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VANCOUVER – The Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) is celebrating and showcasing its members’ best work.

The VRCA announced the 46 Silver Award winners across 15 categories for the 2019 Awards of Excellence, which features industrial, commercial and institutional projects across the province.

“Every year, I’m blown away by the number of complex and challenging projects that our members take on and complete under tight timelines and often demanding conditions. This year, the total construction value of the nominations is over $840 million, which demonstrates how busy our industry continues to be,” VRCA president Fiona Famulak said.

Famulak added while the total value is lower than in previous years, “that’s nothing to be alarmed by. A lot of projects were completed last year and we’re just in that part of the construction cycle.”

The winners in the general contractor – tenant improvement category are Chandos Construction Ltd. for the Boston Pizza restaurant in Vancouver’s Stadium district and Smith Bros. & Wilson (B.C.) Ltd. for the Kitsilano Pool – Rehabilitation project and work done on levels eight and nine of the Vancouver Public Library’s central location. 

In the general contractors – up to $15 million category, Graham Infrastructure LP won for their work on the Salton Road Pedestrian/Cycle Bridge, Pete Kiewit Sons ULC won for their contribution to Highway 99 – Ten Mile Slide Advanced Anchor, and Triple M Modular Ltd.’s work on Trinity Western University Jacobson Hall’s student housing facility also won an award.

The general contractors – $25 million to $50 million category saw Graham Design Builders LP win for the Aldergrove Credit Union Community Centre, JJM Construction recognized for their work on the PWGSC Middle Harbour Fill Site Remediation, and Smith Bros. & Wilson (B.C.) saw another award for their efforts on the Commercial Broadway Station Upgrade in Vancouver.

Bird Construction Group won in the general contractors over $50 million category for the SFU Sustainable Energy Engineering Building, as did Ledcor Construction Limited for 569 Great Northern Way, and Peter Kiewit Sons ULC won for the GMS WAC Bennet Riprap Upgrade Project.

The trade contractors awards represented a diverse group of B.C. companies. The Chairman’s Trade award, which recognizes projects worth up to $1 million, went to ESC Automation for the West District Energy Centre and park, Keith Panel Systems Co. Ltd for Great Northern Way Pavilion, and West Coast Cutting and Coring Group Ltd. for their work on the Vancouver Public Library’s main branch.

The library project also earned Black & McDonald Ltd. an award in the mechanical contractors – up to $3 million category, and the company won in the same category for work on the VGH CESEI & VA CP Offices and Sleep Rooms project. The other winner in the category was Division 15 mechanical for the NEFC District Energy System.

The President’s Trade award, for projects from $1 million to $2 million, saw Horizon Landscape Contractors Inc. win for the Aldergrove Credit Union Community Centre, Spearhead Inc. for their work on 569 Great Northern Way, and Spectrum Painting and Restorations Ltd. for work done on the Parq Casino in downtown Vancouver.

In the Founder’s Trade award for $2 million to $4 million trade contracting projects, work on the SFU Sustainable Energy Engineering Building meant awards for both Alliance Scientific Inc. and Surespan Structures Ltd. The other winner in the category was Glastech Glazing Contractors Ltd. for the Commercial Broadway Station Upgrade.

The Director’s Trade award, for trade contractor projects over $4 million, saw the SFU Sustainable Energy Engineering Building project again garner awards for both Glasstech Glazing Contractors Ltd. and Syber Concrete Forming Ltd. The other winners in the category were Carion Construction Ltd. for Vancouver House and Vancouver Pile Driving Ltd. for G3 Terminal Vancouver.

Trotter & Morton Building Technologies Inc. won two awards in the mechanical contractors – $3 million to $9 million category, for Vancouver Island University’s Health Sciences Centre and for the West Village District Energy Centre and Park. The other winner in the category was Canstar Mechanical Ltd. for work done on the Aldergrove Credit Union Community Centre.

The mechanical contractors – over $9 million category won double awards for Modern Niagara Vancouver Inc. for the RCMP E Division HQ Forensic Laboratory and the Valleyview Project, and once again work on the SFU Sustainable Energy Engineering Building won an award, this time for Division 15 Mechanical Ltd.

Western Pacific Enterprises won in all three categories of the electrical contractors award. In the up to $2 million category, they won for the Lougheed Town Centre Food Court Relocation project, in the $2 million to $8 million category for replacement of Pacific Centre Mall’s main switchgear and retail distribution equipment, and in the over $8 million category for the Stanton Territorial Hospital.

The other winners in the electrical contractors – up to $2 million category were Allteck Line Contractors for the Seton River 60L021 structure relocation project, and Status Electrical Corporation for siteworks and major utilities for the YVR CORE program.

In the electrical contractors – $2 to $8 million category, the remaining winners were Canem Systems Ltd. for the SFU Sustainable Energy Engineering Building and Houle Electric Limited for lighting replacement at BC Place. Houle also won in the over $8 million category for their work on Penticton Regional Hospital’s Patient Care tower, and F&M Installations Ltd. won for the John Hart Generating Station Replacement project.

The manufacturers and suppliers category saw Con-Tech Systems Ltd. win for the Ten Mile Slide Advanced Anchor work on Highway 99, Marcon Metalfab for the Salton Road pedestrian and cycle bridge and Modu-Loc Fence Rentals LP for the D-Thind Development – Sussex Ltd. project.

“The VRCA’s Awards of Excellence Committee received presentations from an extraordinary group this year. The challenges our members overcome to complete projects to the satisfaction of our clients and stakeholders continue to be remarkable,” VRCA Awards of Excellence committee chairman Bob Proctor said in a release.

The silver award winners will be recognized at the Awards of Excellence gala on Oct. 28 at the Vancouver Convention Centre, where one silver award winner from each category will be announced as a gold award winner.

In addition to contractor awards, the VRCA will also present Outstanding Achievement awards to companies and individuals. Categories include lifetime achievement, education leadership, the Outstanding Woman in Construction award, innovation and productivity, safety, the VRCA member of the year, the U40 excellence in construction award and an award for construction workplace health and safety.

Debuting this year is the Zero Emissions Leadership award to focus on green building leaders in B.C., which Famulak said makes sense given Vancouver’s push to become a zero-emission city by 2030.

“British Columbia and in particular, Vancouver, is leading the country in sustainable building practices,” noted Famulak. “We’re therefore excited to introduce the new Zero Emissions Building Leadership Award this year to recognize an individual or company that has dedicated a considerable amount of time advancing knowledge and education that helps the industry understand how to design and build to zero emissions building standards.”

Famulak noted technology is also starting to make strides into B.C.’s construction industry.

“We’ve seen an increased use of technology on site. It makes sense as we don’t have access to piles of labour, so we use technology to make do with less people,” she said.

VRCA also awards a life membership to an individual at the gala, and nominations for the category and for outstanding achievement awards are open until noon on Aug. 9.

Registration to attend the 31^st annual Awards of Excellence are now open and tickets are available on the .