Download - December 2007 Undergrounder - OSWCA
UndergrounderTheO N T A R I O S E W E R A N D W A T E R M A I N C O N S T R U C T I O N A S S O C I A T I O NO N T A R I O S E W E R A N D W A T E R M A I N C O N S T R U C T I O N A S S O C I A T I O N
December 2007
MILESTONE IN THE MAKING:CSA’s Structured Approach to a New Standard
INSIDE:Damage Prevention Technician Program at Humber CollegeExplosion Highlights Need for Caution7 Keys to an Effective and Profitable Website
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The Undergrounder / December 2007 • 7
MESSAGES 9 President’s Message
By Doug Haight
11 Executive Director’s MessageBy Frank Zechner
FEATURES 13 Milestone in the Making:
The Canadian Standards Association’s Structured Approach to a New Standard.
17 First Damage Prevention Technician Certificates IssuedThe ORCGA is pleased to announce that the first graduates of the Damage Prevention Technician, DPT program have received their certification documents.
27 Fatal West Toronto Explosion During Catch Basin Repairs Highlights Need for CautionBy A.J. Levin
30 7 Keys to an Effective and Profitable WebsiteEven if you currently have a website for your company, have you analyzed it lately?By Peter Koeppel
MEMBER PROFILE 19 Not Wet Behind the Ears
Experienced Aqua-Tech Offers Much More than DewateringBy Jeffrey Reed
23 A Master(s)piece of a Company“Honesty, integrity and knowledge,” a simple philosophy, and one that has served Masters Insurance Limited well for more than 40 years.By Doug Corby
33 Buyers’ Guide and Trade List
The Undergrounder is published for the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association (OSWCA)5045 Orbitor Drive, Unit 12, Suite 300Mississauga, ON L4W 4Y4Tel.: 905-629-7766, Fax: 905-629-0587
Published by Naylor (Canada), Inc.100 Sutherland Avenue, Winnipeg, MB R2W 3C7Tel.: 204-947-0222, Fax: 204-947-2047www.naylor.com
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Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:Naylor (Canada), Inc.Distribution Dept.100 Sutherland AvenueWinnipeg, MB R2W 3C7
©2007 Naylor (Canada), Inc. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced by any means, in whole or in part, without prior written consent of the publisher.
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PUBLISHED DECEMBER 2007/OSW-T0307/6333
Cover Photo: ©iStockphoto/eyeidea
MESSAGES9 President’s Message
By Doug Haight
11 Executive Director’s MessageBy Frank Zechner
FEATURES
UndergrounderTheDecember 2007
O N T A R I O S E W E R A N D W A T E R M A I N C O N S T R U C T I O N A S S O C I A T I O N
UndergrounderO N T A R I O S E W E R A N D W A T E R M A I N C O N S T R U C T I O N A S S O C I A T I O NO N T A R I O S E W E R A N D W A T E R M A I N C O N S T R U C T I O N A S S O C I A T I O N
December 2007
MILESTONE IN THE MAKING: CSA’s Structured Approach to a New Standard
INSIDE:Damage Prevention Technician Program at Humber CollegeExplosion Highlights Need for Caution7 Keys to an Effective and Profitable Website
MEMBER PROFILES: AQUA-TECH MASTERS INSURANCE LIMITED
8 • The Undergrounder / December 2007
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The Undergrounder / December 2007 • 9
Message from Doug Haight, President, OSWCA
That’s our Story and We’re Sticking to It
There are some observers at Queen’s Park who may believe that the OSWCA was engaged in personal attacks on certain candidates in the run up to
the October 10, 2007 Provincial Election. While we support the right of any indi-vidual to hold almost any view, our press statements and reports were based on facts, and most of those facts were voluntarily provided to us by municipal works depart-ment officials across the Province.
As contractors and suppliers, we do not support additional administrative burdens and costs on anyone, whether they be mu-nicipalities or contractors. At the same time municipal and provincial governments over the past few decades have been slow to grasp the fact that many of the roads, watermains and sewers provided by developers as part of the subdivision approval process are nearing or have passed their useful life expectancies, and it falls on municipalities to replace that infrastructure on a timely basis.
The City of Mississauga and its fearless mayor have earned a reputation for stretch-ing their municipal tax dollars over the past few decades, but even that bastion of mu-nicipal effi ciency must now raise revenues through a 5% residential property tax sur-charge to cover the growing costs of water infrastructure replacement.
Less than 3 weeks after the Liberals won a resounding majority in the Provincial Leg-islature, a vital watermain in the heart of downtown London gave way. London works officials acknowledge that the watermain
that burst beneath the intersection of Dun-das and Wellington Streets on October 30, 2007 was old and in need of replacement. What might have been a moderate but signif-icant construction project of several hundred thousand dollars, if planned and executed on a timely basis, has now erupted into a multi-million dollar project. Those millions of dollars, however, do not cover the costs of electric power blackouts, traffi c diversions, interruptions of other utilities such as phone and natural gas, or the business reductions and closures that have and will continue for quite some time.
Despite what some critics may say, there is still a demonstrated need for many of the pro-visions of Bill 175, the Sustainable Water and Sewage System Act, 2002 (SWSSA). Interest-ingly, the citizens of the City of Windsor have requested an audit of the water revenues over the past decade as Windsor residents face an unprecedented 86% rise in their water bills to address aging infrastructure.
The facts are that many municipal wa-ter systems are in need of replacement and Ontario residents are concerned that the necessary job be done soon and effi ciently. Putting off repairs or replacement to the next decade or the next administration is only going to cost residents more in the long run. The solution lies in moving rapidly to full cost pricing, mandatory water metering for residential customers and requiring munici-palities to maintain dedicated reserves and practical leak reduction and capital replace-ment programs for their water infrastructure. That’s our story and we’re sticking to it!
