Member News

HHCA names Larry, Dale and Wynn McDonald to 2026 Construction Hall of Fame The HHCA has announced that Larry, Dale, and Wynn McDonald of Ira McDonald Construction will be inducted into the 2026 Construction Hall of Fame. The honour recognizes the brothers’ decades of leadership and their lasting impact on both the company and the Hamilton‑Halton construction community. Founded in 1941, Ira McDonald Construction has grown into a respected construction management and general contracting firm serving Southern Ontario across the industrial, commercial, institutional, and healthcare sectors. The Hall of Fame induction will be formally presented at the HHCA’s 106th [...]

Trades recruitment takes on new urgency says Hamilton HVAC executive A Hamilton‑based HVAC executive is warning that skilled trades recruitment is becoming increasingly urgent as Canada prepares to move forward with multiple large‑scale infrastructure and industrial projects. Speaking during a recent trade‑focused event at a Hamilton secondary school, Lancaster Group business developer Aaron Gorka emphasized that workforce capacity may struggle to keep pace as major public and private investments ramp up across the country. Gorka stressed the importance of early engagement with students, contractors, unions, and project owners to ensure tradespeople are trained and ready when projects break ground. [...]

Notice to All Employers of LIUNA Local 183 Employees Doing Concrete and Drain Work Employers performing concrete and drain work with employees represented by LIUNA Local 183 are advised of a labour relations application that may affect collective bargaining in parts of Ontario. The Ontario Concrete and Drain Contractors Association (OCDCA) has applied to the Ontario Labour Relations Board to become an accredited employers’ organization for certain concrete and drain work in OLRB Areas 7, 11, 12, 27 and 29. Employers who may be affected are urged to confirm whether the application applies to them. Employers wishing to receive [...]

HOPA in discussions with feds on trade-enabling plan for Hamilton The Hamilton-Oshawa Port Authority (HOPA) is actively discussing a trade-enabling infrastructure plan with the federal government to strengthen Hamilton’s role in Great Lakes-area container import and export operations. Highlighted at the HHCA Construction Forecast event, federal budget support could help catalyze private investment and diversify Canada’s trade by expanding container transfer facilities and strengthening intermodal connections. HOPA representatives also outlined major projects like the Pier 14 wharf reconstruction in Hamilton and ongoing channel protection work in Oshawa, while noting recent achievements such as the direct intermodal rail link between [...]

City of Hamilton Aims to Address Public Works Gaps, Senior Manager tells HHCA The City of Hamilton is accelerating infrastructure investment to address a growing public works gap estimated at $5.2 billion over the next decade, city engineering officials told the HHCA Construction Forecast. Read the full press release here. With population growth expected to add roughly 236,000 residents by 2051, the city plans significant spending on roads, water, wastewater and transit assets, with more than 130 road projects mapped out over the next 15 years. The 2026 budget proposes increased funding year-over-year, including major undertakings like the $100 [...]

Halton Region Outlines Major Works Spending to Address Sustained Growth Halton Region joined our line-up of speakers at this year's HHCA Construction Forecast and unveiled plans for significant public works spending to support rapid population growth, with 2026 positioned as a major peak year for infrastructure investment. According to the region’s 25-year capital plan, near-term spending could top $7 billion over the next decade - including more than $1.18 billion in water, wastewater and transportation projects set for tender in 2026 alone. Projects underway and planned aim to expand linear infrastructure, treatment facilities, roadways and pumping stations to accommodate [...]

Hamilton surpasses $2B in construction value, but number of permits declining In October the City of Hamilton surpassed $2 billion in construction value for building permits, a new record reached five days earlier than in 2023. Mayor Andrea Horwath called the achievement proof of Hamilton’s growth and collaboration between builders, city staff, and developers. Click here for the press release. While this reflects strong investment, HHCA past president Ryan Kneisz spoke with the Daily Commercial News expressing concern and cautioned that the decline in permit numbers signals rising construction costs and economic pressures that could affect long-term growth. “The true measure [...]

Hall of Fame Inductees are committed to construction, community, and family The Hamilton-Halton Construction Association (HHCA) has announced the induction of Henk and Henry Schilthuis into the 2025 Construction Hall of Fame. This honour recognizes their contributions to construction, community, and family and will be presented at the association’s 105th annual general meeting and dinner on April 3 in Hamilton. “Henk Schilthuis has played a vital role in Schilthuis Construction since 1960, serving as carpenter, superintendent, project manager, and eventually president (1988 to 2003),” states a release. “Under his leadership, the company modernized operations, adapted to industry advancements and [...]