Industry Insider - March 2012

Transcription

INDUSTRY
Canadian Home Builders’ Association – Edmonton Region
March 2012 2–4
14What to Expect in 2012:
An Economic Forecast 18Meet the President
2
0Doing Things Differently
in the CIty of Spruce Grove
2012 Awards of
EXCELLENCE
in HOUSING
contents
Volume 2 Issue 4
2012 Awards of
EXCELLENCE
in HOUSING
6
March 12, 2012
Next publication on April 19, 2012
Deadline: March 20, 2012
The Industry Insider is published every six
weeks by the Canadian Home Builders’
Association-Edmonton Region.
CHBA-ER Executive Officer: Tim Howard
[email protected]
780.702.0323
Editor/Coordinator: Meghan Rennick
[email protected]
780.702.5306
Graphic Designer: Katheryn Charchuk
?
14
committees
9 RCIC
24 Economic
28 IAC & Manpower
29 Renovation
33 Safety
4 NextGen
3
features
The Association has taken care to ensure
copy and advertising accuracy. However,
no warranty is implied or given.
Phone: 780.425.1020
Fax: 780.425.1031
Return Undeliverable Canadian Address to:
Editor, Industry Insider
150 Summerside Gate, SW
Edmonton, Alberta, T6X 0P5
Email: [email protected]
6 2012 Awards of Excellence in Housing Finalists
13 Residential Construction Site Manager
Occupational Designation
14 What to Expect in 2012: An Economic Forecast
16 2012 President’s Gala
20 Feature Interview: Doing Things Differently in the City
of Spruce Grove
26 Building for the Future: Meeting Market Demand
for Accessible Housing
34 Calendar of Events
16
message
FROM THE BOARD
the home-buying public will only go one way. We
need to stay well ahead of that train if we want
to avoid interventionist legislation. Our ongoing
partnership with the Professional Home Builders
Alphonse Pilon, Institute of Alberta (PHBIA), the industry’s
CHBA-ER President, 2011/2012
warranty providers, and our own efforts, such
Marcson Homes, President & CEO as RCIC and our Builder Breakfast and Business
Luncheon programs, are part of a larger effort to
continue boosting the standards of our industry.
The Year Ahead
I am now in my second month as President
of the CHBA-ER and the Board is preparing to
embark on our annual strategic planning process
where we will ‘crystal-ball’ where the economy
and the industry are headed and, as Ralph Klein
used to say, “Try and get ahead of the parade.”
While we are presently enjoying a relatively
strong new home market, the future is anything
but secure. Issues surrounding the European
sovereign debt crisis continue to deepen, the
US economy is wobbling unsteadily out of the
recession, and the future of the two new main
pipeline projects leading out of Alberta remain
uncertain. All of that notwithstanding, people
are still moving to Alberta in large numbers and
Edmonton continues to be a benefactor of this
in-migration.
What is confounding the experts, of course,
is that this influx is not translating directly
into home sales – whether new or resale.
The question remains: Where is the demand?
Yes, new home sales in the Edmonton area
increased 53% in January, (up to 314 from
205 the year before), and multi-family sales
jumped 67% to 264 units, (CMHC February 2012
Starts Press Release Calgary and Edmonton,
February 8, 2012), but given the strength of
our local economy and the fact that much of
the depression in last January’s sales has been
ascribed to bad weather, our sales should be
higher. A conundrum!
As I mentioned, the CHBA-ER’s primary role
is forecasting where the industry is going and
anticipating the needs of our membership.
Certainly at top-of-mind into the foreseeable
future will be the continuing challenge of
manpower; where will it come from? How will
it be trained? And, how will we retain it against
other influences?
Constantly improving the professionalism of
our industry will also be near the top of the
agenda. Expectations of both government and
4 | industry INSIDER March 2012
Certainly our efforts over the past several
years to engage our municipal leadership more
effectively have paid handsome dividends for
both parties. We are at the decision-making
table on a number of initiatives and issues, and
local government has benefited from having our
insight early on in the planning process. This
has helped us avoid many of the unintended
consequences that so often plague wellintended municipal planning. It is my intention
that this positive engagement will continue to
grow as our relations improve with our regional
counterparts.
In September we introduced the Industry
Advisory Committee. I would like to add my
view and expectation that this coordinating body
of the many CHBA-ER industry committees that
represent the kaleidoscope of functions and
disciplines across the industry, will continue to
evolve into a significant guiding hand. Over the
coming years, I expect that this body will identify
other functions that the Association should be
looking at on behalf of the industry, whether that
be research and development, security, or small
business development, just to mention a few.
RCIC 2012 is promising to be another stellar
event. I have no doubt that this conference is
here to stay and will grow into a major regional
professional development forum. We need to
engage more elements of the industry and our
municipalities in this conference, along with
more comprehensive training opportunities,
likely in concert with PHBIA. RCIC is in its
infancy and we can all look forward to enjoying
it mature into a program garnering national
attention and serving as a blueprint for other
CHBA’s to introduce their own similar programs.
Our Renovation Show concluded on the last
weekend of January. Attendance this year was
outstanding, and hopefully signals a resurgence
of the public’s interest in these kinds of events.
Certainly, attendance at other shows around the
same time suggests that enthusiasm for
hands-on, face-to-face products and services
shows remains strong.
This year, we have initiated a Shows Committee
for the express purpose of engaging our
Association and our membership in both the
Renovation Show, which we are a partner in,
and the Edmonton Home & Interior Design
Show, which we own. These two events serve
as our best direct interface with the public.
For companies that deal directly with the
purchasing public, they should be looked at as
a key element in their marketing strategy. Over
the past two years, we have enhanced our
Association presence in the shows dramatically.
Expect to hear much more about how the
CHBA-ER is going to ramp up our participation
even further. At this point, however, I merely
ask that you start thinking about both shows as
possible tools in your marketing arsenal.
The Awards of Excellence in Housing,
being presented on March 17th at the Shaw
Conference Centre, is our industry’s version of
the Academy Awards. We, of course, do it better
and this year is no exception. With a dramatic
increase in awards submissions and sponsorship
significantly higher than last year, we are looking
forward to near-record attendance. In fact,
registration has been so strong that we have
re-arranged the floor-plan to enhance the Las
Vegas theme and ensure everyone a great seat.
I look forward to seeing you there.
And lastly, a short word on membership. We are
now home to a record number of members. I
do not take those numbers for granted. There
is an enormous constituency out there that are
not members of the CHBA-ER, and I will not be
content until the majority of those companies
are brought into the fold. Similarly, the Board
and I have a duty to our current members to
ensure that we maintain the relevance of this
association. We have spent two years rebuilding
value in the CHBA-ER and the outcome has
been a return of many lapsed members. So, to
repeat those old familiar mantras:
•Be a member; use a member;
•Be a member, recruit a member;
•Be a member, be a volunteer; and
•Be a member, lead!
Thank you and let’s have a great 2012! ■
message
FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Tim Howard
Executive Officer
Mid-year Report Card
By the time you read this, we will be
half-way through our 2011/2012 fiscal year.
We have had a bumpy couple of years
getting the Association back on track and,
on August 31st of last year, we closed out
2011 with a significant deficit. Both the
Board and I were concerned over where we
were headed and how we were going to
get there. As Jim Sirup, our Past President,
pointed out at the AGM in January, we had
to move forward on a more conservative
path or face some very hard choices.
I am pleased to say that the performance
of the CHBA-ER over the past six months,
or the first half of our 2012 fiscal year,
has vindicated the decisions made by
the Board; we are currently just ahead of
our budget projections and on track for a
modest surplus by year-end.
Beyond the routine and regular activities
of the CHBA-ER during the year, such
as monthly Builder Breakfasts, Business
Luncheons, Dinner Meetings, and social
events, we host several major activities or
programs that constitute a significant part
of our financial picture. These include the
beginning of our new membership year
on September 1st, the Edmonton Home
and Interior Design Show at the end of
September, the Renovation Show at the
end of January, the Awards of Excellence
in Housing Gala in March, and the RCIC
conference in April. These five milestones
constitute the largest contributors to the
fiscal health of our organization.
Our membership continues to rise and we
are currently sitting at 438 members, up
from 433 last August. Despite a sluggish
economy, the fall Home and Interior Design
Show surpassed our projections. Coupled
with these improvements, we enjoyed
strong response from the membership to
most of our breakfasts, luncheons, dinners,
and NexGen events. Our magazine, The
Industry Insider, continues to operate at
a small profit, something we are working
aggressively to improve over the coming
months.
Moving forward, the industry has
responded to the Awards of Excellence in a
massive way; award submissions for 2012
have exceeded 748, an increase of 192 or
26% over last year’s 556. Sponsorship this
year is up and the event is expected to
reach full capacity.
Hot on the heels of March’s AoE Gala is
RCIC 2012. This year’s RCIC Committee has
taken the lessons learned from last year’s
great inaugural event and applied them to
the upcoming conference, (taking place
April 24th and 25th at the Edmonton Expo
Centre). Presentations have been made
longer to enable fuller content, breaks
are longer to enable more networking, a
big plus last year – the exhibits floor – is
larger and located immediately opposite
the session rooms concourse, and a
more focused session program has been
developed. RCIC is the CHBA-ER’s biggest
professional development event of the year
and in this, our second year, we are already
half-way to our sponsorship and exhibitor
targets. Registrations have been coming in
steadily since opening on January 31st.
On the sponsorship end of things, we just
rolled out our new Committee Sponsorship
program. Uptake so far has been extremely
enthusiastic. Members are recognizing
the benefits of aligning with the many
committees that are making our Association
what it is today. With the increasing
attendance at our regular monthly events,
companies are also identifying opportunities
to introduce new products and to build
their brand within the industry. The
CHBA-ER is rapidly becoming a catalyst for
success within the industry as general and
builder members employ it to further their
corporate goals – exactly what it is intended
for as an industry trade association.
Regrettably, we have had some staff
transition since the beginning of the new
year and Rick Preston, our Government
Relations Manager, and Ronelo Aromin, our
Member Relations Manager, have moved
on to other career opportunities. This has
created some pressure points within the
office and I would ask that you bear with
us as we work through this period. On the
positive side, the strength of our volunteer
program is
manifesting itself
The CHBA-ER is
as members
step in to keep
rapidly becoming
programs
functional and
a catalyst for
income steady.
success within
So how is our
the industry as
year-end
shaping up?
general and builder
As I have
mentioned,
members employ
both the
it to further their
AofE and
RCIC 2012
corporate goals –
promise to
exactly what it is
be significant
successes.
intended for as
With our regular
programming
an industry trade
looking forward
association.
to a strong
conclusion in
June, we expect
to close out the year with a small surplus.
This will enable us to launch continued
programming improvements in September
and into the coming 2013 program year. Our
Board of Directors is about to embark on
the Spring Strategic Planning cycle that will
start the planning process for next year and
beyond; our success thus far will provide
them with some confidence that 2013
will be another year of growth for the
CHBA-ER. ■
industry INSIDER March 2012 | 5
2012 Awards of
EXCELLENCE
in HOUSING
2012 Awards of excellence in housing
The Canadian Home Builders’ Association - Edmonton
Region Is pleased to announce this year’s 2012 Awards
of Excellence in Housing Finalists in the following
categories: Advertising, Development, Leadership,
Multi-Family Housing, Renovation, Sales Centre, Sales
People, Single-Family Housing, Environment, Builders
Choice, and Sales Volume.
The Awards of Excellence in Housing in the CHBA-ER’s
premier event, recognizing excellence in the residential
construction industry within the Capital Region. The
winners of all categories will be announced Saturday,
March 17 th, 2012 at a black tie gala held at the Shaw
Conference Centre. For more information on the
event,visit www.excellenceinhousing.ca. Check back
after Saturday, March 17 th, for a complete list of this
year’s Awards of Excellence in Housing winners.
ADVERTISING AWARDS
Best Print Advertising
Jayman Modus Sometimes saying goodbye is a good thing - The Ion in Ambleside
Brookfield Homes Save your money, head south
Brookfield Residential Lake Summerside
Dolcevita Homes Savour the Sweet Life
Kimberley Development Group Zero Days Left of Shovelling...
finalists
Best Development Landscaping & Amenities
Beaverbrook Developments Upper Windermere
Canada Lands Company Village At Griesbach
Maclab Enterprises Uplands of Mactaggart
Rohit Land Development Callaghan,Heritage Valley
Best Home Parade
Alldritt Land Corporation LP Granville
Brookfield Residentia Chappelle Gardens
Canada Lands Company Village at Griesbach
MLC Group Allard Heritage Valley
Rohit Land Development Ravines of Richford
Best Subdivision
Brookfield Residential Chappelle Gardens
Canada Lands Company Village At Griesbach
Rohit Land Development Heritage Valley
LEADERSHIP
Best Radio Commercial
Brookfield Homes Figureshoeing
Coventry Homes Inc Get a Life . . . Style Entertainer
Qualico Multi - Family In My Element
Qualico Multi - Family Annoying Landlord
Rohit Communities Warning Campaign
Daytona Homes
Landmark Group of Builders
Parkwood Master Builder
Rohit Communities
Sterling Homes (Edmonton) Ltd
Best Video/Digital/Social Media Campaign
A & B Concrete Pumping(2007) Ltd. A & B Concrete Pumping Employment & Recruitment Video
Bedrock Homes It’s Time For A Bedrock
Brookfield Residential Chappelle Gardens
Coventry Homes Inc Get a Life...Style Maximum Revenue
Coventry Homes Inc Get a Life...Style Entertainer
Best Multi-Family Apartment Style under $250,000
Jayman Modus The Ion in Ambleside - Verona Suite
Ambleside, Windermere
Carrington Communities Urban Village on Whyte,
Gainer Industrial
Carrington Communities Rutherford Gate, Rutherford
Park Homes
Terwillegar Terrace, South Terwillegar
Rohit Communities Columbia, The Essex at Callaghan Ravines
Best Direct Mail / Email Promotion
A & B Concrete Pumping(2007) Ltd. 2011 Calendar
A & B Concrete Pumping(2007) Ltd. A & B Concrete Pumping Fleet Card
Alberta Hardwood Flooring Alberta Hardwood Annual Calendar
Daytona Homes Who’s Your Super Hero?
