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CGA Newsletter – April 2008

The Canadian Glass Association brings news to the industry from coast-to-coast.

David Husson, CGA president

In an effort to visit as many locations across the country, the Canadian Glass Association (CGA) will be holding its semi-annual meeting in Edmonton, Alberta, in June.

The CGA has several items to address, such as marketing, government liaison and the approach to take to develop contacts in Manitoba, Quebec and the Maritime provinces.

During the last CGA annual general meeting, held in Toronto in November 2007, the association agreed to begin to use a part-time executive director. This will enable the CGA to increase its profile as well as keep it on the course that the executive directors have chosen.

I have been in negotiations over the past month to recruit a qualified individual for this role and hopefully, with the executive’s approval, I will have the individual in place by the next Glass Canada issue.

If there are any issues or items which you would like to have discussed during the CGA meeting in Edmonton, please feel free to contact me at: dnhusson@yahoo.com n

GCA of BC
Zana Gordon, executive director, for the Glazing Contractors Association (GCA) of British Columbia submits this report: This is an exciting time for the Glazing Contractors Association with many changes, including a change in the administration. Victoria Schifferns has left the association to develop her own business. As the new executive director, I have spent much of my time reviewing and reading materials to get familiar with the association and the current programs while researching new opportunities to provide education for professional development, new social activities, new publications, industry and apprentice recognitions.

The apprenticeship program is moving into a new phase. The British Columbia Institute for Technology (BCIT) will be offering the final modules of the pilot program in the early fall. The GCA and the Construction Industry Training Organization of British Columbia (CITO BC) will then begin the National Occupational Analysis (NOA) process to ensure we are offering an apprentice program that reflects the needs of the industry and an effective curriculum. Recent numbers show there are approximately 361 active apprentices in the glazing industry.

Thompson River University (TRU) will offer the Glazing Apprentice Program at its facility. With the drive and persistence of the Glazing Industry Training and Recruitment Committee (GITRC); Chairperson, Frank Luciani and the commitment from the TRU Dean of Trades and Technology, Ralph Finch, the modular based apprentice program is moving forward rapidly. TRU has three Module A courses offered in 2008 and one Module B course slated for 2009.

Frank Luciani, the GITRC chairperson, has begun the process of communicating and lobbying with the provincial government the need for a capital equipment grant to initiate the glazier program. This grant for $250,000 requested will provide hand tools, lab training aids and a building mock-up for curtainwall construction. Kawneer Company has contributed more than $12,000 in materials to assist in the success of the program at TRU. Luciani will keep us up to date on the progress of this application.

There is a new website for the GCA of BC. The new site is posted but is being modified daily until it is completed. Visit www.gca-bc.org

May 29, 2008 is the date for the 17th Annual Golf Tournament to be held at Hazelmere Golf and Country Club. This tournament was a huge success last year and the social committee is hoping to achieve the same level for this year. The social committee will be reviewing possible activities for 2008 and a calendar will be on the website.

I look forward to my involvement with the Glazing Contractors Association and anticipate great successes. n

The GAMA executive members are (back row left): secretary, Brent Harder; past president, Rob Pedersen; treasurer, Ron Walder; social director, Greg West; safety director, Stacy Gallant; first vice-president, George Kennedy. Front row: guest speaker, Gwen Phillips; president, Margaret Townsend; Calgary Construction Associate liaison, Glenda Dewar; Newsletter, Dan Taylor.

GAMA
Margaret Townsend, president of the Glass & Architectural Metals Association (GAMA) submits this report:
I’d like to start by thanking all of the members of the Glass and Architectural Metals Association (GAMA) executive for their support. Alberta continues to experience very high levels of construction activity so the numerous hours of volunteering that they’ve given are greatly appreciated.

GAMA is having another great year with strong support from our industry as we now have 45 paid members. We look forward to our monthly meetings, having already lined up some interesting guest speakers for upcoming meetings. The March general meeting was joint with the Spec Writers Association, April we welcomed Greg Soroka of Goldray Industries and in May we will be hearing from the Insulated Glass Manufacturers Alliance (IGMA).

Our annual GAMA Newsletter is just about ready to be published with reports from the executive board as well as some great project photos. Thanks to Dan Taylor for the dozens of hours he has put in to make this publication a success.

The annual GAMA golf tournament has been confirmed for June 13, 2008 at the Lakeside Greens in Chestermere.

We remain committed to our ‘Certificate of Leadership’ program. Our goal is to promote safety, training and participation/commitment of our members. Each year, we poll our members and acknowledge their achievements in these areas at the Annual General Meeting.

Rob Pedersen, our past president, has taken on the task of ensuring our representation at career fairs, both at the Calgary Construction Association in April, as well as Calgary and area high schools.

