The Construction Record Podcast – Episode 47: Community Benefits, Bill 66 and upcoming features

This week’s Construction Record podcast dives into community benefits agreements in Toronto, as well as the intense discussion around Bill 66 in Ontario as national editor Vince Versace, daily editor Lindsey Cole and staff writer Don Wall bring you the latest in construction news.

Vince and Lindsey start the podcast with a leap into a discussion about the Ford government’s Bill 66, which claims to “open the pool” to widen the availability of public contracts, particularly municipal work, and the ensuing debate within the industry which seems likely to intensify in coming weeks. We also have news about our upcoming infrastructure feature in the Journal of Commerce and the occupational health and safety feature in the Daily Commercial News.

Community benefits agreements (CBA), specifically a program unique to Toronto, are the subject of Don Wall’s interview with Carpenters Local # 27 Mike Yorke, who is working with the Toronto Community Benefits Network (TCBN) on a pilot apprenticeship project for black construction apprentices. The TCBN has also released new data showing a positive result for community benefits hiring for the currently Eglinton LRT project.

Toronto Community Benefits hits milestone

Stephen Bauld: The Simplest Fix for Bill 66

Journal of Commerce Infrastructure Feature

Daily Commercial News Occupational Health and Safety Feature