Ottawa Construction News staff writer
The National Capital Heavy Construction Association (NCHCA) had a healthy year in 2017 and looks forward to continuing growth in 2018 under the leadership of incoming president Steve Turner, from Ottawa Residential Consultants Inc.
The association, founded in 1978, turns 40 this year, and it “is mind boggling all the projects coming up,” Turner said at the annual general meeting on April 12.
He says this year he hopes to meet with as many city councillors and project managers as possible to advocate for long-lasting, high quality infrastructure projects. “The NCHCA will continue to work with the City of Ottawa to ensure that its vendor performance management (VPM) system is appropriately implemented,” he said.
Last November, the association appointed Kathy Sutherland as its executive director. Sutherland, who combines status as a professional engineer and lawyer, says priorities for 2018 include:
- Engaging with our members to ensure that their priorities guide associations activities, and ensure that we are providing services that are of value to our members;
- Ensuring solid relations with the City of Ottawa and other municipal governments, growing our relations with provincial and federal governments and advocating strong, clear positions and expectations to all three tiers of government on our industry issues;
- Developing strategies and resources to promote our industry and recruitment to our industry; and developing a strategic plan and vision for the association. Reaffirming the association’s mission and objectives. Developing a three-year business plan and an annual plan that reflects our members’ priorities based on our available budget.”
Treasurer Ray Shannon said the financial numbers for the past year worked as expected, with a forecast deficit of $15,000, which ended up at $16,485. “Overall, in 2018, we’re forecasting another investment year, in our fortieth year, we’re expected to run a $10,000 deficit.”
However, these deficits are not a problem because of the association’s healthy cash balance, with unrestricted net assets at the end of 2017 of $246,277, mostly in cash.
Louis W.Bray Construction Ltd. received the 2017 Annual Safety Award “for actions taken by Matt Gareau that prevented serious injury to a member of the public,” the annual report said.
The NCHCA’s 2018-19 executive members in addition to Turner includes: Past president – Jim Flegg, Lous W. Bray Construction Ltd.; first vice-president, Dr. Stephen Goodman, GEMTEC Consulting Engineers and Scientists Ltd.; second vice-president – Darrin Alberty, Greenbelt Construction Ltd.; and treasurer – Ray Shannon, Bradley’s Commercial Insurance.
Directors are: Perry Crozier, IPEX Inc.; John DeKroon, K.C.E. Construction Ltd.; Kevin Kiley, Coco Paving Inc.; Brian Lane, Taggart Construction Ltd.; Paul Lemire, C.A.C.E. Construction (1991) Ltd.; Dave McClure, Toromont Cat; Steve McEachen, AECON Construction Ontario East Ltd.; Joel McIntyre, R.W. Tomlinson Ltd.; Dave Meikle, Thomas Cavanagh Construction Ltd.; Leon Switzer, Front Page Media Group; and Ezio Vena, Torus Construction Corp.
As well, Edson Donnelly of Novatech Engineering Consultants Ltd. represents the Consulting Engineers of Ontario (CEO) and Jeff Mulcock of Taggart Construction represents the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association (OSWCA).
