February 21: The Canada Line Bored Tunnel Tour

The Canada Line Bored Tunnel extends from the south shore of False Creek to Granville Street just north of Pender, a distance of approximately 2.5 km. It is the first bored tunnel under downtown Vancouver and consists of twin parallel tunnels with diameter of 6.1 m. It is being built with an Earth Pressure Balance (EPB) Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) and is lined with precast concrete sections. The first tunnel was completed last year and the second tunnel is currently nearing completion. This tour will provide a unique, once in a lifetime opportunity to walk in the tunnel under False Creek from Second Avenue to Yaletown Station (800 m) and back before trackwork and system installation commence when access will be restricted. 

Our guides are Brendan Henry, Chief Engineer with SSJV, the tunnel boring contractor, and Roger Woodhead, the Technical Director for the Canada Line Project. 

You must wear CSA approved safety boots, hard hat, safety goggles and safety vest. Following the tour please join us for drinks (no host bar) and appies at Stamps Landing.

Map for parking and site office is attached.

March 17:Annual General Meeting
Guest Speaker: Larry Beasley
Exporting Vancouver

Vancouver is often looked to as an example of good civic design and municipal planning - from the downtown core to the neighbourhoods. As one of the world's most livable cities, the ingredients for its success are now sought after in far reaching parts of the globe. Since leaving the City Hall almost two years ago Larry Beasley, the recently retired Director of Planning for the City of Vancouver, has been working with the Crown Prince and Government of Abu Dhabi on the design and development of their capital city as an environmentally and socially responsible community. Joining him in this endeavour have been many architects, planners and policy experts from Vancouver who have shared their knowledge and skills in this challenging exercise. Larry has seen the true benefits of the Vancouver Model but he has also learned that Vancouver has a long way to go to becoming truly 'green' and sustainable. He will be speaking to us about his ideas for Adu Dhabi as well as some reciprocal lessons learned for Vancouver.

Larry Beasley is now the "Distinguished Practice Professor of Planning" at the University of BC and the founding principal of Beasley and Associates, an international planning consultancy. Over 30 years of civic service, Mr. Beasley achieved land use and transportation plans along with careful development management that have dramatically reshaped Vancouver's inner city. He also led the revitalization of neighbourhoods, a strong heritage preservation program, the City's urban design studio and a successful civic fundraising initiative. He now teaches and advises the private sector and governments around the world.

Below:Treasurer Roger Woodhead congratulates student scholarship recipients Ngoc Tran and Mark Ellis.

April 29: The Challenge of Power in the P3 Project

Governments and institutions continue to desire P3 delivery for major infrastructure and public buildings, challenging the private sector to respond to the often difficult criteria. What is involved in winning a bid for a major project involving both the public and private sectors, all levels of government as well as stakeholders in the design, build and operation of major infrastructure initiatives? Lecia Stewart, perhaps best known for her work in British Columbia as Project Director and President of the West Coast Express and the Millennium Line, took her knowledge and experience to Bombardier where she pursued P3 projects in high speed rail all over the US and Canada.

In 2002 she led a consortium that won a $4.3 billion Design, Build, Operate, Maintain and Finance project for a high speed rail system in Florida. In the process of a two year effort to negotiate that contract, she walked the corridors of power in Washington and Florida and duelled with some of its major power brokers. Sandwiched between two battling goliaths, and some of the world's most powerful institutions, the story is at times terrifying and certainly exhilarating.

Lecia now runs StewartGossage, a bid strategy company with offices in Toronto and Vancouver, together with Patrick Gossage. She will speak to the BC Construction Roundtable about the lessons from Challenging Power in the complex world of P3 projects.

May 22: Southeast False Creek and the Olympic Village
North America's Most Sustainable Community

Southeast False Creek is the most sustainable development being attempted at this scale in North America, housing up to 16,000 new residents on former industrial land. The first phase of the 80 acre project will serve as Vancouver's Olympic Village in 2010. In addition to its economic legacy of being funded from its own revenues and its social legacy of providing a full size community centre and childcare facility, 26 acres of park, a kindergarten to grade seven elementary school, 250 units of affordable housing, 110 units of rental housing, and 750 units of market housing, Southeast False Creek is best known lately for setting the new standard for environmental sustainability.

If you are one of Southeast False Creek's new residents, you will start out by consuming half as much drinking water as the average North American, your heat will come from water heated from the City's Neighbourhood Energy Utility that harvests heat from the sewer pipes, your toilet will flush with rain water, not treated drinking water. You will likely walk or cycle or take transit to work or to do errands.

Our speaker, Jody Andrews, is both Deputy City Manager for the City of Vancouver as well as Project Manager for the Southeast False Creek and Olympic Village development. He is a civil engineer with a commitment to sustainable community projects including the SkyTrain Millennium line and foreshore park in New Westminster and Vancouver's LEED Gold National Works Yard. Join Jody for an exciting update on the Olympic Village phase of this project as he shows how the project team is delivering 18 of North America's most sustainable buildings in 18 months!

June 19: Update on the new TransLink

The newly named South Coast BC Transportation Authority (TransLink) has just undergone a major change to its governance, with a new private sector board appointed this year. Concurrently, the Province announced a major investment in transit across the province with its Provincial Transit Plan. TransLink is in the midst of creating a transportation vision for the region with its Now is the Time - Transport 2040, a 30 year transportation strategy. In addition, a ten year transportation plan is being developed through consultation that will identify the near term investments required and a financial strategy to pay for them. All this is going on at the same time that TransLink is delivering an extremely ambitious capital program that includes the Canada Line, the Golden Ears Bridge, bus and SkyTrain fleet expansion, Major Road Network expansion, and improving the accessibility of the network.

Fred Cummings, VP Major Construction Projects, will provide an update on the status of TransLink's current and future capital program, describe the long term planning initiatives currently underway, and describe TransLink's new governance.

Fred was named Vice President, Major Construction Projects after serving as Project Director for the Golden Ears Bridge since May 2002. Prior to that he served as Manager, Engineering and Project Services, with TransLink, and its predecessor BC Transit, for five years where he was responsible for managing the implementation of TransLink's capital program. He is currently Acting CEO at TransLink.

Come and hear Fred tell us how the Major Construction Projects Division plans to spend a significant amount of TransLink's $4 billion investment on major projects in the Greater Vancouver area.

July 9: Speeding to the Finish

Summer BBQ at the John MS Lecky UBC Boathouse
by the Neighbouring Olympic Speed Skating Oval

The Board of Directors invites you to join them at this year's summer social being held at the John MS Lecky UBC Boathouse at 7277 River Road in Richmond.

If the weather co-operates, we will start the evening at 5:30 pm at the Olympic Speed Skating Oval for an hour tour of the exterior of the facility (unfortunately, public access to the interior is no longer available). This tour will be followed at 6:30 pm by a BBQ Social at the neighbouring John MS Lecky UBC Boathouse, located approximately 1 km down the river from the Oval. The Boathouse is itself a fascinating and uniquely designed facility, a joint endeavour of UBC, St. George's School and the City of Richmond. If the weather is inclement we will forego the walk around the outside of the Oval and meet at the Boathouse at 6:30 where we will enjoy a presentation on the Oval from Paul Fast, P. Eng, of the structural engineering firm Fast + Epp.

In addition to his involvement with the Oval, Paul has designed several other landmark buildings including the geodesic dome (Science World), several SkyTrain stations and the Ebco Aerospace Centre. He will share some of his experiences as design engineer for this landmark and entertain us with a few interesting happenings related to the project.

September 18: Carbon Neutrality and the Impact on Engineering Design

Carbon neutrality and carbon-related issues are at the forefront of much public policy discussion and debate. These issues are also impacting the way buildings and communities will be both designed and retrofit, changing everything from design standards to operations budgets. Jennifer Sanguinetti from Stantec will give a presentation on the basics of carbon neutrality, summarize the new regulatory issues surrounding it in the province with respect to buildings and communities, and review the resulting energy trends. The presentation will contain some practical information to help inform those who are wishing to pursue carbon reductions or carbon neutrality including information on how to actually get started addressing carbon issues within organizations. The presentation will wrap up with some case studies of relevant projects.

Jennifer Sanguinetti is one of Stantec's original environmental design leaders. Her interest in sustainable design began when she first started with Stantec and resulted in the success of a number of energy efficient projects. She knows the importance of having buildings and communities work with the environment, as opposed to being self-contained and working against the surroundings. Jennifer seeks low-tech solutions for her sustainable designs, and prefers to keep the design simpler, with more natural systems.

She founded Stantec's Concepts group, a team that specializes in sustainable design services, looking for opportunities to optimize a client's building for the occupants, the environment and the bottom line. She is now Stantec's lead for carbon neutrality related services in the BC region. She was named one of Business in Vancouver's "Top 40 under 40" achievers and entrepreneurs in 2003.

October 23: The State of the BC Mining Industry

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The BC Mining Industry has been enjoying a period of growth and vitality not seen in many years. Mineral exploration is at record levels, while several mines have re-opened, new mines have been built and major, new metal mines are in the project approval process. The recent announcement by Premier Campbell that environmental studies and First Nations consultations will proceed for the proposed new power line along Highway 37 in northern BC opens up new opportunities for future growth of BC's mineral and metal sector. However, challenges remain, including lengthy regulatory processes, human resources shortages, rising costs and uncertainty with respect to First Nations issues.

Pierre Gratton is President and CEO of the Mining Association of British Columbia (MABC). The MABC is the predominant voice of mining in British Columbia representing mineral producers, coal producers and companies involved in exploration, development and smelting of minerals within the province. MABC promotes the interests of its members provincially and nationally, and works with governments and other stakeholders on policies affecting mining, to inform the public, and to promote cooperation between member firms to solve common problems.

Prior to joining the MABC, Pierre Gratton was Vice President - Sustainable Development and Public Affairs, of The Mining Association of Canada (MAC), based in Ottawa. While at MAC, Pierre spearheaded the Towards Sustainable Mining initiative, for which the association was recognized with a Globe Award in 2005.

November 20: The Current Economic Climate and
Implications for Financing P3 Projects

The world-wide economic crisis, triggered in part by the sub-prime fiasco in the US has resulted in significant implications for the financing of large scale infrastructure projects, whether public or private sector led. Addressed in this presentation are some of the implications for financing P3 projects, especially in Canada. With the bail out of financial institutions in the US and abroad, especially Europe, by their respective governments, will it be financing as usual for P3 projects, or will securing financing be a more protracted process? What does this mean for the assessment and pricing of risk by financial institutions and hence the spread between public vs. private sector borrowing rates, concessionaire equity requirements, the time required to achieve financial close, and the language in concession agreements? These and related topics will be addressed by our speaker who is on the front lines of structuring and financing P3s in BC and the US.

Our speaker, Nicholas Hann, is Executive Director of Macquarie Capital Markets Canada Ltd in Vancouver, where he heads Macquarie's infrastructure business. As a senior executive of Macquarie, he has been involved in all aspects of Macquarie's infrastructure and public private partnership businesses. He has extensive experience in the structuring and financing of major infrastructure projects in both public and private sector roles spanning a wide range of countries.

Since arriving in Vancouver in 2002, Nicholas has played a key role in important BC infrastructure projects, including leading the successful Connect BC Team on the Port Mann Highway project, Richmond - Airport Vancouver Rapid Transit Project and Kicking Horse Canyon.

