CONSTRUCTIONCONSTRUCTION •• TRAVAUXTRAVAUX PUBLICSPUBLICS •• RESSOURCESRESSOURCES NATURELLESNATURELLES Volume 9 • Number 1 • December 2003 / January 2004 ENVOI DE PUBLICATION CANADIENNE • NUMÉRO DE CONVENTION 400521183 LES ÉQUIPEMENTS LEFCO INC. SALES • RENTALS • PARTS & SERVICE 1795 Guillet St., Laval, QC H7L 5B1 (514) 389-8256 • (450) 682-2783 Fax: (450) 682-0463 • [email protected] Commentary CONSTRUCTION • TRAVAUX PUBLICS • RESSOURCES NATURELLES Volume 9 Number 1 December 2003/January 2004 2004 begins with a big issue. PUBLISHER / ÉDITOR We want to give you a better idea of what is coming up in 2005 Jean-François Villard when the English Edition of InfraStructures will be printed and COLLABORATORS distributed by mail across Ontario and the Maritimes. Jacques Duval Marcel Tremblay We are currently building up our database. If you are interestec in receiving the English Edition of InfraStructures next year, you just Jean-François Dubois have to send your coordinates to us by mail or e-mail. ADVERTISING SALES Each issue will feature more content in English. We welcome MONTRÉAL your news releases that will be published free of charge. Jean-François Villard André Charlebois We also offer a great “advertising package” for 2004. Advertisers QUÉBEC in our French Edition can have their ad published in the English Gilbert Marquis Edition free of charge... (418) 651-1176 Call us to discuss your advertising plans... TELEPHONE (514) 233-1295 (514) 598-5752 Publiaher/Editor FAX (514) 233-1295 (514) 528-9932 MAILING ADDRESS PO Box 366 - Stn DeLorimier Montreal (Quebec) H2H 2N7 OptiFant 70 / CityFant 60 LOCATION & VENTE Assembled in Canada! Balais de rue de type aspirateur Plusieurs modèles – de 2,2 m3 à 10 m3 E-MAIL BALAIS USAGÉS EN INVENTAIRE [email protected] INTERNET www.infrastructures.com CityCat 5000 / CityCat 2020 XL Accessories Machinery Limited www.aolaml.com (514)(514) 387-6466387-6466 •• 1-800-461-19791-800-461-1979 On the front cover : A Daewoo Solar 340LC-V, sold by Denis Gauvin Inc. to Construction THIS ELECTRONIC VERSION OF INFRASTRUC- Dorbec Inc., a contractor based in Laval, Quebec, at work on a TURES IS MADE AVAILABLE FOR THE SOLE PUR- construction site. POSE OF GIVING OUR ENGLISH SPEAKING READ- ERS A TASTE OF THE ORIGINAL PRINTED VERSION OF THE MAGAZINE. WE WILL TRY TO PUBLISH AS MUCH OF THE EDI- TORIAL CONTENT OF THE PRINTED VERSION AS POSSIBLE GIVEN THE TECHNICAL LIMITATIONS. InfraStructures December 2003 / January 2004 – page 3 dates proposed by the Palais des Congrès premieres in Detroit, and follow up with In the News... de Montréal for all subsequent editions of the Canadian premieres at the Montréal Interna- Montréal International Auto Show. The next tional Auto Show on Thursday, January 8. MONTREAL INTERNATIONAL AUTO SHOW Show will be presented from January 9 to 18, The 2003 Montréal International Auto RETURNS TO JANUARY 2004. Show moved to the Palais des Congrès after There’s good news for all car lovers as While the dates the Montréal event will be learning that the playing field section of the the Montréal International Auto Show (MIAS) open to the public are the same as the Detroit Olympic Stadium was not available between announces that it will be back in January. Auto Show’s, the days set aside for the media December 1st and April 1st for safety Members of the Board of the Montréal and the unveiling of new models will be held reasons. The Palais des Congrès was only Automobile Dealers Corporation (MADC) and at different times. Car manufacturers will available in November 2002, which resulted participating car manufacturers agreed on first present their world or North American in the Auto Show breaking a 34-year-old tradition of holding its Show in January. “A return to January adds to the great success we saw at the Show last November at the Palais des Congrès,” said Montréal International Auto Show President André Dorais. “This will allow us to get reacquainted MANUFACTURER with success. We all remember how the Auto SNOW REMOVAL Show attracted, on average, 240,000 visitors EQUIPMENT during the 1990 decade.” & ATTACHMENTS FOR The Montréal International Auto Show HEAVY MACHINERY is organised by the Montréal Automobile Dealers Corporation (MADC), a non-profit organisation founded in 1913. The MADC includes approximately 220 car dealerships from the Greater Montréal region. The Corporation’s main mandate is to represent the automobile industry when dealing with government at all levels. The MADC provides its members with vital information that will help improve their business, while respecting industry norms and regulations, and offering INTERNET : the best service to their customers. www.edfltd.com Source: Montréal Auto Show www.montrealautoshow.com E-MAIL : info@edfltd.com NOVEMBER HOUSING STARTS REMAIN AT HIGH LEVEL The seasonally adjusted annual rate 1of housing starts was 213,000 in November, compared to 237,300 in October, reports Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). “Despite the decline in the rate of housing starts in November, the high level of activity continues to reflect a robust pace of housing BUCKETS construction across the country,” said Bob FOR LOADERS Dugan, Chief Economist at CMHC’s Market & EXCAVATORS Analysis Centre. 