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CGA Newsletter: August 2019

We are trying to “activate” the Canadian Glass Association with certain issues as our driving force.

CGA
We are trying to “activate” the Canadian Glass Association with certain issues as our driving force. One idea is to build interest within the national glazing community to work with the Canadian General Standards Board and re-write the CAN/CGSB 12.20 structural standards for architectural glass. We’ve heard from some members that there is renewed interest from the industry (in Alberta and B.C., especially) to update the standard. CGSB officials tell us the main obstacle to proceeding is funding from the glazing industry. This could be a job suited for the CGA as the CAN/CGSB standards are of national interest. With the Canadian Glass Association leading a combined effort of the provincial glass associations, we could try to raise the necessary funds and contribute technical input to the update. We need feedback from our provincial member associations to gauge interest in embarking on this long-term mission. Please email David Langton (dlangton@compglass.com) or Zana Gordon (zgordon@fen-bc.org) with your feedback, suggestions or other ideas.

FenBC
FenBC is very active at this time.  Save the date for the FenBC Industry Conference on Oct. 23 at Northview Golf Course in Surrey.  We are in the process of confirming a few of the speakers. We will be sending out notices soon. The program will include eight sessions – four for commercial contractors and four for manufacturers.  We will be bringing back the popular keynote breakfast panel “The Code Talkers.”  Our keynote lunch speaker is to be determined.

The FenBC Annual Golf Tournament was another success.  Great weather, good friends, superior course and good food.  Thank you to our sponsors, Cascade Aquatech, PFG Glass and Competition Glass.  Watch for further announcements on the FenBC Annual Golf Tournament coming in May 2020.

FenBC is working with the Canadian Glass Association to re-establish it as the national entity for the commercial glazier industry in Canada.

The glazier apprentice Red Seal training program is up for review.  FenBC will be working to support the process of reviewing the Red Seal Occupational Standards for glazier training.

PGAA
The Provincial Glaziers Association of Alberta is in full swing with its new executive which was elected in March 2019. The annual golf tournament is scheduled for Aug. 15 in Innisfail.

Earlier in the year at a Glass and Metal Association dinner meeting it was announced that the Edmonton glazier training campus was being closed indefinitely, which caused extensive anxiousness especially with northern Alberta glazing firms. Just recently, the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology has announced that they will be offering the program in Edmonton, which was comforting news. Calgary and Edmonton glazier programs are running strong with substantial continued commitment from the industry. Calgary glazier program instructors are currently updating course handouts to reflect the recently updated program, which was completely rehauled by the provincial apprenticeship committee (PAC) over a five-year span (2012 – 2017). They are almost done with the update. Edmonton handouts are up-to-date. A PAC meeting was held in late June where course content was reviewed and will be continually enhanced over future PAC board member engagements.

AGMCA
All member companies of AGMCA support the Finishing Trades Institute, with training centres located  in Toronto, Ottawa and Hamilton, Ont. FTI is the officially designated training delivery agent in Ontario for in-school classes of the apprenticeship program for our very specialized trade, architectural glass and metal technician.

FTI apprentices are trained using the latest equipment and techniques.  We oversee training and student progress through the system, together with our union counterparts, via the Ontario Glaziers Apprenticeship Training Committee, or OGATC, of which three directors of AGMCA are volunteer members.

To that end, at a recent visit to our training centre, Ontario premier Doug Ford was pressed by AGMCA to keep government support for our apprenticeship programs flowing, as we are all well aware of the oncoming shortage of skilled trade workers. Further exposure to trades is also required at the high school level and students need to be informed about the highly skilled and well-paying careers available to them through our trade.

OGMA
ENERGY SURCHARGES: Please read Frank Fulton’s You Bet Your Glass column on the back page then do your part by calling your glass supplier to lobby them to do the right thing by dropping their ESC. Send your feedback to Frank at fultech.fc@gmail.com.

FISH ON:  Be ready to get on a boat bright an early in Port Credit on Thursday, August 22, for what is always a fabulous day on the water hunting salmon with your friends and colleagues.  Flyers are out and all you have to do is sign up and get up early.

FALL GOLF:  Plan now on being at The Country Club in Woodbridge on Thursday, September 12.  Members will be seeing a flyer in their inbox any day now.

JOINT OGMA/CSC SEMINAR DAY:  The OGMA are teaming up with the Toronto chapter of Construction Specifications Canada to put on a spectacular program of informative and interesting topics.  The event will be held on Thursday, Nov. 14, at the Richmond Hill Country Club. Details to follow.