10 • The Undergrounder / December 2007
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The Undergrounder / December 2007 • 11
Message from Frank Zechner, Executive Director OSWCA
We Can’t Afford to Bury ‘One Call’ Legislation
On October 25, 2007 the Ontario Court of Justice gave its final rulings on the TSSA and Ministry of
Labour charges against Enbridge Gas Distribution Inc. (“Enbridge”) and its locator subcontractor, Precision Utility Ltd. (“PUL”). To the surprise of many, all charges by both the TSSA and the Ministry of Labour against PUL and Enbridge were dis-missed. Readers may recall that in late September 2006 the excavator, Warren Bitulithic, entered a guilty plea to damaging a gas pipeline. The facts as we understand them are that utility locates were requested by Warren Bitulithic at least one week before the tragedy, and while some utilities responded, PUL only pro-vided a response for some of the gas lines in the construction area. To the OSWCA, Ontario’s utility locate response laws are inadequate.
Nowhere in Canada do we have any laws comparable to the “one call” (utility damage prevention) laws that exist in each and every state in the US. In every US state the “one call” laws have the following common elements: all utilities must be members of the one call system, all excavators must call the one call centre before excavat-ing and all utilities receiving a locate request must respond with a complete
and accurate locate within 3 business days. While Ontario laws require ex-cavators to determine the location of buried utilities before digging, there is no requirement for any utilities to be members of one call centres. For many utilities, such as Bell, Rogers and municipal water utilities, there is no law requiring the utility to ever re-spond with a locate.
Each and every US jurisdiction has a mandatory state wide one call sys-tem as compared to Ontario’s partial and voluntary one call system. While many gas companies such as Bell Canada and a handful of the electrical power distributors participate in On-1Call, at least 80 electrical companies, mostly municipal water departments and more than 50 cable companies, require separate calls to that utility. The result is that in some parts of the Province, contractors must make up to 13 separate phone calls to utilities to get all of the locates within a few weeks or longer. By contrast, the en-tire continental US now only needs to dial 811 once to get all of their utility locates within 3 business days.
The OSWCA is a founding mem-ber of the Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance and supports their proposal for one call legislation. Until now the Province has been slow to re-spond and reluctant to add more reg-ulatory burdens on public utilities.
The lack of timely responses by all utilities with reliable information on the nature and location of their buried plant is a safety risk to us all, no matter which utilities are damaged. Unin-tended contact with gas lines can lead to the type of tragedy that occurred at Bloor and Kipling in April 2003. Con-tact with underground power lines can be fatal to excavators. Break-ing through water lines or fi bre optic cables can be much more serious than an inconvenience. The water system is the backbone of the fi re fi ghting sys-tem, both in terms of fi re hydrants in the streets and the thousands of sprin-kler systems in high rise offi ces, con-dominiums and apartments. Severed phone or cable lines may cut a vital link in fi re alarms, smoke detectors and burglar alarms and may deprive resi-dents of vital communications should they face a medical or other type of emergency.
Across the US, dozens, if not hun-dreds of inquests and government in-vestigations have concluded that the enhanced public safety and higher reliability of buried infrastructure as-sociated with one call legislation vastly outweigh any added administrative burdens on utilities that bury their plant in our roads and public right of ways. The Province of Ontario simply cannot afford to bury one call legislation.
12 • The Undergrounder / December 2007
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CSA’s Structured Approach to a New Standard
By Mark Braiter
Avast utility network has evolved over the past 150 years into a labyrinth of underground infrastructure that is only visible when exposed in the holes that we dig or in the records that we keep. Everyday we break ground to expose utilities without the benefit of a reliable map
illustrating all underground utilities. Sometimes we pay the ultimate price, human life, for our lack of reliable records. In Toronto in 2003, a gas main was struck during construction, causing an explosion that killed seven people. Accurate maps and records, together with prudent design, utility locate and excavation practice, can save lives and reduce costs. The issue of as-built buried utility mapping cuts across many cat-egories of buried utility assets (e.g. electrical, communication, natural and compressed gas distribution systems, watermains, sanitary sewers, storm water, and steam). As-built drawings define the key subsurface features of the asset, including its size, location, orientation and com-position. They also serve as a permanent record for future reference.
MILESTONE IN THE MAKING:
The Undergrounder / December 2007 • 13
14 • The Undergrounder / December 2007
The Regional Public Works Com-missioners of Ontario (RPWCO) is an organization consisting of munici-palities that are entrusted with managing and delivering a host of municipal services, including the health and safety of the public and infrastructure on public and private property. Recognizing the impor-tance of the quality of maps and
records of underground utilities, the RPWCO engaged the Canadian Stan-dards Association (CSA) to conduct a feasibility study to assess whether a consensus based approach could deliver a standard to better defi ne the content and accuracy of as-built drawings to help reliably map under-ground utilities for the purposes of infrastructure planning, construc-
tion coordination, design, utility locates, construction, excavation and asset management. CSA is a member-ship association serving industry, government, consumers and other interested parties in Canada and the global marketplace. A leading developer of standards and codes, CSA aims to enhance public safety, improve quality of life, preserve the environment and facilitate trade. CSA’s standards development process can be an effective means to help eliminate duplication of effort, and minimize inconsistencies between jurisdictions. CSA’s committees have balanced representation, where all affected interests come together to arrive at consensus decisions. This balanced, inclusive process is what helps to ensure that the content of CSA standards is practical and rapidly accepted into mainstream practice.
Presently, there is high variabil-ity in the reliability and accuracy of mapping records for underground utilities. A new standard would pro-vide the framework for how as-built data should be collected and depicted on drawings. Over time, this would help reduce the issues that are presently encountered by those responsible for the management of underground utility rights- of-way.
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The Undergrounder / December 2007 • 15
More importantly it would out-line a method which would help ensure that this information could be shared effectively amongst all relevant stakeholders. The intent of the standard would not be to drive organizational changes in policies, practices, processes or procedures, but to provide a structured approach that could consistently be employed at organizations regardless of size, scope or sophistication, that own, operate, maintain, construct and de-sign underground utilities.
