A bridge troll appears (with demands)
Digging In
In this episode of Digging In, host Russell Hixson unpacks the political and economic forces threatening a $6.4 billion international bridge project between Canada and the U.S. He also delves into the 15-year effort to deliver Toronto's Eglinton Crosstown LRT and Ottawa's major funding cuts for projects. Finally, some feathery Ontario residents have received justice after their homes were destroyed.
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Darlington beats the haters and Calgary's water woes (feat. Warren Frey)
Digging In
This week we highlight the successful refurbishment of the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station, which finished ahead of schedule and under budget. We then chat about the newly approved $3-billion Steensby Project on Baffin Island. Listeners will also get an essential briefing on the sector’s surprising GDP growth in late 2026 and a deep dive into Calgary’s Bearspaw water main failure with Water Canada’s Warren Frey.
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The $343 Billion Record: Breaking down the Top 100 Infrastructure Projects Report with John Tenpenny
Digging In
In this episode, host Russell Hixson is joined by John Tenpenny, editor of Renew Canada, to discuss the Top 100 Projects report. They delve into the intricacies of Canada's largest public infrastructure projects, highlighting the significant increase in overall project value - now totalling $343 billion - due to new nuclear initiatives in Ontario. The conversation explores the challenges and trends in project delivery, the impact of the Major Projects Office, and the evolving landscape of infrastructure development in Canada. Tune in to gain insights into the future of nation-building and...
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Microsoft’s $7.5 Billion Data Center Play in Canada
Digging In
This episode highlights: • Eglinton Cross Town LRT Reaches Substantial Completion: After more than a decade of work beginning in 2011, and following years of detours and delays, Ontario’s Eglinton Cross Town LRT has finally reached substantial completion. Control of the line is now transferring from Metrolinx to the TTC, which will handle operations, staff training, and setting an opening date, currently estimated for early 2026. The project, which was originally promised to open in 2020, ran approximately $8 billion over budget and is considered by some to be a cautionary example of how...
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Canada's $26.8 billion nuclear push
Digging In
Major nuclear news Ontario Power Generation (OPG) has received government approval for a $26.8 billion refurbishment of four candu reactors at the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station. This project intends to extend the facility's operations by up to 38 years, creating approximately 30,500 jobs during construction. Once completed in the mid-2030s, the refurbished station will provide up to 2200 megawatt of clean power, enough to power about 2.2 million homes. It also secures the long-term, global production of the medical isotope Cobalt 60. Steel policy Prime Minister Mark Carney has...
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Can BC's new Dash platform really solve zoning and review delays?
Digging In
This episode highlights: • BC has launched "Dash," a first-in-Canada digital platform designed to streamline design, zoning, review, and prefabricated construction. This tool allows developers to input land parcel details and building specifications to generate compliant 3D building plans within minutes. Dash is optimized for local zoning regulations and available BC manufactured materials. Developed collaboratively by BC Housing, Metro Vancouver, over a dozen BC-based architects and engineers, and 13 prefab home manufacturers. The platform is open source and free of user access fees. It...
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Canada’s first multi-storey, 3D-printed student residence
Digging In
There are only days left to nominate someone exceptional for a Site Service Award. Do so today at This episode highlights: • Canada's Expanded Nation Building Pipeline: Ottawa has added a second wave of projects worth over $56 billion to its major projects office, bringing the total investment pipeline referred to more than $116 billion. This is part of a broader push toward Canadian economic diversification and self-sufficiency. The priorities focus heavily on the Northwest Critical Conservation Corridor, requiring major new infrastructure—including transmission lines, highways,...
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Land rights on shaky ground in BC right now
Digging In
Nominate someone incredible in the construction industry today at: This episode highlights: • Land Rights on Shaky Ground in BC: A landmark ruling in BC concluded that the Kawichin have Aboriginal title to about 800 acres in Richmond, establishing this as a prior and senior right over fee simple title for private landownerWhile the BC Premier David Eby has appealed the decision and stated landowners should be concerned about the ruling potentially having national implications, legal representatives for the Kawichin Nation and the judge herself disagree, saying private property owners are...
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September housing starts are rising in Canada
Digging In
Support the Construction Challenge and help fund the fight against blood cancers. Donate to team FIRST ONSITE or Team Beckett . Nominate someone incredible today at: This episode highlights: • Lumber Production Cuts and Tariffs: Interfor, one of the world's largest lumber producers, plans to cut timber production in Q4 by approximately 250 million board feet, representing a reduction of around 26%. This decision is driven by a weak lumber market, bad conditions, and ongoing economic uncertainty, which has kept prices "unsustainably low". The Canadian...
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Prompt Payment Arrives in BC, Finally
Digging In
Nominate someone incredible today at: This episode highlights: • Prompt Payment Legislation is advancing in BC with the introduction of Bill 20, the Construction Prompt Payment Act. If passed, the legislation will set clear payment timelines, requiring owners to pay general contractors within 28 days and contractors to pay subcontractors within 7 days, while also including an adjudication system for disputes.• Industry groups, including the BC Construction Association, the Vancouver Regional Construction Association, and the Electrical Contractors Association of BC, are celebrating...
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This episode highlights:
- The federal government’s announcement to move to a fall budget cycle (delivered in November instead of spring), which officials say provides construction organizations and businesses with better lead time to plan projects ahead of the spring construction season. Finance Minister François Philip Champagne stated that this change, alongside a new capital budgeting framework, aims for more transparent and better timed generational investments in infrastructure and housing.
- Alberta’s gearing up for a major project push by committing $14 million to the early planning of a proposed crude oil pipeline destined for BC's northwest coast, with a formal submission expected in spring 2026. Premier Danielle Smith and the Energy Minister Brian Jean claim the project, supported by Enbridge, Trans Mountain, and South Bow, is critical to Canada's energy future and economic potential.
- The Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) has selected new design partners, Formline Architecture Plus Urbanism and KPMBB Architects, for its new home at Larill Park, making it the city's largest cultural infrastructure project in over 30 years. This follows a previously stalled attempt where the project budget skyrocketed from $400 million to over $600 million, prompting VAG to halt construction in August 2024 after already investing $60 million.
- The ongoing drama surrounding Ontario's $2.5 billion Skills Development Fund, which came under scrutiny after the auditor general determined the selection process was "not fair, transparent or accountable". Despite findings that 549 lower-rated applications received $742 million, the fund continues to receive strong support from construction stakeholders, unions, and training organizations who rely on it for targeted, industry-led training programs.
- Plus, a bonus story spotlights the unusual way Halifax is previewing its future emergency department, set to open in 2027, by unveiling a gigantic Lego model. The model, designed and built by award-winning artist Shawn Mcloud of Holdfast Bricks, used 25,000 bricks and took over 400 hours to complete, serving to entertain children while showcasing the future built environment