industry insider fall 2013

2 industry insider fa l l 2 013

fa l l 2 013 industry insider 3

contents

4 Message from the President The new face of housing

5 Message from the CeO The power of many

18 Members

22 Calendar of events

6 Move-in ready The housing market benefits of a provincial population boom

21 rCiC 2014 An enhanced tradeshow experience

9 Government relations Meat and potatoes

13 economic Home building

industry upbeat

14 Professional development Three in one

n items

n features

n committee reports

FAll 2013Volume 3 Issue 14

CANADIAN HOME BUILDERS’ ASSOCIATION – EDMONTON REGION (CHBA-ER) is the trade association of the residential construction industry in the Capital Region. Our role is to strengthen the industry and encourage the highest standards of product and business practices among our membership.

Established in 1954, CHBA-ER is a not-for-profit organization representing more than 450 member companies.

150 Summerside Gate, SW Edmonton, Alberta T6X 0P5Phone: 780-425-1020; Fax: 780-425-1031Email: [email protected]

sharon Copithorne | Chief Executive Officer [email protected]

dennis Peck | Government Relations ManagerEmail: [email protected]

darlene reed | Finance/Office ManagerEmail: [email protected] Kimberley Banford | Programs & Services Manager /EventsEmail: [email protected] Lisa Chmilar | Membership ManagerEmail: [email protected] Kendall Franklin | Conventions &Conference ManagerEmail: [email protected] Meghan rennick | Communications ManagerEmail: [email protected]

PUBLISHED By Source Media Group Corp. 207, 5809 Macleod Trail S.W., Calgary, AB T2H 0J9. Tel 403.532.3101, Toll free 1.888.932.3101 Fax 403.532.3109 email: [email protected]: www.sourcemediagroup.ca

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Industry Insider is published quarterly per annum and is distributed to every member of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association-Edmonton Region.

15 renovation Back on track

17 Builder technical Building homes and relationships

19 Health & safety Barbeques and TAPS

9

6


CHBA-Edmonton Region members account for approximately 75 per cent of all new homes constructed

in the Edmonton area. Last year alone, our industry created 33,000 jobs worth approximately $2.1 billion. The total investment value from those nearly 13,000 housing starts was $5.7 billion.

As an industry, we pack a powerful punch. Our members are the best the home building and renovation industry has to offer. We are proven leaders in our field, recognized for our quality craftsmanship, cutting edge designs, and superior building practices.

As members, our involvement in the CHBA is our strategic advantage. Thanks to the committees we sit on and the contacts we make, we are often the first to know about new legislation, technologies, and practices that have the potential to impact our bottom line.

CHBA-Edmonton Region helps members keep ahead of industry trends by addressing and monitoring key issues, facilitating meetings, and using its connections to stay on top of upcoming issues. Keeping members informed is just one way the Association helps to make members successful.

All across Canada, housing markets are changing; few places more so than right here in Edmonton. From 2006 to 2011, Alberta’s Capital Region recorded the second fastest pace of growth of any metropolitan area in Canada. It is forecasted that by 2015 the region’s population will be approximately 1,236,500, about 77,800 more than today.1

What’s interesting isn’t so much the pace of growth we are experiencing, but

how we are growing. Alberta is undergoing a major

demographic shift. Our senior population is increasing rapidly and a quickly expanding immigrant population is impacting the need for and delivery of new home products like never before.

And with it, housing expectations are changing. Traditional floor plans are being modified to accommodate everything from multi-generational families to senior citizens looking to age in place. Words like ‘livability’, ‘universal design’, and ‘barrier free’, are becoming a regular part of the conversation. Consumer demand for walkability and close access to transit and services has created a noticeable push towards infill housing and renovations. This is seen as such a trend that the City of Edmonton is calling for 25 per cent of all new housing to be infill within the next 10 years.

Today’s buyers are more pragmatic and cost-conscious than ever before. They are looking for utility and functionality, and are keenly interested in energy efficiency and ‘green’ building products. This trend towards ‘going green’ will continue to have a major impact on the new home and renovation industry.