To kick-off the feasibility study, in October 2006, CSA issued a series of calls for participation to identify interest groups and stakeholders, and to recruit members for the new tech-nical committee that will be created to develop this new standard. CSA established a task force that scoped the new standard, developed a draft terms of reference for the techni-cal committee, and drafted a seed document for the new standard. In parallel, CSA confi rmed stakeholder support and developed a milestone schedule for the development of the
new standard. Based on the rec-ommendations of the feasi-
bility study, the RPWCO approved CSA’s pro-
posal to proceed with the devel-
opment of a new
standard on as-built underground util-ity mapping. An aggressive schedule has been set. The fi rst technical com-mittee meeting was scheduled for October 2007, with a plan to have the new standard available in the Fall of 2009.
Mark Braiter is a Project Manager, Pro-gram Area, Stuctures (Design) for The Canadian Standards Association.
CSA head offi ce – (800) 463-6727; www.csa.ca
16 • The Undergrounder / December 2007
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Location Phone Fax
Belleville . . . . . . .(613) 962-9286. . . . . (613) 962-3763Hamilton . . . . . .(905) 318-3277. . . . . (905) 318-4430Kitchener . . . . . .(519) 894-7006. . . . . (519) 894-6294London . . . . . . . .(519) 686-1141. . . . . 1-877-392-0240Mississauga . . . .(905) 564-7788. . . . . (905) 564-2228
Location Phone Fax
Oshawa . . . . . . .(905) 723-1173. . . . . (905) 433-8630Ottawa . . . . . . . .(613) 842-7640. . . . . (613) 842-4647St. Catharines . .(905) 685-3626. . . . . (905) 685-3627Windsor . . . . . . .(519) 948-8131. . . . . (519) 948-4210
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The Undergrounder / December 2007 • 17
Damage PreventionTechnician Training at Humber
The Humber Institute of Tech nolog y & Advanced Learning is pleased to announce that the first gradu-ates of the Damage
Prevention Technician, DPT pro-gram have received their certifica-tion documents.
Two years ago, the ORCGA (Ontario Regional Common Ground Alliance) established a mandate to improve public perception and qual-ity of the work performed by locating staff across the province. Secondary benefi ts, it was felt, would include in-creased public safety and confi dence, as well as helping to attract and re-tain key staff.
In terms of industry-specifi c train-ing and on-job competency assess-ment, this program represents a huge milestone.
The Need for Training Anyone who undertakes an exca-
vation needs a locate – a document provided to an excavator that displays the location of underground facilities within the area where the excavation is to take place. A damage preven-tion technician (DPT) is responsible for the completion of a locate; and, if there are underground facilities in the vicinity of the excavation, the lo-cation of the facilities must also be marked on the ground by the DPT.The training will be of interest to existing utility locate staff, as well as those entering the business. The industry continues to expand
and there is a growing demand for trained damage prevention techni-cians for both full-time and seasonal work by the utility companies and locator fi rms.
DPT Program Specifics The certifi cation program to
become a Damage Prevention Technician, DPT (Trade-marked) follows a simple process. Applicants complete the eighty (80) hour train-ing program, currently offered through Humber College, (a combi-nation of classroom and fi eld work), return to or begin work in the indus-try and after six (6) months of con-tinuous employment in their specifi c industry or utility, and then apply for certifi cation. After the owner/manager conducts a detailed compe-tency assessment, the application is submitted to the newly formed eight
person DPT Industry Certifi cation Board for review and approval. Afterwards, the applicant receives a certifi cate, which details the specifi c industry (ies) in which the applicant is deemed to be profi cient e.g. Power, Gas/Oil, Telecom, or Water/Sewer.
There are now over thirty individ-uals who have successfully complet-ed the eighty hour course at Humber College; they may be eligible for cer-tifi cation, pending receipt of their applications.
To meet the needs of industry, Humber has scheduled the DPT training to run again in January, 2008 as follows:
• January 15th to March 20th – Tuesday and Thursday evenings, 6:00 pm – 10.00 pm
• January 22nd to February 20th – Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:00 am – 5.30 pmIn addition, Humber is willing to
explore opportunities to deliver the training as a corporate initiative. If a company has several employees or potential new hires, Humber will be pleased to discuss customized ar-
rangements to de-liver the program at the company site, and to a sched-ule that best meets
the needs of the employees. Further information on this train-
ing initiative can be found at: http://appliedtechnology.humber.ca and/or Carolyn A. Booth, Director, Con-tinuing Education and Workforce Development (416.675.6622 ext. 4447; carolyn.booth@ humber.ca).
Please feel free to also inquire about the newer 3 day (24 hour) Advanced Course for Experienced Locators, also available through Humber College.
Rising Stars of the DPT Training Program.
In other words, a Certified DPT can now state, “I know
what to do and I can show you that I can do it.”
School of Applied Technology
Dewatering Bypass Pumps Filtration Sales Rentals
69 Connie Crescent, Concord, Ontario L4K 1L3Phone: (905) 907-1700 Fax: (905) 907-1701
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The Undergrounder / December 2007 • 19
To define Aqua-Tech as a one-stop shop for services related to dewa-tering, bypass pumps and filtra-tion would be to underestimate the enormous skill set of this young Concord, Ontario–based
company. In fact, despite the fact Aqua-Tech was founded in April 2006, its roots boast a deep history in the dewatering industry. Concurrently, the staff and executive team numbering 50 in total are highly skilled, knowl-edgeable and personable in their serving of a growing clientele across Ontario.
Not Wet Behind the Ears
Member Profile
Experienced Aqua-Tech Offers Much More than Dewatering
By Jeffrey Reed
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d fi A T h
EOD
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Aqua-Tech’s goal is to focus on being the indus-try’s most comprehensive provider of pumping services and equipment to address a myriad of industry-related services, including: emergency services and response; watermain testing, swab-bing, fl ushing and disinfection; environmental controls and discharge fi ltration equipment; creek bypass pumping; sewage bypass pumping; vacuum wellpoint, deep well and eductor well dewatering; and submersible pump and genera-tor rentals and sales.
