Construction projects continue in Niagara
Company taking precautions while trying to stay on schedule for 2021 summer games
Several large construction projects are continuing across Niagara, despite an increasing number of people either working from home or facing layoffs as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads.
Aquicon Construction workers are continuing to work on the 2021 Canada Summer Games facility beside Brock University, while taking precautions to protect workers and exceeding government guidelines.
Aquicon spokesperson Marta Bertosa said the project that needs to be ready for August 2021, when the national sporting event takes place, “is moving forward rather quickly.”
While it’s important “we are still out there, trying to keep on schedule,” she said the company is continuing to follow Health Canada recommendations for the industry.
But those recommendations can change quickly as the virus continues to spread.
“With the epidemic that’s happening right now, we have to see what the government decides for our industry,” Bertosa said. “But in reality, we should all be quarantined because we don’t know what’s going to happen.”
For now, she said, Aquicon is monitoring workers on site while enhancing efforts to sterilize facilities they use, and ordering workers with any respiratory symptoms to remain home.
“Pretty much everything that Health Canada has told us to follow, we are doing at our sites and as well here at our offices,” she said.
Because the project is “ahead of the game,” she said workers might be able to remain on schedule if they are forced to stop work for a few weeks.
“Our team works diligently and tries to compensate for things that are out of our control,” Bertosa said. “But it’s hard for us to tell what the future holds and what the government decides.”
Steve Katzman, chief revenue and marketing officer for Niagara 2021 Canada Summer Games, said the organization will not comment on construction at the site at this time.
A statement posted last week by the Ontario General Contractors Association urged construction projects to continue, while ensuring workers follow Health Canada recommendations. However, recognizing the likelihood a construction worker will eventually test positive for COVID-10, the OGCA said policies also need to be developed to protect workers.
Merit Contractors Niagara remains hard at work on the St. Catharines Niagara Regional Police detachment on Welland Avenue slated for completion this fall, while also implementing policies and restrictions to help prevent spread of the virus.
The company issued a statement last week that said it is limiting workers and visitors at project sites including the new police station to no more than 50 people at a time, while continually encouraging hygiene awareness.
The company said it has suspended all projects it had underway in clinical spaces, cancelled face-to-face group meetings and shut down its St. Catharines head office. The restrictions are to remain in place until at least the end of March.
Merit Contractors president Jean St. Pierre said the business intends to “continue to conduct out regular business operations and make every effort to ensure this situation does not impact the quality of service and support that we are providing to our clients.”
Niagara Regional Police board chair Ken Gansel said efforts of the contractor are “a prudent approach” to coping with the crisis.
“It’s quite in keeping with what we’re seeing out there in Canadian corporations, Canadian government, Canadian society,” he said.