|
Message From The Editor
Pathways Indicators for Apprentices
This issue features the latest article from contributor, Keith Sones, who discusses the implications of emotion based decision making. Statistics Canada recently released a study conducted between 2013 and 2019 looking at apprenticeship pathways and the certification rate for apprentices across different trades, finding apprentices were less likely to certify and more likely to discontinue. The study acknowledges several contributing factors to continuation/discontinuation, but the findings add to concerns of a potential shortage among certified tradespeople/skilled workers. The highest certification rates as part of the study was Powerline Technician at 62.1% and Millwrights 50%. Industrial Electricians were at 31.9% and Construction Electricians 41.3%. Similarly, The Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency released its annual report, finding the pandemic is having a significant impact on the amount apprentices in its system.
|
|
|
|
Leadership
When Facts Won’t Sway Them
By Keith Sones
Who knew that within the span of a few hours on one fateful day more than 40 years ago, a single event did what decades of advanced academia was unable to do. It created an international community of nuclear experts. On March 28, 1979 the TMI-2 reactor at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in upstate New York experienced a cooling problem that lead to a meltdown of about one third of the fuel core. A small amount of radioactive gas was released but not enough to create any health or environmental hazard. No one died, and the meltdown was contained. I recall the event well. I was 15 years old and already had a previous three year career delivering newspapers, which had given me a “nose for news”. In spite of the fact that I was an obstinate teenager, often blinded to my own self-absorption, it didn’t dim my enthusiasm for knowing what was happening in the world.
Read More
|
|
Apprentice Certification
Study: Pathways Indicators for Registered Apprentices in Canada, 2019
By Statistics Canada
In 2013, there were 93,430 apprentices who began their training. By 2019, six years into the program, those who registered in 2013 were less likely to certify in their trade and more likely to discontinue, compared with those who had registered in 2011 and 2012. This leads to growing concerns about the potential shortage of certified tradespeople or skilled workers as the population of certified tradespeople ages. A new study available today looks at certification rates for apprentices who began their training in 2013 and where they were in 2019, six years into the program. This analysis serves as an important baseline for understanding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on apprentices as they undergo or complete their training.
Read More
|
|
|
Business
Three Marketing Tips to Help Grow your Electrical Business
By Schneider Electric
While starting a new business and building an audience base can feel overwhelming at first, it doesn't have to be complicated. Here are three marketing tips and tools electricians can use to help take their business to the next level. 1. Your website can be your number one tool for attracting new business. Several platforms, including SquareSpace and Wix, offer affordable online templates for building a website from scratch. Whether you decide to try it yourself or hire a designer, it's easy to create a custom site for your new business.
Read More
|
|
Peers & Profiles
Karen Pullen Discusses her Experience as an Electrician and Becoming a Leader for Women in the Trades
By Sherri Haigh
Karen Pullen knows what it’s like to be the only woman on a construction site, and as a proud certified electrician, she is committed to helping make it easier for those who follow in her footsteps. “At 18 you walk on a job site and you are the only woman with 600 to 1000 men, and you know full well you aren’t wanted there,” says Pullen, recalling the beginning of her journey to become an electrician in 1989. “I cried on my way home almost every day for the first year of my apprenticeship,” she says, remembering some coworkers who were committed to making her life miserable. But her skills, love of the job and a fierce stubbornness prevented her from giving up.
Read More
|
|
|
Fire Safety
Cerberus Cloud Apps: Cloud Connected Fire Safety Systems Mean Fast Fire Incident Response
A cloud-based suite of products, Cerberus Cloud Apps provide remote access and real-time monitoring of fire alarm systems with secure, encrypted connectivity. Use your smartphone, tablet, or laptop to access the cloud apps, which include: Cerberus Portal – See what's happening on your fire control panels with a single view of all system sites. Get real-time data by clicking on a specific panel, view the system status on the website, site maps and color-coding for panel status. Be confident knowing that all data is protected through an encrypted connection through the Cerberus Portal...
