Cement and concrete are the source of 8% of global CO2 emissions and growing. Tune into the latest episode of Road to Net-Zero, where we speak with Apoorv Sinha, CEO of Carbon Upcycling, about the process, benefits and future potential of carbon upcycled concrete and discover how it's revolutionizing the construction industry.…

Angela Coldwell is an award winning chemistry and physics teacher. She founded Honour The Work as a result of conversations with industry members who shared how K-12 students and adults generally aren't aware of how rewarding and diverse, skilled trades and AEC careers can be. Combining a love of hands-on learning, educational research, and project…

Based in South-Western Ontario, Build a Dream is an organization that delivers specialized programs to encourage and empower women and girls to explore careers where women are under-represented, while also working to create a gender-balanced workforce and change global perspectives on women’s contribution to society. McKenna Goodwin is a Red Seal E…

Michelle McCollum has over 30 years of experience in construction. Her career started in Edinburgh, Scotland where she spent 15 years working in municipal government. In 2008, she and her family moved to Canada. Today, she is Vice-President, Facilities and Sustainability, for George Brown College where she leads the development and deployment of th…

From pick-up trucks to cargo vans, more and more automobile manufacturers are producing viable options for vehicles in the construction industry. In this episode we speak with Flavio Volpe, an internationally recognized champion of Canada's automotive industry, about the future of low-carbon and net-zero vehicles in North America.…

Un bonus français épisode de notre balado #Verslacarboneutralite est ici! Nos animateurs, Clement Boisselier and Josiane Laflamme-Charetter, discutent du rôle d’Aecon dans la progression de la transition énergétique et de notre engagement envers le développement durable dans la foulée de la publication de notre Rapport sur le développement durable …

McKenna Goodwin is a Red Seal Endorsed General Carpenter from Ottawa, Ontario. She started her apprenticeship framing houses at age 16 and completed her apprenticeship with UBCJA Local 93 at age 21. Today, McKenna is a Career Coach for the non-profit organization Build a Dream and works directly with tradeswomen and industry partners to improve the…

Camryn Malaney grew up in a family deeply rooted in construction. Hailing from Buffalo, New York, she inherited her passion for the industry from her father, who has been working in development throughout her whole life. Today, she is the Director of Construction for Habitat for Humanity South Sarasota. The role allows her to work in her deep-seate…

Adrienne Clarke and Jami Snow return for a different kind of episode. Adrienne and Jami have worked together at Aecon just over a year leading an innovative joint venture called Aecon-Golden Mile. AGM was created to expand economic opportunities for residents of the Greater Golden Mile that are facing barriers to the labour market. In that short ti…

Tune in as our hosts, Adam Borgatti and Prabh K. Banga discuss Aecon's role in Advancing the Energy Transition, and our commitment to sustainability with the release of our 2023 Sustainability Report. Plus, listen to guests who disccuss intiatives from across Aecon.By Aecon

Dee Durant is an electrical apprentice working towards her 309A Construction Maintenance electrical license. She is also a KickAss careers ambassador, a co-host of a talk show called Building Resilience on YouTube, and a former Weston scholar. Through her work and volunteerism, she encourages others to consider a career in the skilled trades, under…

Jami Snow has been working in construction for 11 years. Starting out as a temporary ground person with IBEW, she worked as a labourer on a solar farm, assembling a-frames & installing solar panels. Over time, her passion for the industry grew as she completed heavy equipment training and got her AZ license. In 2019, she saw a job posting for Aecon…

Cheyanne Hammell is the Manager of Special Projects for PCL Constructors, Toronto. In 2007 she graduated from Mohawk College with an Architectural Technology diploma in Construction Management. Today, with more than 18 years of experience in the construction industry, she is a visionary leader, driven and inspired by the thrill of construction and …

Jamie McMillan became an ironworker in 2002 when women only represented 2% of ironworkers across Canada and the United States. In 2012 she founded KickAss Careers, a grassroots initiative creating awareness and encouraging those of all ages and walks of life to consider careers in underrepresented occupations through school and community outreach. …

In this bilingual edition of our Road to Net Zero, our podcast guest hosts Clément Boisselier and Fabiola Tassy, speak to Professor Ahmed Soliman from the Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering at Concordia University’s Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science, discussing the hard truth about cement, it’s impact on …

Dans cette édition bilingue de notre émission balado sur le développement durable Vers la carboneutralité, nos animateurs Clément Boisselier et Fabiola Tassy, avec le professeur Ahmed Soliman du département de génie du bâtiment, civil et environnemental à l’École de génie d’informatique Gina-Cody de l'Université Concordia. Ils discutent de la dure …

