Residential construction strike could start Wednesday if APCHQ refuses to consult members
A photo of a residential construction worker building a home. Photographer: (Allison Joyce/Bloomberg) (Allison Joyce/Bloomberg)
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CBC
12 hours ago
- CBC
'I thought we were going to perish': Construction workers safe after wildfire closed in around them
Social Sharing The superintendent of a construction crew that sheltered in a shipping container as an out of control wildfire closed in around them says they're lucky to be alive. The 19-person crew — with all but one hailing from communities across Manitoba —- had been working at a job site near Sandy Lake in northwestern Ontario. The site included workers from Sigfusson Northern and Milestone Environmental Contracting Inc. who were doing a project for Sandy Lake First Nation. Terrifying video posted to social media shows the massive flames and smoke leaping above the treeline against a red sky, just meters from where the group was huddled. "I thought we're going to perish, actually," said Neal Gillespie, who works with Milestone Environmental Contracting Inc. Gillespie said the fire was about 40 kilometres away when the work day began on Saturday morning. The fire was quite a bit closer around 9:30 a.m. and the crew began packing up some of the gear in case they had to flee. "Things started to turn a little worse," he said. He said someone from Sandy Lake First Nation called them about putting in fire breaks, so they gathered some equipment together and moved toward a work camp 14 kilometres to the west. "As soon as we start getting our gear out there, within the next 45 minutes, that's how quick the fire jumped on top of us," he said. Construction workers trapped by wildfire take shelter in a shipping container 34 minutes ago Duration 0:19 A crew working near Sandy Lake in northwestern Ontario was surrounded by wildfire on June 7. After helicopters couldn't see them or land due to the thick smoke, they used the main road to drive out to safety. He said the group had to abandon their equipment, and gather together inside the 'very barren' camp area, following the emergency planning they'd been doing for weeks. They used the cargo container to get away from the flames and heavy smoke. "The fire came up and danced literally right around us," said Gillespie, adding that a few of the cargo containers around where they sat started to catch fire. "I thought we were going to perish actually. It wasn't good." They decided to flee the shipping container, and when they got out, part of it caught on fire as well There were several attempts to get the crew out by helicopter but the smoke was too thick to find them or land, Gillespie said. "We had three Hueys [helicopters] come above our position, trying to locate us, it was that much smoke that they couldn't locate us." "They could locate the coordinates but they couldn't locate the camp itself," he said. After four or five hours and unsuccessful rescue attempts, Gillespie said the crew 'successfully' drove in a convoy to Sandy Lake First Nation along one of the area's main roads. "The towns [are] on very high alert. There's planes coming back and forth here like you wouldn't believe. And there's helicopters flying out here so it's quite bananas here right now." When Gillespie spoke to CBC news just before 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday, he said nine workers had already left the First Nation in a Winnipeg-bound plane. The next plane taking the other half of the crew back to Manitoba arrived shortly after that. "Our crew is safe and sound," Gillespie said. Crews 'really traumatized': Chief As of Saturday night, the Red Lake 12 fire was more than 150,000 hectares in size and is still out of control, a provincial spokesperson said. "We woke up to just an orange sky with ashes flowing all over the place," Sandy Lake First Nation Chief Delores Kakegamic told CBC News on Saturday. An evacuation order was issued for the First Nation on Saturday afternoon, with about 1,700 members being flown out as priority evacuees, Kakegamic said. She said they are headed to the airport in Red Lake, where they will be sent to either Kapuskasing, Cochrane, Toronto, or possibly Niagara. Kakegamic said a few members of the construction crew seemed "really traumatized" when they arrived at the First Nation on Saturday. Ontario fire information officer Alison Lake, who oversees communications for the Red Lake 12 wildfire, confirmed that all 19 workers are safe and have been accounted for. CBC News has reached out to Sigfusson Northern and Milestone Environmental Contracting Inc. but did not receive a response in time for publication. However, Sigfusson posted a statement to Facebook on Saturday night confirming its site had been affected by wildfire. "Our crews showed an extreme level of professionalism and courage in the face of a rapidly changing situation," the company's post said. "We are thankful that our crews are now out of harm's way and on their way home to their families." Gillespie said with every site they'd gone to in the past few weeks, they'd developed and practiced a protocol for what to do in case of needing to evacuate due to wildfire. "What we did, what we trained for, what we had in place worked right to a T and probably saved our lives."
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
La Fontaine Tunnel construction creating ‘constant' noise for nearby residents
Some residents living near the La Fontaine Tunnel are frustrated over the constant noise from ongoing construction. Marie-Lyne Grenier says the noise is a persistent disruption in her daily life. 'It's extremely frustrating,' she said. She explained that while she understands the necessity of the work, the continuous noise from the construction has reached an intolerable level. 'We know noise pollution impacts stress levels,' said Grenier. She is not alone in her frustration. Other residents in the neighborhood share similar concerns. Construction on the La Fontaine Tunnel began in 2020, with workers carrying out repairs to extend the tunnel's lifespan by another 40 years. Residents have noticed a recent increase in noise levels, especially at night, which has been affecting their sleep. 'You felt like there was a vacuum right behind your head over the entire night,' said Grenier. At least two residents have complained to Quebec's Transportation Ministry. They are calling for better communication from authorities regarding the construction and its impact. In response to the concerns, the Ministry told CTV News that the noise is caused by a temporary ventilation system put in place to provide workers with fresh air. 'An anti-noise wall was installed on the site on June 5 to reduce the noise caused by temporary ventilation in the area. The wall, made up of sound-absorbing containers and acoustic fabrics, will remain in place until the second tube is completed,' said Martin Girard, a spokesperson for the ministry. He also reassured residents that they will continue to monitor the situation and take further action if necessary. The circulation tubes will open in Fall 2026, and other works on the La Fontaine Tunnel are expected to last until 2027.
CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Historic church hits the Manitoba housing market
The exterior of the former Ladywood church. ( A former church has hit the housing market in Ladywood, Man. Built in 1936, the stone building is located approximately 70 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg and provides the 'rare opportunity to own a former historic church,' according to the real estate listing. The 2,692-square-foot bungalow is listed at $230,000 and has been converted to include one bedroom and one bathroom, located on approximately one acre. Interior of the Ladywood church The interior of the former Ladywood church. ( The former church includes solid wood stairs leading to a loft area with a kitchen and living room, described in the listing as a 'great space for an artist studio.' Other features include hardwood floors throughout the building, an electric furnace, a septic holding tank and a well.