December 3: Festive Season Reception

The Board of Directors of the BC Construction Roundtable invite you and a guest to join them at the year end reception.

January 25: The BC economy in 2007 - How Will it Affect the Construction Industry?

The construction industry is facing substantial growth but with considerable cost challenges to achieve results. In this presentation Helmut Pastrick will present a five year outlook on the BC economy with emphasis on the construction industry. He will explain how the construction industry is impacted by domestic factors such as government spending on infrastructure, expansion of electric utilities, and the state of the local housing market. The tight labour market, construction cost pressures and the impact of the 2010 Winter Olympics on the economy and construction will also be examined.

Helmut Pastrick is Chief Economist for Credit Union Central of British Columbia, the umbrella organization for the credit union system in the province and editor of the Economic Analysis of British Columbia newsletter, a well regarded and widely circulated publication by the credit union system in British Columbia. He provides economic analysis and forecast services to the credit union system.

Prior to joining the Credit Union Central of BC in 1997, Helmut was esponsible for analyzing and forecasting the provincial housing market and economy when working for the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation in BC.

February 22 : The Rebirth of the Woodward's Site - New life in the Downtown Eastside

Architect Gregory Henriquez will give an update on the Woodward's development highlighting its unique design features and the challenges faced in designing, obtaining approvals and constructing this milestone project.

The Woodward's project is the latest of several developments designed by Gregory in the Downtown Eastside which gives him a unique and high level perspective of current and future directions in this issued-plagued region of Vancouver and the impact that developments like this will have on the area.

Gregory is Managing Partner at Henriquez Partners Architects and is currently the architect in charge of the Woodward's Redevelopment Project, the largest mixed-use project in the history of Vancouver. Other current projects include the new Lynn Valley Town Centre and Library and he also starting work on the design phase of the Old BC Electric Building Site at Carrall and Hastings.

In 2004, Gregory was awarded a Governor General's Medal in Architecture and was elected to the Royal Academy of Arts.

March 14: Annual General Meeting - Thoughts on Vancouver's Civic Design and Future Growth

Guest Speaker Brent Toderian

Vancouver is often referred to as a "City by Design". It has a proud tradition of attention to the public realm, and a process of shaping the City's architecture to achieve public goals. Such goals can include livability, sustainability, civic beauty, economic development and so on. Some suggest however, that the resulting architecture is becoming too similar, and call for more design creativity and diversity. At the same time, initiatives like EcoDensity and the results of the Metro-Core Economy Study may change the way the city is built. Brent Toderian, the City of Vancouver's newly appointed Director of Planning, will present on EcoDensity, jobs in the downtown peninsula, the state of Vancouver architecture and design, and how this will impact the growth of the City.

Brent came from the City of Calgary where, as Manager of Centre City Planning + Design, he oversaw visioning, policy plans and strategies; area master planning; development design and architectural review; civic realm design; heritage planning; and special projects work in Calgary's Downtown, Midtown and Beltline communities.

April 19: Canada Line Station Design- A presentation by Chris McCarthy of SNC-Lavalin.

The $1.9 billion Canada Line Rapid Transit Project is the largest infrastructure Public Private Partnership (P3) in Canada. It connects downtown Vancouver with Richmond and the Airport. It is being partially financed, designed, constructed and will be maintained by SNC-Lavalin Inc. and its partners. The alignment, which is 19 km long, consists of an elevated and at-grade guideways, a cut and cover tunnel along Cambie Street and a bored tunnel under downtown Vancouver. There are 16 stations, ten traction power substations and an operations and maintenance facility; eight of the stations are underground, six are elevated and two are at-grade.

Our speaker, Chris McCarthy, is the Director of Fixed Facilities for the project and responsible for overseeing the design of the stations, substations and the operations and maintenance centre. Chris will discuss how the project translated the global transit planning objectives for the system through to establishing the station architecture; provide an overview of the current station designs; touch on some the technical challenges and give an update to the current status of station construction

May 24: William R. Bennett Bridge - Making Connections

The Ministry of Transportation awarded a 30 year concession to SNC Lavalin for the design, construction, financing, and operation of the new William R. Bennett Bridge. The existing 50 year old Okanagan Lake Bridge is deteriorating and its three lanes are overwhelmed with traffic. The new crossing will consist of a 330m fixed section at the West end, and a 700m floating section consisting of concrete pontoons which will be one of the few floating concrete bridges in the world. The bridge will feature five lanes and an 18m high marine navigation span, which will replace the existing lift span. Construction is scheduled to be complete in the summer of 2008.

Our speaker, Tom Tasaka, the Project Director, is responsible for overseeing the $139 million Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) component of the Concession. He will discuss how the project has been organized to make best use of local and other BC resources, working with the many stakeholders such as the City of Kelowna and Westbank First Nation, how many of the challenges are being resolved, and the current status of construction.

June 14: Sea-to-Sky Highway Upgrade - A Safe & Scenic Ride

The Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement DBFO Project is well underway in the 2nd year of a four year design-build period. The BC Ministry of Transportation and Partnerships BC developed the DBFO process to bring safety, mobility, and reliability improvements to the Sea-to-Sky Highway 99 corridor. Substantial completion is scheduled for October 2009 in time for the 2010 Winter Olympics in February.

Our speakers will provide an overview of this 25 year public-private partnership (P3) infrastructure concession; give an overview of the design-build organization; discuss the technical and logistical challenges to keep the project on budget and on schedule; and talk about lessons learned to make a successful P3 highway improvement project.

David Wallace is a Manager with Peter Kiewit Sons Co. Ltd. in Vancouver. He is a civil engineer with over 30 years of North American experience on large transportation, communication and hydro projects. Tony Purdon is a senior associate with Hatch Mott MacDonald Ltd. in Vancouver. He is a civil engineer with 20 years of North American and international experience in the planning, design and construction of transportation and infrastructure projects.

August 23: A City Under Construction - Vancouver Viewed From the Water

Cleanup and construction are moving at a fast pace in Vancouver these days. From the repair of the Stanley Park Seawall to the building of the Southeast False Creek Olympic Village, from condos to the Canada Line, there is a lot of activity on Vancouver's waterfront.

The Board of Directors would like to invite you and a guest to join them on a cruise into False Creek for an up-to-date waterside view of several major projects. The southeast False Creek development is on track to include new parks and the Olympic Athletes Village in time for February 2010. One of the Canada Line tunnels under the creek is complete with a station being built at the foot of the Cambie St. Bridge on the south side. And the cruise will include a chance to see the reconstruction project on the Stanley Park Seawall damaged during the wind storm last November.

Don't miss this opportunity to hear about these outstanding projects from the people in charge while enjoying the ambiance of dining on the water. Register now as capacity is limited. This year's boat has a walk around deck for plenty of viewing.

September 20: BC's Mining Industry - Digging Deep for Opportunity

There is activity in BC's mining industry that will provide opportunity for the construction sector. What are these opportunities and prospects for future development? A surprising amount of infrastructure including roads and ancillary buildings will provide the need for a large range of design and consulting services beyond the actual mines. At this meeting learn about new projects currently undergoing permitting and feasibility assessment for development as well as those that have now begun construction such as the $2.1 billion US Galore Creek Project in northwestern BC.

Our speaker, Michael McPhie is the President and CEO of the Mining Association of BC. He has over 15 years of professional domestic and international experience working at senior levels within industry and government. Over his career, Michael has been responsible for the regulatory, environmental, political/government relations and community related aspects of a number of mining projects across Canada, in Central and South America and southern Asia.

Established through an act of the BC Legislature in 1901 to represent the interests of BC's mining industry, the Mining Association of British Columbia (MABC) is one of the oldest industry associations in the province. The MABC represents the senior companies of BC's $10 billion mining and smelting industry. Mining remains BC's second largest resource industry and continues to be an essential part of the provincial economy.

October 18: Independent Power Producers in BC - What's the Buzz?

BC's Independent Power Production (IPP) industry continues to be vibrant and a consumer of significant construction resources. IPPs play a pivotal role in helping BC Hydro reduce our province's reliance on imported electricity. This presentation will describe the run-of-river, wind, and bio-energy projects that have competed to win contracts with BC Hydro. It will identify the major events, trends and challenges that are shaping the industry. It will describe BC Hydro's three upcoming Calls for Power and forecast which types of projects will likely evolve into tomorrows construction contracts.

Our speaker, Steve Davis is the President of the Independent Power Producers Association of BC and head of Steve Davis & Associates Consulting Ltd, a Vancouver-based consulting firm. Steve has been developing green IPPs in BC since 1990. He ran the project development subsidiaries for BC Gas (now Terasen) and Ledcor and developed biomass, co-generation and small hydro IPP projects in BC for 12 years prior to setting up his IPP consulting business. Steve has a Civil Engineering degree from UBC and an MBA from the University of Western Ontario.

IPPBC was formed in 1992. It is the voice of IPPs in BC. Its mandate is to develop a viable independent power industry in BC that serves the public interest by providing cost-effective electricity through the efficient and environmentally responsible development of the Province's energy resources.

November 22: An Inconvenient Truth About The Talent Shortage Crisis - and How To Cope With It!

Signs are clear that every business is being affected by the apparent talent shortage. If your company is not planning long term solutions for your recruitment problems, get prepared for turbulent times ahead because the trend will get worse.

With the boomers at the doorstep of retirement, our birth rate and immigration rate are unable to compensate and replace all these happy retirees. It will take more than money to attract and retain the best and the brightest. To complicate matters, the new generation entering the work force is bringing with them a very different set of values than those making corporate decisions today.

Our speaker, Normand Rheault, will explore what is causing the phenomena and how modern organizations are coping with it.

Normand Rheault is Corporate Director of Human Resources at GENIVAR Limited Partnership, an engineering firm employing 2,200 employees across Canada. The firm is active in almost all fields of engineering such as: civil, mining, transportation, urban infrastructure, water treatment, environment, energy, building and project management.

Before joining GENIVAR, he was a consultant specializing in Organizational Development and new plant start ups.

January 26: Olympic Speed Skating Oval - Richmond’s Olympic Legacy

The Richmond Oval will be home to long track speed skating during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The Oval is located on 32 acres of City-owned land along the banks of the Fraser River. For the Olympics, the Oval will house a 400-metre speed skating track and seat approximately 8,000. Post-Games, the Oval will become an international centre of excellence for sports and wellness. The Oval’s flexible design will allow it to be used for a wide variety of different sport and community uses. The Oval project which includes a new waterfront plaza, park and parkade is budgeted for $178 million.

The Oval is now under construction. Site densification and compaction will continue until spring 2006. Building construction will begin in May 2006. The Richmond Oval is scheduled to open in summer 2008.

Greg Scott is Director of the City of Richmond’s Major Projects Division. He is responsible for delivering Richmond’s Speed Skating Oval. He is an effective multi-discipline team leader with expertise in managing complex projects from two perspectives; the owner and the consultant. He has 17 years of expertise in providing solutions to clients with a primary focus on municipal infrastructure; sewage collection, transportation, stormwater collection and management, land development and the delivery of sustainable facilities.

For more information, visit: http://www.richmond.ca/discover/events/oval/oval.htm

February 23: Gateway Program Update - Making Connections

Mike Proudfoot, Executive Director of the BC MoT's Gateway Program, will provide Construction Roundtable members with an update on the status of this major road and bridge improvement program. Comprising the North Fraser Perimeter Road, including a new Pitt River Bridge and Mary Hill Interchange, South Fraser Perimeter Road, and Port Mann Bridge twinning/Highway 1 widening, this $3 billion program is the largest transportation initiative ever undertaken by the BC Ministry of Transportation. This initiative will address regional highway congestion while enabling our transportation industry to accommodate the substantial growth in goods movement currently occurring through the greater Vancouver gateway.