Immigration, an aging population, infill and renovation, and sustainability are four trends helping to shape the new face of housing in our region. Over the next few issues, Industry Insider will take an in-depth look into each of these trends. Check out the first installment of this four-part series, Move-In Ready: the Housing Market Benefits of a Provincial Population Boom, on page 6-7. n

By Rod Taverner, President, Canadian Home Builders’ Association-Edmonton Region

message from the president

The new face of housingBuyer demand driving housing starts, building innovation

1 Edmonton Area Community Plan on Housing and Supports: 2011-2015; Homeward Trust


An association is a group of people organized for a joint purpose. It takes the power of many to make

a difference in an industry.We all join associations for different

reasons. They can include:• networking opportunities;• professional development;• industry advocacy;• building relationships;• personal and professional growth;• wanting to give back through

volunteerism.When it comes to what we are looking

to give to or get out of an association, individual member expectations can be broad or they can be defined and focused. It is through its members and their commitments that any association gains strength and credibility — a simple and often overlooked truism.

This is true of us. Committee members’ work enables the Canadian Home Builders’ Association-Edmonton Region to influence regulatory change, provide numerous networking opportunities, and offer members unlimited opportunities for personal and professional growth.

Recognizing these facts and that the delivery of member services needed to be re-focused, a number of critical changes were made to the Association’s organizational structure and delivery of services over the past year.

Committees with similar purposes were combined; those with unclear objectives and deliverables were either re-focussed or dissolved. All committees examined their purpose, objectives, and deliverables. Your association has become, once again,

purpose driven and is responding to your collective needs.

Additionally, a host of operational challenges were identified, addressed, and, where needed, new processes were introduced. All of these changes were done to make the organization more efficient, effective, and fiscally responsible.

As you flip through the pages of this publication, I encourage you to take time to read its content. It will become apparent how involved and committed our members are to this association. Our challenges and successes are evolving and will continue to do so, and while much has been done, we have much more to do. It is indeed the power of many that makes the difference!

A hearty thank-you to CHBA-ER’s Board of Directors, committee volunteers, and Association staff! n

By Sharon Copithorne, C.E.O, Canadian Home Builders’ Association-Edmonton Region

Your association

has become, once again, purpose driven and is responding to your collective needs.

message from the chief executive officer

The power of manyCHBA members make all the difference

By Michelle lindstrom, Editor,Edmonton Home & Condo

Living magazine

feature

The housing market benefits of a provincial population boom

Move-in ready

Alberta’s booming economy is holding out a welcome sign out for all to see. High job creation, relatively low taxes, and an evolving metropolitan lifestyle can all be found here and residents from other provinces, and even other countries, are taking notice.

Mark Parsons, Deputy Chief Economist at Alberta Treasury Board and Finance, says, “This year, population growth in Alberta hit 3.5 per cent. That’s the largest increase in population since the early 1980s.” The same is expected for the Edmonton region at around a three per cent increase.

“We built a lot of homes in the last boom, so we created some inventory,” Parsons says, “and that is now being absorbed. But as more and more properties get absorbed, it creates this demand for new housing. That’s when you start to see some pressure on prices.” So far, he notes, the price increase in Alberta has been very mod-est compared to what happened in the span between 2004 and 2008. As more people move to the province, (statistics show Edmonton and Calgary gain roughly 80 per cent of Alberta’s total im-migrants, international or interprovincial), more houses are required. The natural cycle of supply and demand comes into play.

And the cycle is spinning. Immigration numbers are on the rise in the province, and this directly affects the housing market. Immigrants to Canada commonly step into the renter’s market first, before considering home ownership and setting up a mortgage. “Everyone has their own idea of how long it takes migrants to find their way into the housing market, but a lot of industry analysts would say about two years on average,” Parsons says.

Where these immigrants come from and what they are looking for in a home is of particular interest to Rohit Gupta, president of Rohit Communities — a home builder in Edmonton, Fort McMurray and British Columbia.

“What everybody is missing right now with immigration numbers is the interprovin-cial stats,” Gupta says. “Those people are coming from Toronto, Vancouver and Montre-al, where they are landing first, staying there for a year, and then migrating to Alberta.”

Where immigrants come from most recently, and where they feel most connected to, affects what they want in a home.

“For builders, developers and even brokers that have not gone overseas in the last decade or so — Sydney, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Dubai or

Mark Parsons


Mumbai — these cities are very modern now, or they are modernizing very quickly. In certain situations, they are more mod-ern than North American cities when it comes to fashion and technology trends,” Gupta says. “Some of the feedback we’ve gotten is that we’re actually a genera-tion behind with our trends, compared to what’s happening in other parts of the world. We don’t need to be fearful of being more modern or more leading edge because some of the other markets are already there.”

Many immigrants entering Alberta’s home-buying market have actually been exposed to more trends than we realize and price is not the only thing they look for when shopping for a home. “Design does matter. Trends do matter. They want to be modern and chic,” Gupta says.