Serving all of Ontario, with the majority of work centred in the GTA and across southern Ontario, Aqua-Tech takes pride in the fact it is “very service-oriented,” explains company presi-dent Andy Ingriselli. “I believe we have created the most comprehensive pump-based supplier services in Ontario.”
20 • The Undergrounder / December 2007
Ingriselli, along with site superin-tendent Raul Misa and project man-ager Russell Thomas, established Aqua-Tech with the vision of offer-ing Ontario leading services involv-ing the use of pumping applications. Ingriselli brought 20 years’ experi-ence in dewatering, while Misa and Thomas also brought many years of expertise in their respective duties.
“The three of us decided to step out and create our own entity which is entirely in line with the needs of the industry today,” Ingriselli explains. “The industry has evolved. There are many environmental reg-ulations today. We have the means and methods to deliver services, and we have the right equipment to cater to today’s changes and challenges.”
According to Aqua-Tech, con-temporary dewatering contrac-tors – licensed with the Ministry of the Environment – are required to undergo extensive requirements such as written examinations. Tech-nical staff must be able to interpret and comprehend project drawings and specifi cations associated with each project, and it is imperative that they have a strong knowledge of geology, hydrogeology, geochem-istry, geotechnical information and all associated pre-construction infor-mation gathered by consultants.
Ingriselli says two key compo-nents of Aqua-Tech’s day-to-day operations – safety and environmen-tal awareness – go hand in hand. He says that that tandem dictates every move made by his talented team of experts, because today’s industry is much more complex than the indus-try of even a decade ago.
“There has been a dramatic shift in the rules and regulations,” Ingriselli says. “We focus on safety in everything we do. As well, poli-cies surrounding the environment have pretty much become the new focus of all operations. For example, consider the great amount of work taking place right now along very sensitive geographical areas. Assist-
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The Undergrounder / December 2007 • 21
ing in the cleaning of storm water management ponds, for example, has become a big element of growth.”
Another sensitive yet absolute-ly necessary sector of Aqua-Tech’s professional services, according to Ingriselli, is dewatering adjacent or close to greenbelt areas. Tapping into groundwater and removing it with pumps while at the same time not affecting any of the creeks, wetlands or trees, is a complex challenge; one which, according to Ingriselli, can be defi ned as “an engineered solution. It’s challenging, but that is what I love about this business.”
While Aqua-Tech prides itself on its expert team, Ingriselli says much of the company’s growing success can be attributed to its unparal-leled fl eet of equipment – necessary to properly tackle the challenges of a complex industry. Ingriselli says the majority of his company’s jobs involve infrastructure of sewer and watermain. Fortunately, high-tech apparatus is available to successfully complete even the most demanding of jobs.
Aqua-Tech defi nes its specialized bypass and dewatering pumping equipment as “the largest and most diverse local inventory.” In fact, in early 2007 Aqua-Tech Pump and Power, offering sales and rentals, was established to cater to the grow-ing need for an experienced rental house of pumping and related equip-ment. And in regards to providing full contracting services, Aqua-Tech calls its access to pump inventory the largest in North America, thanks to its status as a distributor of God-win Pumps.
Aqua-Tech has a pump for every job. Pump sizes range from 2 in. to
18 in. (50 mm to 460 mm), with head pressure up to 650 ft. (198 m), with individual pumps capable of 10 GPM (38 LPM) and up to 9,000 GPM (34,000 LPM).
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22 • The Undergrounder / December 2007
solid handling capabilities, such as wastewater pumps. Aqua-Tech’s pump inclusions involve, for example, CD Series Pumps; HL Series/High Head and Jetting pumps with solids-han-dling capabilities; Electric Dri-Prime pumps; ISO Jet pumps; Hydraulic Submersible pumps and powerpacks; and Vacuum Wellpoints pumps.
Says Ingriselli, “We have special-ized pumps that can cater to just about any type of fl uid. Our equip-ment is modern and sophisticated. But also important is the fact we work with the proper methodolo-gies within regulations. We don’t just have a strong fl eet, and a strong understanding of the mechanics of the pump, but we also have a very thorough knowledge of the best practices and methodologies.”
The vast array of modern equip-ment at Aqua-Tech includes oil/water separators, sand media fi lters, sedi-ment fi lters and bags and cartridges used in fi ltration and separation. Enviro-Tanks (Weir Tanks) measure from 18,000 gallons’ (69,000 L) to 21,000 gallons’ (79,500 L) capac-ity, and are capable of fi ltering to 50 NTU/225 microns’ particle size. There’s also a complete complement of pipes and pipe fi ttings.
As Ingriselli explains, “We belong to a number of industry associa-tions, including the OSWCA, and we try to support a number of industry groups so we may help educate them on new requirements and regula-tions. We try to provide a voice, so that agencies such as the Ministry of the Environment and conservation authorities understand the perspec-tive of the contractor.”
There are six components to Aqua-Tech’s company values: integ-rity; professionalism; fairness; com-mitment; teamwork; and support.
But most of all, as Ingriselli explains, “We love what we do. We’re dedicated. We’re passionate. It’s not just a job – it’s part of our lives. We care, and we’re providing services we believe in.”
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The Undergrounder / December 2007 • 23
Member Profile
a Master(s)piece of a Company
“Honesty, integrity and knowledge,” a simple philosophy, and one that has served Masters Insurance Limited well for more than 40 years. Specializing in personal and commercial lines insur-ance, fi nancial services and surety bonding, this quintessential family busi-ness has grown to become one of Canada’s most trusted construction insur-ance brokerages. From offi ces in Vaughan (Toronto), Hamilton, Ottawa and Windsor, Masters Insurance Limited services contractors and developers from coast to coast. The company exudes the hands-on charm of a local delicatessen, but look closer and you will fi nd a sophisticated, technically astute corporation with a clear vision of the future.