As in previous years, we use our Annual General Meeting in November to honour our top apprentices. As well as being recognized by their peers, these dedicated students are also presented with gift certificates for tool supplies from GAMA as well as from Calgary Fasteners. Congratulations to the following winners for 2007:
1st Year Winner, Robert Trufen, Ferguson Glass; 2nd Year Winner, Robert Trufen, Ferguson Glass; 3rd Year Winner, Cameron Wright, Alpine Glass; 4th Year Winner, Dale England, Alberta Glass; Lou Thomas Award Winner, Cameron Wright, Alpine Glass.

AGMCA
Ontario’s compulsory certification for Skilled Trades

The Architectural Glass & Metal Contractors Association (AGMCA) submits this report: As previously reported, the Ontario Minister of Training Colleges and Universities had, in 2007, appointed Tim Armstrong, a special public policy advisor and a past Deputy Minister of Labour, to lead a review of Compulsory Certification in the Skilled Trades. The mandate was to consider how expanding compulsory certification to trades, that are now voluntary, would impact the following factors: Health & Safety, Registration of New Apprentices, Completion of Trades Training, Consumer Protection and Economic Impact.

This past December, Armstrong invited apprenticeship and certification stakeholders to participate in discussions relating to the mandate given to him by the MTCU Minister. He has also held many meetings with economists from the Ministry of Finance and the Labour Market Information and Research Branch of the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities. These meetings were to help determine whether data existed that relates to the five impact factors.

Stakeholders and other interested parties were urged to participate in this review and further invited written submissions concerning the effect of expanding compulsory certification on each of the five factors. During the course of the review, Armstrong had arranged stakeholder meetings across Ontario during the month of February. The Architectural Glass and Metal Contractors Association in concert with the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT) represent a significant portion of the primary participants in the Architectural Glass and Metal Technician Trade (formally known as Glazier & Metal Mechanic Trade). They have jointly demonstrated a long standing common interest in increasing the health and safety performance, apprenticeship and journeyperson training and certification system, improving protection of consumers and creating economic benefits in Ontario’s glazing trade.

Jointly the AGMCA and IUPAT, with the assistance of Ontario training director, Michael Carter, produced a comprehensive brief to the Minister’s Appointed Review Chair. It was clearly noted that the brief submitted by AGMCA and IUPAT supported Compulsory Certification for the Glazier Trade servicing the industrial, commercial, institutional (ICI) and high-rise/condominium sectors.

Further, the ‘Glazier’ brief contained broad based support from the Industry’s Provincial Advisory Committee for the Architectural Glass and Metal Technician, Local Apprenticeship Committees in Ottawa, Toronto, Hamilton and Kitchener-Waterloo. There was also support from the Ontario Glass and Metal Association and many Union and non-Union glazing companies. A final report is expected to be completed early this summer.

Ontario Glazing Systems Specifications Manual close to completion
As previously reported, the AGMCA in concert with the Ontario Glass & Metal Association (OGMA) and the National Capital Glass Association (NCGA) have been working diligently together to put in place an Ontario Glass & Glazing Systems Specifications Manual.

The OGMA’s Spring Golf Tournament regularly features high-end items for draw prizes.

The Manual concept was created by the Glazing Contractors of British Columbia, followed by the Manual adjusted by the glass associations in Alberta to serve that province’s building and construction market. The Ontario initiative is close to being completed. We are in the final stages of ensuring all is consistent, based
on the consent of British Columbia and Alberta documents. Once completed, the document will be made available to several audiences including architects, specifiers, as well as contractors. -end-

OGMA
Ennio Rea, president of the Ontario Glass and Metal Association (OGMA) submits this report:
The OGMA has been busy planning its activities for the summer and the association has a few dates to note for its members.

The OGMA’s very popular Spring Golf Tournament has been set. Past tournaments have featured up to 150 golfers on the course while dinner has attracted upwards of 200 people in the past. The prize table has featured some high-end items such as a professional racing mountain bike, Kirkland stainless steel gas grill/barbecue, X-box game cube and wide-screen LCD TVs. Lifetime Achievement awards are also presented during dinner.

This is the main networking event for the OGMA and a great opportunity to socialize with customers or suppliers while rubbing elbows with your competitors.

Date: Thursday May 29. Tee-off: 11:45 am (shotgun start-scramble format). Location: Kleinburg Golf & Country Club. Price: $190 plus tax, includes golf, dinner and power cart. Dinner only: $63 plus tax. Contact Brian Wiles (416) 360-8367 for tickets or Lee Baker (416) 421-3300 for hole sponsorship.

The Fall Golf Tournament has also been set for September 18 at Carrying Place Golf and Country Club.

In other association news, the OGMA will hold its Annual General Meeting on June 12. This is also a tentative date for the launch of the Glazing Systems Specifications Manual that has been modified for use in Ontario. -end-