Just over a year ago, Jade Schaal was a teacher, specifically an ABA paraprofessional working with students on the autism spectrum. A gut instinct told her that the trades needed to be her next adventure and she took a leap of faith. Today, she is a sheet metal apprentice working in an HVAC fabrication shop and attending school through the union 2 …

Adrienne Clarke joined Aecon in 2006 and has worked in many areas including running the utility locate team, the change-management department, and project management of the training and innovation centre. Today, in the position of General Manager she is responsible for Aecon Utilities Training and Innovation Centre, Aecon Golden Mile Joint Venture,…

Victoria Monardo has been working in construction for 10 years. She is currently a full-time machine operator for a sewer and water crew with Hebster Construction. Over the years she has developed a wide variety of skills within general construction especially in landscaping. In her spare time, she runs her own landscape construction business, buil…

Jess Deyong co-founded dollHOUSE design + build in April 2020 at the height of the Covid 19 pandemic. Over the next three years, Jess has guided the business through approximately 75 renovations to Century Homes in Hamilton, Ontario. From kitchens to bathrooms and basements to attics, Jess aims to juxtapose old and new to create vibrant, functional…

We’ve heard a lot about electrically powered construction equipment but what about hydrogen powered? Engineers at JCB developed the first hydrogen motor in the construction industry. We chat with Chris Giorgianni, Vice President, Product with JBC about their innovations in hydrogen powered construction equipment and how this technology will support…

In a past life, Kelly McNamara worked as a Kinesiologist, doing functional assessments and ergonomic consulting for industry. Today she is an Apprentice Carpenter with Freestone Construction in Fernie, British Columbia. Pursuing carpentry full-time has altered her trajectory in such a positive way that, as she says: "I can’t NOT share this journey.…

Carys Cao has been on a number of career paths ranging from teaching to insurance and even some work in corrections. Today she is a Journeyperson Handyman with LiUNA 183. She currently works new homes in their final stages, just before closing, cleaning up any minor deficiencies before the new homeowner moves in. She also services the warranty prog…

Sparky, Boots & Smoko's Live Panel is a collaboration of Lia Lamela, Alexis Armstrong and our own Lindsay Reynolds. These three ladies have come together as fellow podcasters and passionate advocates of story-telling and open conversation about women and other under-represented goups in in STEM, Trades and the Construction Industry. This episode is…

Zoe Bilcke has been building her career in the trades for nearly 5 years. She started in landscape maintenance before making the shift to crane operation. Today she works for Paramount Alliance and is just seconds away from completing her apprenticeship with the 793 operators union. Zoe will be the first female crane operator that I've ever met and…

Our Sustainability leaders, Adam and Prabh, speak with guest Thomas Mueller from the Canada Green Building Council to discuss how the decisions made at COP28 in Dubai may have an impact on the construction industry.By Aecon

Fair Trades Toolbox has a mission to educate skilled trades employers on how to integrate women into their male-dominated workforce and to change the culture of the skilled trades industry for the better. At the head of Fair Trades is Brandi Ferenc, a Red Seal 313A Refrigeration Mechanic/Gas Fitter 1 Journey person with over 20 years in the trade. …

Jessica Bannister is a 3rd generation HVAC contractor. Her dad apprenticed under his dad in the 1970’s and her brother followed in his footsteps right after high school. But the trades were never considered as an option for her and so she went the traditional route of college and took an office job. In 2017, she joined Cam Cool as an admin but by M…

In our very first She Wears Work Boots Conversations episode, we talk to Alexis Armstrong, host of the Smoko Podcast. Smoko exists to highlight the work and stories of women and female-identifying folks in STEM, trades and other non-traditional roles. In this episode, Alexis and Lindsay kick-back, relax and discuss the importance of projects like S…

Chloe Arsenault is a fairly recent graduate of the civil and mining engineering program at College Boreal and currently works as a field technician at NSS Canada. Her work takes her to mines all across Canada and even overseas. While her career choice is pretty cool, her hobbies make it even cooler as Chloe continues to follow her passion for pagea…

Molly Allgood went to university and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Honours Human Kinetics. Throughout University she spent the summers working up in Parry Sound Ontario building, renovating, and repairing cottages. She also helped with the work to open and close them, and although she loved it, it didn't seem like a career. Besides, at th…

Lauren Petro is an Environmental Engineer. For the past 7 years she has been working on large-scale environmental remediation projects that often involve mine or landfill closures or large amounts of contaminated soil. Over the course of her career she has also developed a passion for advocacy for women in construction and hopes to inspire more wom…

Julia Rose Lundvall is a Red Seal Brick and Stone Mason working and adventuring through Toronto, Ontario. She started her journey in the trades after many years of struggle, perceiving it as a last chance and only option. Having no prior experience in construction she took the ultimate leap of faith, and after years of hard work, struggle and accom…