Kimberley Development Group A Winter without Shoveling
Best Indoor/Outdoor Advertising
Jayman Modus Indulge in the suite life - The Ion in Ambleside
Carrington Communities WTF
Coventry Homes Inc Choose Your Lifestyle #1
Coventry Homes Inc Choose Your Lifestyle #2
Sterling Homes (Edmonton) Ltd Welcome Home
Best Brochure Package
Celebration Homes Inc Celebration Homes marketing brochure
Jayman MasterBUILT Jayman MasterBUILT Brochure
Jayman MasterBUILT Innovations By Jayman Brochure Package
Sterling Homes (Edmonton) Ltd Sterling Homes Brochure
Best Website
Brookfield Homes www.BuildwithBrookfield.com
Canada Lands Company VillageAtGriesbach.com
Coventry Homes Inc www.coventry-homes.com
Daytona Homes www.daytonahomes.ca
Rohit Communities www.callaghanravines.com
DEVELOPMENT AWARDS
Best Community Entrance
Alldritt Land Corporation LP Granville
Canada Lands Company Village at Griesbach Entrance
Maclab Enterprises Suntree
MLC Group Inc Allard Heritage Valley
MULTI - FAMILY AWARDS
Best Multi-Family Apartment Style $250,000 - $350,000
Jayman Modus The Ion in Ambleside
Ambleside, Windermere
Carrington Communities Rutherford Gate, Rutherford
Parkwood Master Builder Suite 107, Waterside Estates
Qualico Multi - Family Windsor Estates - A, Spruce Grove
Rohit Communities Cornell, Essex at Callaghan Ravines
Best Multi-Family Apartment Style over $350,000
Carrington Communities Waterstone,
MacTaggart Mains
Christenson Developments Alta Vista South, Alta Vista
Parkwood Master Builder Suite 306, Waterside Estates
Qualico Multi - Family Element Lofts & Flats - Brighton, Summerwood - Sherwood Park
Rohit Communities Cambridge, Callaghan Ravines
Best Multi-Family Townhouse/Duplex under $290,000
Alldritt Homes The Nottingham, Granville
Brookfield Homes Mosaic Meadows 2, Parkland
Rohit Communities Mackenzie, Creekwood Chappelle
Sterling Homes (Edmonton) Ltd Sensation, Laurel Crossing
Sterling Homes (Edmonton) Ltd Summation-Shared, Callaghan South
Best Multi-Family Townhouse/Duplex $290,000 $340,000
Brookfield Homes Axio Chappelle Gardens, Chappelle Gardens
Coventry Homes Inc. Copperwood Burrand, Copperwood
Jayman MasterBUILT Inspire, Southfork
Kimberley Development Group New Haven III, Rutherford Estates
Look Homes Master Builder Inc. Expose Zen, Walker
Lakes Station
Multi-Family Townhouse/Duplex $340,000 - $425,000
Christenson Developments Eton Park Gazmo/Cronin, Emerald Hills
Coventry Homes Inc. Griesbach Dickens, Griesbach
Jayman MasterBUILT Nitro, Southfork
Kimberley Development Group New Haven I, Rutherford Estates
Parkwood Master Builder Unit 19, Trails Of Mill Creek Estates
Best Multi-Family Townhouse/Duplex over $425,000
Coventry Homes Inc. Brigades Athabasca, Griesbach
Kimberley Development Group New Haven 1 with Basement Development, Rutherford Estates
Kimberley Development Group Hampton, Rutherford Estates
Tapestry Developments Sedona, Tapestry Lifestyle Communities
Tapestry Developments Phoenix II, Tapestry Lifestyle Communities
Best Multi-Family - Apartment Building
Carrington Communities Waterstone, McTaggart Mains
Carrington Communities Urban Village on Whyte, Gainer Industrial
Qualico Multi-Family The Vanier, West Edmonton
Qualico Multi-Family Windsor Estates, Spruce Grove
Best Multi-Family - Townhouse/Duplex Project
Brookfield Homes Mosaic Towne Square, Terwillegar Towne
Coventry Homes Inc. The Brigades of Griesbach, Griesbach
Coventry Homes Inc. Copperwood
Kimberley Development Group Rutherford Estates
Sterling Homes (Edmonton) Ltd Langdale Sterling Squared, Langdale
RENOVATION AWARDS
Best Exterior Renovation
Ackard Contractors Ltd. Hazel Residence
Ackard Contractors Ltd. Grovenor Residence
Aquarian Construction Rhatigan Ridge Residence
Aquarian Construction Crestwood Residence
Best Interior Renovation
Ackard Contractors Ltd. Hazel Residence
Aquarian Construction Wolf Willow Residence
Avi Renovations c/o Homes by Avi The Whitecroft
Habitat Studio & Workshop Ltd. Brookside Reno
Best Renovation under $125,000
Ackard Contractors Ltd. Butterfield Residence
Aquarian Construction Groat Estates Residence
Avi Renovations c/o Homes by Avi The Whitecroft Kitchen Reno
Avi Renovations c/o Homes by Avi Dal Bello Kitchen Renovation
SALES CENTRE AWARDS
Best Sales & Information Centre - Single Family
Crimson Cove Homes Inc.
Homes by Avi
Jayman MasterBUILT
Jayman MasterBUILT
Kimberley Development Group
Best Sales & Information Centre - Multi-Family
Jayman Modus The Ion
Brookfield Homes Axio Lake Summerside
Brookfield Homes Axio Chapelle Gardens
Jayman MasterBuilt Southfork
Rohit Communities Callaghan Ravines
Best Sales & Information Centre - General Member
Divine Hardwood Flooring
Glenora Lumbe r& Building Supplies
Icon Flooring
Wood & Energy Store
SALES PEOPLE OF THE YEAR AWARDS
Rookie of the Year - Single/Multi-Family
Brookfield Homes Will Stranks
Brookfield Homes Danica Hubbard
Daytona Homes Ryan Richardson
Landmark Group of Builders Amanda Aranas
Qualico Multi-Family Hillary Gifford
Sales Person/Team of the Year - Single Family
Bedrock Homes Susan Johnson
Bedrock Homes Lorna Gilroy
Daytona Homes Dave English
Jayman MasterBUILT Michelle Elfstedt
ReidBuilt Homes Ltd. Biljana Spasojevic
Sales Person/Team of the Year - Multi-Family
Brookfield Homes Fady J. Sakkab
Brookfield Homes Shawn Swaleh
Coventry Homes Inc. Darren Rose
Qualico Multi-Family Terry Reyner & Wendy Lavallee
Rohit Communities Kim Johnson
General Member Sales Person of the Year
Alberta Hardwood Flooring Elizabeth Hernandez
All Weather Windows Steve Weller
Dyand Mechanical Tony Holowaty
Gienow Windows and Doors Doug McDougall
Wood & Energy Store Roman Boychuk
SINGLE FAMILY HOUSING AWARDS
Single Family Awards - Without attached garage
Best Single Family under $230,000
Coventry Homes Inc. Laurel Minister, Laurel
Daytona Homes Grand Prix B, The Orchards
Encore Master Builder Bridgeport, Webber Greens
Landmark Group of Builders The Garneau, Laurel
Sabal Homes Xeno, Secord
Best Single Family $230,000 - $300,000
Daytona Homes Concorde B, Chappelle Gardens
Jayman MasterBUILT Destiny, Summerside
Jayman MasterBUILT Insight, Southfork
Pacesetter Homes Ltd Paladin, Summerwood Terrace
Sabal Homes Vanos, Secord
Best Single Family over $300,000
Ackard Contractors Ltd. The Crestwood, Crestwood
Effect Home Builders Ltd. Beaubien, Goldbar
Habitat Studio & Workshop Ltd. The Strathearn Riverview, Strathearn
Habitat Studio & Workshop Ltd. Cloverdale Conservatory, Cloverdale
Jayman MasterBUILT Jazz, Summerside
Single Family Awards - Bungalow/Bi-level
Alldritt Homes Lancaster, The Residences at Central Park
Coventry Homes Inc. Tamarack Mapleridge, Tamarack
Sterling Homes (Edmonton) Ltd. Belvedere, Laurel Crossing
Sterling Homes (Edmonton) Ltd. Briarwood, Springside in the Meadows
Single Family Awards - Bungalow/Bi-level
Homes by Avi The Mackenzie, Seven Oaks at Callaghan
Look Homes Master Builder Inc. Clarke, North Ridge
Sterling Homes (Edmonton) Ltd. Oakshire, Emerald Hills
White Eagle Homes Ltd. The Blue Pearl II, Allard
White Eagle Homes Ltd. The Ruby IV, Allard
Single Family Awards -Bungalow/Bi-Level
Best Single Family over $425,000
Coventry Homes Inc. The Churchill, Riverstone Point
Kimberley Development Group Walker Residence, Black Hawk Golf Course
Perry Built Homes Inc. Braeside, Windemere North
Rococo Homes Inc. Sparks Res, Morningside
White Eagle Homes Ltd. The Stefanie II, Allard
Single Family Awards - Two Storey/Split-level with
attached garage
Alldritt Homes Buckingham, The Residences at Central Park
Caliber Master Builder Paige, Montalet
Daytona Homes Quest A, Brintnell
Look Homes Master Builder Inc. Solar, Lewis Estates
Sterling Homes (Edmonton) Ltd. Trista, Callaghan South
attached garage
Daytona Homes Odyssey B, Windermere South
Daytona Homes Tahoe II B, Chappelle Gardens
Look Homes Master Builder Inc. Image, Walker Lakes Station
Sterling Homes (Edmonton) Ltd. Tarnstrom, Laurel Crossing
Sterling Homes (Edmonton) Ltd. Trenton
attached garage
Celebration Homes Inc. Chaumont, Village of Champlain
Daytona Homes Benz, Northridge
Dolce Vita Homes Glenora, Southfork
Look Homes Master Builder Inc. Oasis, Rutherford Heights
Sterling Homes (Edmonton) Ltd. Tyndall, Walker Lakes Station
attached garage
Bedrock Homes Carlton C, Erin Ridge
Daytona Homes Benz IIA, Lakeland Ridge
Daytona Homes Benz II C, Erin Ridge
Greenboro Homes Linden, Emerald Hills
Homes by Avi The York, Terwillegar Towne
attached garage
Bedrock Homes Brighton II C, Creekwood
Coventry Homes Inc. Langdale Shadowridge, Langdale
Daytona Homes Explorer IIIA, Erin Ridge
Homes by Avi The Sullivan, Creekwood Chappelle
Sabal Homes Adero2, Secord
attached garage
Jayman MasterBUILT Altair 3, Allard
Marcson Homes Ltd. The Sophia, Upper Windermere
Pacesetter Homes Ltd Victor, Summerwood Gardens
Rococo Homes Inc. Hainsworth, Hilldowns
White Eagle Homes Ltd. The Sandstone IV, Callaghan
attached garage
Celebration Homes Inc. Carlisle, Ravines of Richford
Homes by Avi The Princeton, Summerside
Pacesetter Homes Ltd Andor, Summerwood Gardens
Perry Signature Homes Inc. Escape, Larch Birch
White Eagle Homes Ltd. The Emilia V, Allard
attached garage
Concept Homes Summit S, Castlebrook Meadows
Kimberley Development Group New Hampshire IV, Ravines of Richford
Parkwood Master Builder Olympia II, Allard In Heritage Valley
Vicky’s Homes Legacy II, Mactaggart Ridge
White Eagle Homes Ltd. The Emilia IV, Allard
attached garage
Best Single Family $750,000 - $1 Million
Landmark Group of Builders Gawryluk Residence, Cameron Heights
Marcson Homes Ltd. The Mackenzie, The Estates of Cameron Heights
ReidBuilt Homes Ltd Monterey, Wedgewood Ravine
attached garage
Best Estate Home over $1 Million
Cameron Homes Rota, Windermere Estates
Carriage Signature Homes Inc. Positano, Upper Windermere
Habitat Studio & Workshop Ltd. The MacTaggart Cottage, MacTaggart
Kanvi Homes The Virani Residence, The Uplands of Mactaggart
Landmark Group Of Builders The Verdi, Windermere North
ENVIRONMENT AWARDS
Environmental Recognition Award
Effect Home Builders Ltd.
Habitat Studio & Workshop Ltd.
Jayman MasterBUILT
Perry Signature Homes
Tapestry Developments
BUILDERS CHOICE AWARDS
General Members of the Year - Builders’ Choice Awards
Supplies/Manufactures a Product directly to the
Builder/Renovator
All Weather Windows
Gienow Windows and Doors
Glenora Lumber & Building Supplies Ltd.
Totem Building Supplies
ZyTech buiklding systems inc
Supplies/Manufactures and Installs a Product directly
to the Builder/Renovator
Creative Door Services LTD
Divine Hardwood Flooring
Gem Cabinets Ltd
Lenbeth Weeping Tile
Wood & Energy Store
Supplies a Service directly to the Builder/Renovator
A & B Concrete Pumping (2007) Ltd.
Gradex Consulting Ltd
IB Engineering Ltd
Landlie Consulting Ltd.
Pals Geomatics Corp
SALES VOLUME AWARDS
Platinum Level
Brookfield Homes Fady J. Sakkab
Coventry Homes Inc. Darren Rose
Daytona Homes Dave English
Dolce Vita Homes Darryl Rose
Pacesetter Homes Ltd Carla Weinmeyer
Pacesetter Homes Ltd David Edmiston
ReidBuilt Homes Ltd. Biljana Spasojevic
Sterling Homes (Edmonton) Ltd. Erik Eisen
Gold Level
Bedrock Homes Carmen Siemens
Brookfield Homes Shawn Swaleh
Daytona Homes Curtis Frew
Dolce Vita Homes Heather Rae
Greenboro Homes Caroline Bliss
Pacesetter Homes Ltd Diane Sasseville
Pacesetter Homes Ltd Bobbie-Jean Schrader
ReidBuilt Homes Ltd. Steve Bosse
Silver Level
Brookfield Homes Kelly Boone
Crimson Cove Home Inc. Muriel McKay
Dolce Vita Homes Suzanne Foisy
Jayman MasterBUILT Gareth Edwards
Jayman MasterBUILT Nadine Kamleh
Landmark Group of Builders Diana Evans
Pacesetter Homes Ltd Sue Snyder
Rohit Communities Kim Johnson
Bronze Level
Coventry Homes Inc. Feisal Rahall
Landmark Group of Builders Linda Cheng
Look Homes Master Builder Inc. Conny deVos
Marcson Homes Ltd. Kim Prkusic
Sabal Homes Renee Mitskopoulos
Sabal Homes Christopher Wigeland
Sterling Homes (Edmonton) Ltd. Tracey Lueck
Sterling Homes (Edmonton) Ltd. Narda Arballo
builder breakfast
special events
Implementing Green Technologies: Will it Really Cost More?