Opened in 1966, Ciccolini Insurance Agency (later to become Masters Insurance Limited), was the brain child of two Italian brothers, Frank and Sam Ciccolini. From humble beginnings in Pescosolido, Italy the Ciccolini family brought to Canada a passion for family, hard work and a commit-ment to community. These qualities continue to defi ne the very essence of Masters Insurance Limited. In 1972, the two were joined by a third broth-er, Max Ciccolini. Max, with his strength of character and organizational skills, soon found himself at the center of operations where he remains today. Finally in 1981, Gary Corby, one of Canada’s most respected surety bondsmen, joined the three brothers to form what is now known as Masters Insurance Limited. With the pieces in place the four embarked on building a brokerage rich in relationships, strongly committed to the construction and development industries, and above all rooted in family and community.
Through the 1980’s and the early 1990’s Masters Insurance Limited grew steadily. Supported by many of Canada’s most recognized contractors and developers the company was able to put its stamp on a number of high profi le projects such as the Old Man River Dam in Alberta, the twinning of the Skyway Bridge in Hamilton, the DNN Galvanizing Plant in Windsor, and both the New York Towers and York Central Hospital in Toronto,
Wade Corby, Henry Heyink (OSWCA), DiAnne Corby, Michael Ciccolini holding his daughter, Cristina Ciccolini
By Doug Corby
24 • The Undergrounder / December 2007
to name a few. With our strong com-mitment to the heavy construction industry, we are extremely proud of our involvement in a very high per-centage of the work done by members of the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association. As Michael Ciccolini says, “It is a great feeling to drive anywhere in Ontario and be able to show your children jobs ei-ther completed or underway by con-
tractors we have done business with for many years.”
Thanks to the support of our cli-entele, Masters Insurance Limited can recognize that much of its suc-cess lay in relationships with own-er/operated family businesses much like itself, the backbone of the Canadian economy. With these con-tractors in mind, Masters Insurance Limited made the commitment to
open branches across the province of Ontario to better serve the local-ized needs of owner/operated fam-ily fi rms. In 1989, Masters Insurance Limited opened in Hamilton, Ontario after identifying the rapidly grow-ing Golden Horseshoe and 401 west corridors. By 1997, opportunities in Windsor, Sarnia, London and the rest of southwestern Ontario demanded that the company be represented in these locations as well, which re-sulted in the opening of our Windsor offi ce. Finally, three years ago the construction community in eastern Ontario signaled that it too had a requirement for Masters Insurances’ unique set of skills. The opening of the Ottawa offi ce followed in 2005, and while it is still relatively new, we are proud of our growth and look forward to our strong commitment to Eastern Ontario.
Growth can be a fi ckle friend. Issues of control, cash fl ow and lack of attention to detail can plague com-panies unprepared for rapid expan-sion. Masters Insurance Limited is one of the rare cases where key staff and no less than eighteen children and grandchildren of the original four principals keep a tight rein on the company’s direction, and are able to successfully manage aggressive vi-sion. “The number of us, our abilities and expectations coupled with mar-ket driven conditions dictate that we must continue to grow, but not at the expense of service. Our clients must always know that they are receiving customized, intelligent support when it comes to their insurance and sure-ty needs,” explains Wade Corby, son of the original principal and surety bond manager, Gary Corby.
Education, hard work, a desire to better your family, company and community are prerequisites for any Ciccolini or Corby wanting to join the family business. Proudly, these qualities are fi rmly instilled in the ten principals from the second generation, who are also entrusted with the future of Masters Insurance Limited. Frank, Sam, Max and Gary
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The Undergrounder / December 2007 • 25
remain active in day to day opera-tions, and their guidance provides for a formidable front when married to the enthusiasm and strength of the next generation.
Family is extended beyond blood lines at Masters Insurance Limited. Key employees and family of key em-ployees have long been an integral part of Masters’ journey. Turn-over is rare at the company, and one must only visit their annual company pic-nic dotted with parents, grandparents, children and grandchildren of owners and employees alike to recognize the close knit nature of this group. The sense of “being in it together” is hard to miss when dealing with the group at Masters Insurance Limited.
In addition to the success realized in personal lines insurance, com-mercial lines insurance and surety bonding, Masters also boasts a vi-brant and growing fi nancial services division. Under the careful direction of Frank Ciccolini Jr., Rita Ciccolini and Patrick Ciccolini (children of original principal Frank Ciccolini, Sr.) Masters Financial is enjoying ex-ponential growth while providing clients with the kind of advice only the most qualifi ed and knowledge-able fi nancial people can dispense.
Cathy Ciccolini (daughter of origi-nal principal Frank Ciccolini), Mike Ciccolini (son of original principal Sam Ciccolini), Robert and Anthony Ciccolini (sons of original principal Max Ciccolini) and Mark Corby (son of original principal Gary Corby) carefully grow and guide the compa-nies commercial and personal lines portfolios while Doug and Wade Corby (sons of original principal Gary Corby) carry on the family tra-dition in the surety bond division. This depth, coupled with the support of an outstanding staff, gives Masters Insurance Limited its unique ability to grow but remain an intimate fam-ily business, close to its clients and keenly aware of their needs.
It is impossible to tell the story of Masters Insurance Limited without at some point revealing the company’s
soul. Sam Ciccolini, now a member of the Order of Canada and perhaps the province’s most discreet philan-thropist, lost his daughter Cristina to a rare blood cancer in 1985. Cristina was a charming 10 year old young lady full of all that is good. The efforts and sacrifi cies of the entire extended Ciccolini family to prolong Cristina’s life defi ned what commitment is all about, and galvanized the spirit of an entire company. Corporate vi-sion is nothing without soul. Masters
Insurance Limited, full of talent and enthusiasm, plunges toward the fu-ture secure in the knowledge that its heart is intact.
Masters Insurance Limited is a long standing, proud member of the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association, and is pleased to be affi liated with many of its respected members. The company thanks those involved in allowing it to tell its story, and applauds the efforts of this outstanding industry voice.