1-888-649-3331 “Demand for home ownership remains QUICK-ATTACH (514) 866-6859 strong, supported by favourable mortgage FOR LOADERS (450) 649-9461 rates and an improving labour market. Year- & EXCAVATORS Fax: (450) 649-1874 to-date, actual starts have exceeded last 1735 Lavoisier St., Sainte-Julie, Qc J3E 1Y6 year’s level by 6.5%.” MATERIAL HANDLING CALL US In November, urban single starts increased TOLL FREE ! 1-888-649- -1 FORKS 1-888-649- -1 3.5% to 104,400 units at seasonally adjusted FOR LOADERS annual rates compared to 100,900 units the previous month. This increase was reflected InfraStructures December 2003 / January 2004 – page 4 in all regions of the country except in the Hydro-Québec is pleased with the dynam- that will bring the best of Canadian housing Atlantic region where urban single starts de- ics that all of the partners involved have technology to the Southern Japanese city creased slightly. Canada-wide, year-to-date developed towards a common objective. of Kokura, located on the island of Kyushu. actual urban single starts are 3.2% lower Source: Hydro-Québec, Demtec International inc. (Demtec), a compared to the same period in 2002. www.hydroquebec.com well-known developer of panellized housing The seasonally adjusted annual rate of based in Princeville, Quebec, inaugurated its urban multiple starts dropped 25.2% to PERSEVERANCE PAYS OFF FOR A QUEBEC project by organizing an “open house” of its 82,700 units in November compared to HOUSING MANUFACTURER IN JAPAN demonstration home, the first in a series of 110,500 units in October. The majority of the A Quebec housing manufacturer is making 20 Demtec homes scheduled for construc- decrease occurred in Ontario with decreases its mark halfway around the world today, tion. Demtec is one of six builders who have also being observed in British Columbia and with the launch of a new residential project won a highly coveted contract to develop an the prairie provinces. The seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban multiple starts rose in Quebec and the Atlantic region. Nationally, year-to-date actual urban multiple starts increased 19.7% compared with the same AA NewNew BobcatBobcat onon thethe ProwlProwl period in 2002. Rural starts in November were estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 25,900 units. Source: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca A FIRST GROUP OF CREE STUDENTS AT THE CENTRE POLYMÉTIER OF ROUYN- NORANDA A first group of Cree students commenced training this year at Rouyn-Noranda Centre Polymétier. Once completed, their training program will give them the opportunity to occupy a permanent job in James Bay. The training program comes under the Apatisiiwin Agreement, which ensues from the Peace of the Braves signed on February 7, 2002. The Apatisiiwin Agreement aims firstly to foster training and hiring by Hydro- Québec of 150 Crees by 2017. In September 2003, a first cohort of 12 students began a 2-year training in view to obtain a vocational studies diploma in Automated Systems Electromechanics. The new «Toolcat» from Bobcat The Apatisiiwin Corporation consists of 4 wheel drive, 4 wheel steer (514) (888) 354-8891 five Cree representatives and three Hydro- Front mounted boom that can receive Bobcat attachments Québec representatives who work closely 2000 pounds payload 9300 Edison Street, Anjou, QC H1J 1T1 together to support the Cree School Board’s 29 km/h travel speed efforts to train and hire future Cree students. Get yours today... In total 14 Cree employees work at Hydro- Québec installations. Hydro-Québec and the Apatisiiwin Corporation will expend all efforts possible to attain the objective of 150 Cree employees. The Apatisiiwin Agreement provides for three other types of jobs. The Cree School Board is working on identifying educa- tional institutions that can offer the kind of vocational and technical training that would prepare Cree candidates to access those Wheel Loaders, Track Loaders, Hydraulic Excavators, Telescopic Lift Trucks Attachments for all makes and models positions. InfraStructures December 2003 / January 2004 – page 5 expansive residential lot owned by Nishitetsu and members of the Canadian Consulate in a local real estate agency and launched an Railway Co., Japan’s largest transportation Japan. advertising campaign targeting local media. company. The urban strategy calls for the Demtec’s accomplishment can largely be Another key contributor to its success is construction of 500 units surrounded by attributed to the company’s willingness to perseverance as Alain Boulet, President of landscaped gardens and centrally situated in collaborate closely with Japanese industry Demtec International Inc., explains: “Despite proximity to shopping centres, schools, busi- professionals and to work within the local a recent minor slowdown in the real estate nesses and a hospital.