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There are several things that make a project successful in

Unfortunately, many project owners dread the thought of

In this episode of OCS Talks we look at what is being done

Don Marks, Executive Director of the Ontario Industrial

Keywords

Health & Safety, Associations, Roofing, Construction,

Chapters

0:00 – Intro

2:20 – About the Ontario Industrial Roofing

5:20 – Quality Control and the Role of the

11:10 – Procurement and Promoting Membership

16:45 – Roofing and the Building Envelop

21:30 – Association Membership

31:15 – The Nature of Bidding on Projects

33:20 – Final Remarks

Key Quotes

“Occupational health and safety has been the driving force

“We believe that our association and our members are

Resources & Links

Ontario Construction

Ontario Industrial

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Training is one of the most crucial elements to consider when selecting the right people to build a project. An unqualified worker installing material or equipment will lead to costly errors or long-term warranty issues. When you have a highly skilled tradesperson you can bet they have the skills and know how to complete the task on-time and on-budget, while providing you with something that will last.

Most people are familiar with the college and university streams of education, but how many know about trades training centres throughout the province. There are over 100 of them, and they are geared towards guiding an apprentice through a full apprenticeship with the goal of achieving their certificate of qualification in their chosen trades. One of the best parts is that they earn while they learn. You won't find that in any university or college. With trades training centres you won't go deep into debt, but you will get a great education and a great job, and you'll be setting yourself up for a really strong retirement.

In this episode of OCS Talks we have Scott Wood, Provincial Training Director of the Ontario Sheet Metal Workers Training Centre and we're examining trades training centres and how they foster an apprentices journey to becoming a highly skilled journeyperson.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro

03:18 - Becoming an apprentice

08:35 - Earn while you learn

11:48 - Funding model for the training centres

16:23 - Innovation in training

21:30 - High level of education and apprentices

25:00 - Learning styles

29:15 - Sheet metal competition

33:40 - Community outreach

39:00 - A career in the trades43:15 - The value of unions

48:28 - Final remarks

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The collective bargaining process in unionized construction is an important institution.  Generally, the discussions are productive with the goal of both labour and management benefitting from a new agreement.  But what happens when the parties need help moving the discussions along?

In this episode of OCS Talks we look at the role conciliation officers play in working with both parties to reach a mutually beneficial agreement, review how discussions have changed over the years, and talk about some successful strategies to employ when there are challenges at the table.

Sandra Shime is the Director of Dispute Resolution Services at the Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. Sandra is also a valued member of the OCS Board of Directors and uniquely positioned to discuss the intricacies and role of mediation and conciliation in Ontario's unionized ICI construction sector.

This episode will offer listeners and viewers keen insight into the purpose of conciliators and the important role they play in the collective bargaining process.

Chapters:

0:00 - Intro

01:55 - Sandra's career

03:22 - The role of conciliators/mediators

07:45 - What makes a great conciliator

10:35 - Win-win strategies in bargaining

14:10 - The role of media in bargaining

19:35 - Recent trends in bargaining

22:48 - Final thoughts

Key Quotes:

Resources & Links:

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Labour relations can be a delicate balance in the construction industry. Many factors influence how successful labour relations operates in construction; everything from economic conditions, to regional influences, to how a particular job is being run can impact workers and relationships between labour and management. 

In this episode of OCS Talks we look at today’s construction labour relations landscape and how we are helping to prepare our member’s labour relations experts for future bargaining rounds. Three years ago, the Ontario Construction Secretariat (OCS) undertook the task of developing the Fundamentals of Construction Labour Relations Course to provide a strong and consistent foundation for both employee and employer bargaining agents.  

There's no better person to discuss this topic with than Cole Carson, Labour Relations Manager at Irving Oil. Cole has a wealth of experience across labour relations in different sectors and different provinces, and is also the Facilitator for the Fundamentals of Construction Labour Relations Course.

This episode is a perfect introduction to anyone who's interested in gaining a better understanding of Ontario's construction labour relations landscape and anyone with interest in taking the Fundamentals of Construction Labour Relations Course.

Chapters:

01:45 - Cole's background in labour relations

05:35 - The uniqueness of the construction labour relations

10:30 - The Fundamentals of Construction Labour Relations Course

18:40 - Benefits for course attendees (bargaining, communication, and jurisdictional disputes)

31:10 - Collective bargaining training and strategies

40:10 - Final thoughts from Cole and Brian

Resources & Links:

Keywords: Labour relations, Ontario unionized construction, ICI sector, collective bargaining, communication and collaboration, training, course, contractor, owner, jurisdictional disputes and grievances, OCS Talks Podcast, Cole Carson, Brian Barron

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The unionized Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional (ICI) construction sector in Ontario continues to see opportunity—but not without risks. In this episode of OCS Talks, Brian Barron is joined by BuildForce Canada’s Bill Ferreira and Bob Collins to explore their 2024–2034 forecast and its implications for contractors, unions, and the broader workforce.

The discussion dives deep into what’s driving growth—namely transit infrastructure, healthcare, and power generation—while also addressing looming concerns around inflation, trade tariffs with the U.S., material costs, labor supply, and project delays. Learn where future opportunities are emerging, how demographic shifts are straining the workforce, and what it will take to avoid a projected shortfall of 50,000 skilled workers in the coming decade.

This episode is a must-listen for contractors, project managers, union reps, and anyone tracking the pulse of Ontario’s construction landscape.

Chapters:

00:35 – Ontario’s construction market outlook

02:19 – Key drivers: transit, healthcare, and power

04:35 – The state of industrial and commercial sectors

08:30 – Risks on the horizon for ICI projects

10:12 – U.S. tariffs and their potential fallout

13:16 – Material costs and project contract concerns

15:51 – Transition opportunities amid economic shifts

20:34 – Skilled trades and labor supply

22:22 – Forecasting a 50,000-worker shortage

27:19 – Recruiting newcomers and reshaping industry perception

Key Quotes:

“Healthcare and transit systems will be key drivers going forward.” — Bob Collins

“We’re going to be around 50,000 workers short over the next 10 years.” — Bill Ferreira

“Our economies are just so integrated, we need cooler heads to prevail.” — Bill Ferreira

Resources & Links:

• BuildForce Canada

• Ontario Construction Secretariat

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