Mike brings over 30 years experience with the Ministry of Transportation to his role as Executive Director of the Gateway Program. Prior to his appointment to the Gateway Program, he served as Director, Design and Construction for the award-winning Lions Gate Bridge rehabilitation project. Previously, Mike held numerous positions with the Ministry including District Manager and Project Manager on construction and rehabilitation projects throughout BC. He has also been involved in joint committees with the BC Road Builders pertaining to road and bridge maintenance and has a proven track record in dealing with stakeholders and interest groups.

March 28: Annual General Meeting
Preparing for the World — Lessons Learned in Torino

Guest Speaker: Mayor Sam Sullivan

When Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan received the Olympic flag on February 26th, the countdown to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games began. A quadriplegic since the age of 19, Mayor Sullivan was able to wave the Olympic flag using a specially designed addition to his wheelchair that held and supported the flag. Never in the history of the Olympic Games has a quadriplegic mayor represented a host city.

Sam Sullivan was elected Mayor in November 2005 after serving as a Vancouver City Councillor from 1993 to 2005. As an elected official, he has raised issues around accessibility and encouraged building a barrier-free city. In 2004, he was invested as a Member of the Order of Canada for his community work on behalf of people with significant disabilities.

Well designed and accessible venues, transportation systems and public spaces are integral to hosting successful games. Mayor Sullivan will talk about his experiences at the Torino Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games that will be of interest to people working in the construction industry.

Photographs from the event:

April 27: An Update on Southeast False Creek and the Olympic Village

After nine years of public process, the Southeast False Creek sustainable development in Vancouver is underway. The plan is for 6 million square feet of development providing housing for 12,000 to 16,000 new residents by 2018. The development will include 26 acres of park, a community centre and non-motorized boating facility, an elementary school, three childcare facilities, an interfaith spiritual centre, and a housing mix with 20% affordable housing, up to 33% modest market housing, and the balance in market housing. Sustainability is a key component of this development, with the City setting a minimum LEED Silver benchmark while striving to achieve LEED Gold and Platinum on all its buildings. The community will also provide all its heat energy needs on site through waste sewer heat recovery, and will have a comprehensive rain water management and reuse plan. The first phase of the development will be used as the Olympic Village to provide accommodation and services for athletes and officials during the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. What will this development look like in 2010 and beyond?

Jody Andrews, the Project Manager for the Southeast False Creek and Olympic Village development, will provide an overview of the development and an update on the progress of Vancouver's Olympic Village, including site preparation, design, and construction insights.

For more information, visit: http://vancouver.ca/olympicvillage

May 18: Half Day Seminar: Successfully Managing Projects in a Hot Market

BC's economy is currently operating at levels not seen in decades. In the run-up to 2010 and beyond, the demands on our industry are unprecedented -- extraordinary innovation is required in order to deliver the goods. Owners are wondering whether the cost pressures resulting from the present demand will price their projects out of the market -- are there new models that might mitigate this risk? The market for professional services is fiercely competitive -- how can those delivering projects secure the needed professionals to see their projects to completion? Contractors, subtrades and suppliers too are caught in the escalation squeeze of delivering hard-dollar projects when costs are rising -- what strategies are being deployed to address this challenge?

June 22: How to increase productivity and lower costs using today's software solutions

In today’s world of increasing labour shortages and spiraling costs you need to know how technology can help reduce costs and improve productivity. Come learn how BC companies with software solutions for the construction sector can help you. Today’s presentations will come from three companies with their corporate headquarters and customer support services in Vancouver, British Columbia.

Jeff Booth - Builddirect - Costco on-line for construction materials. Founded in 1999, BuildDirect has quickly become the world’s leading On-line wholesaler of building products. Utilizing proprietary Internet technology for volume global shipments, BuildDirect is a completely new sales channel for construction materials.

Neall Ryan - Condor Software - Rebar detailing for the Globe. Condor Rebar Consultants Inc. is a reinforcing bar detailing and consulting company with offices in North America and Europe and China providing a wide range of reinforcing-bar related estimating, detailing and construction site support services.

Dave Robertson - Infinite Source software - new approaches to knowledge and information management. Infinite Source focuses on companies whose workflow requires utilizing large format documents such as architectural and engineering drawings. The cost and time to produce, distribute and store paper is enormous. Digital information significantly reduces these costs. They provide their clients with tools to manage, distribute and archive information online.

July 05: Olympic Legacies for British Columbia - A View from Grouse Mountain

What will British Columbians inherit when the Olympic flame is extinguished? In addition to world class sports facilities, there is another program that will create lasting legacies for the citizens of British Columbia.

Marion Lay is the President of 2010 Legacies Now, a not-for-profit society that works in partnership with community organizations, non-government organizations (NGOs), the private sector and all levels of government to develop sustainable legacies in sport & recreation, arts, literacy, and volunteerism.

Marion will share how 2010 Legacies Now is working with communities to help them discover and create unique and inclusive social and economic opportunities leading up to and beyond the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Join us on spectacular Grouse Mountain for this unique opportunity to hear Marion, a two-time Olympian and a member of the bronze medal 4 x 100m freestyle relay team at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, talk about this innovative program.

September 21: Golden Ears Bridge Project: Ensuring Delivery of a Signature Bridge and a Model Partnership

The Golden Ears Bridge has been planned to respond to the high population growth rate in the northeast sector of the region. TransLink entered into a single contract with the Golden Crossing General Partnership on March 3, 2006 to design, construct, finance, operate, maintain and rehabilitate the Golden Ears Bridge for a 35.5-year term. Based on the projected toll revenues and a redirection of the current Albion Ferry subsidy, the project is anticipated to achieve full recovery of its costs when the contract terminates 32 years after substantial completion.

Fred Cummings, TransLink's project director will provide a presentation that summarizes the need for the project, how the procurement process was designed, the teaming approach and bid strategy used by the winning team, and how the partnership has unfolded since financial close.

The Golden Ears Bridge is a unique project that relies on all parties to commit to partnering to ensure success.

October 19: Up and Down and All Around the Town - Update on the Canada Line Project

The $1.9 billion Canada Line Rapid Transit Project is the largest Public Private Partnership in BC. It connects downtown Vancouver with Richmond and the Airport and is being partially financed, designed, constructed and maintained by SNC-Lavalin and its partners. The alignment, which is 19 km long, consists of an elevated and at-grade guideway, two bridges crossing the Fraser River, a cut and cover tunnel down Cambie Street and a bored tunnel under downtown Vancouver. There are sixteen stations, eight underground, six elevated and two at-grade.

Our speaker, Roger Woodhead, the Technical Director for the project, is responsible for overseeing all engineering and technical issues. He will discuss how the project has been organized to make the best use of local and international resources, how the many challenges are being resolved, the current status of construction and future opportunities for local industry.

November 23: Olympic Construction - On Budget and On Time

To view the video go to The Vancouver 2010 Official Website
You just have to read and accept the web-linking policy (also available on our site)

The venue plan for the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games features two clusters. Ice event competitions will be staged in the Vancouver area. The snow and sliding sports will take place in Whistler. Drawing on new and existing facilities, the goal is to create spectacular theatres for sport that provide top conditions for athletes, a welcome place for spectators and post-Games community legacies.

Dan Doyle, VANOC's executive vice president of construction, is responsible for the $580 million development and construction of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games venues. He will present an overview of progress to date and the steps VANOC is taking to achieve its goal of delivering the venues early to maximize athlete training and venue-testing opportunities.

December 14: December Evening Reception For Members and Guests

Ken Dobell : Vancouver & BC on the World Stage: Initiatives and Achievements

The Directors of the BC Construction Roundtable would like to invite you and guest to join them at the festive year end reception. Our guest speaker will be Ken Dobell who will launch us into 2007 with an update on several major projects garnering attention for Vancouver and British Columbia.

Ken Dobell was appointed Deputy Minister to the Premier and Cabinet Secretary, Office of the Premier in 2001. He served in that role until 2005. Prior to this Mr. Dobell was City Manager for the City of Vancouver for eight years and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Transit Authority for two years. Mr. Dobell is chair of the Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project, and is a director of VANOC, 2010 Legacies Now Society and the Canadian Council for Public-Private Partnerships.

With his current involvement in a wide variety of initiatives ranging from the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games to the Convention Centre and from the creation of a Cultural Precinct to the challenge of addressing the homeless situation, Ken Dobell will have many interesting facts to share.

The reception will be held at Fasken Martineau DuMoulin, 2100 - 1075 West Georgia, Vancouver

February 24: Managing Project Cost Escalation – Big Picture Questions

The province’s construction sector is gearing up for Olympic facilities projects, major transportation projects, and the needs of a booming resource sector, against a backdrop of a sustained strong residential market. This scenario, combined with significant escalation in construction costs on the global stage, has many in our industry raising concerns about the potential for significant cost escalation in construction in the region. How real a concern is this? What is causing it and how long is it expected to last? What techniques are available to help construction professionals manage this issue? How are major industry players responding? Come and hear a panel of industry practitioners and experts give you their perspective on these and other issues. The session will close with an opportunity for you to raise in-depth questions with the panel.

March 10: Annual General Meeting

British Columbia is enjoying a revitalized economy, with even brighter prospects ahead. The key to ensuring this continued economic prosperity is an integrated and efficient province-wide transportation system. As transportation investment reaches new heights in this province, the Ministry of Transportation will continue to rely on professional engineers, road builders and trades people to deliver safe and affordable infrastructure. Our speaker, Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon, will outline the role transportation facilities such as ports, airports, highways and railways will play in facilitating future growth in BC. Kevin Falcon was appointed Minister of Transportation in 2004. He was first elected to the provincial legislature in 2001 in the riding of Surrey-Cloverdale.

April 21: The RAV Project - It’s time to climb aboard!!

SNC-Lavalin/Serco has recently been selected as the private sector partner on the $1.72 billion RAV line which will connect Vancouver with the Airport and Richmond. It is the largest Public Private Partnership (P3) in BC to date and includes design, build, operate, maintain and partial financing.
Our speaker, Jim Burke, is well qualified to talk about the Project since, as Senior Vice-President and General Manager of SNC-Lavalin’s Transportation Division, he led the successful effort to obtain RAV. Within SNC-Lavalin, Jim has global responsibility for transportation projects, including railways, mass transit systems, and airports. In addition, he is responsible for all project management, engineering and construction activities for SNC-Lavalin’s infrastructure projects in British Columbia.
Don’t miss this special opportunity to be the first in your block to hear about the schedule, construction methods and SNC’s procurement strategy directly from the horse’s mouth.

May 26: YVR is Taking Off! - Your Airport Improvement Fee at Work

Vancouver International Airport traffic is on the rise again and the airport is expanding to meet airline and passenger needs. As part of the $1.4 billion expansion program, a series of major building projects totaling $500 million will be built over the next 2 years to accommodate this growth.

Bob Cowan has worked with YVR since 1994 and has been responsible for maintenance, building permits and the capital expenditure program for the Airport Authority. In his new capacity of Senior Vice President, Engineering he is overseeing the current capital plan.