Rohit’s current designs are based on what customers are asking for as well as anecdotal research gathered by interview-ing customers and staff of various ethnic backgrounds. The home builder’s market-

ing, design, and land positions have shift-ed to accommodate the new immigrant population. One related change is Rohit’s land development website, which offers information in 25 different languages.

Rohit is just one example of a local com-pany that listens closely to what its clients ask for and is conscious of which community it is building in. Gupta notes that in Edmon-ton, it’s common to find South Asian and East Asian families in the southeast and Middle Eastern and African families in the northeast, for example. This matters because some cultures value large entrances, while others might look for multi-generational room options, and so on.

Regarding financing and mortgages, Canadian banks are constantly adjusting programs to help anyone who is looking to buy a home. “There are definitely some programs designed for new immigrants coming over who want to buy a new home right away,” says Sheri Mitchell, an RBC mo-bile mortgage specialist. The bank reviews three things for all applicants: a person’s income, credit, and down payment. “So when a person comes from another country, they don’t have any credit history here yet,” she says. “We’re working on ways to get that credit history for them.”

Mitchell advises immigrants to meet with a bank as soon as they arrive in Can-ada to discuss their home buying options because many factors play into a mortgage or loan application. Have they found employment? How much money did they bring with them to Canada? Is their bank willing to provide a letter of reference? The list goes on.

Alberta — and Edmonton specifically — is faring well. Economic experts project a bright future ahead. “Because we’ve had a strong influx of migrants, particularly from other provinces, it’s allowed the market to perform really well and continue to add to economic growth in the province,” Parsons says. “Across Canada, there is concern about higher interest rates, mortgage rates tighten-ing, and stricter mortgage rules. There are a lot of other factors working against housing in other provinces, but here, because of the people moving this way and the job creation, there is the support that other provinces don’t necessarily have.” n

feature

We don’t need to be fearful of being more modern or more

leading edge because some of the other markets are already there.”

Mark Parsons

(Statistics above were gathered from documents provided by the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, Statistics Canada, the Government of Alberta and Alberta’s Treasury Board and Finance)

• By 2031, roughly 1 in 3 Canadian workers could be foreign born.• More than 60 per cent of Alberta’s immigrants are skilled workers.• Prior to 1991, Asians accounted for 31 per cent of Alberta’s new immigrants. That number jumped to 59 per cent from 2001 to 2006. European immigrant totals decreased from 49 per cent to 15 per cent over the same time periods.• Two thirds of Canada’s total population increase between 2006 and 2010 was due to immigration.

Immigration in numbers



Every new home builder and home renovator has a relationship with the municipal government in the

community in which they build or reno-vate homes. This relationship is shaped by the regulatory processes common to all municipalities in the province, the local conditions detailed in that community’s land use plans and bylaws, and the local building inspector’s interpretation of building codes, combined with their field experience and practice. The result is that no two communities are exactly the same.

Municipal councils can range from those that are progressive and willing to embrace innovative ideas and practices, to those that want to move back to some idealized community that likely never really did exist, but which they believe has been lost. Constantly evolving local regu-lations and practices and ever changing market conditions and demands, continu-ally confront home builders and test those relationships. On top of this, most home builders and renovators work in more than one community and need to be experts on permit processes in multiple regulatory environments — no small task.

Supporting members facing these chal-lenges is a key role of the Canadian Home Builders’ Association, (CHBA). In the Edmonton Region this role is all the more complex as it is made up of 23 different municipalities.

Differences across the region and between communities are striking. While

Meat and potatoes

Edmonton dominates the region, (absorb-ing about 75 per cent of the total housing market), the independence of the other 22 municipalities is very apparent. The net result is a kaleidoscope of processes, rules, practices, and impending changes. And if that were not challenging enough, many once small bedroom communities are now complex cities in their own right. Where once only two or three communities of-fered anything more than single-family homes, a full range of housing options are now available all across the region. This has also meant a steady implementation of more complex development processes and changing expectations within the market place.

In this environment, CHBA-ER ac-tively works to ensure that our members’

interests are heard and that we are, in fact, able to influence tomorrow’s policies. The challenge has always been that there are more issues and calls for engagement than the Association has resources to engage. Recognizing this growing challenge, a deliberate and insightful review over the last year of the Association’s commit-ments was undertaken. The objective was to ensure that we were being effective in meeting the needs of our membership. The net result has been a refocusing of activity, the withdrawal from many ‘nice to do’ committees and projects, and pulling back from engagements where the opportunity to influence change was limited.

