Latest news with #Kitchener-based
Hamilton Spectator
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Hamilton Spectator
Two proposed developments could bring almost 850 units to Fergus
FERGUS — A Kitchener-based developer is hoping to construct almost 850 residential and mixed-use units just past the northern edge of town on Highway 6. According to planning justification reports from Up Consulting, Polocorp Inc. has applied for zoning bylaw amendments and official plan amendments from the County of Wellington and the Township of Centre Wellington to construct a residential development and a mixed-use development at 6581 Highway 6 and 968 St. David St. N. in Fergus. The properties are adjacent lands on the east side of Highway 6. Intended to form a collective community, the report notes that the St. David Street N. development is included in the Fergus Settlement Boundary and the applicant is hoping to include the Highway 6 property to create a complete, mixed-use community. 6581 Highway 6 Currently occupied by a heritage farmhouse, the development proposed for 6581 Highway 6 would see up to 535 units, comprised of 130 single detached dwellings (including an existing heritage farmhouse), 266 street townhouses, 125 medium density dwelling units, up to 14 mixed-use units for commercial or retail and a 2.2-acre park in the centre. Parking for single detached dwellings, street fronting and stacked townhouses would be provided by individual attached garages and surface parking spaces, with on-street parking available on four internal streets. Anticipated to generate 249 new trips in the peak morning time and 310 new trips in the evening peak times, a Traffic Impact Assessment said the additional traffic from the proposed development could worsen issues at the intersection of Highway 6 and Sideroad 18, Highway 6 and Sideroad 19 and St. David Street and Gordon Street. Although the report indicates no new traffic control signals are needed, it recommends a southbound left-turn lane on Highway 6 and that the township and Ministry of Transportation agree on whether to widen Highway 6 in the study area or provide a Highway 6 bypass to reduce through volumes. A noise feasibility study found that future road traffic sound levels are predicted to exceed MECP guidelines at the dwellings closest to the roadways and recommends installing acoustic barriers for those with flanking exposure to Highway 6 and air ventilation systems for those located further away. Noise warning clauses would be required for any dwellings with excessive sound levels. Regarding environmental impacts, an environmental impact study had several recommendations, including tree preservation strategies, erosion and sediment control measures, installing a bat rocketbox and artificial nesting structure for Barn Swallows, restoration and biodiversity enhancements and a tree protection and buffer zone. To mitigate loss of farmland, the report recommends phasing development and keeping any prime agricultural lands in production until the land is needed for development. 968 St. David St. N. Also currently occupied by a heritage farmhouse that's proposed to be maintained, the St. David Street North development is proposing approximately 221-323 units, with 62-88 single detached dwellings, 80-118 street townhouses, 71-102 medium density dwelling units, 8-14 mixed-use units and a centrally-located 1.97 acre park connected to the other development. Parking for single detached dwellings and street fronting townhouse dwellings would be provided via individual garages attached to each unit, while surface parking spaces are proposed for the stacked townhouses. Anticipated to generate 219 new trips in the peak morning hours and 301 new trips in the peak evening times, a traffic impact assessment identified potential capacity issues at the intersections of Highway 6 and Sideroad 19 and St. David Street and Gordon Street, as well as the intersections of Highway 6 and Sideroad 18, and Highway 6 and a future internal road. Several improvements are recommended, including traffic control signals and southbound, eastbound and westbound left-turn lanes at Highway 6 and Sideroad 18 and a southbound left-turn lane at Highway 6 and one of the development's internal streets. Since the site contains significant natural heritage features in the northeast portion, an Environmental Impact Study recommends several actions to minimize or avoid potential negative effects, including a 10-metre buffer and a stormwater management pond adjacent to the wetland. Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.
Cision Canada
07-05-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
BPA expands its sustainability and commissioning expertise with the acquisition of Ecovert and EcovertCx Français
MONTRÉAL, May 7, 2025 /CNW/ - BPA announces the acquisitions of Ecovert, a Toronto-based expert in sustainable development, and EcovertCx, a Kitchener-based specialist in building commissioning, marking a significant step in reshaping Ontario's sustainable engineering landscape. These strategic additions represent a major step forward in BPA's expansion across Ontario, reinforcing its multidisciplinary expertise and long-term commitment to high-performance building engineering. For building owners and developers, this integration translates into more comprehensive, turnkey solutions—leveraging the expanded service capabilities of a dedicated team of 1,000 professionals and access to specialized complementary expertise. "With the acquisitions of Ecovert and EcovertCx, BPA continues to build on its momentum in the Toronto market," said Patrick St-Onge, Executive Vice-President at BPA. "In just 18 months, we've significantly solidified our local presence through the integration of mechanical (TMP), electrical (HCC), structural (Honeycomb and DKWatson), sustainable development (Ecovert), and commissioning (EcovertCx) expertise. This positions us to better support both local and national clients with deeper technical capacity and more efficient project delivery." "This is much more than a geographic expansion—it's a strategic convergence of complementary expertise," added Dominic Latour, CEO at BPA. "Ecovert and EcovertCx are renowned in their respective fields. By joining forces, we're expanding our ability to drive innovation, deliver more integrated solutions to our clients, and further support our mission of building a sustainable future." Ecovert is a recognized leader in sustainable building design in Canada, with over 200 LEED-certified projects totalling more than 52 million square feet and contributions to 20% of all Zero Carbon Design building projects across the country. It also holds the distinction of having completed more CAGBC Zero Carbon Building™ (ZCB) certifications than any other firm in the country. With this partnership, BPA's Centre of Excellence in Sustainability now brings together more than 50 professionals—making it one of the largest teams of its kind in Canada. "Becoming part of BPA is a natural evolution for our team" said Jim Lord, Founding Principal at Ecovert. "This partnership allows us to scale our impact while staying true to our mission of delivering sustainable, high-performance buildings that benefit both people and the planet." EcovertCx is recognized as one of the foremost experts on building automation systems and troubleshooting of complex systems. "Joining BPA opens up incredible opportunities to expand our commissioning expertise while collaborating more closely with experts across all engineering disciplines," said Reg Barsoum, Principal and Co-Founder at EcovertCx. "Together, we can deliver even greater value at every stage of the building lifecycle." With this expansion, BPA is strengthening its commitment to environmental leadership and engineering excellence, while reinforcing its ability to deliver integrated, forward-thinking solutions across Canada. These acquisitions are a key milestone in BPA's strategic growth plan, which focuses on expanding technical depth and national reach. As part of this latest acquisition, Jim Lord and Adolfo Silva become BPA shareholders. All employees from Ecovert and EcovertCx will continue their work within BPA. This marks BPA's seventh acquisition in the past two years. ABOUT BPA BPA is an engineering firm specializing in buildings for the institutional, commercial, multi-residential, and industrial markets. Employees across Canada provide expertise in mechanical, electrical, and structural engineering, sustainable development, energy efficiency, building science, telecommunications, security, building automation, acoustics and noise control, food services, refrigeration, and commissioning. To learn more about BPA, visit ABOUT ECOVERT Ecovert is a full-service sustainability consulting firm committed to creating economic, environmental and social synergies for the building development sector. They help architects, builders, developers and property owners reap the rewards of sustainable building design, construction and operation. They are dedicated to providing clients a practical and effective roadmap to guide them toward their sustainable development goals. To learn more about Ecovert, visit EcovertCx is a completely independent commissioning firm servicing Kitchener-Waterloo, the GTA, Ottawa, Windsor, the Niagara Escarpment, and all points between. They specialize in high performance building systems' controls—from lighting and boiler standalone controls, to RTU controls and integrated systems. To learn more about EcovertCx, visit
