Latest news with #construction
CTV News
34 minutes ago
- Business
- CTV News
Lawson Pool replacement will cost an additional $40 million: city report
WATCH: A new report shows the replacement for the Lawson Aquatic Centre's pool will now cost $281 million, up $40 million from just months ago.
CBC
an hour ago
- Business
- CBC
Construction trades strike ends in Cape Breton with what employers call 'historic' deal
The group representing unionized contractors in Cape Breton is calling a tentative deal to end the two-week construction trades strike "historic." The employers agreed to a 17.95 per cent wage increase over four years, including a seven per cent hike in the first year, said Bob Shepherd, president of the Nova Scotia Construction Labour Relations Association. "The reason it's historic is the percentage increase and the amount of money involved," he said. "It's really the largest wage package increase over a four-year period that the CLRA has negotiated with the building trades in our history." The association represents unionized contractors in the province's commercial and industrial sector. Shepherd said the tentative agreement was reached Friday and took effect Monday. It involves more than 10 unions in the Cape Breton Island Building and Construction Trades Council. Their president, Ernie Dalton, did not return a request for comment. However, on its website, the Labourers International Union of North America Local 1115 in Sydney confirmed an agreement has been reached and said workers were supposed to be back on the job Monday. In a release at the start of the strike, Dalton said workers were looking to recover wage concessions made during the pandemic. Shepherd said the pandemic and ensuing high inflation have hurt everyone. "The last number of years, everybody knows it's been challenging," he said. "If I go back eight years, the wages were modest, the increases were modest. "We realized that the wage increases would be a bit higher this time and I think the settlement reflects the challenges we've all had and I think it's a very fair settlement for all parties involved." The strike affected major infrastructure construction projects such as hospital redevelopments, Cape Breton University's medical building and at least one long-term care home. Shepherd said contractors and workers will have to try to make up the lost time on those projects. "Certainly it's hard. Construction season is mainly in the warmer weather, so yes, it is an impact, but everybody will work to recover the schedule." Some workers were still on picket lines on Tuesday. Shepherd said they are members of the sprinkler fitters union, which is not part of the local agreement. Picket line concerns remain He said that contract is negotiated at the national level. Despite that, the other unions are expected to go back to work this week, Shepherd said. "Our workers will have valid agreements and we are going to require them to go to work. The agreement with the union requires them to go to work. "However, we anticipate there may be some people that refuse to cross a picket line and we'll address that as the issues arise." The deal is subject to ratification votes that could take a couple of weeks, Shepherd said.
CTV News
2 hours ago
- Health
- CTV News
Ponoka hospital road closure first step in $15.3-million expansion
A hospital in Ponoka, Alta. has closed a road for construction, marking the start of a projected three-year, $15.3-million expansion and upgrade to the facility. Ponoka Hospital and Care Centre closed off 59 Street at 59 Avenue last week for what a news release said should be two to three weeks as part of an ongoing construction project. While pedestrians and motorists are advised to steer clear of the road, Alberta Health Services (AHS) said it won't disrupt access to the hospital itself. Construction crews are connecting underground water utilities in preparation for an expansion to the hospital's surgical department. Funded by the Alberta government, the hospital is also building an addition onto the northwest corner of the hospital. This will become the home to a 'modernized' medical device reprocessing department. AHS said the project comes at a time when their 'current focus is on reducing emergency department wait times, improving EMS response times, increasing access to surgeries and improving patient flow.' Communications director Brendan Procé told CTV News Edmonton that the work done at Ponoka will give residents 'improved access to surgical services.' Procé confirmed the work should be finished in 2028.
Reuters
2 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
Exclusive: France's EDF to withdraw from some overseas projects, cut jobs, sources say
PARIS, July 22 (Reuters) - France's EDF is cutting its headcount overseas and scrapping bids on some nuclear projects abroad as it focuses on a major construction programme at home under new CEO Bernard Fontana, said two sources familiar with the matter. France, once a global leader in nuclear energy and Europe's largest nuclear power producer, is pulling back at a time of global calls for nuclear expansion, opening the door to new players as high costs and design issues hurt its ability to compete internationally. Fontana was appointed in April to take over the state-run utility after the government became increasingly frustrated with EDF's slow progress in revamping the French nuclear fleet. The new chief executive told a parliamentary hearing on his nomination that he would focus on developing the company's domestic nuclear projects rather than its international business, which employs hundreds of people and has previously built reactors in China, Finland and Britain. He has outlined changes to the overseas business in recent weeks, said the sources, including pulling back from some bids to build reactors outside Europe. The company will focus on tenders for nuclear projects in the Netherlands, Sweden and Finland, where it has a higher chance of winning the bids, said an industry source familiar with the plans. It will also de-prioritise projects in Poland, India, Canada and elsewhere outside Europe, the person said. Reducing its international footprint will allow it to cut costs and redirect people to higher-priority projects, said another industry source familiar with the situation. EDF's recent international projects have faced long delays and cost overruns. Last year it lost out to South Korea's KHNP in a bid for two new reactors in the Czech Republic. Fontana will also reduce headcount on the international sales team, said the sources, with one saying there are plans to cut about 60 jobs, including 10 managers. EDF declined to comment. "The new French nuclear programme is the group's priority," said an official in Prime Minister Francois Bayrou's office. President Emmanuel Macron announced plans in early 2022 for six new French reactors to replace ageing plants and secure future energy supplies, with costs estimated at 67 billion euros ($78.7 billion), according to a media report last year. The company is heavily indebted, however, after expensive repairs to its nuclear fleet in recent years. EDF is also looking to sell some of its renewable energy assets in North America and Brazil. The company's subsidiaries Framatome and Arabelle, which produce reactor parts, will continue to bid to supply international projects, such as the AP 1000 in Canada, one of the sources added. ($1 = 0.8516 euros)
Zawya
2 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
Egypt: Hassan Allam Chief Executive Officer (CEO) pays a courtesy call on Ambassador
On 20 July 2025, Mr. Ahmed Mustafa, CEO of Hassan Allam, together with Mr. Mahmoud Seliman, Marketing Advisor, paid a courtesy call on H.E. Mr. Thanawat Sirikul, Ambassador of Thailand to Egypt, at the Royal Thai Embassy. Both parties discussed cooperation in promoting trade and investment between the two countries in the residential construction, infrastructure and construction materials businesses. The company is interested in working with Thai partners to assemble products for export to Europe and Africa, where Egypt enjoys special tax privileges and is located near both major markets. The company also believes that Thailand has potential to invest in Egypt in the hospitality and tourism sectors, and is ready to enhance awareness of the potential and economic opportunities in Egypt, as well as provide advice on investment loans to Thai entrepreneurs. Hassan Allam, which is over 89 years old, is one of the largest companies in Egypt and has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with SCG International, a Thai conglomerate, to enter the Middle East and Africa markets in 2023. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Royal Thai Embassy, Cairo, Egypt.