Government Relations is returning to the “meat and potatoes” of the Association’s relationship with regional municipalities.

By Dan Brazinha, Chair, Government Relations Committee

committee report: government relations

It’s back to basics for the Government Relations Committee

»



This being to support members in their need for:

• effective permitting processes;• zoning regulations that are clear and

purposeful; and • consistent and common sense interpre-

tations of the building code.To illustrate this return to basics, a few

key initiatives have been highlighted.

LeadersHiP dinnersReturning to a tried and true formula of engaging directly with the key munici-pal leaders of the region, the Association hosted two Leadership Dinners this past year: one with the City of Leduc’s Mayor and Council and the second with the City of Edmonton.

The plan going forward is to focus on those key municipalities where there are significant issues, and to recognize that when major changes in the leadership of a municipal council occur, the Association should engage them early on.

The two 2013 leadership dinners were very productive and highlighted the value of face to face meetings between the As-sociation and local municipal leadership teams.

City OF edMOntOn Current PLanninG initiativesThe City of Edmonton Planning Depart-ment has by far the largest planning team in the region. The result is that on many issues, they lead research in the region and influence the practice of other planning departments.

Recognizing this reality, developing and maintaining a constructive working relationship with the City of Edmonton’s planning department is a key strategic initiative for the Association.

The Association has initiated regular

quarterly meetings with the City’s build-ing inspection and development permit teams. The goal is to use these meetings to regularly discuss issues raised through the Association’s committee process and to work to resolve them before they become impediments to our industry.

As a result of these conversations and recent challenges the City faced when in-dustry repeatedly noted in front of Coun-cil that it had either not been engaged or had been very poorly engaged, a new engagement process has been rolled out by the City’s Current Planning Branch. As a result, the Association has been invited to participate in a number of new initiatives at the very early stage of project definition. This is a positive start and we look forward to seeing how it works through the full process.

The Association has been invited to

participate in the following new initia-tives (some have started and some are still just identified as projects that need to be done):

• Development of an Infill Action Plan;• Market Analysis – Multi-Unit Family

Oriented Housing (information report to summarize results);

• Zoning Bylaw Review of Height and Grade Regulations (information report to introduce the project);

• Zoning Bylaw Review of Multi-Unit Project Regulations (information report to introduce the project);

• Zoning Bylaw Review of Green Initia-tives;

• Zoning Bylaw Review of the RA9 Zone;

• Zoning Bylaw Review of Landscaping; and

• Zoning Bylaw Parking Review.



Many other projects are well on their way to completion, (review of medium to high density residential zones, way-finding signage protocols, etc.). The new process was rolled out with the promise of more and better opportunities to influ-ence policy development — and we look forward to seeing whether or not this will be delivered upon.

Finally, a review of Current Planning’s proposed fee structure for 2014 is underway.

Although representing a long list of initiatives, all are:

• rolled up into a process offering better engagement of industry;

• related to improving and creating a more effective permitting process;

• helping to develop zoning regulations that are clear and purposeful; and

• focused on the need for consistent and common sense interpretations of the building code.

PartnersHiP witH edMOntOn CHaMBer OF COMMerCeUnder the umbrella of the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce’s Municipal Af-fairs Committee, CHBA-ER is a member of the Chamber’s Current Planning Busi-ness Advisory Committee. The Commit-tee meets on a regular basis (two to four times a year) with the Manager of Current Planning to provide advice on Current Planning’s activities. The information released as part of the Fee Review noted earlier is an outgrowth of this committee’s work.

Along with representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, the Urban Development Institute (UDI), the Build-ers Owners and Managers Association

(BOMA), and the Commercial Real Estate Development Association (NAIOP), CHBA-ER President, Rod Taverner, sits on the committee. Its objective is to provide a mechanism for the business community to offer advice and input to Current Planning on how services are delivered. This includes business processes, business planning, budget development, prioritization, and resourcing of service enhancements by this key municipal branch. CHBA-ER’s engagement helps ensure that the new home building and renovation industry’s interests are represented.

MuniCiPaL eLeCtiOnsClearly the leadership changes that result from municipal elections are an important subject for the Association. This summer has involved efforts to keep abreast of the issues driving the campaigns and of the people seeking office, all while working to influence the front-runners’ appreciation for our industry.

