Canadian Design and Construction Report staff writer
Canada’s construction and infrastructure sector has a new national voice with the launch of the Canadian Galvanizing Institute (CGI-IGC), the first bilingual, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting galvanized steel as a durable, low-carbon solution for public and private infrastructure.
The organization says it will fill a gap in Canada’s infrastructure ecosystem as governments and industry look for materials that extend asset life, reduce maintenance costs and support climate-change goals.
Hellen Christodoulou, a long-time engineering executive and leading advocate for durable and sustainable construction materials, has been named the Institute’s founding chief executive. Christodoulou previously served as executive vice-president of engineering and sustainability at Corbec Inc., one of Canada’s largest hot-dip galvanizing companies.
“The goal of the Institute is to strengthen and support Canada’s construction industry, fabricators, architects, engineers, builders, asset owners and procurement authorities,” Christodoulou said in a statement. “We’ll do that through the development and promotion of modern standards, specifications and guidelines, as well as through research, training and outreach.”
Christodoulou envisions a future in which galvanized steel — supported by Canadian standards — becomes the national benchmark for sustainable and resilient infrastructure. “A future that drives a low-carbon economy, strengthens local fabrication, and showcases Canadian excellence on the world stage,” she said.
With more than four decades of experience in bridge and infrastructure design in Canada and the United States, she has worked on multiple landmark projects and is recognized as a pioneer in the field, including being the first engineer to introduce orthotropic deck design for CP Rail railway bridges and initiating the first Environmental Product Declaration for galvanized steel in Canada.
Her career has included work in forensic bridge analysis, arbitration on major infrastructure files and leadership roles on national standards committees. She has been a vocal advocate for local fabrication and procurement policy, prompt-payment legislation and quality-assurance standards for bridges.
Christodoulou holds a PhD in civil engineering specializing in bridges, degrees in civil and common law, and an MBA. She has published extensively, taught engineering and law, and speaks regularly at Canadian and international technical conferences.
She is a recipient of multiple awards, including the Senate of Canada Sesquicentennial Medal for professional service. In 2024, she was named one of Montreal’s Top 50 Women Leaders.
The CGI-IGC will focus on delivering technical resources, sustainability data, training programs and industry outreach as it ramps up operations in the coming months.