In his presentation, Bob will outline the planned major building projects and describe some of the unique challenges of delivering these projects in an operating airport. He will talk to some of the design challenges including accommodation requirements for the new A380 aircraft and how the West Chevron expansion project builds on the YVR experience with continuation of a West Coast feel through the new aquarium.

June 16: The Buzz in BC - What's in it for you?

Over the next ten years, there will be high demand within the construction industry for skilled professionals and trades. With many major projects now underway how will the industry manage the resources necessary to get the jobs done? Find out what the government’s plan is to manage this activity to 2010 and beyond. Project Managers for six key projects will talk about their construction schedules and how they plan to meet budget and time commitments. Join us for this timely session on construction activity in BC.Vancouver International Airport traffic is on the rise again and the airport is expanding to meet airline and passenger needs. As part of the $1.4 billion expansion program, a series of major building projects totaling $500 million will be built over the next 2 years to accommodate this growth.

July 14: From Timber to Trade Shows - A Tour of Vancouver’s Changing Waterfront

Vancouver is blessed with one of the finest natural harbours in the world. Long before there was a Vancouver, lumber schooners from around the world called in at Burrard Inlet's two mills, Moodyville and Hastings Mills. As early as the 1860s, timber destined for the world markets was loaded onto sailing vessels. With the arrival of the railway in the 1880s and the creation of the City of Vancouver, trade boomed and port traffic grew at a tremendous rate. Today, Vancouver's port is one of the busiest in the world and one of the largest container ports in North America. With increasing opportunities presented by Asia, Vancouver's port will continue to expand.

The Board of Directors would like to invite you and a guest to join them on a tour up Burrard Inlet. The tour will feature a waterfront look at the Convention Center construction site as well as highlighting the port and water front developments on the south and north shore.

Author, historian and heritage advocate John Atkin will be our guide for the evening. John has explored Vancouver like few others have and offers an interesting and offbeat insight to the city's architecture, history and neighbourhoods. He has created, and conducts, a number of unique and popular walking tours throughout the City of Vancouver. Recent books include Skytrain Explorer and Vancouver Walks.

September 22: Reaching for the Stars!! - From the universe to the entertainment industry

How far can we see? What do we see? David Halliday and his team have designed and built several of the world’s largest telescopes that have embodied many innovative structural components. The market for high tolerance steel structures was pioneered by Amec Dynamic Structures, a local company. The skills honed on telescope design led to new markets for high tolerance and robotic amusement park rides.

David Halliday has been responsible for the success of these projects and holds the position of Vice-President and Director of Specialty Projects at Amec Dynamic Structures. He is also an adjunct professor at UBC.

In his presentation, David will outline the capabilities of the “BIG” telescopes and describe some of the engineering considerations that are critical in reading light years into space.

David will also discuss some of the other services and projects that Amec Dynamic Structures provide to the specialized Amusement Parks worldwide.

October 27: Are We Ready For The Big One? - Urban Search and Rescue: What every engineer needs to know

The Big One or Katrina, how will Vancouver deal with a natural disaster when it happens? Come and hear the first hand Louisiana experiences of the Vancouver Urban Search & Rescue team. Engage in a panel discussion with City staff on Vancouver’s preparedness and the roll the construction industry would have in prevention and recovery.

The Vancouver Urban Search & Rescue team has been on the frontline at disasters locally and around the world for ten years. This team is a City of Vancouver initiative designed to be self governing and to act autonomously from the contributing agencies on the front lines.

Brian Inglis is the team leader. A 28 year veteran with the City, Brian previously worked in the Structures Engineering Branch. Prior to this, he was a paramedic for the State of Washington and has extensive experience in mountain rescue. He has had first hand operational experience at hurricane Andrew, the Turkish earthquake in 1999, the North Vancouver mudslide and, most recently, hurricane Katrina in Louisiana.

As leader, he is responsible for all aspects of the operational management as well as on going strategic planning, logistics management, and training. He also manages all financial aspects, legal requirements and provides the necessary coordination between the contributing agencies.

This presentation will be of interest to engineers, contractors, lawyers, geotechs and others working in the construction industry. Join members of the USAR team and other city representatives to learn more about Vancouver’s readiness and how this will impact on the construction industry.

November 17: A Bridge Across Korean Waters - The Incheon Grand Bridge

Brian Bentz, President, Project Investment Americas, is responsible for AMEC Project Investments market development and the development of all projects in the Americas, which involve the investment of AMEC capital for public-private partnerships and renewable energy projects.

Brian has worked much of his career on the development of major international projects and commercial relationships in 30 countries and understands cultural issues in international business. He has played a major role in many significant transactions, including, the US $1.1 bn Kiani Kertas pulp mill in Indonesia, the US $235 million Ruzomberok pulp mill in the Czech Republic, a CDN $52 million office tower in Vancouver and the US $1.4 bn 2nd Incheon Bridge Toll Bridge in South Korea

The Incheon Bridge project is a 30 year concession to design, build, finance, operate and maintain the 12.3 km bridge linking Incheon City and Seoul to the new Incheon Airport.

AMEC plc is an international project management and services company that designs, delivers and supports infrastructure assets for customers worldwide across the public and private sectors.

December 7: Dave Rudberg - Olympic Legacies for Vancouver

It’s the time of year for traditions. Come and share ours. You and a guest are invited to join the Directors of the BC Construction Roundtable for the year end reception. Dave Rudberg, General Manager, Olympic Operations for the City of Vancouver will be joining us. He will discuss the issues and challenges in managing the City’s involvement with the 2010 games.

Dave Rudberg was the General Manager of Engineering for 13 years with the City of Vancouver. In his new position he is responsible for coordinating and managing Vancouver’s Olympic legacy. This includes the physical structures and economic impacts as well as accessibility and environmental issues. He is also mandated to look at ways of ensuring we are good hosts and that we maximize the legacies for the City by using Olympic opportunities.

January 22: From Hosiery to Housing - The Rebirth of the Woodward’s Building

City of Vancouver Councillor Jim Green and Manager of Real Estate Services, Michael Flanigan will present to members and guests of the BC Construction Roundtable an overview of the City's progress on the redevelopment of the former Woodward's property. This presentation will bring BCCR members and guests up to date on the history of the property including the City's acquisition of the site, the formation of the Project Management Framework that has been adopted by City Council, the highlights of the Community Consultation process, and the challenges and opportunities arising from the City possibly "acting as developer" of the property.

Michael will present an overview of the Expression of Interest process, including a review and summary of the submissions received and evaluated by the City. The presentation will also describe how the project will move forward for the balance of 2004 including the Request for Proposal competition, the key milestone timelines for the award of the development rights, and the outstanding issues pertaining to the successful completion of this important redevelopment project.

February 19: When you build it they will come - Convention Centre Expansion Opens 2008

Russ Anthony, VP Strategic Management for Stantec and President & Project Director of the Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project Ltd., is no stranger to large-scale projects. But the much anticipated expansion of the Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre is on a tight budget, and an even tighter timeframe, as British Columbia looks for gains in the convention industry and prepares to welcome the world in 2010.

When it opened on July 4, 1987, the existing Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre caused some to wonder how its cavernous ballrooms and exhibition halls would ever be filled. But, in less than 10 years, the VCEC was at capacity and Vancouver ranked among the top convention destinations in the world. In fact, demand outstripped supply as a shortage of space cost almost $100 million in lost revenues in 1993 alone.

Today, with a combined $495 million financial commitment from the province, federal government and Vancouver’s tourism industry, the expansion of the convention centre is slated to create more than 6,000 construction jobs as it moves to completion by the fall of 2008.

Please join us to hear about the current status of the project and the many upcoming opportunities for our industry.

March 11: Annual General Meeting

Guest Speaker: Bing Thom, Architect
There's more to Vancouver than meets the eye

Six years from now, the eyes of the world will be on Vancouver for the Opening Ceremonies of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. It will be Canada's, and Vancouver's time to shine! What will Vancouver look like in 2010? Is the trend for development on the downtown peninsula conducive to creating a thriving metropolis? Is Vancouver growing into a livable city that offers the benefits of a resort or is the city in danger of becoming a resort that people live in? What transportation systems must be built to compliment the development? How does this development affect the economic engine of the third largest city in Canada as more people move downtown and more businesses move out? Bing Thom, an internationally acclaimed architect based in Vancouver, will talk about the opportunities of this exciting time in Vancouver's history.

April 29: Roundtable Breakfast Meeting

This session will give members and guests an opportunity to share their thoughts and brainstorm ideas on how to take advantage of the upcoming activity in the local construction market.

The discussion will be initiated and moderated by BCCR Directors Jim McLagan, Marina Pratchett and Ian Rokeby. Subjects that will be discussed include possible shortages of consulting resources and construction labour and a share of opinions on the new forms of contract that are evolving with the popularity of P3 and Joint Venture agreements.

May 20: Tall and Thin is In: Vancouver's Changing Skyline

Vancouver’s skyline has seen some dramatic changes over the last several years and the future will see even more. Taller is the direction things are heading.

James Cheng, James Cheng Architects will present to members and guests of the BC Construction Roundtable an overview of how we got here, what this means for Vancouver and some insights into where we are going. James has designed some of the most significant structures in Vancouver, including the Shaw Tower and 1120 West Georgia (soon to be Vancouver’s tallest building).

Please join us to learn about Vancouver’s changing skyline and what these innovations mean for the construction industry.

June 17: Building a Climate-Friendly City: Vancouver's Response to the Climate Change Challenge

What does it take to build a climate friendly city? Mark Holland, the City of Vancouver’s Acting Manager of their Sustainability Group will present an overview of the work being done with the Cool Vancouver Task Force to develop action plans to reduce climate change emissions including what the City is doing to reduce emissions in its corporate buildings, fleets and operations, to a level 20% below 1990 levels by 2010. Issues affecting buildings, infrastructure and transportation are outlined in the Draft Community Climate Change Action Plan that is undergoing a consultation process for the next 6 months. Information on the plan can be found at www.coolvancouver.ca

Mark Holland is a LEED accredited planner with professional training both in Landscape Architecture and Community and Regional Planning. He is a principal with one of BC's leading sustainable development planning firms, the Holland Barrs Planning Group, and works closely with both developers and municipalities to promote more sustainable and climate-friendly policies and practices.

July 8: A River Runs Through Us: History on the Fraser

The Fraser River has been a major maritime highway for decades. Join us on the MV Native paddlewheel boat to learn about the history of this mighty river and what is in store for the future.

Our guest speaker, Archie Miller, will provide an entertaining and informative commentary on the history of the region. Arthur is a well-known local historian with a Shaw TV series Secrets of the City – New Westminster and a weekly history column for The Record. Dale Miller will also be on hand to answer questions.

Several BCCR directors will talk about future projects along the route.

We hope you can join directors, members and guests for a social evening on the Fraser River.

September 16: High Speed Rail?: Is North America ready?

People are talking about high speed rail. Up and down the West Coast, from Vancouver to San Diego, along the East Coast stretching from New York to Miami and everywhere in between! Maps have been drawn, business cases presented, environmental studies completed, and ridership studies are underway. Is North America ready for high speed rail? Has the time finally come to move from the endless planning to serious implementation? One such opportunity lies close to home; the Calgary/Edmonton corridor. First considered in the early 1980s, this route is once again the subject of renewed interest due to a recently released study highlighting the positive economic viability and resulting benefits.

This month’s topic seeks to stimulate discussion on a few key issues particular to the North American high speed market: what is high speed rail and how will it work in the North American market? What are the unique challenges for North American technologies? What obstacles does high speed face?Who are the natural business partners for development? Is there a formula for success?