Back row: Sam Ciccolini (referee), Patrick Ciccolini, Anthony Ciccolini, Mike Gross, Erwin Luzar, Rick DiBiase, Mike Ciccolini, George Ioannides, Riccardo Guglietti, Robert CiccoliniFront row: Rent a Goalie, John Ciccarelli, Wade Corby, Mark Corby, Frank Ciccolini Jr., Mike Robinson, Doug Corby
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26 • The Undergrounder / December 2007
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The Undergrounder / December 2007 • 27
About 2 p.m. on April 24, 2003, an explosion
obliterated a two-storey strip mall at 3885/3887
Bloor Street West, Toronto. The building lay west
of the busy intersection of Bloor and Dundas
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The accident, which also damaged several nearby apartment and commer-cial premises, was both tragic and preventable. An unfortunate chain of events
Fatal West Toronto Explosion During Catch Basin Repairs Highlights Need for Caution
An external gas meter/regulator might have alerted work crews that the project locate was incomplete.
By A. J. Levin
28 • The Undergrounder / December 2007
conspired to create this perfect storm.
Warren Bitulithic Limited of Toronto, under contract to the City of Toronto, was undertaking curb and catch-basin rehabilitation in front of the mixed retail/residential premises
in the former Etobi-coke area. They had
requested a “project locate” from all relevant utility companies, including natural gas giant Enbridge.
Project locates identify site utility lines and pipes, both with stakes or paint marks and on a paper schemat-ic. They identify safe, caution, and no-go dig areas.
For whatever reason, however, the locator, who had visited the site on three separate occasions, provided a locate report that ended at the east end of the plaza and resumed from the building’s west boundary. The Warren crew, not seeing any mark-ings on the stretch of asphalt in front of the building, commenced dig-ging with a backhoe. They soon hit a natural gas pipe that ran into the building.
Normally, the distinctively coloured and shaped natural gas regulator/meter set on a building’s exterior walls would be a red fl ag for workers. This mall featured an inter-nal regulator/meter set in its base-ment, rather than an external set, as is common practice in Ontario. Currently, internal regulators are only permitted on buildings where installing an external one would be physically impossible or impractical.
Neither did work crews check the paper copy of the locate report; had they done so, they would have seen that the locator’s work was interrupt-ed at the crucial point in front of the building.
In a fi nal irony, had they hit the pipe just slightly harder, there likely would have been no explosion since the gas would likely have diffused into the nearby outdoor air. Instead, they hit the pipeline just enough to dislodge the connection at the inter-nal regulator/meter – the weakest part of the pipe – causing a build-up of gas within the mall building.
Within 10 minutes, the gas had mixed with the confi ned air to pro-duce a lethal explosive, set off by an unknown spark source within the building. The explosion site was a scant several hundred metres west of the Technical Standards & Safety Authority’s (TSSA) headquarters, close enough to see the smoke that plumed following the explosion.
The TSSA is the regulatory organi-zation that oversees the administra-tion of Ontario’s Technical Standards & Safety Act (2000) through its Fuels Safety Program. Tom Ayres, vice-presi-
conspired to createthis perfect storm.
Warren Bitulithic Limited of
ico
requested a “prorelevant utility cnatural gas gian
Project locate
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dent and general counsel of the TSSA, recalls: “I was sitting in my offi ce talking with the chief inspector for fuels when I heard the explosion.”
The TSSA charged Enbridge, which owns the pipeline, and Preci-sion Utility under the act. Enbridge and PUL also faced additional charg-es from Ministry of Labour offi cials under the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act. Until Octo-ber 25th, 2007, these cases, as well as a class-action civil suit, were still before the courts.
Also charged under the Technical Standards & Safety Act was Warren Bitulithic. In 2006, the company pled guilty before the Ontario Pro-vincial Offences Court, which fi ned the company $225,000, in addition to a victim surcharge. This is the big-gest fi ne in the 10-year history of the TSSA’s prosecutions.
In a decision released on October 25th, 2007 by the Ontario Court of Justice, all charges by both the TSSA and The Ministry of Labour were dismissed.
Estimates are that hundreds of construction-related gas pipeline ruptures – nearly all preventable – occur each year in Ontario. Though the TSSA prefers to educate industry on safe practices, Ayres says there is the regrettable need to bring cases to trial to set a precedent to protect against negligent industrial practic-es. Still, he remains optimistic:
“I think we’re already seeing changes to operating procedures by Enbridge in terms of how loca-tors go about their business. It has always been the TSSA’s position that the excavator has to look at both the paper and the physical markings. Now word has gone out among exca-vators that they can’t just dig; they have to look at the paper, too.”
The Bloor Street explosion pro-vides several sobering lessons:• always consult paper locate
reports instead of just looking at the marked-up pavement; and consult the utility where the two differ
• train employees on proper dig-ging protocol and on emergency procedures
• ensure locate reports are thorough and complete before starting a dig
• hand-dig where utility pipes are suspected or known to occur
• report all damage to pipelines—no matter how slight the damage might seem—and report natural
gas odours immediately to utili-ties and to emergency services
• wherever possible, follow standard building practices
A. J. Levin is a freelance writer and editor. His work has appeared in The Globe and Mail, Winnipeg Free Press, Encyclopedia of Manitoba and Oxford Dictionary of National Biog-raphy.
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Gone are the days when having a web presence was something only for multi-national companies with huge marketing and technology budgets. In today’s business environment, having a website is a must for any business,
no matter how large or small. In fact, not having a web presence is like having a storefront in a busy shopping district, yet always having the “closed” sign displayed and the doors locked. So while people may have heard about you, they have no easy way to buy from you or to get more information about what you do.
Even if you currently have a website for your company, have you analyzed it lately? Have you looked at it from to-day’s perspective of web design? Have you thought about your website from the perspective of your current custom-ers or clients? For many businesses, the answer is “no.” That is, they may have created a website several years ago, but they have made little to no changes to it since then.