Elyse Chiu's road to drywall finishing started with a rental property. She had been working as a paramedic in Toronto for 14 years when she and her wife bought a house and started renovating, and something in there sparked a fascination with mudding and taping. She continued in her EMS career while renovating on the side, but everything changed in …

The year may be coming to an end - but the Road to Net Zero podcast goes on! Check out this special edition of our sustainability podcast as we look back at the episodes covered in 2023 and what’s to come in 2024.By Aecon

Marina Ramos has been working in construction for a decade. She has been on all types of projects from commercial and retail, pharmaceutical and industrial all the way to residential high-rise. Her extensive knowledge in BIM Management and Scheduling has been core to her career. Marina uses her knowledge and skill to liaise with consultants and tra…

We chat with Charles-Antoine St-Jean, Chair of the newly formed Canadian Sustainability Standards Board (CSSB) and discuss the launch of the new International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) sustainability disclosure standards. Listen in to learn about how they are expected to be implemented in Canada, the role of the Canadian Sustainability …

Veronica Da Luca has been working as a structural designer and Engineer for about 11 years. Her work has a significant focus on cold formed steel framing (otherwise known as steel studs) which is a very niche market within the Engineering world. Today, she is Division Manager of the Toronto office for Building Structures with MTE, while still manag…

Patricia Robinson is a testament to the importance of those women in trades who are sharing their stories. Her journey towards a carpentry apprenticeship was literally inspired by all the women she saw posting about their awesome careers on social media. Feeling drawn toward carpentry and trades for so many reasons, she started with a wood-working …

Emily Lynch is a Labour Apprentice with LiUNA local 183 working on Highrise construction projects in downtown Toronto. Just over 2 years ago she stared sharing small parts of her work and career journey on Instagram in hopes to inspire other girls and women to look at construction as a serious career path. In her feed she shares about everything fr…

Christina Murray has demolition in her blood. After graduating from high-school, she started working on sites as a labourer and eventually took on heavy equipment operation and dump-truck driving. Her choice made her the 4th generation of her family to work in Demolition. In 2009 Christina joined Budget Environmental as the Demolition Estimator. Th…

Our latest episode discusses how battery storage can help meet demand spikes, the importance of supporting wide-scale deployment of renewable energy sources, and how it supports our clean energy goals. This episode features Justin Rangooni, Executive Director of Energy Storage Canada.By Aecon

Paige Heron has been a carpenter since she was 19 years old. It all started with a week off in her first year of fire-fighting college and encouragement from her dad to go work for a millwork company. Carpentry was just a summer gig, until college was done, but she loved it so much that she jumped into a pre-apprenticeship and hasn't looked back. A…

Listen to our hosts and guest, Jennifer Green, Director of Competitions at Skills Ontario, discuss the different experiences women have had while working in the trades. Tune in to learn more about how companies can support women in the field & moreBy Aecon

Écoutez cet épisode au cours duquel Clément Boisselier, spécialiste, Développement durable et Environnement et Yousif Jabak, gestionnaire, Livraison numérique intégrée nous expliquent comment Aecon utilise la modélisation des données du bâtiment (BIM) afin de favoriser la mise en œuvre du cadre Envision pour la construction durable de nos projets.…

Listen in as we learn about how Aecon uses Building Information Modeling (BIM) to facilitate the implementation of the Envision Sustainable Infrastructure Framework on our projects with Clement Boisselier, Sustainability and Environment Specialist and Yousif Jabak, IDD Manager.By Aecon

Listen in as hosts Adam and Prabh speak with our own Greg Thede, VP of Nuclear Strategy and Business Services, about Small Modular Reactors and our work on the Darlington New Nuclear ProjectBy Aecon

Jennifer Green started her skilled trades career in high school as an Industrial Mechanic Millwright. Today, she is the Director of Competitions at Skills Ontario. Jennifer has been labelled a fearless trailblazer and glass-ceiling breaker for women in non-traditional careers, and continues to advocate and be a leader in the skilled trades communit…

Leanne Stephenson has been working in project management for general contractors for 15-plus years. She grew up in a small town, raised in a working class family daughter and granddaughter of carpenters and found her own path to construction through the co-operative education program at Fanshawe College. Most of her career has primarily focused on …

Terry Petrie is an experienced Construction Project Manager with nearly 20 years in the industry. Her well-rounded career has included Institutional, Commercial, Renovation, Facility Management, and complex Design-Build Finance Maintain projects. In short - she has been exposed to everything. Throughout her career she has engaged in stakeholder man…