Lecia Stewart , Vice-President, High Speed Rail, North America at Bombardier Transportation, has spent the last two decades building business cases, forging partnerships, and negotiating contracts to deliver major urban transportation infrastructure projects. In addition, she leads the negotiating team for Bombardier Transportation for a $4.3 billion high speed rail project in Florida. She will share her experiences and key insights concerning the transportation arena - the issues, challenges and opportunities for high speed rail.

November 4: Hoop Dreams: Constructing the 2010 Olympic Games

We are very pleased to welcome Steve Matheson, Senior Vice President, Venue Development for the 2010 Winter Games as our next speaker. In this special presentation he will enlighten us about the plans for the Games venues such as when the design and construction contracts will be awarded, how the projects will be procured and the schedule for the works. In addition, he will describe the lessons learned from past Olympic Games including Athens.

Steve has spent many years in the Vancouver construction industry. Most recently he was Senior Vice President with Dominion Construction where he was responsible for such projects as General Motors Place , Richmond City Hall and Burnaby Mountain School.

You won’t want to miss this important event. Book early and avoid disappointment as space is limited.

December 2: Back to the FUture: Building BC's ENergy Infrastructure

Hon. Richard Neufeld, Minister of Energy and Mines

China ’s voracious appetite for resources is creating a new export demand in BC’s mining industry. At the same time a looming shortage and higher prices of energy supplies is creating opportunities in the oil and gas sector. Will this synergy provide unprecedented opportunities for the construction industry?

Our speaker, the Hon. Richard Neufeld, BC’s Minister of Energy and Mines will help us answer this question by telling us about the upcoming projects including offshore oil and gas and how our industry can take advantage of them. He will also discuss the relationship between major projects and economic growth, relevant government policies, funding sources and project timing as well as BC’s future and how the development of our cities and province compares with other parts of the world.

Richard Neufeld was first elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1991 and was appointed Minister of Energy and Mines on June 5, 2001. He has been involved in the oil and gas industry for most of his life mainly in Fort Nelson and Fort St. John where he currently resides.

December 15: Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell: Planning for Vancouver's FUture

As Vancouver prepares to welcome the world in 2010, a number of projects are planned to coincide with the construction of the Olympic facilities such as the new Convention Centre, the Woodwards development and South East False Creek. How will this increased activity in the construction industry impact on the residents of Vancouver and affect liveability in the city?

Join us at our year end reception and hear Vancouver Mayor Larry Campbell tell us about these plans that could change the City.

Mayor Campbell swept into office in 2002 as part of the left of centre COPE slate, upsetting almost 70 years of Non-Partisan Association control. Two years into his three year mandate, he can be credited with, among other things, opening Canada’s first safe injection site and holding a citywide referendum on the 2010 Winter Olympics to demonstrate support for the games.

January 27: Richmond/Airport/Vancouver Rapid Transit Project - A Status Report

The Richmond/Vancouver corridor is the principal north/south link in the regional transportation network and one of the busiest in the region. A rapid transit line in the corridor, which has long been part of the region’s plans, is now coming to fruition. Work is currently being completed on the project definition phase of the 20 km route linking Richmond and the Airport with Vancouver (RAVP). The RAVP is being advanced as a Public/Private Partnership (P3) with a completion date of 2009. A Request for Expressions of Interest (RFEI) was issued late last year, with responses due on January 30 2003. An RFP will be issued to short listed proponents in the first half of this year.

Our speaker, John Eastman, the Technical Director for RAVP, will present a status report on the project and will discuss the many challenges that will be faced by the project team. John is one of the region’s foremost transportation project managers. He is currently completing an assignment as President of RTP2000 Ltd, the project management team for the successful Millennium Line. John is also Chairman of N D Lea Consultants Ltd. Please join us for this important meeting on a major transportation project.

February 27: Peter Busby, Architect - Pilot of the Green Machine?

Vancouver is one of the World’s leading cities in building “green” infrastructure. The 2010 Olympic Athletes Housing in False Creek is being designed as a Model Sustainable Community and owners are increasingly insisting on buildings that conform to the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System.

Our speaker, Peter Busby, is an international authority in sustainable building design. His firm has received four Governor General Awards, six Lieutenant Governor Awards and over 40 other awards. Their York University Computer Science Centre was recently recognized with the World Architecture International Green Building Award. Don’t miss this chance to hear this renowned Architect discuss his vision of our sustainable future.

March 3: Annual General Meeting

Guest Speaker: Larry Beasley
From Canron to Condos: The continuing evolution of the City's waterfront

Larry Beasley, will talk about two significant land use planning exercises in which the City is currently involved. The South East False Creek Lands and the "East Fraser Lands", are being looked at as the next major areas of residential development in City lands that were previously industrial. South East False Creek has been designated by City Council as a model sustainable community. The East Fraser Lands comprising the Fraser River front lands between Boundary Road and Kerr Street, south of Marine Way are also being reviewed to establish a suitable mix of uses.

Mr. Beasley, as head of the Current Planning Division and Co-Director of Planning for the City of Vancouver, has been instrumental in leading the planning processes that have shaped previous successful major projects in the City, including the Concord Pacific project on the old Expo Site and the renewal of Coal Harbour and the Central Waterfront. He will talk about the City's major project planning process and the unique opportunities and challenges presented by these two current initiatives.

March 27: Joe Redmond - University Town

The University of British Columbia has grown dramatically from a few granite buildings at the tip of Point Gray to one of the most prestigious Universities in Canada, and perhaps North America. This growth continues both in academic and research excellence and in the development and construction of new facilities. Currently, there is approximately $450 Million of new institution projects planned or under development.

Recognizing the impact of this growth on the region, the University in conjunction with the GVRD, adopted an Official Community Plan in 1997 to act as a guide for future development on the campus. One of the strategies in this plan is the creation of a University Town – an academic and culturally rich, sustainable community, supported by housing, retail, commercial and recreational facilities. Plans envision the development of over 12,000 housing units, a retail commercial centre, a major transportation exchange, and the development of University Boulevard as the vibrant mixed-use campus core.

Joe Redmond is Vice President of UBC Properties Trust, and is involved directly in the development and construction of both the institutional projects at UBC, as well as the planning processes that will shape the University Town. He will speak on the history of the planning process, current projects, and revisions that have taken place in the administration of the development process.

April 24: Half Day Seminar - Rebuilding the Region

Feeling down about the World situation and your current business opportunities? The BCCR has just the answer, an informative seminar on the prospects for BC in general and specifics on some upcoming projects, all presented by exceptional, knowledgeable speakers.

Seminar Objectives:

To give participants an overview of major future design and construction projects, examine the relationship between major projects and engines of economic growth in BC, identify relevant government policies, funding sources and project timing and provide detailed information on several new opportunities.

Speakers included:
Helmut Pastrick	Chief Economist, BC Credit Union Central
Ardath Paxton Mann	Assistant Deputy Minister, Western Economic Diversification Canada
Larry Blaine	President and CEO, Partnerships BC
Frances Caruth (Bio)	Interim Corporate Director of Facilities Planning, Provincial Health Services Authority   Download Presentation
John Dyble	Assistant Deputy Minister, BC Ministry of Transportation
Russ Anthony	Stantec Consulting, Project Director, Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project (VCCEP)   Download Presentation

May 22: Steve Davis - BC's IPP Power Industry: New RUles, New Players, New Projects

Our speaker, Steve Davis is the President, Independent Power Producers Association. In the 10 years that he ran the capital project development subsidiaries of BC Gas and Ledcor, he developed and built over $200 million of power and utility facilitates including small hydro and biomass IPPs. He now provides strategic and commercial/financial advice to IPP developers, project financiers and companies providing technical services to IPPs, through his firm, Steve Davis & Associates Consulting Ltd.

His presentation covered six topics –

• overview of BC’s New Era power industry
• review of BC Hydro’s power procurement processes
• status of power projects with signed Electricity Purchase Agreements
• description of a run-of-river hydro power project
• review the power projects recently shortlisted and invited to respond to BC Hydro’s Call for Tenders
• outlook for shortlisted projects

June 19: The Fraser River Corridor -The Lower Mainland's Largest Road Infrastructure Initiatives

  Download Presentation

The lack of road capacity in the Fraser Valley contributes to major congestion for people commuting and to the movement of goods and services. This breakfast session of the BC Construction Roundtable will offer a look at the plans for improving the road network in this area.

Geoff Freer, Program Director, Fraser Gateway will talk about the four short term projects and six long term projects that make up the Fraser Gateway plan.

Fred Cummings, Project Director, Fraser River Crossing, will present the current status and schedule for these major transportation initiatives. The 200 St. Crossing is one of the four short term projects

Learn about the timelines, budgets and construction opportunities with these transportation initiatives.

July 15: Rail of Two Cities - Elevated Transit in Vancouver and Seattle

The genesis of elevated transit began in 1962 with the Monorail at Seattle World's Fair. Many feel that it was this nearby operating example of elevated transit that made it easier to conceive of this form of transportation when Vancouver decided to build the first SkyTrain Line for the World's Fair in 1986. And the presence of a successful example has come full circle, with a public vote in Seattle to build a 14 mile line of Monorail connecting the Downtown to West Seattle and Ballard. 

Our speaker, Alan Hart, Principal with VIA Architecture, is a past president of the BCCR. Last year at this time he was one of the guides on our successful tour of the Millennium Line for which he was chief Architect. He has since moved to Seattle as he and his team won the contract to design the high profile Seattle Monorail Project, despite the significant competition of several large American companies.

Alan will discuss how Rapid Transit, such as the Monorail Project can shape our cities, compare the Monorail to the Millennium Line and explain what it is like to live and work in the USA. Join us for what promises to be a fascination story of how a small, talented Vancouver company can win a high profile contract in the USA, and what it is like to be a Canadian living there after the war on Iraq.

September 22: Jumping through the Olympic Hoops! - Your Guide to Construction Gold

David Podmore is President and Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Concert Properties Ltd. Mandated to provide economically priced, multi-family rental and for-sale housing in British Columbia, Concert Properties Ltd. was created through a unique partnership including the City of Vancouver, the Province of British Columbia, BC pension funds, unionized labour, private corporations and individuals, and with an initial capitalization of $27.3 million.

With Concert Properties as a Community Contributor to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Bid Committee, David was the Team Leader of Venue Development, guiding preliminary planning for more than $600 million in new infrastructure planned for the 2010 Olympic Bid.

This breakfast seminar offers a wonderful opportunity to hear David's unique perspective on the process leading up to Vancouver's successful bid and to find out about the construction projects that will be required to host the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and Whistler.

October 23: Doubling Delta - The Port Expansion

Huge growth is being planned for the Vancouver Port container business over the next 15-20 years. How will this growth be accommodated? And what will this mean for the construction industry? Mark Griggs will talk about the future of the Vancouver Port development in Burrard Inlet and in Delta at Roberts Bank. He will provide specifics on the plans for the expansion at Roberts Bank including the size and scope of the operation and what opportunities there will be for the construction industry. 

Mark Griggs is Manager of the Container Development Group, a division of the Vancouver Port Authority. The Container Development Group is responsible for the planning and development of Port Vancouver's container terminal facilities including expansions to existing facilities as well as the development of new terminals. Prior to joining the Vancouver Port Authority, Mark worked as a project manager on a variety of industrial, commercial and resort projects throughout Western Canada, Australia and South East Asia.

