Topic Supply Chain
At least 150 firefighters respond to Toronto school blaze
May 7, 2019 by THE CANADIAN PRESSTORONTO – A large fire at a Toronto high school caused part of the building’s roof to collapse, forced area residents from their homes and sent large plumes of smoke over the neighbourhood, authorities said Tuesday as crews worked to…
Health and safety inspection teams head to flood affected zones in New Brunswick
May 3, 2019 by Kevin Bissett - THE CANADIAN PRESSFREDERICTON – Health and safety inspection teams are fanning out across flood-affected regions of New Brunswick, assessing homes and businesses that are still drying out amid receding floodwaters. New Brunswick’s Emergency Measures Organization says the teams will inspect electrical systems…
Health Canada warns mould is a serious concern in flood hit homes
May 2, 2019 by Kevin Bissett - THE CANADIAN PRESSHealth Canada is warning of the dangers of mould in homes and cottages hit by this year’s spring flooding. Federal biologist Francis Lavoie says it’s important to dry wet walls and belongings within 48 hours, but that’s not always possible…
Out of control Saskatchewan wildfire triggers state of emergency, evacuation
April 23, 2019 by THE CANADIAN PRESSBIGGAR, Sask. – Saskatchewan’s fire commissioner is urging people across the province not to have open fires as a wildfire around the town of Biggar sparked a state of emergency and some evacuations. Duane McKay says crews are assessing what…
This aging infrastructure problem could force residents out of homes
April 18, 2019 by Greg MeckbachA substantial number of Ontario residents are at risk of becoming temporarily homeless because they live in old high-rise buildings with critical infrastructure that needs to be replaced, a politician told Canadian Underwriter Wednesday. “Across Toronto and across Ontario we…
This Supreme Court ruling could drive environmental insurance sales
March 19, 2019 by Greg MeckbachBrokers could see more demand for environmental liability insurance because of a recent Supreme Court of Canada ruling in favour of the Alberta Energy Regulator, a Toronto underwriter suggests. In Orphan Well Association v. Grant Thornton Ltd., the Supreme Court…
How air conditioner installer got dragged into basement flood
March 12, 2019 by Greg MeckbachMoisture that an air conditioner collects could damage your client’s home if it doesn’t drain properly, but the client cannot necessarily blame the air conditioner installer for a flood. Basement flood victim Samuel Sieb took Gandy Installations Ltd. to British…
How fatal Nova Scotia fire could change national building code
February 25, 2019 by THE CANADIAN PRESSHALIFAX – Experts say the deaths of the seven Barho children in a ferocious Halifax house fire last week could lead to new fire safety measures and changes to the country’s building code. Phil Rizcallah, director for construction research and…
Why leaking sewers are contributing to higher flood risk
February 11, 2019 by Jason ContantBrand new storm and sanitary sewers are leaking water at an unacceptable rate, putting individual homes at higher risk of flooding, a civil engineer said last week at the CatIQ Connect conference in Toronto. “We have allowable leakage, a little…
Experts call for federal investigation of fatal bus crash
January 14, 2019 by Alanna Rizza THE CANADIAN PRESSExperts are calling on the federal transportation safety board to investigate a deadly bus crash in Ottawa to prevent similar incidents from occurring again. Ahmed Shalaby, a civil engineering professor at the University of Manitoba, said the Transportation Safety Board…
Flood watches in British Columbia result from heavy rain
January 4, 2019 by THE CANADIAN PRESSVANCOUVER – Rainfall, wind, snow and winter storm warnings have been lifted for all of southern B.C. after a powerful system swept across the province leaving flooded or snow-clogged roads in its wake. On Vancouver Island, torrential downpours forced flood…
Recent storm ‘most damaging’ in BC Hydro history
January 2, 2019 by THE CANADIAN PRESSVANCOUVER – BC Hydro says December’s massive windstorm was the most damaging in its history and demonstrates improvements are needed in order to be ready for future outages. A report from the Crown corporation says the Dec. 20 storm was…