2012 Awards of Excellence in Housing Gala
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Registration & Breakfast 7:15 AM
Program Begins 8 AM
Edmonton Petroleum Club (11110 108 Street)
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Cocktails 5PM
Dinner 6 PM
Awards Presentation Begins 8 PM
Shaw Conference Centre (Halls A, B and C)
Theme: Las Vegas
Topic: TBA
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Registration & Breakfast 7:15 AM
Program Begins 8 AM
Edmonton Petroleum Club (11110 108 Street)
Dress: Black Tie
The Awards of Excellence in Housing celebrate and applaud
CHBA’s finest. Every year in March, the talents of our members are
showcased and recognized during a spectacular event at the Shaw
Conference Centre. This is the CHBA-ER’s premier industry event.
business lunch
NextGen Ski Trip (Lake Louise)
NextGen Luncheon
Balance & Successful Living
Guest Speaker: Vicki Pruden
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Registration 11 AM
Program Begins 11:30 AM
Royal Glenora Club (11160 River Valley Road)
dinner meeting
Alberta New Home Warranty
Service Awards
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Delta Edmonton South (4404 Gateway Boulevard)
Registration 5:00 PM
For more information or to register for
these or other upcoming CHBA-ER
events,check out chbaedmonton.ca/
news-events/calendar-events
or contact Programs and Services
Manager, Kimberley Banford,
for details.
Friday, April 13th – Sunday, April 15th
Accommodation: The Banff Inn, Banff, Alberta
RCIC 2012
Tuesday, April 24th & Wednesday, April 25th, 2012
Edmonton Expo Centre (Northlands)
This two-day event provides a unique opportunity for members of the
residential construction industry to network, learn new strategies,
and keep up to date with what’s going on in the industry. This year’s
conference will feature a 10,000 sq. ft. tradeshow, over 70 educational
sessions, workshops and forums, as well as a keynote speaker and a
variety of networking events.
Online registration is quick and easy.
Visit www.rcic.ca to sign up today!
Super Sales Rally
Thursday, May 10, 2012
More information coming soon!
The Residential Construction Industry Conference (RCIC 2012)
is taking place Tuesday, April 24 and Wednesday, April 25, 2012
at the Edmonton EXPO Centre. This industry only technical
conference has been exclusively designed to meet the needs
and interests of local members of the residential construction
industry – your issues; your needs; your priorities.
Last year’s conference featured over 90 educational
sessions spanning a wide range of relevant topics and over
70 companies took part in our one of a kind industry-only
tradeshow. RCIC 2011 was supported by over 25 unique
corporate sponsors, spanning a wide cross section of the
industry. The conference boasted 600 delegates, including
over 90% of all CHBA-ER builder members! A comprehensive
post-conference survey yielded positive reviews, which have
been a great help to this year’s planning committees.
And RCIC 2012 is shaping up to be even better.
RCIC 2012 is a unique opportunity for members of the
residential construction industry to network, learn new
strategies, and keep up to date with what’s going on in the
industry. This year’s conference will feature a 10,000 sq.
ft. tradeshow, over 70 educational sessions, workshops
and forums, as well as a keynote speaker and a variety of
networking events.
Based on feedback from last year’s delegates, changes have
been made to the conference time table and floor plan. This
year, for example, lunch is included in the cost of registration
and will be available on the tradeshow floor. More time has
been allocated in between sessions, and a variety of onthe-tradeshow-floor activities and presentations have been
scheduled.
Adjustments have also been made to make registering for the
event as quick and painless as possible. Registrants no longer
have to sign up for each session individually. Once you are
signed up as a delegate, you are free to attend any session at
any time. Because of this change, delegates are encouraged
to familiarize themselves with the session schedule and plan
to be at their session rooms a few minutes early, especially for
those particularly popular sessions and speakers. All delegates
are expected to register online, but invoicing is available on a
case-by-case basis. Contact the CHBA-ER office for details.
RCIC registration has been competitively priced to allow for
maximum participation within the industry. Canadian Home
Builders’ Association (CHBA) members receive a discounted
rate, but registration is open to anyone involved in the
residential construction industry, whether they are a member
of a local branch of the CHBA
or not.
Member Fees
260 (plus gst)
$
Non-member Fees
310 (plus gst)
$
Online registration has been open since January 31st.
Registration will remain open until 12am midnight, Friday,
April 13th. Delegates are encouraged to sign up early as this
is one industry event you do not want to miss!
It’s not too late to sponsor or to
sign up as an exhibitor!
RCIC 2012 sponsors and exhibitors are still needed. The
CHBA-ER will be taking sponsors and exhibitors right up until
the event, but companies are encouraged to sign up early
to take advantage of the many benefits that go along with
supporting this unique conference.
Sponsors:
Nearly every active homebuilder in the Capital Region
attended RCIC 2011, and even more are expected to
participate this year! Our goal is to welcome 800 delegates.
RCIC 2012 represents an incredible sponsorship opportunity
for your company. For two full days in April – not to mention
the time leading up to the event – your company will be
front and centre, interacting with delegates and showing off
your products and services to the industry. Our extensive
sponsorship package offers a variety of valuable sponsor
benefits. Our team of volunteers will work with you to create
a customized sponsorship package that’s perfect for your
company.
Go online to www.rcic.ca/sponsorship/
become-a-sponsor to download the 2012 RCIC
Sponsorship Package or contact Kendall Franklin,
Conventions and Conference Manager, (780.702.0326 /
[email protected]) for details.
2012RCIC2012RCIC2012RCIC2012RCIC2012RCIC2012RCIC2012RCIC2012RCIC2012RCIC2012RCIC2012
RCIC 2012 is just over a month away and CHBA-ER staff
and volunteers are hard at work ensuring that this year’s
conference is another tremendous success!
TUESDAY, APRIL 24, 2012
Construction
Construction
Sales
& Marketing
Human
Resources
Technology
Multi Family
7:00 am
Exhibits Floor Opens (Hall F)
7:00
- 8:00 am
Registration & Morning Coffee (Hall F)
8:00
- 9:15 am
OPENING KEYNOTE SPEAKER
9:15
- 9:30 am
BREAK
9:30
- 10:45 am
Concrete 101 The Basics
Energy Code
Changes
John McClafferty
Speaker TBA
Social
Psychology of
Sales using the
SDI
(Max 60
attendees)
Recruiting
with Social
Media
Julianna Cantwell
& Alison Meyer
Top 10
technologies
trends for
tomorrow’s
buyers...there is
an app for that
Ginette Hulsmans
Speaker TBA
Proper
Flashing
& siding
installation
(Rainscreen,
do you know
what’s coming?)
Estimating
Special
Interest
Key to
successful
Estimating
Panelizing and
pre-fabrication...where
are we today?
Leon Rogers
Curt Beyer
Murray Frank
10:45
- 11:00 am
11:00
- 12:15 pm
BREAK
Concrete 102
John Grabow
Roofing & Attic
Basics
Vince Charpentier,
Jim Mckee
& Colin Rancier
Social
Psychology of
Sales
using the SDI
(Continued
from
1st session)
Performance
Management
Cheap IT tricks
for 2012
Julianna Cantwell
& Alison Meyer
Tim Sloan
Grading and
Drainage for
Multi-Family
projects
Framing 101 for
Estimators
Sucession
Planning
Brett Smith &
Dave Nelson
Debbie Carlson
Residential
Construction
Contract – An
Insight
Change
Management How to survive
change in an
organization
Leo Derkach & Lot
Grading Inspector
Ginette Hulsmans
12:15
- 1:30 pm
1:30
- 2:45 pm
LUNCH BREAK - Lunch is available on the Exhibits Floor
Trade
Performance/
Builder
Expectations
Digging a Hole
and not getting
buried
Rick Evans
Leon Rogers
Be Sharp, Stay
Sharp - What
does a
Professional
Mystery
Shopper
Look for?
Termination
Practices
Smartphone 101
Don Smythe
Joel Michaud
Old walls vs.
New Walls
Darrell Paul
Arun Shourie
Vik Maraj
Vik Maraj
2:45
- 3:00 pm
3:00
- 4:15 pm
BREAK
Managing Trade
Contractors
Time
Management for
Production
Personnel
The Home as a
System
Murray Frank
How to Thrive
in all
Marketing
Conditions
Vik Maraj
Temporary
Foreign Worker
(TFW) Program
Doing Business
in “The Cloud”
How Can I Build
Multi Family
Tim Sloan
Speaker TBA
Yann Legrand &
Howard Jones
Leon Rogers
4:15
- 6:00 pm
Hiring.
releasing
trades &
maintaining
relationships
afterwards
Q&A with the
Home Building
Pioneers
Various Heads
of Home Building
Companies
Michelle Krause
Ice Breaker Reception (Exhibit Floor)
RCIC 2012 tradeshow space
is still available, but don’t delay.
Last year’s tradeshow was sold out! 10 | industry INSIDER March 2012
Construction
Construction
Sales
& Marketing
Customer
Service &
Satisfaction
Building
Design
Safety
Environmental
Interior
Design
Accessible/
Barrier Free
Seminar
Managing
Safety For The
Site Supervisor
Passive Haus
Anand Mishra
Darcy Lambe
Latest design
Techniques in
Model Homes
and Sales
Centers
7:00 am
Registration & Morning Coffee (Hall F)
7:00
- 8:00 am
Exhibits Floor Opens (Hall F)
8:00
- 9:15 am
Moisture
Management Part 1
Insulation &
Spray Foam
Murray Frank
Darrell Paul
Selling your
Green Certified
Home
Dave Turnbull
Customer
Meeting
Survival Skills
- Customer
Involvement &
Operational
Order
Stuart Fix
Speaker TBA
Carol Smith
9:15
- 9:30 am
9:30
- 10:45
am
BREAK
Moisture
Management Part 2
Tall Wall &
Load Bearing
Basics
Darrel Paul
Murray Frank
Marketing
(or perhaps
networking?)
Effectively
through Social
Media
Selection
Strategies Creating an
Extraordinary
Design
Experience
Tim Sloan
Carol Smith
10:45
- 11:00
am
11:00
- 12:15
pm
Building
without poly...
do we have it
backwards?
Loss Prevention
and Control for
Owners and
Executives
Billy Huet
Tammy Hawkins
Understanding
Design and
Application
benefits of
Screw Piles
It is Good to
be Prime:
Exploring the
Benefits of
Being Prime
Contractor
Building with
Energuide
Kitchen and
Bath Design
Amelie Caron
Alexandra Motts
Changes to
Built Green
Designer Lighting Trends
Dave Turnball
Speaker TBA
Energy Star for
New Homes
Hard Flooring
Trends for 2012
Keith Hanson
Dave Cooper &
Carlos Soares
“The way we
green” –
Examining
Pertinent
Programs
Tiling Trends
for 2012
BREAK
Stucco
Speaker TBA
Top 10 Framing
Issues
Darrell Paul
Construction
101Back to Basics
Rob Busby
Psychology of
Orientation A New Home
Delivery
Experience
that Builds
Loyalty
Speaker TBA
Mark Greene
Carol Smith
12:15
- 1:30 pm
1:30
- 2:45 pm
LUNCH BREAK - Lunch is available on the Exhibits Floor
Plumbing
Technologies
Concrete 103 Site Concerns
Speaker TBA
Roger Kennedy
The Whole
Sales
Professional
Package
Judith MacDonald
Partners in
Service Getting the
Best from Your
Trades
Designing
Houses for
different
Demographics
Why do some
Companies get
prosecuted by
OH&S?
Dan Wildeboer
David Myrol
Carol Smith
2:45
- 3:00 pm
3:00
- 4:15 pm
BREAK
HVAC 101
Dennis Johnson
Envelopes, Air
Leaks &
Inspections
How to Sell in
30 Words or
less
Murray Frank
Vik Maraj
Warranty
Inspections Decisions, Decisions, Decisions
New products
specifications
and testing
Billy Huet
Carol Smith
4:15
- 6:00 pm
Safety Panel
Discussion
Difficult Safety
Sensitive Issues
Heads of Safety
Departments
Dave Reid &
Guest Speakers
Jim Andrais
Wind Up Reception (Exhibit Floor)
*** Please note: The RCIC 2012 conference schedule has not been finalized. Session times, topics and speakers are subject to
change. Check rcic.ca for updates. The final conference schedule will be made available to delegates on-site at the conference.
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 25, 2012
So far, our RCIC 2012 sponsors include:
Bronze Sponsor
Support Level
Gold Sponsor
Silver
Geomatics &
Sponsorship opportunities still exist at all levels. We are still
looking to fill the following spots:
• Platinum Sponsor (one spot remaining)
• Gold Sponsor (one spot remaining)
• Silver Sponsor (three spots remaining)
Contact Kendall Franklin ([email protected] /
780.702.0326) to sign up today!
Offering a new product? What better way to spread the
word than exhibiting at RCIC 2012!
Exhibiting is a great way to promote your company. The 2012
RCIC tradeshow has been set up to offer Exhibitors maximum
exposure to conference delegates. This is your chance to show
the industry what your company is made of and what products
and services you have to offer. Exhibitors receive a direct link to
their company website through rcic.ca, as well as recognition in
the RCIC 2012 delegate book and on on-site signage.
The exhibit floor will consist of over 10,000 sq ft of booth
space, representing the best and most innovative products
and services available in today’s market. Exhibitors should be
prepared to provide technical detailed information on their
products and services, as this conference is aimed at industry
professionals not the general public.
On both days, lunch will be available on the exhibit floor;
Exhibitors will have an opportunity to interact directly with
conference delegates. A variety of entertaining games and
presentations will keep the tradeshow floor exciting and lively
throughout the day. A reception at the end of each day will
transform the exhibit space into a networking hub.
A 10 x 10 Tradeshow booth is competitively priced at $1500.00 with
the option of adding additional square feet at $13.50/sq ft.