November 20: Abbotsford Hospital - Will This be a Cure for what Ails P3s?

The new 300-bed hospital and cancer centre will be the largest development project ever undertaken in Abbotsford. Construction is scheduled to begin next year and be completed by the end of 2007. For the past 2 years, the development team has explored opportunities for increased involvement of the private sector in the design, development, operations and maintenance of the project. This has resulted in the decision to proceed with the project using a P3 approach. 

Our speaker, Michael Marasco is the Chief Project Officer for Partnerships BC, Prior to this; he was a Vice President of Hospital Development with the Fraser Health Authority, which cares for the 1.3 million residents in the southwestern area of British Columbia. A Certified Management Accountant by profession, Michael has extensive experience in real estate, strategic and operational planning, marketing and sales, and information systems.

He will provide specifics on the size, scope and status of the project, and describe the many opportunities for the construction industry.

December 10: Member's Reception - with special guest Architect Bing Thom

Ho! Ho! Ho! You are invited to our annual Festive Season Social and Networking event. This is a chance to meet with other members of the Construction Roundtable and chat informally about the construction business over light fare and a drink. 

Our special guest, Bing Thom, is an internationally renowned architect. To help launch our theme for 2004, Foundations for the Futures, Bing will share his experiences about working in other cities and tell us how Vancouver is shaping up!!

Bing Thom is the principal of Bing Thom Architects Inc., a firm he founded in 1980 in Vancouver. Among his many award winning projects and innovative designs are the Canada Pavilion for Expo '92 in Seville, Spain; the Chan Centre for Performing Arts at UBC, the expansion of the Vancouver Aquarium and Marine Science Centre and the redevelopment of the Hotel Georgia expansion, which is slated to be Vancouver's tallest building.

January 24: Fredericton - Moncton Highway: Relevance to BC?

Robin Johnston will review the highlights of the Fredericton - Moncton Highway project and the application of some of the processes to future BC infrastructure development.

The $600 million project is a recently commissioned toll facility implemented as a Public-Private Partnership in New Brunswick. It is a key link in the Maritime Trans Canada Highway system and was initiated to improve the efficiency of goods movement and the safety of the travelling public.

Robin has been a leading member of the project team since its formation five years ago.

Robin is a principal of Collings Johnston Inc., a technical management consultant. Collings Johnston Inc. provides the interface between project owners, their stakeholders and specialist disciplines. It advises senior management on procedural matters; it appraises project feasibility and develops and co-ordinates the delivery processes on publicly and/or privately financed transportation initiatives.

February 28: Redevelopment of Vancouver General Hospital

Vancouver General Hospital contracted with Mark Betteridge & Associates (MBA) Inc. and with Davidson Yuen Simpson Architects to manage the rezoning of its lands and to create business plans, risk analyses and financing alternatives to create the medical technology park and associated facilities.

Vancouver City Council has approved the rezoning that will permit 645,000 sq. ft. of medical technology space, renovation of the 1906 Heather Heritage Pavilion, creation of more than 7 acres of open space, redevelopment of the former Nurses Residence site for a range of residential uses and the inclusion of retail space throughout the development. While not strictly part of the rezoning, the Hospital intends to see construction of the 365,000 sq. ft. Academic Ambulatory Care Centre occur soon.

Mark Betteridge and Ron Yuen will give a presentation on the next phases of the project and the potential timeline for completion.

March 7: Beyond Partnering - Alliance Contracts

Vancouver-based mining company Teck Cominco operates Red Dog, the world's largest zinc mine, in a remote area of northwest Alaska, north of the Arctic Circle.

In early 2000, Teck Cominco, Vancouver-based engineers AMEC E&C Services and Anchorage-based contractor NANA/VECO signed an Alliance Contract to engineer, procure and construct the $US 105 million Value Improvement Project (VIP) Mill Optimization based on an ambitious, 22-month schedule from conception to start-up.

Working as an integrated organization, the project team was able to take advantage of innovative construction techniques, such as modularization in Anchorage, and bring the project in on budget and meet the extremely tight shipping windows for delivery of equipment and material to site.

VIP Mill Optimization Project Manager Steve Ciccone will present a project overview and insights on the challenges and opportunities afforded by Alliance contracting - an open book, single team approach that seeks to break down the barriers between owner, consultant and contractor to achieve outstanding performance. Teck Cominco General Manager of Projects, Bob Hutchinson, will be on hand to answer questions regarding the Owner's perspective on this unique method of project delivery.

March 18: Annual General Meeting

Guest Speaker: John Furlong
Vancouver Whistler 2010 Bid Corporation
Bidding for the Olympic Winter Games

John Furlong, Chief Operating Officer with the 2010 Bid Corporation, will bring us a behind-the-scenes and up to the minute look at the ongoing and complex undertaking of the Winter Games bid: what is involved, what has transpired to date, what more is to be done, what will the Games mean to the BC Economy in general and the BC Construction industry in particular.

Mr. Furlong is a resident of Richmond, BC. A member of the Canadian Olympic Association, Mr. Furlong has served as co-chair of the BC Summer and Winter Games and Sport BC. He founded the Northern BC Winter Games Society and was a BC Mission Staff member for seven Canada Games.

Mr. Furlong has served as chair of the Richmond General Hospital and the Richmond Health Alliance. He is the former head of Physical Education at Prince George College and was a trustee at Vancouver Community College. He has been recognized with both the Darrel Thompson and Kaizan Awards for service to sport in BC over a lifetime.

April 25: Vancouver Transit Strategy

Transit, transportation and traffic affect everyone living in the city and visiting the city. Moving goods and people is a challenge at the best of times but in a city without freeways and subways it is even more difficult. But Vancouver is taking the approach that all modes of transportation - cars, buses, bicycles, walking - can and should be part of an overall transportation strategy.

City of Vancouver staff have presented a report to Council proposing a long term transit strategy for Vancouver composed of the following elements:

• an updated and expanded local and express bus system
• a downtown streetcar with a possible at grade extension along the Arbutus Corridor to Kerrisdale and Marpole
• extension of the Millennium line as a subway from Vancouver Community College along Central Broadway to Granville
• a regional transit subway linking Vancouver, Richmond and Vancouver Airport

Dave Rudberg, General Manager of Engineering Services for the City of Vancouver, will present this strategy to members and guests of the Construction Roundtable.

Find out about opportunities for the construction industry, whether P3's are part of the scenario and what the timeline is for the various elements.

May 23: Knowledge Management: A Productivity Tool for Construction - Fact or Fiction?

Knowledge and innovation are key drivers of the economy. In the changing construction industry clients will be demanding more than low bids. P3's will require a knowledgeable team able to share and learn.

Knowledge management can be rendered as: "People know stuff and we need to encourage them to share it in a useful and productive manner so we don't constantly re-invent ourselves - only then can we get on with the fun and innovative creation of new knowledge".

Can you tell the difference between data, information, and knowledge? Shouldn't you be able to?

Michelle Sharp, President of Edge Training and Consulting Ltd., will give us an introduction to knowledge management and its potential for your company. Michelle has worked with many of your customers: BC Gas, BC Hydro Lehigh Cement, and Ministries of Health, Forests and Education.

In the next 2 weeks she will be e-mailing a short survey to identify your concerns. She will use this as the basis for her presentation to us on May 23. Please take the time to respond to her e-mail. It will be from msim@edgeltd.com Don't delete it - reply to it and come out on May 23 to see what is on the industry's mind.

June 20: Crossing the Line: Expanding your Business across the Border

As established Vancouver firms have looked for further growth and stability, many have looked south to the Seattle region to seek opportunity. While we share much in terms of culture and geography with our Cascadia neighbours, there are significant differences in the legal, professional, and business practices between the two markets. Come and join us for a round table discussion with a Vancouver-based engineer and a (now) Seattle-based architect along with a lawyer and taxation expert.

Alan Hart is a principal of VIA Architecture (formerly Baker McGarva Hart). With offices is Vancouver and Seattle, VIA provides architecture, planning, transit and resort consulting services to private and public sector clients in North America, Asia and Europe. Alan will provide an overview of how a medium sized professional firm has approached its efforts in establishing an office in the United States, with regards to co-orienting project documentation, resource management, and project delivery procedures, while still maintaining the firm’s culture. Furthermore, Alan will provide some insightful observations and experiences with regards to relocating personnel to the United States.

Ian Rokeby joined the Earth Tech Vancouver office in 1998 as Division Manager of the Transportation Department. He is a civil engineer with over 20 years experience in process facilitation, decision analysis, engineering design, and project management for major transportation projects. Following Earth Tech’s acquisition of the former Reid Crowther & Partners Ltd. in 2000, Ian was assigned management responsibility for Earth Tech’s Transportation Engineering practice in Washington State as well as British Columbia. He will provide an overview of the insights gained regarding market opportunities and challenges, and some useful insights into the difficulties of market expansion.

July 25: Build It and They will Come!!!: A Ride on the Millennium Line

Be one of the first people to ride on the new Millennium Line. The Board of Directors of the BC Construction Roundtable invite you and a guest to join them on the new SkyTrain for a private tour of the route before it opens to the general public on September 3, 2002.

The tour will take you from the Lougheed Mall Station to the Commercial Station and back. During the Skytrain ride Alan Hart, Lead Architect, will provide an ongoing commentary on the stations explaining the design and construction processes involved with their formation.

Alan Hart is a principle of VIA Architecture (formerly Baker McGarva Hart) and provided the design management services to Rapid Transit Project 2000 Ltd. for the station design process.

Following the tour there will be a reception and dinner at the Executive Plaza. Representatives from architectural firms who designed the various stations, will be with us to answer your questions during the pre-dinner reception.

After dinner John Eastman will present an overview of the Millennium Project giving us a behind the scenes tour of how the project was built. John Eastman is the Project Director and President of Rapid Transit Project 2000 Ltd. and has been involved with the project since its beginnings.

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn about the new Millennium Line from the people who designed and built it.

September 26: Seymour-Capilano Filtration Project: Is it all Wet?

Doug Neden will review the highlights of the proposed Drinking Water Treatment Project scheduled to be constructed by the GVRD. This $450 million project to treat water from the Capilano and Seymour Reservoirs on Vancouver’s north shore, has two components. One is a filtration plant below the Seymour Falls Dam located south east of Rice Lake within the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve. The other is construction of twin 3.5m diameter bored tunnels each about 7.5 km long to bring water from Capilano Dam to the filtration plant and return it after treatment. A pumping station will be located at Capilano together with an energy recovery facility at the end of the return tunnel.

Doug is the Water Treatment Division Manager of the GVRD's Engineering and Construction Department, and has been leading the Water Treatment Program since he joined the GVRD in 1988. The first 19 years of Doug's career were in the water and wastewater consulting field. Doug has Civil and Environmental Engineering degrees. He is a past director of the American Water Works Association, and a past president of the BC Water & Waste Association.

Come and learn the details about this project such as when design consultants will be selected and when the construction portion will be tendered. The project is to be complete by 2007 with construction beginning next year.

Don’t be caught high and dry. Join us September 26th.

October 24: Offshore Oil and Gas Development - The Next Bonanza?

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By some estimates, BC's offshore oil and gas resources are equal to or greater than those in the northeast of the Province, and represent a significant potential economic opportunity. Development of the resources could be of great benefit to the construction industry and other sectors of the Province's economy. However, this potential must also be assessed in light of critical environmental, social and aboriginal issues that could affect possible development.

