Regina Construction IV

[UPP]

How ironic that you chastised another poster for posting about jobs on a construction thread.

[Stormer]

The current commodity boom in Saskatchewan, if sustainable, could really translate into another construction boom. Nutrien just announced that it is ramping up potash production to 18 million tonnes. At today's prices, that is over $20 billion/year. Add to that, expansions by Mosaic, K+S and BHP's acceleration of the Jansen project and we could have more GDP per capita from potash alone than some provinces have from all economic activity. This is happening at the same time as ag and energy prices skyrocket. The banks are already predicting that Saskatchewan will lead the country in real GDP, but this only tells part of the story. Real GDP does not take into account commodity price increases. These have pretty much tripled. Nominal GDP is a better measure of how much money is sloshing around in the economy and how much Government revenues are increasing. Watch for the nominal GDP figures as the year goes on.

And yes I realize the bubble can burst pretty quickly with inflation and interest rates are a big problem. Right know however, the stars are aligning for SK.

[jigglysquishy]

Do we have any idea about time, location, or details of this aquatic centre?

[Dougler306]

Originally Posted by Stormer

The current commodity boom in Saskatchewan, if sustainable, could really translate into another construction boom. Nutrien just announced that it is ramping up potash production to 18 million tonnes. At today's prices, that is over $20 billion/year. Add to that, expansions by Mosaic, K+S and BHP's acceleration of the Jansen project and we could have more GDP per capita from potash alone than some provinces have from all economic activity. This is happening at the same time as ag and energy prices skyrocket. The banks are already predicting that Saskatchewan will lead the country in real GDP, but this only tells part of the story. Real GDP does not take into account commodity price increases. These have pretty much tripled. Nominal GDP is a better measure of how much money is sloshing around in the economy and how much Government revenues are increasing. Watch for the nominal GDP figures as the year goes on.

And yes I realize the bubble can burst pretty quickly with inflation and interest rates are a big problem. Right know however, the stars are aligning for SK.

I'm a Jman plumber here in the city and it feels that way. Feels like it was a few years ago when whole streets felt like they were under construction. Houses framm3e up just sitting along with foundations. Simply not enough workers to keep up and that might get worse but good news to me. Means a possible wage increase for this guy.

If liberal supporters and Trudeau didn't constantly bash male construction workers for being bigots, racists, sexist and destroying communities maybe more young people would be intrested in trades that pay good!! Pretty sad when you see the demand and pay is good and they still advise them to work at McDonald's because it's the socially responsible thing to do...

[Festivus]

Originally Posted by Dougler306

If liberal supporters and Trudeau didn't constantly bash male construction workers for being bigots, racists, sexist and destroying communities

I don't think that is reality.

[pappcam]

Originally Posted by Dougler306

If liberal supporters and Trudeau didn't constantly bash male construction workers for being bigots, racists, sexist and destroying communities

What the f***?

At least you don't perpetuate the stereotype.

[StealthGirl]

Originally Posted by jigglysquishy

Do we have any idea about time, location, or details of this aquatic centre?

You mean the Lawson replacement they want to spend the federal transit money on? Right now it's early. They are still working on the feasibility study, but I believe they expect to build it next to the current location. I thought that report was coming back to council sometime this fall. Now that they want to use the transit money, who knows?!

[TechnicalRecession]

If liberal supporters and Trudeau didn't constantly bash male construction workers for being bigots, racists, sexist and destroying communities maybe more young people would be intrested in trades that pay good!! Pretty sad when you see the demand and pay is good and they still advise them to work at McDonald's because it's the socially responsible thing to do...[/QUOTE]

I’m no Trudeau fan but I am pretty sure he’s literally never said that. But feel free to prove me wrong with a quote or video clip.

[VANRIDERFAN]

^^
I also highly doubt that JT said those words. But the trades and technical colleges have always been looked down upon by the intellectual and chattering classes. It was bad in the 70's when the slow kids (sorry for being crude, but that was the term back them) were sent to Occupational Experience Classes while the rest of us Einstein's were pushed towards the professional career stream (Doctors, Lawyers and such). None of the career counselors ever suggested the trades as career. I highly doubt that anything has changed since then.

[Stormer]

Trudeau definitely implied that male construction workers were a problem and that all major project needed to include gender-based analysis in their applications for Federal approval.

Here is the quote:

During a panel discussion with members of the G20 Business Women Leaders Task Force, which focused on how to increase women’s participation in the economy, Trudeau said, “Even big infrastructure projects, you know might now say, ‘well, what does a gender lens have to do with building this new highway or this new pipeline or something?’ Well, you know, there are gender impacts when you bring construction workers into a rural area. There are social impacts because they’re mostly male construction workers. How are you adjusting and adapting to those? That’s what the gender lens in GBA (gender-based analysis)-plus budgeting is all about.”

[VANRIDERFAN]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Trudeau definitely implied that male construction workers were a problem and that all major project needed to include gender-based analysis in their applications for Federal approval.

Here is the quote:

I remember that one. He should have said, "We need more women on construction sites because those animals are out in the countryside grabbing asses all over the place, just like me in BC."

[Crisis]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

^^
I also highly doubt that JT said those words. But the trades and technical colleges have always been looked down upon by the intellectual and chattering classes. It was bad in the 70's when the slow kids (sorry for being crude, but that was the term back them) were sent to Occupational Experience Classes while the rest of us Einstein's were pushed towards the professional career stream (Doctors, Lawyers and such). None of the career counselors ever suggested the trades as career. I highly doubt that anything has changed since then.