In summary, the home building industry has more reasons than most for wanting to ensure it has good ongoing relations with municipal governments. New home builders and renovators all have a keen interest in any policy that affects the economic well being of their customers, shareholders, and employees. Here at the CHBA-ER, we hold the fundamental view that for the private sector, no matter what the size or kind of business, its competitiveness can be significantly affected by the quality of public policy. This means that a constant and constructive program of engage-ment will be at the heart of any relation-ship with the region’s governments. n

A constant and constructive program of engagement will be at the heart of any relationship with the region’s governments.[ ]


More than three-quarters of the way through 2013, the situation for the Edmonton

Region’s home building and renovation industry remains very upbeat. On a year-to-date basis, employment growth has averaged close to 3.5 per cent so far this year. Average weekly earnings, a good proxy for income growth, was up in Greater Edmonton by over seven per cent on average in the first half of the year. While this is positive for housing demand, upward pressure on wages will be a challenge for our industry in the months ahead considering the added demand for workers associated with flood damage repairs in Southern Alberta.

So far this year, total starts in the Edmonton Region were up by 27 per cent over the first eight months of 2012

Home building industry upbeat

By Richard Goatcher, CHBA – Alberta

committee report: economic

Strong Edmonton economy points to increased housing starts

to 9,943 units. Single-family starts in Greater Edmonton have increased by six per cent over January through August of 2012 to 3,956 units. The big story, however, has been multi-family. To the end of August, multi-family starts were up by 46 per cent from this time last year to 5,987 units. Declining new unit inventories and a low apartment vacancy rate has spurred production in recent months, particularly in the apartment segment.

Meanwhile the existing home market is performing well. According to the Realtors Association of Edmonton (RAE), residential MLS sales to the end of August in the Edmonton CMA sales were up by 4.5 per cent from January to August of 2012, with average home prices up by close to three per cent from this

time last year. CMHC recently reported that rental apartment vacancies across Greater Edmonton will remain below the two per cent level for the foreseeable future, pushing rents upward. With mortgage rates expected to remain “affordable”

through 2014, look for continued strong demand for both new and existing homes in our area. The renovation sector will also benefit from the strong activity in resale housing, as buyers tend to make many modifications to existing homes, particularly during the first three years of occupancy.

eCOnOMiC uPdateSandra Young of Qualico has assumed the Committee Chair; I will remain on board as a representative of CHBA – Alberta. Also returning after a one-year hiatus is Christie Butchart, Senior Market Analyst for CMHC. The Committee welcomes Christie’s continued support in providing us with the latest new housing statistics and CMHC outlooks for our region.

The Committee is returning to a format where there is more ‘reporting’ by the non-builder members. Its purpose is to provide a wider perspective on the economic activity in the Capital Region and to provide a greater variety of views and opinions on where the economy is going with respect to its impact on the home building and home renovation industries. The objective will be to generate more discussion around the range of influences that affect the industry and to help members develop a better understanding of those factors. The Committee is unique in its work to bring together a wide range of insightful and influential individuals. n


CHBA-ER’s new Professional Development Committee was formed ear-lier this year by combining the existing Human Resource-Manpower, Sales, and Professional Development committees together, thus taking

three talented but small groups and forming one larger, stronger, more effec-tive entity.

With a revised mandate in hand, the new committee has been hard at work researching various professional organizations and educational pro-grams available to our industry. We are also engaged in a thorough review of the Builder Realtor Cooperation Program™ — a joint partnership between CHBA-ER and the Realtors Association of Edmonton, which allows builder members and their sales staff to work together with Realtor representatives to serve prospective new home buyers in the Edmonton area. This once vibrant member program has lost momentum over the past few years. The Profession-al Development Committee is not only committed to getting it back on track, but making it better than ever. n

Three in oneBarb Onyschuk, Chair, Professional Development Committee

committee report: professional development

New structure will increase effectiveness


CHBA-ER’s Renovation Committee has made significant strides over the past year.

A fair amount of time was spent getting back to basics and setting out a firm direction. After a thorough review and a good deal of brainstorming, the committee determined that its purpose is to:

• Support professionalism within the renovation industry;

• Promote the RenoMark™ program;• Identify education needs for

renovators;• Create networking opportunities for

renovators; and• Identify and facilitate collaboration

opportunities.

