Thunder Bay workers shut out by out-of-town workers, labour advocate says

A group representing trade unions in Thunder Bay said it is disappointed some of the largest construction projects in the city employ mainly out-of-town workers.

The Northwestern Ontario Building and Construction Trades Council said two jobs for St. Joseph's Care Group were awarded to an Ottawa-based contractor that does not use unionized or local labour.

Terry Webb, president of the council, said it is frustrating to see pay cheques leave the city while St. Joseph's continues to ask for donations.

"We're giving this money to the out-of-town workers," Webb said. "They don't have homes in town. They don't have families in town. They're not paying taxes. They're not homeowners."

"[It's] like we're getting slapped in the face," he said.

Workers in the plumbing, electrical and sheet metal trades are particularly vulnerable, Webb said.

The two projects in question are the east wing of St. Joseph's Hospital and a new seniors residence, the Centre of Excellence for Integrated Senior Services.

Both projects went to the Ottawa-based Bondfield Construction, which brings in its own labour and does not hire local Thunder Bay workers.

Lowest bid 

St. Joseph's Care Group said, as a publicly funded organization, it is bound by the Broader Public Sector Accountability Act to follow a set process when awarding contracts.

"When all other criteria are met to ensure the bid is compliant (i.e. the bidder is capable of doing the work), then the lowest price bid is awarded the contract," Tracy Buckler, president and CEO of the group, said in a statement.

The group said it undertook a competitive open bidding process for both projects.

A local contractors' association also agreed that lower bids determine the result.

"[It] definitely hurts the amount of work for our general contractors in town, no doubt about it," said Harold Lindstrom, president of the Construction Association of Thunder Bay. 

"Some of our trades do get the work, some don't. Again, most of it is on a low-bid scenario," he said.

Also, out-of-town contractors don't usually provide the information needed for local subcontractors to bid the work, Lindstrom added.