoning By-law intended to unlock density. He also emphasized the city’s ability to maintain a stable investment climate by keeping property tax increases to approximately three per cent annually, avoiding the fiscal shocks seen in Toronto and Vancouver where rates have risen by more than 20 per cent over three years.

However, challenges remain regarding infrastructure funding and development charges. Sutcliffe noted that while the municipal government is streamlining its own processes, collaboration with upper levels of government remains critical to address the “missing middle” and infrastructure deficits.

“One of the dynamics that can be frustrating sometimes is you talk to one level of government and they say, ‘oh, we’re waiting to hear from the other level of government’,” Sutcliffe said. “I think there is a willingness on the part of both the federal and provincial governments to do something… The question is what and, more importantly, when.”

With updated projections suggesting Ottawa’s population could grow by 680,000—significantly higher than the 400,000 anticipated in the current Official Plan—industry leaders are calling for immediate action to ensure the recent momentum translates into long-term supply.

“The progress made over the past year shows what’s possible when industry and government work together,” said GOHBA Executive Director Jason Burggraaf. “But as we begin 2026, the focus must be on turning policy direction into housing on the ground.”

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Ottawa Construction News staff writer

More than 100 of Canada’s construction leaders were in Ottawa on Nov. 18 to speak with parliamentarians and government partners.

Following federal budget approval, Canadian Construction Association (CCA) president Rodrigue Gilbert addressed attendees at Industry Day, hosted by the Department of National Defence and Defence Construction Canada.

“You know, the worst thing that can happen in the construction industry is uncertainty,” he said. “And when we can plan and we can have a vision of 25, 30 or even 40 years, our companies, our members are willing to step up and build with you.”

The CCA calls its annual Hill Day “the hallmark of its advocacy activities.” Members from across the country, representing multiple sectors of the industry, meet with parliamentarians from all parties and regions to champion construction and reaffirm the industry’s role in Canada’s economic growth.

This year brought the largest number of participants, with 115 delegates and more than 100 meetings.

Gilbert responded to Budget 2025, the newly released Major Projects Office (MPO) project list and new Buy Canadian measures, emphasizing the steps needed to turn federal commitments into delivered projects.

“We welcomed Budget 2025’s investments, the creation of the MPO and the intent behind Buy Canadian,” Gilbert said. “But without a predictable infrastructure pipeline, a modernized procurement approach and a strengthened construction workforce, these commitments risk stalling before they reach the job site.”

The association emphasized the need for a long-term, stable infrastructure plan to give companies the certainty to invest in people, equipment and innovation.

It also stressed the need to modernize federal procurement, calling for systems that support fair risk-sharing, encourage innovation and align with the evolving Buy Canadian policy. The CCA urged careful consultation on supply-chain impacts to avoid slowing project timelines.

Gilbert also underscored the need for a national workforce strategy, noting that the projects identified through the MPO represent major construction demand — including site preparation, transportation links and processing facilities — that cannot advance without sufficient labour.

While federal investments through the Union Training and Innovation Program represent a positive step toward supporting skills development, the program excludes the roughly 70 per cent of construction workers who are non-unionized. Gilbert emphasized the importance of ensuring all workers, regardless of training pathway, can access the skills and opportunities required to support Canada’s project pipeline.

“Our industry is ready to build the strong, sovereign country that Canadians deserve,” he said. “Now we need the policy environment that ensures major projects can advance quickly and responsibly, and that Canadians see real results on the ground.”

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Ottawa Construction News staff writer

Three teams have been shortlisted for Ottawa’s Alexandra Bridge replacement project, the federal government announced earlier this month.

They are:

Epoch Pathway Ontario-Québec Partners

• Flatiron Dragados Canada Inc.
• EBC Inc.
• Construction Demathieu & Bard Inc.
• Hatch Ltd.
• Carlos Fernandez Casado S.L.
• Peter Kiewit Sons ULC

Peter Kiewit Sons ULC

• Kiewit Engineering Group Canada ULC
• WSP Canada Inc.
• International Bridge Technologies Canada Inc.
• Heritage Link Group

Janin Atlas Inc.

• Dodin Quebec Inc.
• COWI North America Ltd.
• Stantec Consulting Ltd.

“This is an important milestone in the Alexandra Bridge replacement project and underscores the Government of Canada’s commitment to expedite nation-building projects that will connect and transform our country,” said Joël Lightbound, minister of public services and procurement.

The shortlist follows a Request for Qualifications issued in October 2024. The selected teams will now be invited to submit formal proposals in October 2025. The successful proponent will partner with the federal integrated project team to finalize the bridge design, deconstruct the existing structure, and construct the new span.

A planning and design contract is expected to be awarded in winter 2026, followed by the construction and deconstruction contract in 2027. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2028, with the new bridge expected to be open to the public by 2032.

The National Capital Commission recently released the updated preferred design concept for the new bridge, incorporating feedback from public consultations.

Originally opened in 1901, the Alexandra Bridge has exceeded its intended lifespan and requires replacement. The new bridge will be delivered using a progressive design-build model, which allows for earlier collaboration between designers and builders—aiming to improve delivery timelines, control costs, and enhance overall quality.

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