Four specific short term goalshave been identified:

1. Increase the number of members participating in the monthly meeting;

2. Increase visibility of the RenoMark™ program with members and the public;

3. Double the number of renovation entries into this year’s Awards of

Back on track

By Aquilino Naccarato, Chair, Renovations Committee

committee report: renovation

Reno committee redefines its core purpose

Excellence in Housing; and4. Encourage more renovator members

to participate in the Home & Interior Design Show and the RCIC Tradeshow.

These are balanced with thefollowing long term goals:

1. Develop and improve current engagement with other CHBA-ER members, especially suppliers and support industries;

2. Identify and arrange for guest speakers to provide educational and technical presentations; and

3. Build greater website recognition, for both the CHBA-ER and Renomark™ sites.

Our efforts have really started to pay off.A few months ago, the Committee

entered into an advertisement partnership with Home Décor and Renovation magazines. The latest publications have contained a prominent two-page spread highlighting members’ logos alongside the RenoMark™ symbol, an article explaining the advantages of hiring a RenoMark™

member, and various articles written by members showcasing their own projects. The Association helped out by securing a best-rates deal for all participating members. This has opened up access to a consumer base which otherwise would have been out of reach for many members.

So far, this has proven to be a win-win relationship for all involved. This program is just one example of a constructive solution that grew out of a committee’s renewed commitment to provide value to members. I encourage everyone to pick up a copy of the Renovation magazine and take a look at what is proving to be a great opportunity for our members.

In keeping with its other goals, the Renovation Committee has welcomed a number of speakers to the table over the past year. These speakers have helped address many of the issues facing our members. For example, a visit by representatives of the City of Edmonton’s Current Planning team provided members with great insight into some of the challenges faced by the city. More

This program is just one example of a constructive solution that

grew out of a committee’s renewed commitment to provide value to members.

»


committee report: renovations

Once again, the CHBA has prepared estimates of the positive impacts of the residential construction industry on the Canadian economy and on provincial and local economies across the country.

The estimates for 2012 are based on actual results for the past year, and include investment, direct and indirect employment, and wages paid.

Edmonton Region Alberta Canada

Jobs created 12,800 37,900 454,000

Wages earned $800 M $2.4 B $24 B

Investment value $2.2 B $6.2 B $60.6 B

The scope of construction activities addressed includes new dwellings of all types, including both primary residences and cottages; renovation, conversion and repair of existing dwellings, and conversion of non-residential buildings to residential use; and other expenditures relating to new residential construction such as realty and legal fees.

Economic impact of the renovation industry – 2013 update

M (million); B (billion)

importantly, they left that meeting even more aware of the challenges facing our industry, particularly when it comes to obtaining permits and the complex process facing home renovators.

All governments are placing increased importance on the infill and renovation side of their plans to meet housing needs, but the importance of engaging with industry is often missing from their municipal strategies. We must ensure that municipalities understand that their permit and regulatory processes need to be addressed in order for our industry to meet the expectations which they have set out. A key role of this committee is to engage with municipalities every chance we get, and to make sure that our voice is heard. n


Building homes is a highly technical and demanding profession. It is a practice that requires a high level

of proficiency and co-ordination between numerous highly skilled trades. Ever greater market expectations coupled with increased government regulations, place significant demands on home builders and renovators. But none of this is new to you — it is the reality of our business.

The Builder Technical Committee (BTC), representing single and multi-family new home builders, is challenged with the mandate to review the technical practice of building new homes in the Edmonton Region. Its objective is to provide a conduit of ideas, concerns, and suggestions to municipal development officers and building inspectors, to work with CHBA’s provincial and national offices to affect code changes and influence an even wider audience, and, ultimately, to help Association members be successful. The Committee is an important and central player in influencing the code and regulatory environment facing new home builders across the region.

CHBA-ER’s Builder Technical Committee always has a full agenda. Key issues include:

COMMOn serviCe trenCHinGA subject of both a Builders Breakfast presentation and significant behind-the-

Building homes & relationships

By Derrick Hiltz, Chair, Builder Technical Committee

committee report: builder technical

Builder Technical Committee helps bring key players together

scenes work, this common sense solution to coordinating work and reducing costs is increasingly becoming common practice in new developments. The BTC helped to bring key players together and ensure that the utility companies better understood the concerns and challenges of the home builders.

iMPrOvinG reLatiOns witH City OF edMOntOn Current PLanninG BranCH (insPeCtiOns and deveLOPMent PerMit serviCes) and Fire dePartMentMaintaining and improving relationships with a key municipal team is a demanding and ongoing process. The BTC has facilitated a number of Builder Breakfasts where well attended presentations were made by the City’s inspections team and Fire Department. In regular meetings with the City, the objective is to address issues and look for effective solutions. For example, the ongoing concern with long permit review times remains a constant challenge.

exPedited FOundatiOn PrOCessWorking closely with the inspections team, the BTC has worked out a pilot project that, through the use of a checklist and site photos, eliminates the need for an onsite inspection of a new home’s foundation. The process was developed in close concert with the City. The expedited process will allow the City to free up

resources and will enable the home builder to move on more quickly to the next stage of the building process — a clear win/win for both parties.

