thing it can to protect the legal econ- omy. She said the impact of allowing the corruption to continue would be devastating long term. Recommendations include: • Creation of an independent authority to oversee public contracts; • Better protection for whistleblow- ers; • Requirement that construction com- panies report acts of intimidation or violence; • Increased penalties for construction companies that break the law, up to and including cancelling licences under Quebec’s building authority, la Régie du bâtiment du Québec; and • Increased penalties for people who make use of so-called “strawman” schemes. Significant sections of the report have been blacked out because of crim- inal cases currently before the courts. NEW BRUNSWICK Beaverbrook Art Gallery footing to extend on Fredericton city owned land Beaverbrook Art Gallery to extend foot- ings under city land. Coun. Randy Dickinson said he thinks the council’s decision sets a bad precedent. “What about the new hotel down- town, if they have to extend their foun- dation out onto the adjacent property,” CBC quoted Dickinson as saying. “What if those properties in the future need to dig down for some reason or want to put in underground parking or whatever, that their space has been eroded.” However, Mayor Brad Woodside said he didn’t think Dickinson’s com- ments about the city’s deal with the art gallery setting a dangerous precedent were fair. The mayor said large construction projects always run into problems that must be addressed. “It very seldom goes to start to fin- ish smoothly. There’s always changes,” said Woodside. He said the project is a gift to Fred- ericton and he feels it will be well worth it. “It’s had its problems, yes. But every other large construction proj- ect that I’ve been aware of has had them as well. So we work our way through it as best we can,” said Wood- side. NOVA SCOTIA Corrections Canada awards $8.9 million tender for Burnside area community corrections centre Fredericton council has approved a request from the Beaverbrook Art Gallery to allow its underground foot- ing to creep onto city owned land in December, but one city councillor raised questions about the request. The14,000 sq. ft. expansion cur- rently under construction will include a multipurpose theatre, artist studios and a street side café. Council author- ized a licence agreement for the Corrections Canada has awarded an $8.9 million tender for the construc- tion of a community correction centre on Morris Dr. in Halifax Regional Mu- nicipality’s Burnside area. Avondale Construction from Bayers Lake won the tender. The centre will house 36 inmates, replacing two decades old sites that aren’t fully accessible for offenders who use wheelchairs. Proposed container terminal goes forward Canadian firm Harbor-Port Develop- ment Partners (HPDP) have announced an agreement with China Communica- tions Construction Company (CCCC) for collaboration on the design and construction of the Port of Sydney’s proposed container terminal. CCCC is the world’s largest port en- gineering and development company, Maritime Executive reports. It will complete a feasibility study and devel- opment plan, and following an ap- proval CCCC would undertake final design and construction, to include cranes and gantries. CCCC vice president Chang Yunbo said that the company “views Syd- ney’s deep water harbour as a poten- tial game changer for the North American eastern seaboard.” HPDP was formed specifically for the project, which it intends to develop into the “most efficient, technologi- cally advanced port in North America,” able to accommodate modern ultra large container vessels like Maersk’s Triple E class. The partners intend to leverage Canada’s free trade agreements with Europe and America, as well as rail links with the Canadian mainland and the nearby U.S. border, in order to make East Coast markets accessible to operators of 14,000 plus TEU (20 ft. equivalent units) container ships. Proximity to the Northwest Passage (which may open for commercial traf- fic as sea ice becomes less prevalent) and the opening of the new Panama Canal expansion are also cited as fac- tors for its development. The Sydney port prospectus sug- gests a wharf of 1,600 m. in length to accommodate vessels of 16.5 m. The Canadian Design and Construction Report — January 2016 – 29