In order for your website to be a true asset to your company, you need to follow some website development guidelines. Following are the top 7 tips to building a dy-namic and profi table web presence for your business.
1.1. Whether you’re designing a site from scratch or revising an existing site, you must fi rst have a thorough understanding of the business, prod-
uct, or service your website is going to promote or sell. A good starting point is to research your competition and see what their sites look like. What about their sites do you like and dislike? While you don’t want to totally copy your competitor’s website, you can get pointers of what works and what doesn’t work based on their design.
2.2. Make sure your website is visually appealing for the target customer you have in mind. Realize that unless you’re targeting a very young demo-
graphic, cool graphics and fl ash animation typically turn off a lot of customers. Also, avoid having too much clutter. Doing so can overwhelm or confuse people. However, you don’t want too much empty space either. That may make you appear as if you don’t have anything meaningful to say. It’s a fi ne balancing act, but one worth mastering.
3.3. Give your website a consistent look throughout. If your home page is red and has a navigation bar across the top, then every other page must
match that style. Designing every page differently con-fuses people. As they click from page to page, they may think they left your site. Other ways to ensure a consis-tent look include using the same font, graphic elements, colour scheme, and layout.
4.4. Design your site so it’s easy to read. If you’re tar-geting seniors, make the font larger than if you were targeting teenagers. Use bullet points and
lots of short paragraphs to break up the text. Additionally, keep the length of the text in your main message to one screen shot. Having a page that rambles on forever makes your site appear complicated. Keep your messages short and easy to understand.
Keys to an Effective and Profitable Website
By Peter Koeppel
The Undergrounder / December 2007 • 31
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5.5. Remember that usability is more important than aesthetics. If a website looks beautiful but doesn’t convert prospects into buyers, then it’s not an ef-
fective website. Blend your message and the technology used to deliver it seamlessly. Your site needs to engage the target consumers so they can interact with the site almost effortlessly. When that occurs, consumers will have a bet-ter feeling about your product, service, or brand, which will lead to a higher conversion rate.
6.6. Speaking of conversion rates, one of your site’s main goals needs to be converting prospect into sales. To make that happen, you need to give
visitors to your site a satisfying experience. This means having the technology that makes the site secure so peo-ple feel comfortable shopping there and giving out their credit card. So while you want your site to be entertain-ing, you don’t want people to be too distracted from the goal of learning more about your company or buying your product.
7.7. Be sure to work with a web designer who can ana-lyze your site’s performance and analyze results to improve the conversion to sales ratio. Remember,
your website should not be a static type of marketing tool. You need to constantly review and update it so you can improve it over time. The most successful internet market-ers frequently update their site and make it more usable.
Website RewardsWhile website design can be a complicated topic, it
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About the Author:Peter Koeppel is Founder and President of Koeppel Direct, a
leader in direct response media buying, marketing, campaign management and creative strategies. Koeppel specializes in uti-lizing an integrated media buying strategy including online, radio and print, in addition to television. With over 25 years of marketing and advertising experience, Peter has helped Fortune 500 companies, small businesses and entrepreneurs develop marketing campaigns to increase profi ts. Peter is a Wharton MBA and has improved the media buying strategies and ad-vertising for clients such as H.J. Heinz, DIRECTV, Columbia House, The Hair Club for Men, Ben Hogan Golf, and Scholastic. For more information on his work, please visit: www.koeppeld-irect.com or call: 972-732-6110.
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32 • The Undergrounder / December 2007
CORNWALL613-933-5602
OTTAWA613-749-9685
KINGSTON613-634-7373
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SAND & GRAVEL905-655-9954
• Limestone
• Sand/Gravel
• Screened Topsoil
• Triple Mix
• Wood Chips
• Peat Loam
• Recycled Asphalt
• Garden Rock
4900 Thickson Rd. N.Division of Hard-Co
Construction Ltd.
Building Things That Matter
Aecon Utilities Aecon Construction& Materials
20 Carlson Court, Ste 800 Tel.: 416-293-7004Toronto, Ontario Fax: 416-940-2283M9W 7K6 www.aecon.com
346454_TSH.indd 1 11/3/07 9:02:06 AM
S E RV I C E S LT D.SEWERS • DRAINS
310 DINGLE COURTBOLTON, ONL7E 4T1www.eyeview.ca
InfrastructureVideo InspectionCleaning - LocatingHydroexcavation
KEN KIVISTO, [email protected]
BUS. (905) 857-07291 (866) 393-8439
FAX (905) 857-9494GTSWCA.OSWCA
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FLOYD PRESTON LIMITEDAGGREGATES - TRANSPORTATION - TOPSOIL
LANDSCAPING ROCKS - TRIPLE MIX
LARRY PRESTONPresident/Owner
BUS.: (905) 473-1921FAX: (905) 473-5754E-MAIL: [email protected]
AGGREGATES
P.O. BOX 54818444 MCCOWAN RD.MOUNT ALBERT, ON
L0G 1M0
ONTARIO
EXCAVACVacuum Excavating Specialists
The ‘No Dig’ Approach to Excavating
Specialists in water curb box replacements,trenching and utility poles
Contact: Phil LaflecheTel.: 416-749-0005 Fax: 416-749-8656
5950 Aurora Road, R.R.#1 Schomberg, Ontario, Canada L0G 1T0(905) 939-8586 • Fax (905) 939-8718 • Email [email protected]
TUNNELING AND HORIZONTAL EARTH BORING
Jim ElliottELLIOTTJAMES
UNDERGROUND
CONSTRUCTION INC.
