Features Community Event reports
CGA newsletter: June 2008

Ross Wady, president for
the Glass Trades Association (GTA) of Northern Alberta in Edmonton,
submits this report: “Business is good here in Alberta. Nevertheless,
our buoyant economy produces some challenges and the GTA is addressing
a
number of these. One challenge is a chronic shortage of skilled trades people.

GTA
Ross Wady, president for the Glass Trades Association (GTA) of Northern Alberta in Edmonton, submits this report: “Business is good here in Alberta. Nevertheless, our buoyant economy produces some challenges and the GTA is addressing a
number of these. One challenge is a chronic shortage of skilled trades people.

“Our apprenticeship training is at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in Calgary. In order to attract more people to our trade, SAIT is expanding their excellent program to Edmonton. The expansion of our provincial glazing program to Edmonton has come about as the result of some hard work by our GTA committee chair, Lynn Allan
from Beacon Glass in Edmonton and Dave Edwards and Ed Dalzell, both from SAIT in Calgary. A number of other GTA members, along with the Alberta Apprenticeship, are also providing us with direction.

“Our first class was scheduled for May 12, 2008 at the SAIT satellite campus in Edmonton. We have received excellent industry support in the form of donations of cash and materials. Kawneer Canada is supplying metal, Tremco Sealants is supplying sealants and glazing tape, and PCL Construction is supplying cutting tables, to mention only a few contributors. Our long-term objective is to establish a permanent school in Edmonton for northern Alberta glazing apprentices.

“Our current membership of 33 companies now has a new web site – www.gta-ab.com – to support our programs and disseminate information. Tammy Lanovaz from Supertint is guiding our web site development.

“Our safety committee, James Drewe from Hayward Glass and Sonny Nguyen from TSN, has sent a questionnaire to all members requesting feedback on their safety
programs. Safety in the work place is a core concern of our association members.

“Dan Murphy, the autoglass committee chair, will be working with our Calgary sister association on issues relating to autoglass replacement.

“Our social committee chair, Ryan Ardiel from Tremco Sealants, is working on two association golf tournaments. Our GTA tournament on June 7, 2008, is expecting to
host the Annual Canadian Glass Association Meeting. The second tournament is our annual North/South Challenge. This friendly competition between Edmonton GTA members and Calgary Glass and Architectural Metals Association (GAMA) members will be held this August, somewhere between our
two cities.

“Lastly, I would like to thank the GTA executive for their tireless support. They are: Joe Millard from Bahry’s Glass, treasurer; Wayne Brandt from Kawneer Canada, secretary; Rick Zuchetto from US Aluminum, past president; and our hard working committee chairs. I would also like to thank our sister organization in Calgary, GAMA, for their sage advice whenever we seek their counsel.”

PGAA
Tom Woodman, president for the Provincial Glaziers Association of Alberta (PGAA), submits this report: “We had one Annual General Meeting and two executive meetings during the course of 2007. Scheduling meetings with everyone’s busy schedules coming into play has proven to be difficult. This past year, we have focussed on our financial reporting methods and the structure of the original bylaws, as we have the previous year.

“The PGAA’s web site has seen some changes made to facilitate the enrollment of new members and more. Steve Petersen has done an awesome job with the web site and the fax out which was sent in December.

“Following the Glass Trades Association’s (GTA) hard work, a new first year ‘glaziers’ class has been put on by the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in Edmonton this past May 2008. Ross Wady and Lynn Allan and other members of the GTA were instrumental in getting this class. A lot of work went into getting the class set up for the new students and the GTA membership rose to meet the occasion.

“It has been an honour to serve as the president of the PGAA for the past two years. I regret that I have not been able to accomplish more in my term, but I am confident that
the base of the PGAA is strong. With the help of the Glass and Architectural Metals Association (GAMA) and the GTA, the PGAA will continue to serve the provincial interests
of the glazing industry. I would like to congratulate Steve Petersen on the start of his term as president and wish him every success.”

GDAS
Ken Kassian, president of the Glass Dealers Association of Saskatchewan (GDAS), submits this report: “By the time this issue of Glass Canada magazine is published, our association will have completed the Annual General Meeting, Banquet and the second Auto Glass Technician Competition (AGTC) in Saskatoon, held on May 3, 2008.

“The Auto Glass Technician Competition saw seven technicians from across the province compete for the bragging rights as to being the best in the province, and the winner is being sent to the Auto Glass Technician Olympics in the US to represent the GDAS. This competition is being held in November at NACE (International Autobody Congress and Exposition) in Las Vegas.

“For those not involved in auto glass, there will be seminars on such topics as apprenticeship training, architectural glass trends and curtainwall innovations, as well as touching on the Glazing Systems Specifications Manual which the GDAS has accepted, once it is approved by the Canadian Glass Association (CGA).

“The Annual General Meeting held elections for three director positions, along with committee reports and more. At the AGM banquet, we presented Lloyd Glass Apprenticeship Bursaries to two recipients: Clinton McCulloch, who is a second year apprentice employed with Glacier Glass Service in Regina; and Devin O’Dell, who also is a second year apprentice employed with Dynamic Glass & Door in Saskatoon. Although we allow for the presentation of two bursaries a year, this is the first time we have been able to do so. At the present time, there are 14 apprentices enrolled in the apprenticeship program, and this is up considerably from other years.

“The association will continue to focus on promoting the Glassworker Apprenticeship program and hopefully we will see the current numbers double. With the Glassworker Trade program being offered at both the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) in Calgary, and Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) in Edmonton, this will make it easier for apprentices to attend classes.

“The banquet was held at the Travelodge Hotel with entertainment by Karen Grainger featuring her ‘All in One Show’.

“In April, the GDAS launched its new web site. The site offers opportunities for members for classified advertising, banner advertising and to showcase projects they have completed. For our associate members, suppliers to the glass industry, there is an area called ‘Preferred suppliers’. Here, preferred suppliers are able to create a link to their site. Please visit www.gdas.ca

“We have seen a strong commitment from those involved in the glass industry in Saskatchewan to take a membership in the GDAS, at the present time, our membership is up from last year.”