To learn how to become an exhibitor, visit
www.rcic.ca/exhibits/become-an-exhibitor to
download the 2012 RCIC Exhibitor Package or contact
Kendall Franklin, Conventions and Conference Manager,
([email protected] / 780-702-0326).
Don’t miss out on this great opportunity. The following companies
have already signed up:
Premier Exhbitors
All Weather Windows Ltd.
Can-Cell Industries Inc.
Divine Hardwood Flooring Ltd.
Durabuilt Windows & Doors Inc.
Dyand Mechanical Systems Inc./Wood & Energy Store
Gem Cabinets Ltd.
Gerber
I-XL Masonry Supplies Ltd.
Mirolin Industries Corp.
Penta Protective Coatings Ltd.
Ply Gem Canada Inc.
Points West Marketing Inc.
The Smart-Way Disposal & Recycling Company Ltd.
Windsor Plywood - Commercial Sales Division
Exhibitors
4-Way Equipment Rentals
A & B Concrete Pumping (2007) Ltd.
Alberta Durable Deck
Alberta Hardwood Flooring Ltd.
Armtec
Artistic Stairs Inc.
Atlas Granite Inc.
Axford Agencies Alberta Ltd.
Baywest Projects Ltd.
Beaver Plastics Ltd. - Logix ICF
Century Vallen
Certified Automation Ltd.
Creative Door Services
Design 21
Electrical Construction Association of Alberta
Extreme Excavating & Backhoe Services Ltd.
Glenora Lumber & Building Supplies Ltd.
Habberjam Mechanical
Jayson Global Roofing Inc.
Kitchen Craft
Leduc Truss Inc.
Main Line Backflow Products Inc.
Noremac Industries Ltd.
Overhead Door Company of Edmonton
Shore 2 Shore Automation Ltd.
Stanley Black & Decker - Weiser
Sunrise Windows & Door Depot Ltd.
Trail Building Supplies Ltd.
Weiss-Johnson Sheet Metal Ltd. ■
Residential Construction Site Manager
Occupational Designation Announced
Kevin Donnan, Alberta Advanced Education and Technology
Earlier this fall, the Government of Alberta
designated residential construction site
manager as an occupation under the
Apprenticeship and Industry Training Act. This
means that voluntary provincial certification
in this occupation is now available to anyone
in the Alberta home building industry.
For the past five years, Sheri Reed has
worked in Alberta’s residential construction
industry as a site manager. She has also
helped beta test the RCSM training program
and says the timing of the designation is
perfect for the industry, “We’re at a very
important time because so many of us are
still benefitting from having experienced
workers who can share generations of
expertise. At the same time, we will also see
new people coming in who need to continue
enhancing the efficiency, management and
safety of the entire industry.”
Industry training is available through the
Professional Home Builders’ Institute of
Alberta (PHBIA). Training consists of three
levels; each level includes a formal training
component combined with 1,500 hours and
12 months of level specific, on-the-job work experience. Once
the training is complete, the Government of Alberta’s role is to
assess completion of all training components, administer the
provincial exam, and grant certification.
The Alberta New Home Warranty Program funded the
development of the program. The Professional Home Builders’
Institute of Alberta is managing training development, the
implementation of the course programs and materials, while
also maintaining a registry of trainees. The program will
require a minimum of three years to complete. Prior learning
assessment and credit for experience will also be available.
John Kozole, President and CEO of the Professional Home
Builders’ Institute of Alberta, says that stakeholders coming
together was the key to realizing the new program. “With
the support of the home building industry, our institute has
the pleasure of working with government and specifically, the
Ministry of Advanced Education and Technology, to provide a
much needed educational program for residential construction
site managers. Our collaboration with the government has
proven to be integral in making this project a success and in
providing the first occupational designation in Canada for the
residential construction industry.”
Advanced Education and Technology Minister Greg Weadick,
who approved the designation of the residential construction
site manager as an occupation in Alberta, says the training will
go a long way towards enhancing the work of the industry,
“Consistent training and certification standards is a key
benefit. The aim of this designation is to assist in creating
a highly skilled workforce in residential construction while
laying the groundwork for current and future Albertans to take
advantage of this new opportunity.”
Reed says she was happy to help with the development of
the program, but says now it’s her turn to be a student, “I like
the idea of having all of the information at my fingertips in a
condensed format and having the chance to learn at my own
pace. I’m already in the process of starting the program and
having this certification on my resume is going to make an
incredible difference in my career.”
For more information on the program please contact:
Angela Tripathy
Chief Corporate Officer
Professional Home Builders Institute of Alberta
Phone: 1-888-325-9999
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.phbia.com ■
What to Expect in 2012: Three industry experts
offer up their forecasts for the year ahead
Kevin Donnan, Alberta Advanced Education and Technology
On February 8th, the Canadian Home Builders’ Association Edmonton Region hosted our annual Economic Forum at the
Royal Glenora Club. This glimpse into the year ahead featured
presentations by three local housing economy experts: Richard
Goatcher, Senior Market
Analyst with CMHC, Todd
Hirsch, Senior Economist
at ATB Financial, and John
Rose from the City of
Edmonton.
The luncheon kicked off with
a projected 2012 economic
overview from CMHC Senior
Market Analyst and longtime
CHBA-ER Economics
Committee Chair, Richard
Goatcher. Here’s what he
had to say:
Richard Goatcher
In general, the economic picture for the year ahead
remains steadily optimistic.
• Multi-family starts activity levels improved in 2011.
Multi-family units under construction were up 17% year over
year in January 2012.
• Employment growth rebounds are expected to continue into 2012.
• Net migration continues to improve. The Edmonton CMA is
predicted to welcome over 15,000 newcomers in 2012.
• Homeowners continue to enjoy historically low mortgage
rates and ownership costs are expected to remain below
peak levels into 2012.
• Moderate gains in residential MLS sales are expected to
continue into 2012. Inventory of active listings were down
3% year over year in January.
But don’t speed up your retirement plans just yet. The
market continues to favor the buyer and price gains are
expected to remain modest.
• Resale home prices in 2012 will remain below 2007 peak
levels.
• In terms of single-family starts, the gap with 2010 narrowed
in the second half of 2011. 2012 volumes are expected to
remain close to the long term average. New single-family
homes under construction were down slightly (3% year over
year) in January.
• In terms of new house prices, values remain well below
peak levels. Gains to the New House Price Index have been
modest heading into the New Year. Prices are expected to
edge upward in 2012, but will remain below peak levels.
Next up, ATB’s Senior Economist, Todd Hirsch, led members
through an entertaining yet informative presentation entitled,
Alberta Economy 2012: A Game of Skill and Chance. By
comparing Alberta’s place in an increasingly unpredictable
global economy to classic board games like Twister, Kerplunk,
Todd Hirsch
Sorry, and Trouble (just to name a few), Todd was able to paint
an optimistic, yet cautionary picture of what we, as Albertans,
can expect to see in the year
ahead. Always a pleasure, Todd
had members laughing out loud
while scratching their heads and
patting their wallets. Members can
check out his full presentation by
visiting the CHBA-ER website.
To wrap things up, City of Edmonton Chief Economist, John
Rose introduced the City’s Economic Outlook for 2012. How
will we be impacted by global pressures like the European
debt crisis and unresolved U.S deficits? How will oil and natural
gas prices impact our local economy? And what does a rising
inflation rate mean for Edmontonians?
The general
forecast? On
a global level,
an uneven and
anemic recovery in
underway. Europe
may be heading
into a ‘double dip’
and global financial
markets remain
fragile. In contrast,
Canadian domestic
conditions remain
good. Alberta
John Rose
continues to
outperform the national average and local employment growth
remains strong.
Alberta’s unemployment rate is expected to fall below 5%
in 2012. Although this is generally seen as a good thing, it
is an indication that Alberta’s labour market is tightening.
Unemployment rates significantly below 5% will trigger wage
increases and higher inflation.
Our province’s inflation rate is already three times what it
was in 2010. Although Alberta’s rate of inflation is expected
to moderate slightly in the first half of 2012, higher than usual
electricity and gas prices will have an impact on household
budgets and, ultimately, the local housing market. Costs
associated with non-residential construction costs have already
begun to move up. Residential builders are encouraged to
keep an eye on this trend as the year progresses.
To download all three presentations, visit
www.chbaedmonton.ca. Click on February 8th
Business Luncheon in the Calendar of Events under News
& Events. ■
Incoming
President,
Alphonse Pilon
(Marcson
Homes),
Past
President,
Sandra Young
(Homes by
Avi-Edmonton)
and Outgoing
President,
Jim Sirup (Jayman
MasterBUILT)
Jim gets escorted
to the stage by
two members
of the Edmonton
Eskimo cheerleading
squad.
For all those who didn’t attend January’s Presidents Gala,
you definitely missed out on
something special.
This year, we decided to do something totally different to
honor outgoing president, Jim Sirup of Jayman MasterBUILT.
Instead of the usual black tie affair, guests donned their
favorite CFL jerseys and geared up for a casual evening of fun
and relaxed entertainment.
The evening ‘kicked off’ with all the drinks and appetizers one
would expect to find at a Grey Cup party. The sit down
meal consisted of a ‘Complete Pass Caesar Salad’, followed
by an 8oz prime rib burger with spicy wedges & onion rings,
and ‘Post Game Eskimo Apple Pie’ for dessert. The menu was
designed around all of Jim’s favorite game day dishes, and was
enthusiastically received by all in attendance.
Guests were treated to a fantastic evening of entertainment,
including a hilarious stand up routine by Jim’s favorite western
Canadian comedian, Herb Dixon, and a special appearance by
members of the Edmonton Eskimo cheerleading squad.
The record breaking crowd (an all-time high of 166) joined
together to honor Jim’s outstanding contribution to the
CHBA-ER over the past year, as well as to welcome incoming
president, Alphonse Pilon of Marcson Homes.
As is traditionally done each year at
the President’s Gala, a number of special awards
were handed out. This year’s honors included the Julius Eckert
Memorial Award – presented annually to a member who has
supported and promoted the benefits of membership through
his or her actions and participation - three Exceptional Service
Awards, the President’s Choice Award, and CHBA-Edmonton
Region’s Life Member Award.
Julius Eckert Award
John Hrynkow, Park Royal Homes
Exceptional Service Award
Gary Hoeft, Landmark Group of Builders
Jenni Head, Marcson Homes
Mark Turner, Landmark Group of Builders
Presidents Choice Award
Sandra Young, Homes by Avi
Life Member Award
Larry Anderson, MANCAP
The Longstanding Membership Awards were established in
2002 to recognize companies that have been members of the
CHBA-ER for over 20, 30, 40, and 50 years. Twelve member
companies were recognized at this year’s event.
30 Year Members:
Coast Wholesale Appliances
Lenbeth Weeping Tile
The Edmonton Sun
20 Year Members:
A & B Concrete Pumping
CBM Developments
Burnco Rock Products Ltd
Paradise Carpets
Qualico
Performance Excavating Ltd
McLeod Building Centre
Robinson Lighting & Bath Centre (not able to attend)
Jim Sirup awards the
President’s Choice
Award to Past
President,
Sandra Young
(Homes by
Avi –Edmonton)
The final respects of the evening were
reserved for the man of honor himself, outgoing
president, Jim Sirup. As a special thank-you for his
service to the Association, Len Rhodes, President and CEO
of the Edmonton Eskimos presented Jim with a personalized
Edmonton Eskimos Jersey. Jim also received a signed Calgary
Stampeders football, a Stampeders Jersey, and a gift certificate
towards his next West Jet trip.
Members
of the
Edmonton
Eskimo
Cheerleading
Squad
The CHBA-ER would like to recognize this year’s
generous President’s Gala sponsors.
• Platinum Sponsors – Brookfield Residential & Homes by Avi- Edmonton
• Gold Sponsor – Marcson Homes
• Silver Sponsors – Landmark Group of Builders & Extreme Excavating
• Bronze Sponsors – Sabal Homes & Jetco mechanical
Members enjoy
dinner and
the game
• Wine Sponsor – Qualico Communities
• Entertainment Sponsor – Jayman MasterBUILT
• Presidents Gift Sponsors – Park Royal Homes & All Weather Windows
• Life member Sponsor – East Side Hangers
• Julius Ekert Memorial Award Sponsor – Pals Geomatrics
• Exceptional Service Award Sponsor – Daytona Homes
• Presidents Choice Award Sponsor – Jayman MasterBUILT ■
meet the president:
an interview with chba-er’s new president, alphonse pilon
of marcson homes
On January 11th, 2012, founder and president of Marcson
Homes, Alphonse Pilon, took over the reins from outgoing
president, Jim Sirup, to become the 60th president of the
Canadian Home Builders’ Association – Edmonton Region.
Alphonse is a leader in the new home building industry. He
has been involved with the CHBA-Edmonton Region for over
15 years, serving on a number of committees, including the
Board of Directors, the CHBA-ER Marketing Committee, and
the Economics Committee. In addition to his work with the
CHBA-ER, Alphonse currently sits on the board of directors of
both the Alberta New Home Warranty Program and the Kids
with Cancer Society.
In 2002, Alphonse became a Certified Master Builder,
a prestigious designation awarded to individuals who
demonstrate continued education in the industry, extraordinary
business management, and outstanding professional
experience.
Before founding his own company, Marcson Homes, in 2009,
Alphonse acted as General Manager and Managing Partner at
Pacesetter Homes and General Sales Manager at Park Royal
Homes.
Today, Marcson Homes is one of Edmonton’s fastest
growing new home builders. They are committed to providing
customers with the absolute best, and their name is
associated with building partners that strive for quality and
excellent customer care. The Marcson team creates home
designs that are innovative, yet classic, come in all shapes and
sizes, and can only be found in the most sought out Edmonton
communities.
What inspired you to first get involved with the CHBA?
I began volunteering with the CHBA-ER in the mid nineties.
My reason for getting involved was two-fold: I wanted to give
back to the association and to learn from other members of
the industry. The CHBA provides a great opportunity for up-andcomers, like me at the time, to connect and learn from local
industry leaders. That’s an invaluable advantage, particularly in
our ever changing business environment.
Tell me about someone who has influenced your decision
to work with the CHBA?
My friend and mentor, John Hrynkow, was a great influence.