Read More
|
|
|
Industry News
|
EngWorks Inc Forges Strategic Alliance with Electrical Contractors Association of BC
EngWorks Inc and the Electrical Contractors Association of BC (ECABC) forged an alliance this past week to impart critical knowledge on hazardous locations. In 2021, EngWorks launched the Hazardous Locations Fundamentals course. Since its release, EngWorks has been partnering with organizations across Canada to offer the course to a wider demographic. The Hazardous Locations Fundamentals course is based on the 2021 Canadian Electrical Code and covers both Zone and Division classified facilities. It is intended to promote competence in the design, installation, inspection, and verification of electrical equipment in hazardous locations.
|
|
Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency Statistics 2020-21 Report
The Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency (the Agency or NSAA) Statistics Report is published annually and provides key system performance data for the fiscal period and a comparison to previous years. The impact of COVID-19 on the apprenticeship system has been significant. For the first time since the creation of the Agency, the number of apprentices in the system has decreased; since 2019-2020 the decrease is 2.7%.
|
|
BC Extends PST Refund for Businesses on Select Machinery and Equipment
A StrongerBC program that refunds businesses the PST paid on select machinery and equipment will be extended for an additional six months. This extension will give businesses another chance to reduce costs and make new investments to adapt to the changes the pandemic has required, and to set them up to take advantage of future opportunities.
|
|
Hilo Joins Forces with Real Estate Developers and Broadens its Offer to All Types of Buildings
The Hilo smart home service is now available for residential properties with five or more units, enabling more homeowners to enroll. Through the initiative, an increased number of homes in Québec can now maximize their energy savings through simple actions and take on Hilo challenges to reduce their consumption. They will also be able to earn cash incentives and enjoy savings of up to 15% on their electricity bill.
|
|
|
|
|
Training
- Finding Opportunity In Conflict Oct 21
Conflict is an inevitable part of daily living. In our business, personal and social interactions, we encounter conflict. When mismanaged, it can be destructive and disruptive. If properly addressed, it is an opportunity for creativity and problem solving. In this workshop you will learn how to recognize the potential in conflict, get conflict into the open and establish a climate where both parties can negotiate a successful, win-win outcome.
- ECABC Virtual Best Business Practices: Minimalizing Digital Intensity – October 6
Join ECABC on Wednesday, October 6th to learn how you can minimalize the intensity and fatigue when working remotely in today’s online world. This session will help you: Create focus, reduce the feeling of drowning in information and provide you with a new, effective way of working...
- ECABC Virtual Tech Talk: Revisions to Section 10 of the 2018 CE Code for Grounding and Bonding – October 27
Join ECABC on October 27th to learn about revisions to Section 10 of the 2018 CE Code for Grounding and Bonding. This 1-hour seminar will provide an overview of the impact of the numerous changes made to Section 10 in the 2018 CE Code, and will focus on the following key areas:
• Elimination of redundancy and revised layout
• Revised Scope and Objectives for grounding and bonding...
|
|
|
Electrification
- New Community Net Metering Project in London
The Ontario government is unveiling a new demonstration project in London to explore how a community can work together to generate renewable energy, help protect the environment and lower electricity costs for individuals and businesses in the community. Sifton Properties' West 5 development, a 70-acre multi-use community, has been selected as the demonstration site for the new community net metering model (CNM).
- Sense Home Energy Monitor Adds Carbon Intensity Tracking to its Mobile App
Sense recently announced that homeowners can use their Sense app to find out when the electricity coming into their home is cleanest or dirtiest and take steps to minimize carbon emissions. Sense debuted a new feature that shows the carbon intensity, a measure of carbon emissions that changes dynamically as the power grid taps different energy sources.
- FLO | AddÉnergie Passes Milestone 50,000 EV Charging Stations Sold, Including 1,000 Fast Chargers
FLO | AddÉnergie proudly announces that it has surpassed 50,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging stations sold since the company's founding in 2009. In addition to this milestone, the company also announces that it has delivered over 1,000 DC fast chargers. "It is impossible to celebrate this achievement without acknowledging the hard work and dedication of our company's employees," said Louis Tremblay, President and CEO...
|
|
|
Changing Scene
- 2021 EFC Industry Conference: It’s a Wrap
This year’s EFC Conference hosted over 500 members from all across Canada for two full days of dynamic speakers who inspired and informed new ways of thinking. While the conference wasn’t set against the backdrop of the majestic Canadian Rockies or along the stunning coastlines of the Maritimes, members connected on one innovative platform to take part in a whole new virtual experience!
