MCAM
government has the appetite for. MCAM
offers BIM education opportunities to its
membership through multiple education
strategies. BIM technology has been
demonstrated to reduce construction and
future maintenance costs.
Advocacy, marketing,
infrastructure, economic
stimulus & education
With the heightened awareness of
infrastructure investment providing
economic stimulus, a growing concern for
Manitoba-based mechanical contractors is
the role the built environment serves within
the term “infrastructure.” The mandate letter
of Manitoba’s Minister of Infrastructure
focuses primarily on transportation,
flood protection and the emergency
response system. While the institutional,
commercial and industrial built environment
within government – schools, hospitals,
government assets, economic development
programs, energy efficiency programs and
communication – are spread through several
ministerial portfolios. Private ownership
groups are hesitant to invest in capital
projects. Industry is looking to government
to keep the pace and fill the gap. The goal is
for greater community understanding of the
term infrastructure and the importance of
keeping contractors working.
In response, and to address other key
industry issues such as unreasonable contract
clauses, labour mobility, change order
protocols and harmonization, MCAM,
together with nine other Manitoba trade
associations have created the Manitoba
Trade Contractors Council (MTCC).
The objective of MTCC is to be “… the
unified voice, representing Manitoba trade
contractor associations with government
and other valued industry partners.” MTCC’s
objectives will be achieved on the foundation
of its core values: fair representation, ethical
practices and proactive communication.
COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL • INDUSTRIAL
NEW CONSTRUCTION • FARMS • ACREAGES
343 Park Avenue East, Brandon, MB R7A 7A6
Tel: (204) 571-3470 Fax: (204) 728-1141
Toll Free: 1-866-623-6202 www.emcoltd.com
Engineers
Consistently, critical industry discussions
are left open-ended with important industry
representatives – engineers – missing
from the conversation. MCAM is actively
working to close this gap. SMS Engineering
was welcomed as the first consulting
engineering firm to join the MCAM
Associate Membership group. As well, the
Association of Consulting Engineering
Companies now has representation at
MCAM board meetings.
Further addressing this gap is the MCAM
Student Chapter. The Chapter has grown
to 15 members under the direction of
president Brady Harris, fifth-year mechanical
engineering student at the University of
Manitoba (U of M) and a proud resident
of rural Manitoba. Chapter members are
engineering students from the U of M
who recognize the benefits of networking
with contractors and the industry they
will work for, sell to, design for or hire as
future engineers.
Pandemic safety guidelines
MCAM collaborates with industry partners
and MCAM, Manitoba Building Trades
and the Construction Labour Relations
Association of Manitoba have collaborated
with OHS Global, leading infection control
experts in the industrial environment, to create
a safety guide for the Manitoba construction
industry. The guide offers contractors tools to
ensure a safe work environment during the
pandemic. Providing leadership, safety and
confidence in the Manitoba construction
industry for all Manitobans was the goal of
this project.
Following its release, the guidelines
received endorsement from CARM, the
Manitoba Association of Sheet Metal and
Air Handling Contractors, the Manitoba
Insulation Contractors Association, the
Roofing Contractors Association of
Manitoba, the Testing and Air Balancing
Association and the Manitoba Masonry
Contractors Association.
The safety guide can be found at
www.mca-mb.com/files/media/164.pdf. n
Email Ramona Coey at ramona@mcmb.ca
to share industry concerns, inquire about
MCAM membership or better understand
MCAM initiatives.
*Read the Minister of of Central Services’ com-plete
letter at www.gov.mb.ca/asset_library/
en/executivecouncil/mandate/2020/
central_services_mandate.pdf.
52 | Issue 2 2020 www.carm.ca
/www.emcoltd.com
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