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The Undergrounder / December 2007 • 33
Buyers’ Guide & Trade ListACCESS COVERSMidco Manufacturing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
ACCOUNTANTS/MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTSRosenberg, Smith & Partners LLP . . . . . . . . . 10
AGGREGATESFPL Aggregates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Hard-Co Sand & Gravel/Construction . . . . . . . 32Nelson Aggregate Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
BONDING & INSURANCECunningham Lindsey Canada Ltd. . . . . . . . . . 26Jones Deslauriers Insurance Management, Inc.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Masters Insurance Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Stevenson & Hunt Insurance Brokers Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28The Guarantee Co. of North America . . . . . . . 26Travelers Guarantee Co. of Canada . . . . . . . . 22
BORING & DIRECTIONAL DRILLINGEarth Boring Co, Ltd. . . . . . . Outside Back Cover
CEMENTMIG Engineering Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
CONCRETE PRODUCTSAnchor Concrete Products Ltd.. . . . . . . . . . . . 15
CONSTRUCTIONVipe Construction Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT RENTALS & SALESChampion Road Machinery Sales. . . . . . . . . . . 4
CONSTRUCTION LASERSDirect Equipment Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Ontario Laser Rentals Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
CONSULTING ENGINEERSTerraprobe Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10The Thompson Rosemount Group, Inc.. . . . . . 32TSH Engineers Architects & Planners . . . . . . 32
CONTRACTORSAecon Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Drexler Construction Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12King Cross Contracting Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33Sons of Samario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
CONTRACTORS - PAVINGInterpaving Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
CONTRACTORS - SEWER & WATERMAINJames Elliott Underground Construction, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Sons of Samario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Tectonic Infrastructure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Trenchline & Roads, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33V. Gibbons Contracting Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
DEWATERING SOLUTIONSAqua-Tech Dewatering Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
EQUIPMENT FINANCING & LEASINGCIT Equipment Financing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
TRENCH& R O A D S I N C .
INELL Site Servicing
Sewer & Watermains
Excavation
Road Reconstruction
Parking Lots
Site Preparation
Grading
Erwin Wall
2568 Honsberger Ave.Jordan Station, Ontario L0R 1S0Phone: 905-562-7891Fax: [email protected]
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• ROAD CONSTRUCTION
• AGGREGATE SUPPLY
• SITE SERVICING
• GRADING
• CONCRETE WORK
• EQUIPMENT RENTAL
• COMMERCIAL, INDUSTRIAL (& RESIDENTIAL PAVING)
INTERPAVING LTD.76 LOACH’S RD.
905-522-9444
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KING CROSS CONTRACTING LTD.KING CROSS CONTRACTING LTD.12473 Hwy #50 • Phone: 905-857-0864 • Fax: 905-857-5536 • Email: [email protected]
All your servicing needs - commercial,industrial & municipal
SAFETY IN GODSAFETY IN GOD
344854_king.indd 1 10/18/07 10:22:35 AM
34 • The Undergrounder / December 2007
EQUIPMENT SALES, RENTAL & SERVICEBattlefield Equipment Rentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Inside Front CoverEquipment Sales & Service Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Hertz Equipment Rental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24Ontrac Equipment Services, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . 34
EXCAVATINGOntario Excavac. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
FUELS & LUBRICANTSUltramar Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
GROUNDWATER CONTROLAtlas Corp. (The) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
HEAVY EQUIPMENT SALESStrongco Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
HEAVY EQUIPMENT SUPPLIERSToromont Cat. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
MARINE CONTRACTORSMcNally Construction, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
METAL FABRICATINGMSU Mississauga Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
PIPE SUPPLIERSIdeal Pipe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Royal Pipe Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
PRECAST CONCRETE PRODUCTSAnchor Concrete Products Ltd.. . . . . . . . . . . . 15M-Con Products, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
PRECAST STRUCTURESAnchor Concrete Products Ltd.. . . . . . . . . . . . 15
PUMPSITT Flygt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Inside Back Cover
SEWER & DRAIN INSPECTIONEye-View Drain Services Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
SHORINGDirect Equipment Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Ontario Laser Rentals Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
STORAGE TANKS & RESERVOIRSAnchor Concrete Products Ltd.. . . . . . . . . . . . 15
SURETY BONDSStevenson & Hunt Insurance Brokers Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28The Guarantee Co. of North America . . . . . . . 26Travelers Guarantee Co. of Canada . . . . . . . . 22
TRAFFIC CONTROL PRODUCTSAnchor Concrete Products Ltd.. . . . . . . . . . . . 15
TRENCH BOXESDirect Equipment Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Ontario Laser Rentals Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
TUNNELING CONTRACTORS& ENGINEERSMcNally Construction, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
UTILITY LOCATING & MAPPING SERVICESMultiVIEW Locates, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
VACUUM EXCAVATINGOntario Excavac. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
VIDEO PIPELINE INSPECTION EQUIPMENT & SOFTWARECues, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
WATERWORKS PRODUCTS SUPPLIERSCrowle Fittings & Supply Ltd. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14EMCO Waterworks Corp. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Wamco Supply, Inc. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Wolseley Mechanical Group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Buyers’ Guide & Trade List
CONSTRUCTION • FORESTRY • CWP
We say what we do. We do what we say.
Besides productive and reliable machines, you want straight talk from a
dealership. And that’s just what you’ll get when you work with Ontrac. Our
focus goes beyond providing full lines of John Deere construction, forestry,
and compact machines — we work to keep our customers successful. And
we work for your complete trust. That’s what we say. That’s what we do.
Amos • Barrie • Cambridge • Corner Brook • Dryden • Goose Bay • Grand Falls/ Windsor • Hearst •
Laval • LeMoyne • London • Mississauga • Mount Pearl • North Bay • Ottawa • Pembroke •
Peterborough • Sault Ste. Marie • Stoney Creek • Sudbury • Thunder Bay • Timmins • Windsor
www.ontracinc.com • 866.3.ONTRAC
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Your diamond in the rough– the new force in dewatering from Flygt
Tough conditions call for tough solutions. And that’s Flygt’s 2600 dewatering pump series in a nutshell. With a patented impeller design and fewer moving parts, they ensure superior wear resistance and consistent performance over time. In tests the 2600 series has been shown to deliver a threefold increase in wear resistance compared to traditional dewatering pumps.
Stronger, simpler and easier to maintain, they keep your operations moving and ensure the lowest possible cost of ownership.
To fi nd out more go to www.fl ygt.ca/2600
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