I actually think things have improved with regards to our educational system promoting Trades as a viable career path. This is something that we have been discussing in the construction industry for 25+ years. At one time, school guidance councilors (largely teachers who had a B.Ed.) taught what they knew - that being that the only path to a good job was through university.

The industry has worked with educators system to get them to see the light. It's been slow but there is progress, no doubt accelerated by the fact that there is more demand and higher pay for Trades workers than there is for non-STEM university graduates. The idea that "if you can't do anything else, you can always go work construction" is becoming something from the past, in my experience. Even though I'm university educated, I'm always supportive of someone considering a career in the trades. As society "advances", those with the skills to physically build or repair will only become more valued. That's my $.02.

[VANRIDERFAN]

Crisis ^^
That's great to hear!

[Festivus]

Originally Posted by Stormer

Trudeau definitely implied that male construction workers were a problem and that all major project needed to include gender-based analysis in their applications for Federal approval.

Here is the quote:

I don't think that quote implies construction workers are out sexually harassing people, it's saying that having a population in any area that skews heavily to one gender creates issues...which it does. If you have a town that is 60% men or 60% women, then there are going to be issues related to lack of dating options, frustrations, etc, and other impacts. It's not saying that men are bad, it's saying that the goal of having equity in an industry is a good thing.

[CCF]

Not surprising:
https://www.cjme.com/2022/06/09/coul...cific-stadium/

Could Regina be next for a soccer-specific stadium?

Talk of a new arena, baseball stadium and now a soccer stadium.....hope y'all love sports.

[Festivus]

Originally Posted by CCF

Not surprising:
https://www.cjme.com/2022/06/09/coul...cific-stadium/



Talk of a new arena, baseball stadium and now a soccer stadium.....hope y'all love sports.

I would prefer a 10% bump to education, imo.

[Festivus]

Originally Posted by djforsberg

The problem is, you can’t solve equity issues with quotas. You have to tackle the root causes, make effective social investments, particularly in education, and remove economic barriers, and the Liberals don’t seem to want to go that route. It’s like thinking making cabinet 50% women all of sudden makes a government “feminist” when it is still very difficult for women, especially those who came from poverty, to even get close to positions of power. It really comes down to class politics, and liberal politicians, just like conservative politicians, don’t want to actually address that and will do whatever it takes to maintain the pro-free market, neoliberal status quo.

In a perfect world everyone would be treated equally, come from the same socioeconomic status, have no obstacles, etc. But in reality, quotas and equity are generally good things.

The usual complaints against it are things like "if you eliminate XXX (usually white men) from consideration then you are potentially not looking at the best candidate." While the entire premise of that statement is rooted in systemic privilege, even taking it at face value it breaks down as ridiculous to assume that the "best' (which is arbitrary, and typically decided by those who already come from the power group) is even required.

A good example would be something like:

A company made up of 12 men wants to hire a new designer, and 10 people interview. Of the 10, 8 are more than qualified for the job, but the top 4 are men, and the bottom 4, women.

If you go by the "best," (again, which is usually arbitrary based on how someone interviews, gut feelings, etc) then a man is hired, even if all 8 would have been a good fit. So even if that company states that they wanted to hire a woman, they can claim they were forced to hire a man since the women weren't the top picks. But in the end...the women would have been more than qualified for the job, and by not hiring them it perpetuates the power differential between the genders.

Because the power groups in our society are typically there for multiple reasons (historical inertia, networking, the in-group subconsciously maintaining its membership, lack of money and education for non-power groups, etc), simply saying that we need to provide more "opportunities" for non-power groups doesn't really change anything. In some cases, "forced" equity is one of the few ways to actually make a difference. Then, over time, having those non-traditional power groups in places of power changes how funding is allocated, which role models are praised, the culture of an organization, etc. It's why having a focus on DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) in the hiring process of any organization is essential.

Yes, tackle the roots of this inequality, but also take what immediate action is available.

[StealthGirl]

Originally Posted by Crisis

I actually think things have improved with regards to our educational system promoting Trades as a viable career path. This is something that we have been discussing in the construction industry for 25+ years. At one time, school guidance councilors (largely teachers who had a B.Ed.) taught what they knew - that being that the only path to a good job was through university.

The industry has worked with educators system to get them to see the light. It's been slow but there is progress, no doubt accelerated by the fact that there is more demand and higher pay for Trades workers than there is for non-STEM university graduates. The idea that "if you can't do anything else, you can always go work construction" is becoming something from the past, in my experience. Even though I'm university educated, I'm always supportive of someone considering a career in the trades. As society "advances", those with the skills to physically build or repair will only become more valued. That's my $.02.

What I'm seeing in my kids Regina school is a huge push to university and esp to STEM still. There are trade classes but increasingly barriers to those classes are coming up. Moving some classes to lunch only so students in music at lunch can't take them unless they give up band or choir. A bunch of them are being moved offsite to Campus Regina in the fall, but I don't think they'll return. Part of that is cuts to funding, I'm sure.

[McBean]

Originally Posted by pappcam

What the f***?

At least you don't perpetuate the stereotype.

Exactly. SMH

[WhipperSnapper]

Trudeau is a rich, privileged idiot. The world sees it. More and more Canadians see it but, still not enough in the GTA and Quebec to end this embarrassment. Anyways, I know a few higher ups that attended meetings in Toronto in which he explicitly stated companies need to put an absolute freeze on hiring white men as his solution to addressing inequalities in the workplace. He probably doesn't know Regina is a city which is good for you.

It's the same as putting a hiring freeze on airport personal causing 4 to 6 hour line ups at the nations busiest airports to discourage air travel while he flies every weekend to vacation resorts around the world.