He was the one who first encouraged me to get involved.
As past president of the association, he was very supportive
when I was elected to the board of directors early on in my
career. He supported me being active as a volunteer while
working for him at Park Royal Homes.
Alphonse Pilon, CHBA-ER President, 2011/2012
Marcson Homes, President & CEO
What would you tell someone who is thinking about
volunteering with the Association?
First of all, there are so many volunteer opportunities available.
Anyone looking to get involved can find something to do that
meets their time restrictions, personal interests, and skills.
Whether it’s helping out at an event, joining one of our many
committees, or getting involved strategically at the board level,
the opportunities are endless.
As members of the CHBA, we get out of it what we put in.
Those who get involved have the opportunity to meet people
from all walks of the industry. CHBA volunteers have access
to an incredible network of industry contacts. Volunteering is
a great way to enhance your knowledge of the industry, while
creating exposure for yourself and your company. I encourage
anyone who’s thinking about getting involved to call the
office, sit down with one of our staff, and find the volunteer
opportunity that’s right for them. They won’t regret it.
On a personal level, I’ve met so many of my good friends
through the association. Membership is a great way to meet
new people and to keep in touch with old friends.
What do you see as our industry’s biggest challenge
right now?
Here in Edmonton, we’re in a unique situation. Our
unemployment rate is among the lowest in the country. One
of the biggest challenges we’re facing is a shortage of skilled
labour. A tight labour market usually leads to higher housing
costs. We’re already starting to see the rate of inflation rise.
Although it’s encouraging to see Edmonton’s full-time job
figures rising steadily, it is concerning that the rising inflation
rate appears to be outpacing the average consumer’s salary
adjustments. Maintaining housing affordability is always a
delicate balancing act. As a city and as a region, it’s important
that our housing prices remain competitive and affordable.
What does the Edmonton housing market have working in
its favor?
Edmonton is a very attractive place to be right now and we are
going to see more people buying homes here. Our region is
expanding rapidly and local businesses are keeping up with the
times.
Our population is growing. More people are moving to Alberta
than anywhere else in the country, and the reason for that is
pretty clear. We have jobs. The cost of oil is skyrocketing and
that has a positive impact on all industries in the province. Add
to this that Edmonton enjoys the most affordable housing of
Canada’s six major metropolitan regions, and you get a pretty
clear idea of why our city is the place to live and raise a family.
What has been your proudest accomplishment as a
volunteer?
As a volunteer, I’ve had the chance to really get involved. As
mentioned earlier, I sat on the CHBA-ER Board of Directors
from 1996 to 1999. I chaired the CHBA-ER Marketing
Committee from 1995 to 1997, and have been involved for
many years with the Economics Committee.
Outside of the association, I’ve served on the Board of
Directors for the Kids with Cancer Society and was honored
this past year to be the lottery home builder of choice for the
Caritas Foundation.
What might our members be surprised to know about
you?
I come from very humble beginnings and have had to work my
whole life to get where I am today. For this, I am very proud.
From my very first job at age 11, delivering the Edmonton
Journal in our Glengarry neighbourhood, to the position I am
in today, I have taken each role seriously and always done my
best. I owe some part of my work ethic to my dad, who helped
me on those snowy, cold days, showing me that hard work
pays off. ■
As a builder in the Edmonton Market what trends do you
see playing out right now?
There continues to be steady demand for entry level homes,
but as consumer confidence rises, we are starting to see
more and more people willing to spend money on higher end
homes. This is an encouraging trend for the Edmonton new
home market.
What would you consider to be your greatest business
accomplishment so far?
I love to create things and to watch them grow. I’m in the
process of doing this again with my new company, Marcson
Homes. Marcson is very much a family business, named after
my two children, Madison and Marc. I also get to work very
closely with my wife, Michelle.
I am fortunate to have great people working for me, helping to
make this happen. It’s for all of these reasons that my new role
as CHBA-ER President comes at a great time in my life.
Doing Things Differently
in the City
of Spruce Grove:
An interview with Jodie Wacko and Salima Kheraj
Beaverbrook Developments, www.greenbury.ca
CHBA-ER: What does the word ‘sustainability’ mean to you?
BD: Sustainability is doing what you do better and with more thought, from the way you build it, to the
way you market it, to the way you live in it. Sustainability is ensuring that you can keep your community
vibrant so that future generations not only want to, but can afford to live there. It’s ensuring that you
have a community which continues to grow and thrive, and attracts young individuals and families to
continuously move in and weave themselves into the social fabric. It’s a combination of environmental,
social and economic factors.
An often overlooked part of sustainability is ensuring that you have a wide range of housing choices and an
open and progressive policy framework.
Sustainability is not about doing the same old thing; it is about looking and rethinking what you’ve done
in the past and asking, ‘How can we make it better?’ Sustainability needs to be looked at as a long term,
measured process. Any one step won’t be seen as revolutionary. It’s about making small, incremental
changes. If every year you do something better, over a decade you’ll be significantly ahead of where you’ve
been. Doing small things over time will make a difference.
Creating a sustainable community takes a lot of discipline and a robust economy. The biggest challenge we
see is instilling that discipline over a ten year period. Instead of saying, ‘Oh, everyone’s excited about green
right now, let’s do it for 3 years’, to us, it’s what you do in years 4, 5, and beyond that make the difference.
CHBA-ER: Can you explain why your company has a record of working so well with the city?
BD: It’s actually quite simple. We’ve kept our promises to the best of our abilities and done what we said
we were going to do. In the business that we’re in, not everything goes perfectly. If something needed
correction or didn’t quite go as planned, we’ve always taken responsibility and corrected it to everyone’s
satisfaction.
From day one, we’ve approached our development looking for a partnership and understanding that
community building is as much the municipality’s responsibility as it is ours. We’ve made a point of
ensuring that everyone goes in with their eyes wide open, and have worked hard to be good corporate
citizens of the City of Spruce Grove. It really is that simple.
It’s also important to note the level of mutual respect that the city staff has for what we do and vice
versa. We have found that in Spruce Grove this business-friendly attitude does flow down through
the organization. It is clear that what the housing industry does for a living is an essential part
of City building, and that partnerships between the development industry and the municipality
enhance the way in which we can deliver this to the public. It’s not a sense of us versus them.
That’s a cultural approach that the City takes, which makes their organization fairly unique.
We think it’s a testament to the leadership of Council and senior administration.
CHBA-ER: Your latest development, Greenbury, is quite a different built form
than what we’re used to seeing in the Capital Region. Can you describe for our
readers why you went with that built form and what makes it so unique?
BD: We are finding more and more resistance in the younger market to the “same
old, same old”. The term ‘cookie cutter’ is coming up a lot and it’s starting to
get a certain stigma attached to it. We needed to find a way of presenting a
community that people could identify with; one that would stand out as
something not exactly the same as what everyone else produces. This
takes effort.
We decided to go with the brownstone theme because we wanted
something visually different. The goal was to create a different
community, a different look, a different feel. Doing so was to
our own advantage because it allowed us to set ourselves
apart from a competitive marketplace.
is
20 | industry INSIDER March
2012
We ended up with a brownstone theme adapted
to the Edmonton market. There are two
components to that. The first is the
architectural theme and the second
the incorporation of a mixed
streetscape. With the architectural theme – the
brownstone theme – we took different design
features that are indicative of brownstones and
incorporated those into the more traditional style
of housing we are used to seeing around the
Capital Region. Our homes will have a higher roof
pitch, box and bay windows, and brownstone
style entryways. The biggest impact will be that
all of the front facades of our buildings are brick
or stone; this is the striking effect we were going
for in terms of making the community look quite
different.
With the mixed streetscape, instead of isolating
townhouses, single-detached dwellings, and
duplexes in different sections or enclaves of
a neighbourhood, we decided to mix them all
up along each street. They are all interspersed,
particularly along the collector road. The lane
product, in particular, which is lined all along the
collector road, is pulled in closer to the street
so that the front setback is smaller. With the
brownstone look we were able to build up to
a height of three stories. With this, plus the
boulevard trees and the trees and vegetation
in the central bioswale, you start to get a more
vertical element mixed with some greenery
which really frames the street and gives it
character. Add those things together, and the
community starts to look and feel really different.
CHBA-ER: What would you say was the
biggest challenge with this project?
BD: The biggest challenge was getting the
builders on board early on in the process.
When it came to working with the City, it was
actually quite a smooth process. They were quick
to understand and embrace the built form. The
biggest challenge, perhaps surprisingly, was with
the building industry itself. We went to anyone
who would listen when we first started this out
18 months ago, and it was a real challenge to get
them to embrace the risk.
Whether it was the architecture, the green
features, or simply the timing of the project
(we launched in late 2009), everyone seemed
apprehensive about taking it on. A project like
this one takes a significant amount of energy,
time, and focus. It’s double the energy, double
the investment, and double the risk, so in that
sense, I can understand the initial hesitation.
We are very pleased that the builders who
are in there now have embraced our vision,
and we are excited to move forward with
them. They have done an excellent job so far
and have put significant time and effort into
realizing and carrying out the brownstone look,
and incorporating the green features into their
homes.
CHBA-ER: What gave you the confidence to
embrace such a ‘risky’ project?
BD: We had the benefit of learning from Spruce
Village, our first big step into Spruce Grove.
That was a neo-traditional community where
we first started introducing the concept of
mixed streetscapes. That project gave us the
experience of 600 starts in the area. That’s 600
families who chose to put their dollars into that
form of community.
We did surveys and listened to what the
consumer had to say. We asked what they
thought were the positives, and what they
identified as weaknesses. We also listened
to what the City thought and considered the
feedback they were getting from residents.
We are also very fortunate to have the right land
base and costs base to undertake something like
this. Conditions were favorable to a measured
amount of risk.
Spruce Village was the first step. Greenbury, in
our opinion, is the second baby step, and we will
develop from there into step three. Step three
may take a different turn depending on what the
market tells us and how they react to our project.
CHBA-ER: You just opened your show
home parade. What kind of traffic are you
experiencing so far?
BD: Our traffic has been great so far – the best of
all of our communities. Greenbury has generated
a lot of interest. We’ve done some marketing,
but all in all, it’s still very early days. Our grand
opening took place Sunday, February 12th. From
here on in, we look forward to really launching
our project and marketing initiatives.
CHBA-ER: For a municipality to create a bylaw
specific to a particular project, like the one
put in place for the Greenbury site, is unique.
We haven’t seen much of that in the Capital
Region. What’s more, this bylaw was easy to
follow and extremely straight forward. Can
you explain to our readers the process you
went through to have the bylaw developed?
BD: When it came to putting this bylaw in place,
the process was fairly painless. We went there
early with a vision which the municipality was
able to get behind right away. It really wasn’t that
difficult of a process to write because the staff
there had done their research; they had travelled
around and sourced other areas. It also helped
that we experimented with that type of street
form during the development of Spruce Village.
In the case of Greenbury, the City saw the value
of trying to do things a different way. Instead
of going at in on a lot by lot basis with a million
zoning boundary lines all over our maps, the
way we did in Spruce Village, we were able to
create a comprehensive zone which covered the
whole area and allowed us to choose – not at the
zoning stage, but at the subdivision stage – what
type of housing form each lot would be. That
is much easier than planning from a regulatory
perspective because you’re not waiting to go to
Council with a bylaw for every single housing
type.
CHBA-ER: What do you think this bylaw was
such a success?
BD: The complicated thing about bylaws and the
frustrating part is what we in the industry refer
to as ‘regulatory creep’. Every year something
happens to force the municipality to add another
rule or addition to the bylaw - all in an effort
to stop one bad apple. Over the course of 10
years, that bylaw starts to get very complicated.
The guys that are doing business properly - the
good builders and developers - are punished as
a result.
The reason why this bylaw worked so well
goes back to the good working relationship
we (Beaverbrook) have with the City of Spruce
Grove. There’s a trust there and some appetite
for risk on both ends. Because the bylaw is
specific to a Beaverbrook project on 80 acres,
it was very clearly looked at as a test case.
Everyone knew who the players were; there
was trust on both sides and an understanding
that direction was needed. At the end of the day,
there are still another 300 acres to develop, so
we have a vested interested in maintaining our
good relationship with the City. That’s what set
the stage for this to work.
I don’t know if it can work in every municipality.
You have to find those areas where you can
create ‘wins’. Maybe if you have 5 or 10 bylaws
like this across the Capital Region, some of the
goods things will start spreading out. It takes 10
years for a bylaw to become complicated; it will
take 10 more years for it to become uncluttered.
Making that change will take time, discipline, and
a lot of big picture thinking. It’s all about baby
steps and patience.
CHBA-ER: What lessons can you pass on to
other members of the industry?
BD: Establish a track record. Part of the
municipality’s role is to protect the public
interest; they don’t want to risk that end of it. If
you are going in and asking for something that’s
a little ‘out there’, you need to back it up with a
solid track record. Being able to say that you’ve
always maintained quality and that you do what
you do well, goes a long way.
It’s OK to be different. At Beaverbrook we are
always striving to improve upon the products we
offer and to be as innovative as possible. There’s
something to be said for ‘thinking outside the
box’. It’s worth the time and effort because it
pays off in the end. We want to be the ones who
cross the finish line first.
We are always looking to ensure that whatever
we do can be identified as unique in the
marketplace. That’s not to say that every
Beaverbrook community is going to be as ‘on the
edge’ as Greenbury. We will continue to produce
the type of product that the Capital Region is
familiar with, but in certain strategic areas, it’s
important to us and to our investors that we try
to do something different. If everyone drinks a bit
of the ‘Beaverbrook kool-aid’, I believe that they
will be more successful. It will be scarier and it
will be riskier, but risk has its rewards and sure
makes you feel alive!
Get involved early. When it came to Greenbury,
we didn’t hide ourselves away, come up with a
plan and then throw it on their desk. It all started
with conversations; then came the concepts,
then came the principles. When we did come
back with a presentation, there were no hard
lines. Instead, we presented a laundry list of
ideas and prefaced it by saying ”Here are 20
things. Some are going to be way out there. 8
will be worth discussing and we might end up
keeping 4.” That’s the way we went about it. It
was an open discussion.
CHBA-ER: As a developer, what advice do you
have to offer our builder members?
