Award

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 2 4 | 51 Reinforcing Steel P H OTO G R A P H Y CO U RT E S Y G RO U P E AG F I N C . "We look forward to several large projects coming to fruition in the near future, filling the backlog as some of our legacy projects near completion." Duane Kotun, director of administration at Sherwood Steel in Edmonton, reports that his company is as busy as it was in 2023, which is noteworthy con- sidering last year was the best-ever year for work in Sherwood's 51-year history. And to a degree, Kotun is pleasantly surprised by the circumstances. "I really thought the high bank rates would have put a halt to all the activity we're seeing, but obviously not," he says. "Currently there's lots of bidding on condo and multi-family facilities, school projects are on the rise, and we're even working on three water treatment plants in Alberta, one of which requires 700 metric tons of rebar." Also, Sherwood is busy serving the second phase of Edmonton's The Mercury Block, which Kotun says is significant because "we're starting to see more of the type of mixed-use residential buildings sharing a common podium in this city that are so prevalent in Vancouver and Toronto." When asked to explain why the residential market is bustling with oppor- tunities despite Canada's economic circumstances, Kotun replies, "I can only attribute it to our heavy immigration rates. More people than ever are settling in Canada, and it's no secret there's a nationwide housing shortage. So projects are moving ahead despite the high interest rates." Geraldine Raedemaeker, communications manager at Groupe AGF Inc. of Longueuil, Quebec, similarly reports that her company has been busy throughout the year, with demand for projects such as hospitals, infrastructure (bridges), and even wind farms compensating for a decline in new residential activity. "For example, as we speak we're heavily involved in the new Île-aux- Tourtes bridge reconstruction on the western tip of Montreal Island," she says of the $2.3-billion, multi-year project. "And even though residential has declined, we're still supplying steel for high rise projects in Toronto." In fact, AGF is playing a key role in the Block 15 project, located in the North York district of Toronto. Designed by Dialog, the project is distinguished by three residential towers totalling 990 housing units requiring 7,000 metric tons of reinforcing steel, including 300 metric tons of grade 500W, and 1,500 stud rails. AGF is also playing a crucial role in the Le Sherbrooke condo project, located in the Mille Carré Doré in the heart of Montreal. This 25-storey tower, built in collaboration with Broccolini, will feature a total of 515 prestigious condomini- ums. The bold design featuring cantilevered retaining walls requires some 4,000 metric tons of reinforcing steel. Additionally, AGF's focus on innovation as well as employee well-being has resulted in two pilot projects involving the use of exoskeletons in the workplace: four in Montreal, five in Ontario, and one in Ottawa, specifically. Biolift is a part- ner with AGF in the projects, which is aimed at the reduction of physical fatigue. Selig offers some closing thoughts that echo the sentiments of many of his colleagues in the rebar sector. "As always our industry has a significant number of challenges and we're quite a unique industry in this regard," he says. "We are subject to so many variables such as the U.S. dollar, interest rates, import duties, and most notably the global steel market in general, that it makes for a very volatile industry and one that will continue to be volatile and challenging, I suspect. "I would like to say that I think I've seen it all after over 30 years in this industry, but I know that statement is false: everyday presents new challenges, new ideas, and new people. It's never boring." A Block 15 project, district of North York, Toronto, ON 905-856-9745 | admin@imwmetalworks.com www.imwmetalworks.com SPECIALIZING IN CUSTOM ARCHITECTURAL, STRUCTURAL & MISCELLANEOUS METAL WORKS. Inovative Metal Works.indd 1 Inovative Metal Works.indd 1 2024-08-20 9:29 AM 2024-08-20 9:29 AM

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