ATLANTIC CANADA Atlantic Canada Construction News Briefs CADCR/ACN staff writer Memorial University medicine faculty expansion building nears completion Work is nearing completion on an six-storey building expansion to Me- morial University’s Faculty of Medi- cine, including a new genetic research centre. The project, funded by the Govern- ment of Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada Foundation for Innova- tion, will allow the medical school to increase enrolment form 64 to more than 80 students. The Craig L. Dobbin Genetics Re- search Centre will occupy the top two floors of the building, focusing on identifying genes associated with in- herited disease. Newfoundland-based Olympic Construction Ltd., which has worked on other Memorial University projects, is the general contractor. New Brunswick road builders show benefits of $50 million investment The New Brunswick Road Builders & Heavy Construction Association has released a Grant Thornton report that point outs the benefits of the province spending another $50 million on roads. The report found that $50 million would generate 585 new full-time jobs, increase the province’s GDP by $36 million, increase salaries and gen- erate $9.5 million in tax revenues, ac- cording to the Telegraph Journal. WorkSafe NB reduces assessment rates by 16 per cent WorkSafe New Brunswick said that most of the employers in the province will receive a reduced bill for their as- sessment rates in 2014. The average assessment rate will be reduced by 23¢ from $1.44 in 2013 to $1.21 in 2014 per $100 of payroll. The rates, effective Jan. 1, 2014, rep- resent a 16% reduction—the lowest 6 – Fall 2013 — The Canadian Design and Construction Report in Atlantic Canada. “Our fully-funded position and de- creasing claim costs were the major factors in our decision to decrease the average assessment rate for 2014,” said Sharon Tucker. The WorkSafe board of director’s chair said the rate decrease will see premiums for about 13,600 employer operations drop or remain stable. A continued decline in accident fre- quency helped secure WorkSafe NB’s fully funded 126.7% position. The provincial accident frequency rate has continually declined over the past few years. The rate has dropped from 3.52 per 100 full-time equivalent (FTE) in 2006 to 2.99 in 2012. Atlantic Developments to build 56-unit condo in Halifax Atlantic Developments Inc. plans to build a four-storey, 56-unit condo- minium at the corner of Harris and Maynard streets in Halifax, reports The Chronicle Herald. The building is designed by Michael Napier Architecture. It will feature indoor and outdoor amenity space, including a rooftop terrace, to go along with a mix of bachelor, one- and two-bedroom units. Construction will begin early next year, with the project is expected to be completed in 15 months. Montague CAO says towns require resources to examine construction plans Andrew Daggett, chief administra- tive officer (CAO) of Town of Mon- tague in Prince Edward Island, said small communities needs the neces- sary resources to ensure construction projects are following all the rules, re- ports The Guardian. According to Daggett, the town does not have the expertise on staff to verify that every rule is being fol- lowed and it is not something unique to his town. Daggett was responding to ques- tions about a recent court case that saw Kevan MacLean, who runs South- ern Kings Construction, plead guilty in September to a violation of the Archi- tects Act. The act required the use of an ar- chitect in the design of the Riverhouse Inn he was building in Montague and MacLean was ordered to pay a $2,575 fine. Daggett said that unlike some of the other municipalities there is not a lot of development going on in Mon- tague.“There isn’t enough work to keep somebody on staff,” he said. Southern Kings Construction has been in operation for about 25 years and has worked on several large proj- ects, including the Montague Sobeys, the Wyman’s blueberry plant in West St. Peters and the UPEI School of Nursing. Offshore oil, construction projects triggers St. John’s economic boom The Canadian Press reports that offshore oil and major construction projects have sparked an economic boom in St. John’s and other parts of Newfoundland and Labrador that has never been seen here before. Housing prices have soared, wages are up, unemployment is down and restaurants and bars are among the country’s busiest. Once consid- ered a fiscal basket case, the province leads economic growth forecasts this year as investors flock to the Rock. “It has a lot to do with the oil boom, which is continuing,” said Al Stacey, president of the Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Realtors. Houses valued five years ago at about $150,000 are selling for almost twice as much, while the typical price for a three-bedroom bungalow is now in the neighbourhood of $329,000 or higher, Stacey said. In prime ocean-front enclaves just outside St. John’s, such as Concep- tion Bay South, custom homes start- ing at $700,000 are the new normal, he added.