Well, we certainly live in interesting times! Just when COVID numbers were trending down along with hospitalizations, ICU patient numbers and the arrival of vaccines, a curve ball arrives in the new variants and numbers start to spike. In spite of the pathetic efforts of our federal government, Alberta is about 15% vaccinated and the arrival of new vaccines is supposed to spike. On the plus side, we are seeing positive numbers being forecast on economic growth. With the largesse of the federal government, Canadians have the highest level of savings in some time. Who thought paying 15- 17 year-olds living at home $10,000 in CERB was a good idea?
State of the Industry: January 2021
Happy New Year! I am sure many of us are relieved to see the end of 2020. The past year has been plagued by a pandemic with just under 2 million lives lost around the globe, social isolation, global trade disruptions, record fiscal and monetary stimulus programs, historic unemployment, economic collapse, and a tumultuous US election. Could it have been much worse? It is easy to get lost in the dismay; however, out of the doom and gloom, there is opportunity and hope. Never in history has the world united to tackle something so devastating that could threaten our very existence. To be able to research, develop, and distribute a vaccine in under one year is truly remarkable – a testament to what can be accomplished with global cooperation.
PAC Ironworker Update: January 2021
AMBA Membership Committee Update: January 2021
Well, that year is finally over! 2020 certainly was a different kind of year, as we all had to deal with the challenges of managing a global pandemic. It is interesting to note, that when a group of people bonded by a common cause, act together for the collective good, what seem like insurmountable odds can be overcome. While we are starting to see improvements and with the rollout of the vaccines, there are still hurdles that lie ahead.
Project Profile: Striking Oil in Alberta
Small, free-standing retail stores are probably not the first thing that comes to mind when you think of an engineered steel building solution. But Lewis Semashkewich of Melewka Structures & Design in Athabasca, Alberta thought the combination of the flexibility and quality of a Butler building, along with a design/build approach, would win the day for Great Canadian Oil Change/Valvoline. Two years ago, Lewis approached Great Canadian with an offer to adapt their wood-frame prototype to Butler systems. The result was a 1640 square foot structure with an MR-24 roof using the TLS insulation system. The roof had parapets and an internal gutter system. The walls were insulated metal panels (IMP).
Call for Contributions to the AMBA Quarterly Newsletter
AMBA Membership Committee Update: October 2020
Metal Building Systems Erector
COVID-19 and the Workplace: Information and Updates
State of the Industry: October 2020
Since the discovery of Leduc No. 1, in 1947, Alberta has become dependent upon the energy sector. Each time the province experiences an economic bust, there has been robust discussion on how to get Alberta off the unsustainable ‘petro addiction’. While there has been some headway in economic diversity, the province continues to build budgets based on oil price assumptions.