BD: Our approach was to present to our builders
a blank slate and to ask them, ‘What would you
like to see here?”. What came back was, “If you
just give us what we had last time, we’ll be fine.”
That response was incredibly frustrating, and
that’s how the process became initiated by
the developer.
Every community starts as a blank page. We
need to see more motivation from the building
industry when opportunities like that are
presented. We need to be creative together.
another process that we have to go through;
a cumbersome process where you have
24 decision makers trying to find consensus.
This can, at times, be very inefficient.
CHBA-ER: What do you see as the role of the
Capital Region Board?
BD: The goal of the CRB, as I see it, is to foster
cooperation between all of the municipalities such
that they are working towards one common goal.
Its role is to take a big picture view and to ensure
that all municipalities have a bit of that view.
There’s a real danger that the cost of producing
housing will go up as a result of over-regulation.
These types of organizations tend to end up with
volumes and volumes of studies that wind up as
frustration for everyone. The process becomes
unworkable. We’re very fearful that the CRB will
migrate to that, which is why we are involved.
Our fear is that the CRB is just going to become
another layer of red tape and will actually do
the opposite of what it should do. We’ve seen
examples of that already, where it just becomes
Sometimes the best approach is to keep it
simple. You can achieve lots with only 2 pages.
You don’t need a whole book. ■
An Interview with
Mayor Stuart Houston, City of Spruce Grove
CHBA-ER: Can you share with us the City’s
approach to Sustainable Growth?
SH: Sustainability is about more than just being
“green”. It really is a multi-faceted approach.
On one hand it has to do with how we develop
our urban form; it’s about encouraging greater
connectivity, higher densities, etc., while working
to minimize negative environmental impacts.
Sustainability, for us, is a fundamental approach to
the way we provide municipal services.
It’s also about how we manage our fiscal
resources. As leaders, we strive to make the
community financially sustainable as it grows.
The City is open to new ideas and appreciates
development that is environmentally and fiscally
responsible.
CHBA-ER: The City’s growth building strategy,
particularly as it pertains to residential
development, has been simply outstanding.
Why?
SH: City Council is receptive to fostering
innovative ideas. We see the value in being
flexible when it comes to allowing different types
of built forms, and are committed to providing
attractive amenities and services that make
people want to live and buy homes here. Spruce
Grove still has a price advantage in the region, yet
can boast access to all of the things that make the
Capital Region a great place to live. It’s simply a
good place to settle and to raise a family.
a means to test these new approaches. There
is a high level of trust there and a willingness to
experiment on both sides. Behind this trust is
an understanding that not everything we try will
be successful. We are, however, willing to learn
together and to refine our approach.
CHBA-ER: You are presently in the process of
a detailed LUB review. Is there a role for CHBA
ER to play in that?
SH: We’re already working with a cross-section
of homebuilders and land developers in the
community, as well as soliciting input from the
industry as whole through discussions with the
CHBA and UDI. They’ve been interviewed as
part of the preliminary consultation process,
and drafts of the LUB will be available for review
comment once they are complete. We’ve always
found the discussions more productive if we
have a common framework to work from – in
our case, that framework is the City’s Municipal
Development Plan “Our Bright Future”. The LUB is
the key to bringing that plan to life.
On the day-to-day side of things, our Planning and
Development and Engineering staff are committed
to working towards solutions that work, not
just for the city, but for everyone involved. They
take great pride in this approach to our business
community.
CHBA-ER: What is the role of the CRB when
it comes to affecting an effective and efficient
Land Use protocol?
SH: The Capital Region Board provides a regionally
crafted vision of how the greater community can
mature. By cooperating with our neighbours, we
can explore things like long term roadway needs,
public transportation, and innovative forms of
housing that can address needs as the region
grows. Overall, the plan sets up a framework to
allow growth to be accommodated in a more
compact manner than we saw in the past. This is
not an overnight solution, but rather a long term
vision for the region.
CHBA-ER: When it comes to working together,
your relationship with Beaverbrook appears
to be an example for all Capital Region
Municipalities to take a look at. What have
been the keys to this successful partnership?
SH: Beaverbrook is a good example of a developer
who has been willing to try some innovative
approaches. We’ve both been flexible when it
comes to zoning and engineering standards, as
CHBA-ER: What to you are some of the key
‘highlights’ of the Greenbury Development?
SH: We think it will be a great addition to our
community. Greenbury will have a unique visual
identity, incorporating a mix of densities and
housing types, strong architectural features, green
infrastructure (bio-swales, etc.), and practical energy
saving measures within the homes themselves. It
looks like nothing else in Spruce Grove.
Behind all of this is a regulatory experiment for
how we approach housing development. For
the most part, we’ve removed the distinctions
between different forms of “low density”
housing, relying instead, on a set of regulations
enforced by the developer to achieve a certain
neighbourhood look and performance. This is the
direction we hope to take the entire residential
piece of the new Land Use Bylaw.
CHBA-ER: Do you see another Greenbury type
project in Spruce Grove’s future?
SH: The LUB update will introduce greater
flexibility of housing types within each district,
which may result in similar mixes of housing
in other areas of the city. It is Council’s goal to
create complete, integrated neighbourhoods that
provide a range of housing for all citizens.
For us, the bottom line is a recognition that the
City is at a critical point in its growth. What we
do today will define what the character of the
community will be as it matures. We would like to
see more innovative forms of development than
the traditional, as this makes Spruce Grove a more
interesting place to live. We also have to look at
doing those things that allow us to provide the
right services as the City grows. A good example
of this is designing neighbourhoods that can be
easily served by transit (even though we provide
only peak hour commuter service to Edmonton
right now). As neighbourhoods are designed,
there will be a higher focus on pedestrian needs
than what we have had in the past.
CHBA-ER: Do you see value in developing
a CHBA-ER/City of Spruce Grove Advisory
Committee? The committee would address
common issues and opportunities based on a
true spirit of working together?
SH: We feel that the best opportunity for the
industry to make a lasting contribution is to
participate actively in the discussions taking
place around the Land Use Bylaw Update. I
look forward to you offering an industry-wide
perspective on the policies being drafted. ■
CHBA Applauds Changes to Canada’s
Federal Immigration Program
The CHBA is pleased to hear that the federal government
is planning to update the point system for the Economic
Immigrant Program to make it more proactive, more conducive
to younger workers, and more accommodating of skilled
tradespeople.
For many years, the CHBA has been recommending the point
system be revised in order to remove barriers to skilled trades
in the residential construction industry.
Our concerns and recommendations regarding the point
system for the Federal Skilled Worker Category of the
Economic Immigrant Program can be summed up into four
main parts:
Language Requirements – Points scored for language skills
are not linked to the language needs of different types of
people working in the residential construction industry. The
premium placed on skills in both English and French place
many highly qualified skilled people at a disadvantage. An
applicant with only moderate proficiency in either English
or French – an adequate level of proficiency for construction
trades jobs – will score only eight points out of 24. The CHBA
continues to recommend that the federal government broaden
the approach used in the Canadian Experience Class and
establish different language thresholds for professional and
technical/trades occupations.
Arranged Employment – Arranged employment is difficult
for many companies in the residential construction industry
because tradespeople in the industry typically work for several
employers. The CHBA continues to recommend that the
federal government consider more flexible mechanisms to take
such employment mobility into account.
Education and Experience – The relative allocation of points
for education and experience used in the point system for
the Federal Skilled Worker category should be reviewed, with
greater consideration being given to the experience of skilled
tradespeople who can demonstrate competency in their
trades. CHBA continues to recommend skilled tradespeople be
on an equal footing with professional occupations.
Employment Experience – Many of the key trades in
the residential construction industry do not have unique
National Occupational Codes (NOC) required for recognition
by immigration programs focused on skilled people. CHBA
continues to recommend that the federal government review
this matter and update the Codes as necessary. ■
economic committee
Edmonton’s Housing Starts Increase in February
According to preliminary figures released by Canada Mortgage
and Housing Corporation (CMHC), housing starts in the
Edmonton Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) increased in
February to 597 units from 489 starts in February 2011. For the
year-to-date, housing starts totalled 1,175 units, up from 852
during the first two months of 2011.
Single-detached starts increased by five per cent year-over-year
in February to 378 units compared with 360 in February of last
year. Following a strong increase in January, single-detached
starts inside Edmonton City decreased in February by eight per
cent from a year prior to 223 units. So far this year, builders
have started work on 692 units across the Capital region,
representing a 22 per cent increase from January and February
2011. “While 2012 is off to a strong start, the gap between this
year and 2011 should narrow somewhat in the months ahead as
2011 began at a relatively slow pace,” noted Richard Goatcher,
CMHC’s Senior Market Analyst for Edmonton.
Multi-family starts, which consist of semi-detached units, rows,
and apartments, increased in February by 70 per cent year-overyear to 219 units. An uptick in row (townhouse) starts more
than offset a decline in apartment activity. Meanwhile, semidetached starts rose by 29 per cent from last February to 126
units. All of February’s multiple unit starts were destined for
either the homeowner or condominium markets, with no rental
starts reported. Over two-thirds of the region’s multi-unit starts
(149 units) in February occurred inside Edmonton City. For the
year-to-date, multi-family starts across the Edmonton CMA
were up by 68 per cent to 483 units.
As Canada’s national housing agency, CMHC draws on more
than 65 years of experience to help Canadians access a variety
of quality, environmentally sustainable and affordable housing
solutions. CMHC also provides reliable, impartial and up-to-date
housing market reports, analysis and knowledge to support and
assist consumers and the housing industry in making informed
decisions.
For more information, visit www.cmhc.ca or call
1-800-668-2642. CMHC Market Analysis standard
reports are also available free for download at
www.cmhc.ca/housingmarketinformation. ■
Preliminary Housing Starts in Alberta • February 2012
Calgary CMA
Calgary City
Edmonton CMA
Edmonton City
Wood Buffalo CA
Grande Prairie CA*
Grande Prairie City
Lethbridge CA
Medicine Hat CA
Red Deer CA
Total
Single-Detached
2012
2011
490
411
362
315
378
360
223
242
16
35
5
25
5
16
33
28
7
5
14
18
943
882
%
19.2
14.9
5.0
-7.9
-54.3
**
-68.8
17.9
40.0
-22.2
**
Multiple-Family
2012
2011
855
216
666
173
219
129
149
105
10
6
2
2
2
0
8
36
2
2
4
13
1,100
404
Total
%
--69.8
41.9
66.7
**
--77.8
0.0
-69.2
**
2012
1,345
1,028
597
372
26
7
7
41
9
18
2,043
2011
627
488
489
347
41
27
16
64
7
31
1,286
%
--22.1
7.2
-36.6
**
-56.3
-35.9
28.6
-41.9
**
Source: Market Analysis Centre, C.M.H.C.
-- % change equals or exceeds +/- 100%
* In 2012, Statistics Canada redefined the geographic boundaries for the Grande Prairie Census Agglomeration (CA). Effective January 2012, the following communities are no longer included in the
Grande Prairie CA: Beaverlodge, Grande Prairie County, Hythe, Sexsmith, and Wembley.
** Year-over-year comparisons are not applicable due to geographic changes in the Grande Prairie CA effective January 2012.
January to February 2012
Calgary CMA
Calgary City
Edmonton CMA
Edmonton City
Wood Buffalo CA
Grande Prairie CA*
Grande Prairie City
Lethbridge CA
Medicine Hat CA
Red Deer CA
Total
Single-Detached
2012
2011
826
704
633
514
692
565
450
360
48
77
19
41
19
21
58
83
13
9
24
45
1,680
1,524
%
17.3
23.2
22.5
25.0
-37.7
**
-9.5
-30.1
44.4
-46.7
**
Multiple-Family
2012
2011
1,305
441
1,092
396
483
287
388
171
16
8
4
6
4
10
77
2
2
61
5
1,826
836
Total
%
--68.3
--**
--87.0
0.0
-60.0
**
2012
2,131
1,725
1,175
838
64
23
23
68
15
30
3,506
2011
1,145
910
852
531
85
47
21
160
11
60
2,360
%
86.1
89.6
37.9
57.8
-24.7
**
9.5
-57.5
36.4
-50.0
**
Source: Market Analysis Centre, C.M.H.C.
-- % change equals or exceeds +/- 100%
* In 2012, Statistics Canada redefined the geographic boundaries for the Grande Prairie Census Agglomeration (CA). Effective January 2012, the following communities are no longer included in the
Grande Prairie CA: Beaverlodge, Grande Prairie County, Hythe, Sexsmith, and Wembley.