Our speaker, Patrick O'Rourke, will review the current status of offshore oil and gas development on the British Columbia coast. He will cover key topics including current estimates of reserves in the offshore, the history of exploration activities, the source and nature of the existing provincial and federal moratoria and how they would be removed, recent actions by the BC government to advance the issue, and anticipated next steps that could lead to renewed exploration and development.

Mr. O'Rourke as the Assistant Deputy Minister, Policy and Legislation Division, provincial Ministry of Energy and Mines, is the senior executive in charge of the offshore file. He is a lawyer with broad experience in administrative and regulatory law, and has an extensive background in negotiating complex agreements with the federal government and aboriginal groups.

November 24: Improving the Sea to Sky Highway: Is this the Industry's Yellow Brick Road?

The Ministry of Transportation is planning long-awaited safety and reliability improvements to the Sea-to-Sky Highway. Future transportation supply and demand has been carefully studied, and local governments and key stakeholders consulted, with the goal of providing a viable, long-term transportation solution for this corridor. While the precise scope of the project remains to be finalized, it is anticipated that up to $670 million will be invested in corridor improvements between now and 2010.

Our speaker, Peter Milburn is the Executive Project Director for the Sea to Sky Project. During his 19 years with the Ministry, his road and bridge construction highlights have included construction and project management of the Tyee Overhead and elements of the Coquihalla Highway. Most recently Peter was the Regional Director for the Kootenays, responsible for more than 12,000 lane-km of roads, 500 bridges and structures and a $84 Million budget.

December 18: December Members’ Reception with special guest Councillor Peter Ladner

Come one, come all! You are invited to our annual Christmas Social and Networking event. This is a chance to meet with other members of the Construction Roundtable and chat informally about the construction business.

Our special guest, Peter Ladner, was recently elected to Vancouver City Council. To help launch our theme for 2003, Rebuilding the Region, Peter will share with us some of his visions for Vancouver and the region.

January 18: Project Update: Port Moody-Coquitlam SkyTrain Line

The $730 million Port Moody-Coquitlam (PMC) SkyTrain line will link the current SkyTrain construction project at Lougheed Mall with Coquitlam Town Centre. The 11-km long section will contain five stations and consist of a tunnel and both at-grade and elevated guideway. Preliminary engineering is currently underway and is expected to be completed in early spring. The design and budget will then be submitted to Treasury Board. Once approved, construction could commence one year later. It will then take a further two to three years to complete the line.

Our speaker, Lecia Stewart, was appointed President and Project Director of Vancouver's SkyTrain rapid transit project in December 1997. The $1.2 billion dollar initiative is the largest infrastructure project in the history of the province with a mandate to double the size of Greater Vancouver's rapid transit network. Ms. Stewart has directed the strategic, business and implementation plans for the project. She has led a ground floor start-up of all financial, corporate and operational systems and has full responsibility for both the design and construction phases. In addition she has assembled and led a highly qualified and experienced team through a period of sweeping governance and political changes.

Ms Stewart will provide us with an update on the project and the business opportunities that are expected to become available to the construction industry.

February 22: Globalization: And the BC Construction Industry

The BC Construction Roundtable is hosting a true Roundtable interactive discussion for members and guests this month on the effect of Globalization on the operations of construction companies in BC

This session invites members to talk in an informal environment about the effects, direct and indirect, the subtle impacts, and the changes globalization has brought to the construction industry - from engineers to architects to owners. Talk about the adoption procedures of your company and whether competitive advantages are being obtained. Come and Participate.

March 29: Annual General Meeting - Trends in the B.C. Economy

Business in Vancouver Media Group president and editor-in-chief Peter Ladner will talk about how the BC economy is changing, based on insights from Business in Vancouver's coverage of the local business scene. Combining anecdotal information with measurable indicators, he'll pinpoint the bright spots and the prospects for improvement, along with some under-the-radar trends that will impact the BC economy and the Construction Industry over the next five years.

Peter Ladner is a co-founder and former publisher of the weekly newspaper Business in Vancouver, Greater Vancouver's leading source of local business news. The BIV Media Group also runs a website at www.businessinvancouver.com, publishes 12 annual directories, the Western Investor commercial real estate monthly, the Employment Paper weekly, and sells Contacts2000, a business leads database for Greater Vancouver. He has written extensively for various national and regional publications, been a regular guest on various TV and radio programs, and is a frequent speaker on BC business issues. He is a director of Leadership Vancouver, the UBC Alumni Association and the International Association of Area Business Publications.

April 19: Another "Thrilla" in Manila?

International Projects are usually thrilling and the Manila Light Rail Transit Project will be no exception. In September 2000, SNC-Lavalin signed a Joint Venture agreement with the Government of the Philippines to jointly develop a 12-km light rail transit system to serve the southern area of Metro Manila. This US$850 million project is being developed as a public/private partnership (P3) with SNC-Lavalin being responsible for financing, designing and constructing the works. Design work has already begun with revenue service scheduled to begin by 2004.

Our speaker, Robert (Bob) N. Tribe, is an Executive Vice-President of SNC-Lavalin and President of the Transportation Division. His past achievements include management of the Vancouver SkyTrain System, BC Transit's capital works projects and Project Director for the Kuala Lumpur LRT-2 System. Please join us for what promises to be a fascinating glimpse at how major international projects develop and find out if it can happen here.

May 31: "What is that dreadful sucking sound???"

It's your energy dollars going down the drain as costs go through the roof!

There has to be a better solution - solar, wind, photovoltaics, geo-thermal? Perhaps, but these might be too exotic. There are intelligent solutions available now for us to make better use of the energy in our built environment.

Douglas Spratt of Earth Tech will lay out the issues, the drivers, the alternatives, the responses and the incentive programs. Doug, a manager at Earth Tech, is just finishing up his MBA. His expertise in the energy field includes energy management, computerized control strategies and sustainable design. Doug is leading a district energy supply initiative for the company, and has a number of institutional clients.

Mario Seneviratne of Keen Engineering will discuss Keen's experiences with the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) of the US Green Building Council which is the very likely standard that will be followed in BC. Mario has over 25 years of experience in design, construction and maintenance of commercial and industrial facilities. His work experience, primarily in North America and Asia, covers a wide range of projects within the commercial, institutional and industrial sectors.

June 28: Neural Network! - The Lower Mainland's hi-tech spine!

No it's not a fibre optic cable, it's the Tech-Corridor along the Millennium Rapid Transit Line.

This half-day seminar will feature speakers from municipalities and the industry who are developing projects to attract tech companies. From the urban experience of living and working in the Vancouver Flats, the suburban experience of biking or walking through the Lake City campus or working in a turn of the century brick warehouse in New Westminster, this old industrial corridor, catalyzed by Rapid Transit, is about to transform into one of the most attractive, most diverse tech assembly in North America. Rich with power supply, adjacent to a mix of affordable housing, nearby significant post secondary educational institutions and easy to get to by bike, foot, car, bus or elevated light rail, the ingredients are all here for success for a regional initiative.

The program included the following topics and speakers:

George Hunter of the BC Technology Industry Association gave an Overview of the Corridor

Architects Alan Hart and Graham McGarva spoke on the New Industries Corridor

Ian Smith, a senior planner with the City of Vancouver and Bob Laurie of Finning Lands talked about the planning and development of the False Creek Flats

Jack Belhouse, City of Burnaby, and Alan Witchelo of Bentall Developments talked about the New Industry at Lake City

Mary Pynenberg with the City of New Westminster spoke on the tech industry in this city

Jhon Hougan and Jorg Stangl talked about Supplying Power to the corridor

August 23: August Social - A Night at the Theatre : Tony n' Tina's Wedding

The Directors of the BC Construction Roundtable would like to invite you to a summer wedding - Hoarse Raven Theatre's small hit comedy Tony n' Tina's Wedding.

The Wedding begins with a traditional, but hilarious wedding ceremony at St. Andrew's Wesley Church. At the church, audience members, who are greeted as wedding guests, will meet all the show's colourful characters: the feuding families of contractors Nunzio and Bitale, the best friends of the bride and groom, the charismatic Minister and the brooding ex-boyfriend.

After the ceremony, the wedding guests and wedding party move next door to the Century Plaza Hotel & Spa for the Wedding Reception. This evening of celebration includes dancing, singing, a Vegas-style lounge act and, of course, a sumptuous Italian dinner. At the reception, wedding guests get a chance to mingle with cast members. Some wedding guests get drawn into lovers' quarrels, family disagreements and the odd arranged marriage.

The producers of the show advise audience members to keep their eyes and ears open at all times; they guarantee this is one wedding where anything can happen.

What the Critics have said . . .

"The more you play, the more fun you have!"

"Outrageously funny!"

"A wedding like no other we've attended"

September 27: I've Looked at the Lions From Both Sides Now

The Lions Gate Bridge project is nearing completion and the users will soon enjoy the benefit of wider vehicle lanes and a safer pedestrian and cyclist route.

The upgrading of the bridge involved the replacement of 54 new panels of roadway changed one at a time during off-peak periods. The technical challenges for the engineers, fabricators and erector working on this unique repair job were enormous.

Gordon Ward Hall P. Eng., retired Group Vice President of Canron Construction Corp. will share his knowledge of the planning and techniques involved in the fabrication and erection of the bridge panels. During his career in key positions with Canron and Dominion Bridge Gordon has been involved as fabricator and erector of many bridge projects throughout the continent including The Alex Fraser Crossing and Mission Bridge in the lower mainland. Gordon now has his own consulting company that allows him to share his vast experience with the industry.

October 18: Fear of Flying - Designing Safer Airports

The tragic events of September 11 have put a major focus on airport security and strategies for improving public safety and security at airports around the world. Stanis Smith, President and CEO of Vancouver's Architectura and Director, Airports Council International will tell us how these events and new regulations will impact airport design.

Architectura's airport experience extends to over 30 airports around the world including Vancouver, Edmonton, Ottawa, Heathrow, Chicago O'Hare & Midway, Detroit, Jamaica, Bermuda, etc. This 100-person Vancouver firm also specializes in commercial and community projects, educational facilities and retail store design. Architectura offers architectural, interior, planning and graphic design services to a broad base of local and international clients.

November 22: Public-Private Partnerships and the BC Infrastructure Agenda

On November 22, the BC Construction Roundtable organized an informative and instructive seminar especially relevant to these times - Public-Private Partnerships in Meeting Infrastructure Needs.

The seminar's objectives were:
To provide value to industry by:

• P3 education: recent varied applications; do's and don'ts
• Providing an opportunity for government agenda with respect to P3's
• Gaining profile for BCCR to lead public discussion on P3's

December 13: Ride the Rails!

The first phase of the Millenium Line is scheduled to open in December, 2001.

Ron Aitken, Director of Project Management for Bombardier Inc. - Transit Systems, will talk about the new SkyTrain line and the new vehicles which have been built at the Centre for Advanced Transportation Systems (CATS) in Burnaby. He will also speak about what Bombardier is planning for the future in BC.

As an engineer, project manager and project director, Mr. Aitken has accumulated over 20 years of experience in progressively increasing responsibility with Bombardier Transit Systems. He has been a major player in most of Bombardier's largest, most complex automated (driverless) systems and turnkey projects.

Prior to joining Bombardier he worked for UTDC Inc. in Kingston, Ontario on various transit projects. Mr. Aitken is also the co-inventor of the Ronlol direct fixation rail fastener.