- Electrical Safety Authority Celebrates Safety Leaders at 2021 Ontario Electrical Safety Awards
The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) recently held its Annual Meeting and Ontario Electrical Safety Awards to celebrate achievements in electrical safety. In addition to the awards, ESA's Chair, Board of Directors, Annette Bergeron, and Chief Executive Officer and President, David Collie, highlighted ESA's fiscal year accomplishments, COVID-19 activities, and 2020 Ontario Electrical Safety Report.
- Ontario Providing Additional Investment into Skills Development Fund
The Ontario government is providing an additional $83 million towards the Skills Development Fund to help support ground-breaking training projects that upskill workers and prepare job seekers for meaningful work in their communities. Beginning tomorrow, the fund will begin accepting proposals for the second round of funding and is expanding its eligibility to allow an even wider range of organizations to apply, helping give more people the training needed to fill the shortage of skilled workers in Ontario.
|
|
|
Utilities
- Province and BC Hydro Recommendations to help Drivers go Electric
The Province and BC Hydro have released recommendations from Phase 2 of the BC Hydro Review to get more electric vehicles on the road. “British Columbia’s abundant, reliable and affordable clean electricity makes switching to an electric vehicle a sustainable choice that can save people and businesses money in fuel costs, and help them reduce their carbon footprint,” said Bruce Ralston, Minister of Energy, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation. “Recommendations from Phase 2 of our BC Hydro Review propose optional rates and innovative new solutions and programs that will make it easier and more affordable for drivers to go electric.”
- Hydro-Québec and Transmission Developers Selected to Partner with New York State to Help Achieve the Clean Energy Transition
New York authorities have selected the Champlain Hudson Power Express project (CHPE) to deliver clean hydropower into the heart of New York City. This 1,250-megawatt (MW) influx of clean power, enough to supply over 1 million homes, will start displacing fossil generation in the NYC region as soon as 2025, which is today over 85 percent reliant on fossil fuel-based electricity.
- Ontario Energy Association Recognizes Alectra for Innovation
At its annual Energy Awards ceremony, the Ontario Energy Association (OEA) honoured Alectra with the prestigious '2021 OEA Innovation Award'. The annual Energy Awards recognize OEA members for their achievements in the Ontario energy sector. This year, Alectra received the Innovation Award, and was recognized for its breakthrough ideas, new technology, and creative adaptation of existing technology.
|
|
|
Conduit
Atkore Fiberglass Alternatives Help Customers Overcome Current Conduit Market Challenges
Atkore’s FRE Composites® fiberglass conduit recently experienced increased demand in above- and below-ground applications due to an overall surge in the conduit market. FRE’s is a cost-efficient alternative to traditional PVC conduit, which currently is impacted by material shortages resulting in longer lead times. Compared to PVC, fiberglass conduit is lighter weight, more durable, easier to install, and competitively priced, which makes fiberglass conduit an ideal substitute on projects where PVC is used. Fiberglass conduit provides better protection against corrosion, toxicity, and burn throughs when compared to other conduit materials. Fiberglass conduit is suited for temperatures between -40°F and +230°F and has a low coefficient of friction for easier wire-pulling, potentially reducing the frequency and number of manholes.
Read More
|
|
|
Electric Vehicles
ABB FIA Formula E World Championship Race to be Held in Canada
This international racing series for fully electric single-seater race cars takes place annually at different city-street tracks around the globe. For 2022, organizers have selected Vancouver to host the event in recognition of its status as one of the most sustainability-conscious cities in the world. Éric Deschênes, Country Managing Director and Head of Electrification Business for ABB in Canada, is especially thrilled to welcome the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship to the market: “The return of Formula E to Canada, this time in our country’s greenest city, is a testament to the progress being made towards a more sustainable world for Canadians. The metropolitan setting of Vancouver offers the ideal platform to highlight ABB’s technologies for e-mobility, smart cities, sustainability, and energy solutions, amplified by the appeal of the championship. It is an opportunity for technological development and represents ABB and Formula E’s shared vision for the future of a cleaner, more sustainable world for all.”