** Year-over-year comparisons are not applicable due to geographic changes in the Grande Prairie CA effective January 2012.
industryINSIDER
INSIDER March
March2012
2012
24 || industry
INDUSTRY INSIDER REPORT EDMONTON REGION (CMA)
Economy
Employment (S/A)
(Thousands)
2010
2011
2012
Unemployment Rate
% (S/A)
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
635.8
650.4
678
630.1
656.9
673.5
622
658.9
623
659.4
630.4
659.5
636.5
622.9
634
668.9
633.5
674.7
633.6
681.2
637.2
682.1
640.1
682.1
645.6
682.5
7.1
5.8
5.0
6.9
5.8
5.3
7.3
5.8
7.6
5.7
7.3
5.6
7.0
5.4
6.8
5.3
6.8
5.3
6.5
5.3
6.2
5.3
5.9
4.9
5.8
4.9
2010
2011
2012
Total Net Migration
Alberta - Quarterly
Source: Statistics Canada
5,317
8,983
2010
2011
8,559
13,033
5,459
10,716
278
ALBERTA - QUARTERLY
new home market
Housing
Starts
Single-detached 2010
2011
2012
Multi-family 2010
2011
2012
Absorptions
2011
2012
Multi-family 2010
2011
2012
Inventory
2011
2012
Multi-family 2010
2011
2012
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
397
205
314
180
158
264
484
360
378
158
129
219
513
236
620
436
540
546
635
443
610
479
519
494
498
562
484
464
453
423
309
369
300
447
787
322
449
463
316
276
339
555
171
311
375
258
271
786
302
258
249
322
352
428
351
460
221
272
356
529
438
287
362
262
351
425
349
491
388
464
424
449
505
392
539
370
431
405
492
426
541
416
572
428
252
185
329
182
263
193
480
276
246
302
358
406
288
282
269
305
296
318
476
449
419
556
637
1,088
933
950
404
587
650
1,017
1,040
868
402
625
382
581
401
542
409
546
383
574
436
563
466
597
501
619
517
624
530
614
965
1,002
848
1,046
886
968
1,004
990
1,020
1,023
1,018
930
945
940
942
902
837
895
919
884
Source: CHMC
EXISTING home market
Sales
2011
2012
Condominium 2010
2011
2012
Average
Price ($)
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEPT
OCT
NOV
DEC
558
540
598
294
219
209
776
648
816
406
302
307
1,106
955
1,203
946
1,153
1,210
1,012
1,165
897
898
813
969
822
927
747
789
779
724
522
531
438
427
548
435
493
514
486
482
382
430
378
428
340
314
328
286
324
264
245
243
364,637 371,467 388,980 387,042 390,210 390,536 379,738 371,187 367,683 363,940 364,977 357,698
2011
354,180 359,934 378,912 379,075 380,454 379,409 384,656 370,438 375,738 362,897 365,734 363,924
2012
362,962
241,125
223,807
215,407
Condominium 2010
2011
2012
375,268
232,425 251,507 252,728 248,850 244,429 239,387 236,521 237,276 234,185 229,337 224,127
230,911 232,706 234,220 241,080 231,853 244,225 231,735 236,125 223,892 227,901 227,679
234,973
Source: RAE
Source: CMHC Housing Market Outlook, Prairies Highlights, fourth Quarter 2010
CMHC Housing Market Outlook, Edmonton CMA, fall 2010
MLS® is a registered trademark for the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA). The term MLS® stands for Multiple Listing Service and is a registered trademark of the CREA.
building for the future…meeting market
demand for accessible housing
Heather Lissel
Canadian Paraplegic Association (Alberta)
No one I know enjoys moving. Sure, it can be exciting to buy
a new home and make it your own, but the selling, searching,
packing and purchasing can strain even the most laid back
person. So why do we move? There are a multitude of reasons,
ranging from those that reflect a basic desire (as in “I desire a
better, nicer home or neighbourhood”) to those that reflect a
need (as in “I need more, or less, or a different kind, of space
in which to live”).
Perhaps it’s because I’m in my 40s now, but I’m seeing
more and more people moving out of necessity, not desire.
Sometimes it’s because they need to accommodate an aging
parent who can no longer live on his/her own. Other times it’s
to meet the needs of a spouse with a mobility impairment due
to Multiple Sclerosis or other illness.
All of this has me wondering, “Why do we buy homes that will
only meet our needs in the short term, foreseeable future?”
I see three reasons for this. The first is that, as a culture, we
don’t plan for misfortune. No one wants to think that their
spouse or child might be severely injured or fall ill, or that their
parents will one day be unable to live independently. The reality
is that this happens all too often. The second is that we aren’t
aware of the features of a home that make it more, or less,
inhabitable to someone with a physical disability. And the third
reason is that, even if we did plan for the unknown and knew
what features to look for in a home, we wouldn’t be able to
find it. There just aren’t enough builders or developers out
there who are building houses to meet those needs.
This is where Larry Pempeit,
All of this has
Director of Community
Development at the Canadian
me wondering,
Paraplegic Association (Alberta)
“Why do we buy
(CPA), comes in. When Larry
sustained a spinal cord injury
homes that will only
more than 30 years ago, there
was virtually no wheelchair
meet our needs
accessible housing available in
in the short term,
Edmonton. What did exist was
institutional and intended to
foreseeable future?”.
accommodate individuals, not
families. By necessity, Larry became an advocate, educating
government and building industry stakeholders about the need
for accessible family dwellings. Abby Road Housing Co-op and
Creekside (located on Millcreek Ravine) are two projects in
which he had direct involvement.
Both of these multi-unit housing complexes feature wheelchair
accessible units. If you enter one of the modified units at
Creekside (a Christenson Development), you’ll find that the
doorways and hallways are wide, flooring is smooth (carpet is
the bane of every wheelchair user), bathrooms are spacious,
and countertops are lowered. Kitchen cupboards are equipped
with sliding shelves, light switches are lowered, and electrical
outlets have been raised to a height that can be easily
accessed by someone in a wheelchair. Bathrooms are large,
with showers built flush to the floor. In general, the floor plans
are open and spacious, and built for ease of movement.
The amazing thing about the modified units at Creekside is
that unless you were told, you would never know you were in
a wheelchair accessible condominium. You’d simply think you
were in a modern, well equipped, cleverly built home.
Isn’t that what we all need?
Adding to the appeal of an accessible home is the fact that it
doesn’t cost much more to build than the typical home. The
cost is far less than renovating and the accessibility features
are useful to anyone regardless of ability. Another attractive
element of accessible homes is that they are welcoming to
all visitors, able-bodied or not. Just knowing that you won’t be
facing a forced move at some point in the future is priceless.
Today, Larry continues to work alongside stakeholders in the
housing community, including builders, to expand the number
and variety of accessible housing options in Edmonton. His
vast knowledge of industry standards and practices, along
with his understanding of the needs of people with mobility
impairments, makes him a valuable resource in the Edmonton
building community.
Larry is quick to note that he is only one of many people who
can be called upon for advice on how to build accessible
homes. People such as Ron Wickman (architect), the members
of Alberta’s Barrier Free Council, and several other staff at CPA
(Alberta) are also valuable resources to any builder wanting to
build smarter, more accessible, homes.
In the near future, CPA will be producing a video series to help
inform builders of the basic features of accessible homes.
This video will be made available through the Canadian Home
Builders’ Association – Edmonton Region website. In addition,
CPA will have a booth at the upcoming Residential Construction
Industry Conference, (RCIC), April 24th and 25th, 2012 at the
Edmonton Expo Centre. Plans are also underway for CPA to
deliver short presentations at CHBA-ER business luncheons.
For now, builders who want to learn more about
accessible home building can contact Larry Pempeit
at (780) 424-6312 or [email protected].
Heather Lissel is a writer and project coordinator with
Q Project Consulting Inc. in Sherwood Park, Alberta. She can
be contacted at [email protected]. ■
Introducing the industry advisory council
Steve Ruggiero, Chair
CHBA-ER’s Industry Advisory Council (IAC) is now well underway
serving as steering council for the association’s industry
committees. Every month, this group of four members at large
meet to obtain an update from each of the industry committee
chairs, specifically with respect to hot topics that will or may
impact other committees within the association. Potential ideas
and issues are passed back and forth and feedback is given. The IAC is gaining momentum and creating synergy on issues
that require coordination between different arms of the
association. Now into our fifth month as overseer of the industry
committees, we are beginning to see the benefits. Not only are
we better informing the Board and the EO of the activities of
our industry committees, we are ensuring that our volunteers’
initiatives and time commitments are kept reasonable and on
task. Issues that may have previously been lost or blended
between two different committees (in some cases resulting in
opposing actions being taken up) are now effectively coordinated
between the proper chairs and their respective committees. This
is by all accounts, a big step forward.
Some examples of these relationships include:
• The close relationship between CHBA-ER’s Government
Relations, Builder Technical and Environment Committees, and
their ability to project future issues and to proactively address
them;
• Enabling the Sales and Marketing Committee to receive
monthly updates from the Economics Committee and
vice versa;
• The use of the Environmental Committee to assist the Awards
of Excellence Committee in developing the Environmental
Recognition Award;
• Collaborating efforts between the Professional Development
Committee and the Manpower Committee to better utilize
resources and bounce ideas off of each other. This has proven
beneficial through the development of action items and
avoiding doubling up on tasks; and
• Advising the Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Committee of hot
topics relevant to the industry and providing input on topics/
speakers for scheduled industry events.
This process of employing industry peers to review issues and
help make decisions on how to best proceed in a manner that
keeps all parties involved are informed has, so far, proven quite
effective. We look forward to furthering the development and the
role of the IAC, and to continually finding ways to add value to our
committees, the board, and our membership. As the year progresses and our industry committees’ activities
increase, the impact and involvement of the IAC will follow suit. ■
manpower committee
The Manpower Committee is brand new to the CHBA-ER
and already extremely busy. This group has been tasked with
addressing the manpower and human resources needs of the
residential and renovation industry in the Edmonton Region.
Recognizing the demographic and economic pressures that the
industry operates under and that contribute to the long-term
shortage of trained management and trades, as well as the lack
of effective human resources best practices and benchmarking
within the industry, the Manpower Committee will seek to find
pro-active solutions.
The committee’s first project is to create a benchmarking survey
for the homebuilding industry. The survey will highlight salary
comparisons, titles and job descriptions, retention of employees,
hiring new employees, benefits offered to employees, etc. This
will be an extremely valuable tool for all builders to have. If you
are interested in participating in this benchmarking report or have
any suggestions to help improve it, please contact Lisa Chmilar,
Volunteer Manager, at 780.395.2980/[email protected].
While the committee’s first order of business is the benchmarking
survey, they are also hard at work with other projects. Here are
just a few of the things they are currently working on.
•Planning educational luncheons relating to the areas of Human
Resources and Manpower;
• Providing useful human resources information to members of
the CHBA-ER;
• Identifying and addressing emerging manpower and HR issues
and needs within the industry; and
• Providing valuable speakers for RCIC.
Introducing the Manpower Committee:
Jennifer Ruggiero, Chair, Kimberley Homes Ltd.
Barb Onyschuk, Co-Chair, I-XL Masonry Supplies Ltd.
Barb Read, Christenson Developments Inc.
Barry Gabruch, Weiss Johnson Sheet Metal Ltd.
Fae Fillo, Coventry Homes Inc.
Jackie Ralph, Homes by AVI Inc.
Loran Prince, Prince Finishing Inc.
Shweta Pejavar, Rohit Group of Companies
Warren Radloff, Coventry Homes Inc.
Zandy Milligan, Martech Marketing
If you are interested in joining the Manpower Committee please
contact Lisa Chmilar. ■
renos are like a box of chocolates
Doug Soprovich, Aquarian Construction
Renovation Committee
When a renovator first sits down with a potential client, one question
always pops up. “What do you think this is going to cost?” We may try to
come up with a figure, but customers need to remember that a renovation
is a little like Forest Gump’s proverbial box of chocolates, ‘you never know
what you are going to get’. Behind that sagging drywall or out-grown
electrical panel could lurk any number of surprises. Even though many
renovators are professionals and have a history of jobs to base a quick
estimated budget on, they are not magicians. As renovators we carry
hammers, not magic pricing wands.
A professional renovation entails so many facets of construction. From
careful demolition designed for the preservation of wall finishes, to general
construction know-how and a firm understanding of all of the building
trades, including HVAC, plumbing, and electrical professional renovator
needs to understand how altering any of these may affect your building
envelope. A renovator must be able to evaluate the existing structure for
soundness and decide on how best to tie in the renovation with the existing
building - all the while determining how to meet the client’s expectations
while staying on time and on budget. To add to it, they are expected to do
all of this before being presented with a working set of drawings, structural
engineering report, or a thorough analysis of the project by the various
trades people who will be involved.
And therein lies the rub. If a renovator agrees to give “ball park numbers”,
(and truthfully includes all of the sticks, bricks, “construction gotchas”,
options and upgrades, along with the professional markup necessary for
them to stay in business), they invariably price high and risk not getting
the job. If on the flip side, they shave those numbers to appeal to their
prospective client, they are prone to lose money on every project or risk
going out of business all together. Either that or they will have a stack of
change orders ready to go for every additional nail or 2x4, just so that they
catch up on their margins. This is not a very productive way to get the job
done or to do business.
The reality is that no one likes nasty surprises. The real question is, ‘how
can the industry proactively avoid this?’ Perhaps the best solution is for
us, as renovators, to ask potential customers to not ask for a price that
they will “hold us to” down the road. If they give us time to do our due
diligence, we will be in a position to confidently discuss price. This will
allow the customer time to consider the quality of the renovation work
they want done and to have conversations with other homeowners about
the company they’re looking to hire, their staff and trades people, and
their ability to properly produce and execute tasks on time and on budget.
As professional renovators we should all be encouraging our potential
clients to get to know who we are and to look into the depth and breadth
of our expertise. This is, after all, our ‘ace in the hole’ as CHBA Renovator
members.
A guiding beacon for any customer is the Renomark connection. By
hiring a Renomark member, customers can rest assured that their
renovator has all of their basic credentials in order and up to date,
including a Provincial Prepaid Contractor License, proper contracts and
insurance, and warranty coverage.
It’s up to the customer to determine whether or not the renovator is a
good fit for them, their family, and their project. Once that confidence
is there, the renovator can take the time to do the proper analysis and
to let the customer know exactly what they can expect to find in their
box of chocolates. ■
meet the board
Alphonse Pilon, CHBA-ER President, 2011/2012
Marcson Homes, President & CEO
Jim Sirup, Past President
Jayman MasterBUILT™
Jim started his 20+ year
career with Jayman
MasterBuilt as a thirdgeneration Journeyman
Carpenter. His extensive
education portfolio includes
the University of Calgary,
the prestigious Banff
School of Management,
and certification as a
Master Builder through the
Professional Home Builders
Institute of Alberta (PHBIA).
Within Jayman, he worked his
way up the corporate ladder
from technician to Chief
Operating Officer. He is now
Vice President.
Before moving to Edmonton,
Jim served 5 years on
the Board of Directors
of CHBA-Calgary, one of
those as President. He
recently concluded a term
as President of the Canadian
Home Builders’ Association –
Edmonton Region.
Miles Kohan, Director
Sterling Homes Edmonton
John McCaffray, Treasurer
Alquinn Homes
Before founding Alquinn
Homes, John McCaffray
served as Vice President
of Housing for the Daytona
Group and COO at Innovations
by Jayman (Edmonton). He
also has extensive experience
in the forest and road building
industries in both Alberta
and BC.
John has a Certified
Management Accountant
Designation and an MBA from
City University. This is his third
term on the CHBA-Edmonton
Region Board of Directors.
Miles first entered on to
Edmonton’s residential
construction industry scene in
2001 as Sales and Marketing
Manager for Jayman
MasterBuilt / Innovations by
Jayman, then for Homes by
Avi Edmonton. He is currently
General Manager of Sterling
Homes (Edmonton) Ltd.
