Construction poised to boom; Hundreds of jobs expected to be created

Construction work is starting now that Vancouver Island universities and colleges are gearing up for more than $100 million worth of projects that will create hundreds of jobs.
Tenders are to be posted to upgrade old buildings and construct new ones.

Federal and provincial infrastructure funding to stimulate the economy, along with money from other sources, is driving the construction push.

A total of $455.1 million in funding has been announced for 29 developments at B.C. post-secondary institutions.

At UVic, $42.5 million will be spent to upgrade six older buildings: the Clearihue (the oldest at 47 years), the Elliot, MacLaurin, Cunningham, Cornett and the University Centre.
 
An announcement of a construction manager for planned renovations to UVic`s older buildings is "imminent," Dino Valeri, acting director of capital projects, said yesterday. Under government infrastructure requirements, work must be complete by March 2011.

"I would hope that within a month, we would start seeing major construction equipment on campus," Valeri said.
 
Work includes seismic upgrading and improvements to elevator, water, heating and safety systems, as well as to building envelopes.
 
The construction manager will handle about $30 million of the funding and call for tenders on behalf of the university, Valeri said. There will be a separate contract for the University Centre, where drawings and specifications have been prepared. Pre-construction work has started.
 
UVic was fortunate to have studies, reports, working drawings and plans in hand when the government sought "shovel-ready" projects, he said.

Infrastructure work at UVic, Royal Roads University and Camosun College is expected to create more than 400 direct jobs.
 
Roadwork is underway at Royal Roads as part of the new $21-million Learning and Innovation Centre project, said university community relations director Stephanie Slater. Just over $18 million has been raised, with the bulk of the money coming from the province.

Building contracts will be awarded in three stages, she said. The first, for concrete and excavation work, was posted Friday and closes in three weeks.
 
A contract for the building structure is next, followed by one for the interior.

Camosun College is receiving $3.75 million. Work includes upgrading the welding and mechanical shop at the Interurban campus, and improvements at the Lansdowne campus to the Young Building and Dunlop House.
 
Vancouver Island University is getting a new $26.6-million, 3,500-square-metre campus on the former Cowichan Fairgrounds in Duncan. Work is expected to start this summer on the development, which will create up to 170 jobs.

Also at VIU, ground was broken last month to start an $8.6-million shellfish aquaculture field station at Deep Bay, north of Qualicum Beach. Construction is expected to take 14 months and create 60 jobs.
 
A new $8-million Courtenay campus focused on trades and training is planned by North Island College, which is also receiving close to $1 million for infrastructure improvements.

Philip Venoit, business manager of Local 230 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and president of the Island`s Building Trades Council, welcomed funding announcements but wants the projects moved ahead more quickly.

"Hopefully, it will have an impact into next year and early 2011," he said.