RC106 MayJune2023 - Magazine - Page 20
TOP100 PROJECTS
ADVANCED NUCLEAR
MATERIALS RESEARCH CENTRE
ATOMIC ENERGY OF CANADA LIMITED (AECL) and
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL)
announced that they officially broke ground
on the new Advanced Nuclear Materials Research Centre (ANMRC) at the Chalk River
Laboratories.
“Atomic Energy of Canada Limited is looking to the future. ANMRC is central to our
vision to drive nuclear innovation. It will be
a modern, efficient, world-class nuclear lab to
serve the needs of the Government of Canada
and the Canadian nuclear industry,” said Fred
Dermarkar, president and CEO, AECL.
Scheduled for completion in the spring of
2028, the ANMRC is a state-of-the-art research
complex that will be one of the largest nuclear
research facilities ever built in Canada.When
construction is complete, it will serve as the
backbone of CNL’s research and development infrastructure. The 10,000-square-metre
facility will feature 23 laboratories, accommodate 160 employees, and consolidate key
capabilities from aging facilities scheduled for
decommissioning at the site.
The ANMRC is one of a series of new laboratories, office buildings and support facilities
that are being constructed at the Chalk River
Laboratories to revitalize the campus, thanks
to a $1.2-billion investment from AECL on
behalf of the Government of Canada. In addition to the ANMRC, a Science Collaboration
Centre is under construction that will serve
as CNL’s central planning and collaboration
space. A new two-storey industrial-use support facility and a new site entrance building
were recently completed.
POMERLEAU AND INDIGENOUS
BUSINESS PARTNERS: A STUDY
Pomerleau wishes to maximize the participation of
Indigenous workers and businesses in construction.
Over the last few years, various federal contractors have introduced a new
directive requiring that 5% of the value of construction costs be allocated
to Indigenous businesses and workers. Pomerleau collaborated with
Aviseo Conseil in 2022 to estimate the capacity of Indigenous workers and
businesses to contribute to construction projects located in * southern
Quebec over the next few years.
The study’s findings indicate that significant efforts must be made to reach
the 5% goal and that all industry players must work together to incorporate
Indigenous peoples and businesses in the construction industry.
2.3% of Quebec’s population identified as
Indigenous in 2016, compared to the 4.9%
which represented Canada as a whole
- Source: Statistics Canada, Census 2016
Key findings of the study include:
Commission de la construction du Québec
(CCQ) certification is an obstacle to the greater
participation of Indigenous peoples in construction
projects in southern Quebec
In 2016, there were nearly 7,794 Indigenous construction workers in Quebec.
According to the study’s estimates, in 2022, there were approximately
2,300 Indigenous construction workers in southern Quebec, a number that
should increase to more than 2,500 by 2027. However, less than 10% of
these workers are CCQ certifi ed, which is a barrier to hiring for Pomerleau
because it is generally required that workers on construction sites become
members of the CCQ. Implementing measures to promote an increase in the
certification rate of Indigenous workers is a key factor in maximizing their
participation in Pomerleau’s projects.
Indigenous capacity varies significantly from
community to community and region to region
The capacity to actively participate in the construction industry is greater
in northern Quebec than in southern Quebec. In 2020, 0.7% of all Quebec
workers certified with the CCQ identified as Indigenous (1171 workers). This
proportion was 95% for the James Bay territory and 9% for the Côte-Nord.
In comparison, it was only 0.3% in Greater Montreal and 0.4% in the Quebec
City region. This capacity also varies from community to community. The
capacity was highest in the Innu Nation where half of the 222 Indigenous
workers with CCQ certification in southern Quebec in 2020 were found. The
community of Mashteuiatsh was also one of the most represented among
Indigenous workers and businesses. Capacity was significant in the Mohawk
community of Kahnawake and in the Huron-Wendat community of Wendake.
It was lower among the Abenaki, Algonquin, and Atikamekw Nations.
Many Indigenous construction businesses
are small and geographically concentrated
Most of the Indigenous businesses identified had five or fewer employees.
The small size of these firms could be a barrier to their full participation in
tenders beyond their capacity. The splitting of different work packages is
necessary when giving them access to future work. The concentration of
these businesses was observed in three communities, namely Kahnawake,
Mashteuiatsh and Wendake. Since the registration of Indigenous businesses
in the various public registries is voluntary, many businesses located outside
the communities have not been registered, making it difficult to identify them
during calls for tenders.
*Southern Quebec was limited to a territory corresponding to the St. Lawrence Valley, extending east to Quebec City and west to Gatineau. Thus, six Indigenous Nations representing 20 communities are included in this definition
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ATOMIC ENERGY: CNL, BLUE LINE: STM
2023 Top100 Projects Rank: 72 Value: $800 million