Miles holds an Executive Mini
MBA from the University of
Alberta and an MBA from the
University of Whales. He was
awarded the CHBA Marketing
Person of the Year Award in
2006, and in 2008, received
the CHBA’s Klaus Springer
Award. Miles has chaired
the CHBA-Alberta Provincial
Marketing Committee, the
Housing Awards Unification
Task Force, and currently
serves as the CHBA Alberta
representative on that
National CHBA Marketing
Committee.
This is Miles’ second term on
the CHBA-Edmonton Region
Board of Directors.
Richard Plamondon, Director
Ackard Construction
Richard Plamondon found
his passion for carpentry and
construction at an early age,
following in the footsteps of
his father and mentor, Otto
Plamondon. He completed his
apprenticeship and acquired
his Red Seal Journeyman
Carpenter’s Certification in
1979. In 1982, he started
Ackard Contractors Ltd. with
Aquilino Naccarato and has
co-owned it since.
Richard served on the Board
of Directors of the CHBA-ER
in 2008 as the Renovator
Council Director and
continues to sit on the
CHBA-ER Renovation
Committee. This is Richard’s
third term on the CHBAEdmonton Region Board
of Directors.
Steve Ruggiero, Director
Kimberley Development
Group (Kimberley Homes)
Bijan Mannani, P.Eng., MBA,
Director
Steve entered Edmonton’s
residential housing industry
with Kimberley Homes in
2002, working first in the
field and progressing as
the company’s Production
Manager, Sales Manager, and
then General Manager. In
2010, he became Kimberley’s
President and Managing
Partner.
Steve holds two degrees
from the University of Alberta.
In 2007, he was awarded
CHBA-ER’s Marketing Person
of the Year Award, and in
2009, was named one of
Edmonton’s Top 40 Under
40. Under Steve’s direction,
Kimberley Homes has
twice in three years been
recognized as one of
CHBA-ER’s Builders of the
Year. In 2011, Kimberley
was was named a regional
finalist for Canada’s 50 Best
Managed Companies.
Steve has chaired the
CHBA-ER Awards of
Excellence Committee,
participated on CHBAAlberta’s Housing Awards
Unification Task Force,
and sat on the CHBA-ER’s
Builder Technical Committee,
(formerly Builder Council).
He currently chairs CHBAEdmonton’s Industry
Advisory Council.
This is Steve’s first term on
Board of Directors.
Casey Hutchinson, Director
A&B Concrete Pumping
Casey is President of A&B
Concrete Pumping (Alberta,
Saskatchewan) and Combined
Concrete Pumping in Fort
McMurray. He is committed
to carrying forward A&B’s
34 year history of serving
the Edmonton residential
construction industry. With
a family history in home
building in the Edmonton
area, Casey is very familiar
with Edmonton’s residential
construction community.
He is a founding director and
current Secretary/Treasurer
of the Concrete Pumping
Association of Canada (CPAC).
This is Casey’s first term
as a director of the CHBAEdmonton Region.
Through his involvement
in the energy, construction
and engineering consulting
industries, Bijan brings
leadership and expertise to
his roles as board member
and Chief Operating Officer
of Landmark Group of
Builders, an Alberta-based
home builder deeply
committed to sustainable
development through their
Landmark Green Program.
Bijan has an MBA from
Queen’s University, and
a Bachelor of Science in
Electrical Engineering and
a Bachelor of Science in
Mathematics from the
University of Alberta. He is a
member of the Association
of Professional Engineers,
Geologists and Geophysicists
of Alberta (APEGGA), the
Project Management Institute
(PMI), and the Association
for Advancement of Cost
Engineers (AACE).
Bijan is an active member of
his community, supporting
World Vision, United Way,
and the Stollery Children’s
Hospital Foundation. This
is Bijan’s first term on the
CHBA-Edmonton Region
Board of Directors.
Dan Brazinha, Director
Look Homes Master
Builder Inc
Dan is President and
Managing partner of Look
Homes Master Builder Inc.
Dan is a second generation
homebuilder who has
been in the industry since
1997. He holds his Master
Builder and Professional Site
Manager designation from the
Professional Home Builders
Institute of Alberta and is a
graduate of the Construction
Engineering Program at
N.A.I.T.
This is Dan’s first term on
Board of Directors.
Not featured:
Rod Taverner, Vice President
Rolling Mix Concrete
Rich Westren, Director
Brookfield Developments
everything’s bigger in texas!
Laara Braz, CHBA-Alberta
It’s true, everything is bigger in Texas. Participants of CHBA – Alberta’s first Low-Rise
Housing Study Tour in Austin, Texas, learned quickly that there’s a lot of merit to that
old saying after all. After touring close to 30 model homes, one high-rise building,
and an airport redevelopment project, the group returned home to Edmonton,
inspired, informed, and spoiled by Texas’ unique brand of charm and hospitality.
With a population of just over one million people, Austin, Texas can be closely
compared to Edmonton. Much like our city, Austin is the political capital of the state
and has a housing market that has managed to weather the economic storm with
relatively low impact. From their distinct design differences to the way they finance
their new communities, Edmonton can gleam a lot from the Austin building scene.
That’s precisely what CHBA-Alberta had in mind when they organized their first ever
out of country housing tour.
Over a span of two full days, tour participants visited seven communities in and
around the city of Austin. The model homes they visited were impressive in size and
imaginative in creative concepts and décor. They averaged 3,200 square feet, built
on 80 foot lots (and these were the smaller lots). The prices were tough to estimate
and even harder to believe. Base homes started at $210,000!
The tour kicked off with Eldon Rude, Manager at Metrostudy, who provided market
information about the Greater Austin area. The first stop was Mueller, an airport
redevelopment area in the heart of Austin, which draws many similarities
to Edmonton’s former city centre airport. Here, Greg Weaver, Executive VP
of Catellus Development, offered the group an overview of the area’s 10 year
redevelopment project.
The tour concluded with a visit to the tallest residential building in downtown Austin,
which boasted unparalleled views of the horizon from the 56th floor’s fitness and
yoga rooms. Touring a 1,900 square foot suite on the 40th floor and listening to Terry
Mitchell, President of Momark Developments, participants were impressed by the
amenities the building had to offer.
After two full days of touring the area and enjoying the warm temperatures of
Austin, it was time for participants to return back to Alberta. They brought back
with them new connections, inspiration, and a lot of energy to put towards their
own model homes right here at home. The Austin Housing Study Tour was a great
opportunity for our builders and government officials to see a very vibrant, attractive
city comparable to both, Edmonton and Calgary. With half the housing costs as we
have here in Alberta, a host of design differences, and different ways to finance
communities, Austin offers a unique case study for us to explore. The trip was a
great opportunity to see their airport redevelopment, in particular, and to network.
“We see our own communities and our industry with fresh eyes when we look
at what other cities are doing well,” said Greg Christenson, Past President of
CHBA – Alberta.
CHBA – Alberta looks forward to planning a future housing tour, but for now is
looking forward to seeing many familiar faces in Jasper, September 20-23 at the
annual conference for the Association’s 50th anniversary celebration. Watch for
registration to begin in April. ■
don’t forget your safety glasses
Frank Sobolewski, Safety Committee Chair
Sometimes in life we only get one chance. A momentary
lapse of judgement, not paying attention while working on a
task, or a lack of proper training can all contribute to a serious
workplace accident. One of the most common contributors
to workplace incidents in Alberta is the failure to wear proper
personal protective equipment, or PPE.
A serious workplace injury can be life changing. The loss
of sight in one or both eyes is one example of an injury
that would definitely impact your life, your family, and your
livelihood. Given what we know about worksite hazards and
how to protect ourselves against them, you would think it
would be easy to get workers to comply with safety rules and
legislative standards. Unfortunately, when it comes to safety
enforcement, the residential construction industry still has a
long way to go.
So, when are you supposed to wear protective eyewear?
What situations require it?
Generally speaking, there are many ways to determine if you
are required to wear protective eyewear. They include;
• Manufacturer’s Recommendations – If the equipment
or tool manufacturer identifies the need to wear protective
eyewear while using or operating their equipment, it is
a requirement. Next time you pick up a hammer, check
the tool. There will be a warning to wear safety glasses
while using it. When you purchase a new power tool the
manufacturers instructions will list the recommended safety
equipment that should be employed while using it.
• Legislation – Certain parts of the legislation specifically
identify the type of protective eyewear to be used.
• Hazard Assessment – When conducting your hazard
assessment, refer to a Safe Work Practice or Safe Job
Procedure that will identify the type of PPE required by that
specific task.
• Company Policy – Many companies mandate the use of
safety eyewear as part of their safety policy. All workers
should be familiar with their company’s safety policy prior to
stepping foot on the worksite.
The day I see that we are making progress within our industry
will be the day workers always wear safety eyewear when
working on new home construction sites. When that occurs, I
will be able to say that they are doing it not because of policies
or legislation, but because they understand that it is for their
own benefit.
Serious life changing incidents do not happen every day. In
fact, the frequency of them occurring is kind of like scoring
big on a lottery ticket. In this case though, it’s the lottery that
no one wants to win. Workers need to realize that staying
safe on the worksite is all about them and their lives, not the
company’s rules. It’s up to workers to ensure that they wear
the required safety eyewear. After all,
most things are better seen
with two eyes. ■
CHBA-Alberta’s
Safety for New Home Salespeople
manual now on sale.
chbaalberta.ca
nextgen committee
The NextGen Committee is now in full effect and working hard
to provide CHBA-ER NextGen members with fun social events,
educational opportunities, and a strong mentorship program.
On January 25th we had our first NextGen event of the New
Year. Over 70 NextGen members were in attendance at the
Century Grill for our social mixer. The CHBA-ER was happy
to share the evening with the Urban Development Institute’s
New Horizons Group. Appetizers were served and everyone
had a great time catching up with old friends and making new
contacts. Thank you to our sponsors for this very fun evening:
Jetco Mechanical Limited, Ogilvie LLP, and Habberjam
Mechanical Inc.
The NextGen Committee has lots in store for 2012. Here are
just a few of the things the committee is currently working on!
• A NextGen Ski Trip;
• More educational luncheons with valuable special guest
speakers;
• Social Mixers;
• A Family BBQ;
• Development of a strong mentorship program;
• Wine/Cheese Mentorship Socializer
If you haven’t been involved with the CHBA-ER NextGen
Committee and are interested in joining up, please contact
Lisa Chmilar, Volunteer Manager at 780.395.2980 /
[email protected]. ■
new members
Weyerhaeuser
Sourie Bhatia LLP
11553-154 Street, Edmonton
Phone: 780.438.3656
#209, 2920 Calgary Trail NW, Edmonton
Phone: 780.438.6239
Weber Paterson Ventures Inc.
Rom Bros. Exteriors Inc.
Box 3292, Spruce Grove
Phone: 780. 699.5511
13055 156 Street, Edmonton
Phone: 780.482.2221
Weber Paterson Ventures Inc. a custom home builder,
design build specialist, project management, renovation, and
commercial construction company; they design and build
everything from log homes to restaurants.
Rom Bros. Exterior Inc. is a family owned and operated siding
company specializing in fibre cement and vinyl siding with a
quality over quantity philosophy. ■
calendar of events
march
14 Wednesday - 18 Sunday
9 – 10:30 a.m. 69th CHBA National Conference
Fairmont Tremblant
Mont Tremblant, Quebec
8 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Board of Directors Strategic Planning
15Thursday
11 a.m. – 1 p.m NextGen Luncheon
Balance & Successful Living
Royal Glenora Club
11160 River Valley Road
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Renovation Committee
17Saturday
5 – 11 p.m
20 Tuesday
Noon – 1 p.m. 21Wednesday
8 – 10 a.m. 22Thursday
Noon – 1 p.m. 26 Monday
Noon – 1 p.m. 27Tuesday
8 – 9 a.m.
6 Friday
9 Monday
10 Tuesday
9 – 10 a.m.
11 Wednesday
Noon – 1 p.m. Government Relations Committee
Board of Directors
Builder Technical Committee
Manpower Committee
RCIC Chairs Meeting
Noon – 1 p.m. 19 Thursday
Noon – 1 p.m.
Renovation Committee
24 Tuesday - 25 Wednesday
RCIC 2012
Edmonton Expo Centre (Northlands)
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Builder Technical Committee
2 Wednesday
Noon – 1 p.m.
8 Tuesday
9 – 10 a.m.
Environmental Committee
Show Committee
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Economics Committee
9 Wednesday
11 a.m. – 1:30 p.m CHBA-ER Business Luncheon
Topic: TBA
Royal Glenora Club
11160 River Valley Road
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Health & Safety Committee
CHBA-ER Builder Breakfast
Implementing Green Building Technologies
Edmonton Petroleum Club
10 Thursday
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Industry Advisory Council
15Tuesday
Noon – 1 p.m. 16Wednesday
8 – 10 a.m. Environmental Committee
16Tuesday
Professional Development Committee
Government Relations Committee
Noon – 1 p.m. 8 – 9 a.m. Professional Development Committee
RCIC Chairs Committee
Office Closed: Good Friday
Noon – 1 p.m. Professional Development Committee
Office Closed: Easter Monday
17Thursday
Noon – 1:30 p.m. Renovation Committee
Show Committee
5 – 9 p.m. Health & Safety Committee
23Wednesday
13 Friday - 15 Sunday
17 Tuesday
Board of Directors
may
12 Thursday
Noon – 1:20 p.m. Industry Advisory Council
Government Relations Committee
4 p.m. Professional Development Committee
april
4 Wednesday
Noon – 1 p.m.
8 – 10 a.m. 26Thursday
28Wednesday
7:30 – 9 a.m.
18 Wednesday
Awards of Excellence in Housing Gala
Shaw Conference Centre (Halls A, B & C)
11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.Volunteer Management Committee
4 p.m. Thank-you to our
March Committee Sponsor,
Ideal Contract Services Ltd.
NextGen Ski Trip
Banff, Alberta
Professional Development Committee
CHBA-ER Dinner Meeting
ANHW Service Awards
Delta Edmonton South
4404 Gateway Boulevard
7:30 – 9 a.m.
CHBA-ER Builder Breakfast
Topic: TBA
Edmonton Petroleum Club
4 p.m. Board of Directors
24 Thursday
Noon – 1 p.m. Builder Technical Committee
Dates are subject to change.

Industry Insider - March 2012

Transcription

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