City OF edMOntOn’s OFFiCeOF tHe City auditOr MetwitH tHe assOCiatiOnThis meeting was important for two reasons: First, the City recognized the CHBA-ER as the legitimate representative of the home building and renovation industry across the region, as well as the inspections team’s key client. The meeting also provided an ideal opportunity for CHBA-ER to highlight the positive and negative aspects of the critical relationship between local home builders and the inspections team.

Thanks to the collaborative effort of this dedicated committee, I am able to confidently represent the Association on a wide range of issues. Meetings like this are critical to getting our voice heard. n


a Cut above living Inc.

absolute Hardwood flooring

active Homes ltd.

akash Homes ltd.

alberta Durable Deck ltd.

all-fab Building Components Inc.

areo Homes PVT ltd.

associated Materials, llC

atlas Granite Inc.

atlas Premium Home Development ltd.

Builders floor Centre ltd.

Caliber Master Builder ltd.

Cameron Communities Inc.

CaMI Custom Homes

Canadian Stone Industries Inc.

City Homes Master Builder Inc.

Welcome new members(December 2012 – September 2013)

Concrete Inc.

Connect Homes ltd.

Division 9

Elms Weeping Tile ltd.

Euroline Windows (aB) Inc.

first avenue Properties

GarageCo Builders Inc.

Global Eco-Safe Recycling Inc.

GSS Integrated Energy

Homes By Sher-Bilt Inc.

Infiniti Homes

Innova Homes Inc.

Integri Kitchens (2012) ltd.

las Palmas Estate Homes

latitude Homes ltd.

lenaco Homes ltd.

lety Construction ltd.

liberty Security Systems

Mattamy Homes

MR Engineering ltd.

New Homes & Condos Magazine

Oasis Engineering ltd.

Optimax Benefits

PlaNiT Builders ltd.

Red Star Enterprises

Romaya Homes Inc.

Solaris

Stringer Sales Inc.

Trend Homes Inc.

Victory Homes ltd.

members


Barbeques and TAPS

By Frank Sobolewski, Chair

committee report: health & safety

Food, fun and following the rules

Although the Health and Safety Committee did not meet over the summer, members have been hard

at work hosting barbeques to promote worksite safety and attending government sponsored information sessions to review and discuss implementation of the Ticketing and Administrative Penalties System, (TAPS).

This summer, the committee attempted something different to help get our message across to trades workers — we hosted two Health and Safety barbeques. Sponsored by Pals Geomatics, Lincolnberg Homes, Homes by AVI, Montorio Homes, Coventry Homes, Brookfield Communities, Encore Homes, A & B Concrete, Morrison Homes, Parkwood Homes, Qualico Communities, and Daytona Homes, both events were enormously successful; so much so that the committee intends to make them an annual event.

Informative displays were provided by the Edmonton Fire Department, the Workers Compensation Board (WCB), St. John Ambulance, and Safety West. Spencer Beach was kind enough to come by and talk with many of the workers that attended. Special thanks to Save-On-Foods for providing the food at a special rate and ATCO Gas for the use of their tents and barbeques. The success of the event was truly a shared achievement and would not have been possible without the input and involvement of our dedicated

team of committee volunteers.This summer wasn’t all sunshine and

barbeques, however. Over the past few months the committee has been heavily involved in addressing the TAPS issue.

A few months back the province held a small meeting to go over the new system. Attendance was limited, comprised mostly of industry and safety associations, including a few representatives from CHBA-ER’s Health and Safety Committee.

The presentation outlined how this initiative will be implemented and laid out the proposed timelines. It highlighted some of the significant changes that resulted from previous consultations held with industry, safety associations, and stakeholders. Representatives were

very apt to caution attendees that the TAPS initiative is designed to provide OH&S officers with options for dealing with non-compliance by contractors and builders. It was suggested that a plan be put in place to advise the site owner or prime contractor of any identified non-compliance issues, as ticketing can lead to administrative fines in certain situations.