Read More
|
|
|
Product Focus
Mersen Compact Power Distribution Blocks
Mersen's finger safe IP20-rated Power Distribution Blocks are part of the new Compact EP® line of products. The compact footprint allows space savings in panels, contributing to reduced panel size when compared to traditional power distribution blocks. The Compact PDB is ideal for low voltage applications. Rated for UL-600V, ampere range of 85-250A, it can accommodate wire ranges AWG 18-3/0, catering to a wide range of low voltage applications.
Read More
|
|
Siemens SNC Series 1-Phase Loadcentres
Whether you’re working on a single-family, multi-family, or commercial construction project, the goals for any customer are to finish the project faster, save on labour costs, and maintain safety at the job site. Siemens Canada proudly introduces the new SNC Main Lug Only Loadcentre with electronic circuit breakers – their newly designed solution for a secure, faster and overall easier installation. The breaker and loadcentre design, features an integrated neutral bus, providing a secure and reliable connection for your customer’s indoor or outdoor application via utilizing an existing line side clip.
Read More
|
|
|
Product Focus
Milwaukee Delivers Rust Resistance with new Stainless Steel Fish Tapes
Milwaukee Tool adds to their fish tape lineup with new 120’ and 240’ 1/8” Stainless Steel Fish Tapes. Joining the existing Steel and Polyester Fish Tapes, Stainless Steel offers extended tool life in high-humidity working environments with natural corrosion and rust resistant properties. The new Stainless Steel Fish Tapes feature a low friction case to provide smooth payout and easy rewind, along with high visibility laser-etched markings to help accurately measure depth and position.
Read More
|
|
Klein Tools Rechargeable Safety Lamp to Lighting Accessories Line
Klein Tools Rechargeable Safety Lamp with Magnet, a quad-directional visual alert beacon that provides supplemental visual alerts in active, noisy, bright or low light environments.
Rechargeable Safety Lamp with Magnet (Cat. No. 56063)
• Quad directional red LEDs for maximum visibility
• Attaches directly to Klein hard hats & safety helmets
Read More
|
|
|
Lighting
HALO RL Night Light 4" Direct Mount
The HALO RL Night Light 4" Direct Mount features two modes: downlight mode for general area illumination and night light mode for a gentle glow illuminating the acrylic trim. Simply toggle your light switch to change modes. The downlight mode features 5-color selectable CCT ranging from 2700K warm light to 5000K cool light, while the night light mode offers a warm 2000K glow. This canless direct mount downlight does not require a housing for installation. The slim design fits in 2x4 construction or ultra-shallow plenum spaces.
Read More
|
|
Stanpro LED Linkable Wrap
Stanpro’s L2WMG is a LED linkable wrap that is perfectly suited for utility rooms, corridors, hallways, restrooms, as well as a variety of applications where efficient lighting is required. Their latest generation of 48 inches wraparound luminaire is now offered with dimming function. It can also be row mounted with up to 8 units to create continuous lighting.
Read More
|
|
|
Industry Events
- BCEA Annual Conference: November 9 & 10
This year, BCEA Annual Conference is combining the best of the LINK Conference and THRIVE Summit into two days of impactful sessions, planning meetings and roundtable discussions. You can expect to hear from experts on the topics that matter most to you and your business in these challenging times.
- German Technology Day Hybrid Event 2021: October 26
Bosch Rexroth, EPLAN, Festo, Murrelektronik, PILZ, Rittal and WAGO, seven prominent companies in automation and advanced manufacturing, based in Canada with their headquarters in Germany, are hosting Canada’s third edition of the German Technology Day. What’s New: This year, German Technology Day is respecting the new normal, by offering a Virtual event on October 26th, to those who prefer an on-line event. Click here to register for the virtual event from the comfort of your home/offices.
|
|
|
Current Copper Prices
Monitor daily and 6-month $US prices for copper — the preferred electrical conductor for most categories of electrical wiring.
View Current
|
Join The Electrical Industry News Week Reader Advisory Board
Help shape what content you need and when. Gain access to special product launches and promotions. Give your input and ideas on best practices and practical methods.
Click here to join |
|
|
About Us
Unsubscribe
Privacy Policy
Archives
|
This email was sent to @. |
|