RC118 MayJune 2025 - Magazine - Page 35
VERTICAL INTEGRATION GROWS: To protect their margins, general contractors and trades are bringing design and construction services in-house,
to control costs and navigate current economic
challenges. This year, more 昀椀rms will vertically
integrate to shield themselves from economic
昀氀uctuations and maximize pro昀椀ts.
INNOVATIONS ON THE JOBSITE
CONNECTED SITES WITH IOT AND WEARABLES: We’ll see a
shift in job site technology in 2025, as wearables and IoT devices become commonplace.
By collecting real-time data on worker safety
and equipment tracking, these technologies
will enhance project e昀케ciency and make site
operations more transparent, shaping the
future job site.
SUSTAINABLE INNOVATIONS ON THE RISE: With more industries pushing for environmentally responsible practices, construction is set to embed
sustainability into design and material selection. By leveraging a construction management
platform, companies can align diverse teams
to implement green solutions, from renewable-powered data centres to nuclear-powered
projects that set the stage for a more sustainable future.
become experts faster through AI-driven training and
recruiting tools. In 2025, expect companies to leverage generative AI for onboarding, training, and upskilling to help
bridge the labour gap and improve overall productivity.
MAXIMIZING EFFICIENCY AND BUDGETS
EFFICIENCY TAKES CENTRE STAGE: With economic pressures mounting, we’re seeing construction organizations turning to data-driven tools to do more with less, improve resource use,
and cut costs. In 2025, we can expect widespread adoption
to streamline project management and boost performance
across the board.
IMPACT OF REGULATORY STANDARDIZATION: Collaborating with the
government to standardize building codes, permitting, and
licensing processes across provinces will unlock e昀케ciency
and reduce barriers that have been preventing 昀椀rms from
scaling and adopting innovative practices.
RENEWCANADA.NET
Additional considerations for 2025
In addition to the trends mentioned above,
there are great opportunities this year for
Canadian construction that should also be
considered. For example, contractors have an
enormous opportunity to participate in public
projects in 2025, especially with both federal
and provincial governments planning largescale infrastructure projects across sectors such
as transportation, energy, healthcare, data
centres, and public utilities.
While this might put additional strain on the
labour shortage, it can be overcome in part by
proposing and developing creative delivery
models—such as public-private partnerships
(P3s), integrated project delivery (IPD), and
other collaborative procurement strategies—
that optimize resources, reduce timelines, and improve
outcomes.
This also opens doors for the government to explore
alternative procurement strategies to attract more bidders,
streamline processes, and mitigate the pressure on labour supply. These alternative approaches can create room for smaller
contractors to uplevel their experience and gain involvement
in large public projects, expanding the pool of 昀椀rms capable of
handling signi昀椀cant workloads.
By re昀椀ning their project delivery models, contractors can
demonstrate their capacity to handle complex, large-scale
projects, enhance their competitiveness, and meet the growing
demand for infrastructure across Canada.
The industry continues to progress, and organizations
that keep the above on their radar will be better prepared to
address challenges and take advantage of opportunities in
2025… and beyond.
MAY/JUNE 2025 – RENEW CANADA 35