Due to the significant amount of training deemed necessary by the province for this program to be effective, the target dates for implementation have changed. Administrative penalties which are primarily focused on owners, builders, and contractors were put into use on September 1st. The targeted date of implementation for the ticketing portion is January 1st, 2014. n


RCIC 2014

event update: rcic

An enhanced tradeshow experience

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The Residential Construction Industry Conference, RCIC, has come a long way.

The various RCIC committees take pride in coming up with new ways to develop and improve the conference. This year is no different. RCIC 2014 is shaping up to be another great event.

Our focus this year is to target a much wider audience. With over 50 informative industry sessions and more than 75 of our industry’s top trades and suppliers displaying their latest products and services, RCIC 2014 has a lot to offer. The educational and networking opportunities this conference provides are too great not to share. With that in mind, we have invited members from Calgary, Red Deer, Fort McMurray, and Grande Prairie to visit our great city and experience everything RCIC 2014 has to offer.

They won’t be disappointed. Over the past few months, the RCIC

Exhibitor Committee has been hard at work planning an even bigger and better tradeshow event. Here are just a few of the things to look forward to:

• Daily breakfast and coffee breaks served on the tradeshow floor.

• Lunch will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. with staggered sessions in between to ensure constant tradeshow traffic.

• Lunch will be served buffet style and will be complimentary. This will result in reduced lunch lines, giving delegates

more time to visit with exhibitors.• ENERGY BREAK!!! On the first

day there will be no sessions between 2-3 p.m. Instead, all delegates will come together on the tradeshow floor for beverages and pastries and to interact directly with tradeshow suppliers.

• The tradeshow floor will be located in Hall F, directly across from the session rooms.

• As an added benefit, each 10x10 exhibitor booth will receive two (2) complimentary RCIC registration passes.

• Every delegate will receive an RCIC Tradeshow Passport. Delegates will be encouraged to visit exhibitor booths to

have their passports stamped. Completed passports will be submitted into a draw for a chance to win fun prizes.

RCIC 2014 will also include an awards component. This too will take place on the tradeshow floor. Stay tuned for details.

We look forward to seeing you at RCIC 2014! n

The educational and networking opportunities this conference

provides are too great not to share.

To learn more about RCIC 2014,

visit www.rcic.ca or contact Kendall

Franklin, Conventions and Conference

Manager: [email protected],

780.702.0326


calendar of events

24-27CHBa national MeetingsOttawa

25 Halloween BashPleasantview Community Hall at 8 p.m.10860-57th Avenue Edmonton

6 Business LuncheonAnnual General Meeting Sawmill Banquet Centreat 11 a.m.3840 - 76 Avenue Edmonton

4 Business LuncheonSawmill Banquet Centre at 11 a.m.3840 - 76 Avenue Edmonton

1 awards of excellence in Housing Submission Deadline12 a.m. (midnight)www.excellenceinhousing.ca

1 awards of excellence in Housing Early Bird Deadlinewww.excellenceinhousing.ca

30 Builder BreakfastWarranty Edmonton Petroleum Club at 7 a.m.11110 108 Street N.W. Edmonton

22 CHBa-er Christmas PartyShaw Conference Centre, Hall D at 6 p.m. 9797 Jasper Avenue, Northwest, Edmonton

27 Builder BreakfastEdmonton Petroleum Club at 7 a.m.11110 108 Street N.W. Edmonton

16 dinner Meeting2014 Economic Forecastat 6 p.m.Radisson Hotel,4440 Gateway Blvd.Edmonton

29 Builder BreakfastEdmonton Petroleum Club at 7 a.m.11110 108 Street N.W. Edmonton

October

November

December

January2014

CHBa-Edmonton Region’s annual awards of Excellence in Housing celebrate and applaud our industry’s finest. Every year in March, member achievements are showcased during a spectacular gala event at the Shaw Conference Centre. This is our industry’s premier event of the year.

Tickets are on sale now.

ExcellenceInHousing.ca

Saturday, March 15, 2014

Cocktails – 5 pm Dinner – 6 pm Awards – 8 pm

Shaw Conference Centre, Halls A, B, & C

This is a black tie event.

Register by Friday, November 1st, 2013 to qualify for special early bird rates.

Submission deadline: November 1st at midnight.

industry insider fall 2013

Documents

renovation industry

taps964 industry insider

source media group

sw edmonton

edmonton area

capital region

superior building practices

trade association