January 13: The Day the Earth Moved! Constructing for Earthquakes

There are a number of enduring lessons that are common to many of the most significant earthquakes that have affected urban areas in recent years. These lessons can be very valuable in helping us understand the nature of earthquakes and develop action plans to minimize the seismic risk of our existing infrastructure.

In our first event of 2000, Professor Carlos Ventura will discuss the lessons learned from earthquakes around the world during the last 50 years. The presentation will include a number of examples of how different construction systems behave during earthquakes and what can be done to improve the seismic resistance of those systems that are considered "bad performers" during severe earthquakes. A brief overview of new systems for seismic protection of existing construction will also be provided.

Dr. Ventura is a Civil Engineer with specializations in structural dynamics and earthquake engineering. He has been a faculty member of the Department of Civil Engineering at the University of BC since 1992. Currently, he is the director of the Earthquake Engineering Research Facility at UBC. His consulting work focused on vibration problems in structural engineering, and on earthquake damage and risk assessment in seismically active zones of the Pacific Rim.

January 27: Surrey City Centre Development: Planning for the Future

Surrey is British Columbia's fastest growing community, but to date it has been unable to develop a viable city centre. The Surrey City Centre development is the result of a powerful partnership between the Province, the City of Surrey, the Technical University of British Columbia and the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia. The central concept of the first phase of this project is the integration of TechBC, Canada's newest public university, with a large new office complex and an existing regional shopping centre to create a dynamic city centre for Surrey. Through harnessing the energy of a major transportation node with significant new development, the next few years will see a lively city centre emerge in North Surrey.

Bing Thom is leading a team of consultants in the planning and development. Bing Thom Architects Inc. (BTA) has been helping developers, institutions, communities and individuals to successfully develop, advocate and realize their building aspirations since 1980. Clients' projects have been the recipient of prestigious design awards including the Governor General Medal and Lieutenant Governor's Medal for Architecture. The Canada Pavilion at Expo '92 in Seville, considered the most popular on the site, experienced lineups of up to seven hours and was the only international pavilion of 110 participants to be retained as a legacy building.

February 17: Vancouver Port Authority - Plan for Expansion

Vancouver Port Authority (VPA) is proceeding with plans to build a new cruise berth at Canada Place in time for the 2003 cruise season. VPA will provide the $79 million in funding required for the project with support from the cruise industry. During the 2000 cruise season, the port expects to welcome more than one million revenue cruise passengers, an increase of 8.5% over last year.

Port Vancouver, which has a natural deep-water harbour, is the largest port in Canada and on the west coast of North America. A world class port with modern facilities, it is home to 20 major cargo terminals and other marine-related terminals. As Canada's principal gateway for trade with countries in the Asia Pacific region, the port is a major generator of jobs and value for the Canadian economy. It is estimated that the port generates some 17,300 jobs with about 10,700 in direct employment.

In March of 1999, the Canada Marine Act established a new environment and way of doing business for Canada's major ports. Now no longer a part of the Canada Ports Corporation, Port Vancouver has much greater autonomy and flexibility to operate according to business principles and to make investment decisions to the port's overall benefit.

Tim Glasheen is Director, Engineering and Maintenance for the Vancouver Port Authority and is responsible for the construction of the Canada Place cruise ship terminal expansion. Ann Barker, Project Manager for the Delta Port project, will address the Pod 3 expansion.

March 22: Top Down Construction

Skilling Ward Magnusson Barkshire recently took a very unusual step for an engineering firm. They invited a builder to become a key part of their 116-person engineering staff. Chris Raftery is the firm's new "Director of Integrated Engineering". Industry trends predict a blurring of the lines between design and construction, and Chris will use his unique perspective to discuss successful strategies and methods. He will share his insights into why the merging of construction techniques with design techniques is critically important to the delivery of successful projects in the future. Using first-hand, real-life examples, Chris will offer tips, suggestions, and ideas towards a more successful and dynamic design and construction process. He will also be highlighting 'top down construction' which is a new construction method to reduce construction time by building high rise towers in both directions at the same time.

Skilling Ward Magnusson Berkshire is a Seattle based structural and civil engineering firm that has won several awards and has done over $25 billion (US) in projects.

April 27: Construction Management: A new look at an old process

Construction Management, as a way of hiring a building contractor, has been around for a long time; perhaps it is more the traditional way that the client, the contractor and the designer worked together. In more recent times Government clients have tended to shy away from this method of procurement in favour of an overall low bid and stipulated sum contract. Recently however, BCBC has moved back to construction management as their preferred method of contracting for large projects. In this presentation our speaker will explain why we are doing this and what we perceive to be the benefits.

David Peter is a registered Architect and Director of Project Management at BC Buildings Corporation. He graduated from the University of Liverpool and worked in the U.K. on several University buildings before emigrating to Canada in 1974. He formed his own practice in Calgary in 1977 and ran a successful practice until 1986. He then worked with Alberta Public works as a Project Manager and moved to BCBC in 1989. With BCBC he is responsible for the design and construction of all major projects which, in the last few years have included the renovations to St Ann's academy in Victoria and the new North Fraser Pretrial Centre in Coquitlam.

May 25: Successfully Navigating the Proposal Process

BCCR members surveyed overwhelmingly requested a seminar on the Proposal Process. As a response to this request we have brought together experts to discuss how to initiate an RFP, how to successfully respond to an RFP, how to evaluate a response to the RFP and the legal aspects/potential liability of an RFP.

As an interactive forum, we encourage questions and comments by our members and guests. This is an opportunity to learn from experts in this field and also by the experiences of your associates.

August 23: Water Views of Landed Projects: A Dinner Cruise Around Vancouver's New Neighbourhoods

Come on a cool cruise for a different perspective on three of the city's hot spots with members of the Roundtable. Find out -

• What is really taking place on the Lion's Gate Bridge?
• What Concord Pacific is planning for the balance of its property?
• What the City is planning for a sustainable community in South East False Creek?

Our tour leaders will include:
A representative from the Lion's Gate Bridge project who will talk about the work schedule for replacement of the 62 year old bridge's deck.

David Negrin VP of Development & Design for Concord Pacific will talk about the completion of Vancouver's most urban neighbourhood and answer questions on how the Brush with Illumination actually works.

Larry Beasley, Co-Director of Planning for Vancouver will tell us how the city is balancing the competing interests of South East False Creek. Will we really be getting an urban forest or a carless community?

Bring your partner, your friends and colleagues to the Roundtable's major social event of the year!

September 21: UBC Community Plan: A New Neighbourhood for an Old Institution

Start off the fall season by going back to school. Learn about the changes that are afoot at the University of British Columbia from Al Poettcker, the President and CEO of UBC Properties Trust.

The Official Community Plan (OCP) for UBC, prepared by the GVRD in consultation with UBC, was formally adopted in 1997. The growth strategy embodied in the GVRD's Livable Region Strategic Plan is the basis of the OCP. The OCP contains a land use plan, which establishes generalized land uses and densities. It includes policies and other criteria for new development in areas of the Campus, which are presently undeveloped. The OCP designates eight local areas for development, which comprise areas of significant non-institutional development and areas of some sensitivity.

The new Comprehensive Community Plan (CCP) undertakes the planning of the eight local areas, concurrent with preparing servicing and other related strategies. Part of the plan involves the creation of a University Village which will include 9 million square feet of buildable area, 20% of which will be rental housing and the balance market housing. Up to 80% of the 6900 units will be built by the private sector.

Find out more about the planning for the design and construction of a new neighbourhood among the ivory towers and the opportunities this creates.

October 19: Structuring for Success - Team Building for RFPs

The first half of this seminar held in May, outlined how to successfully respond to an RFP. This seminar is a response to our members' request for more information on building successful project teams.

Bring your colleagues to this informative session. It is an opportunity to learn from experts in this field and also from the experiences of your associates.

November 23: Simon Fraser University: A Place to Live!

Simon Fraser University, through the Burnaby Mountain Community
Corporation, is proposing a complete new community on approximately 200 acres of land surrounding the Burnaby Campus. When completed, this community will offer up to 4500 homes, along with new shops, services, schools, parks and other amenities. The university is committed to developing a more sustainable community, which will be integrated with the campus facilities.

Based on an official community plan and zoning bylaw approved in 1996, there is a development potential for up to 4.75 million square feet of residential and/or commercial development. This is in addition to potential university expansion of a further 2.75 million square feet.

Michael Geller is President of the Burnaby Mountain Community Corporation. Prior to joining the University last November, he was active in planning and property development throughout the lower mainland. Some of his notable projects include the redevelopment of the Westin Bayshore property, planning and approvals for the new community at Furry Creek, redevelopment of the BC Packers Lands in Steveston, Deering Island in Vancouver, and the failed Spetifore Lands proposal.

In his remarks, Geller will address the recent comments by Arthur Erickson, focusing on both the areas of agreement, and disagreement. Given the significant environmental challenges of building on a mountaintop, and the importance of SFU as an architectural landmark, this project is being watched by many!

December 11 : Construction Industry Prosperity - The B.C. Liberal Perspective?

British Columbia, known for its natural beauty, abundant resources and temperate climate remains a very desirable place to live, however, numerous businesses which support the populous have opted to leave the province due to increasing challenges faced in obtaining reasonable returns on investment. The local design and construction industries are among those businesses that are struggling to maintain existence within a flat economy.

The BC Liberal Party is focussed on restoring hope and prosperity to British Columbia. They recognize that some of our optimism has been lost. Concerns regarding health care and education which are necessary to support our families are being addressed with sustainable plans, but what about attracting and maintaining businesses in B.C

Gary Farrell-Collins, MLA for Vancouver-Little Mountain is the Official Opposition House Leader and Critic for Finance. Previously he has served as critic for Social Services, Labour and Consumer Services, including WCB and Employment & Investment

In his address to the BC Construction Roundtable, Farrell-Collins will identify the economic restructuring initiatives proposed by the BC Liberal Party, in particular, those affecting the design and construction industries. Following the presentation, opportunity to exchange views and provide input for consideration directly to Farrell-Collins will be conducted in forum style.

Contaminated Sites Legislation

Sustainable Construction

Dr. Ray Cole, UBC, & Eva Matsuzaki, Matsuzaki Wright Architects.

Annual General Meeting & "Headed toward the cliff?.... making and driving strategic change!" Dr. David Cawood.

Constructing the Future.

George Seaden, National Research Council's Institute for Research in Construction,

Guide to Happy Projects

Dr. Alan Russell UBC will provide a commentary on the Roundtable's first publication; a detailed activity list for a typical commercial residential project from concept to commissioning.

Internet Opportunities for the Construction Industry

Trenchless Technology Update

Kobe earthquake: Lessons for BC Construction

Californias SR91 Toll Road Project- A successful Public Private Partnership?

Harbour 2000--Cruise Vancouver Harbour.

Are the Condos really crumbling? What is the responsible solution?

Tour of Annacis Treatment Plant.

A "partnered" project.

Hibernia Gravity Base Structure? .....the True Story!!!

Quality Management in Design and Construction. Can ISO 9000 help?

Founding Meeting

Vancouver Aitport Redevelopment

Tour of GM Place; Meeting with Capital Project Coordination Branch

Developers perspective on construction technology
Ben Barron, Marathon Realty

Design in construction
Michele Guest, Design Vancouver

Partnering at Ballantyne Pier
Peter Smith, Vancouver Port Corp.