The global economic downturn failed to make much of a dent on Timmins’ construction industry through 2009, which had another banner year.

With $42.8 million in construction permits over the course of 2009, Timmins saw a “mild” drop from the previous year’s total of $51.6 million, with 476 permits compared to 532, according to Timmins’ chief building official, Esa Saarela.

Although figures are down somewhat, they still stand as a sign of positivity for the local economy, especially since many southern Ontario municipalities saw construction numbers drop by as much as 35 per cent, he says.

“It didn’t really seem to hit us the way it’s hit other places, so it didn’t hurt as much as it could have,” says Saarela. “We’re really only down about 10 per cent in all figures, and we’ve done pretty good, considering.”

Infrastructure-related work was also strong, with $100 million worth of projects supported by city money alongside funding from provincial and federal governments.

These include the replacement of the Barber's Bay Bridge, sewer work in the city’s west end, and $8 million in municipal road work.

Home construction also remained relatively healthy through the year, though the numbers can be somewhat deceiving, says Saarela.

The number of new homes built in Timmins through 2009 dropped to 40 compared to the previous year of 54.

However, the dollar figure remained much the same, with $9.8 million from 2008’s total of $10.7 million. Saarela says fewer homes are going up, but they’re generally much larger. The same financial trend holds true for residential additions and alterations, which dropped from 313 permits to 301, although the dollar value rose from $3.7 million to $4.7 million.

The sheer strength of home renovation through the city in 2009 was something that certainly surprised many local firms, says Denis Lauzon, president of the Timmins Construction Association.

“We definitely had a blockbuster year, and we did not see that coming,” says Lauzon, who also serves as engineering manager to Timmins Window & Door Manufacturing. “We were prepared to find other avenues for work, but we simply didn’t have time. This next year, though, isn’t really looking good for anyone.”

Initially, there had been some expectation the spring would have been a busy one for companies like Lauzon’s as consumers try to beat the June implementation of the harmonized sales tax (HST).

The announcement of mass layoffs at Xstrata’s Kidd Metallurgical site has all but killed those hopes, says Lauzon, as residents become nervous while well-paid workers leave town for new employment.

He also predicts that a number of laid-off workers will take up their own door-and-window installation businesses, providing some competition to existing businesses.

Still, this isn’t discouraging some from considering new expansions in the near future.

Don Padley, manager of Timmins Inn & Suites, is just one example. Having struck out with an independent brand identity after splitting from the Howard Johnson chain, the hotel may soon see the addition of another 20 to 40 rooms, says Padley. Larger banquet and meeting areas are also under consideration.

While the Met site announcement is certainly seen as a disappointment, it’s not deterring Padley from remaining firm that visitor support will be enough to justify any construction growth the hotel chooses to pursue. With a largely unused 10-acre site, there may even be opportunities to subdivide the Riverside Drive property to allow for additional construction from businesses interested in setting up along the main corridor.

“We’re really excited about the future here,” says Padley.

Helping to prop up that excitement are some of the projects already underway in Timmins, including Northern College’s $17-million Trades and Technology Centre expansion.

With Cy Rheault Construction Ltd. acting as the general contractor, the 25,000-square-foot space being built at its Porcupine campus is due to be completed and ready for classes this fall.

Wooden forms are being prepared, structural concrete walls are being put up with concrete-reinforced rebar and structural steel is also being prepared.

The centre, which will feature an open concept design, will find many of the programs working alongside one another, with heavy equipment mechanics learning next to millwrights. This reflects the kind of environment many will face in their professions, says Northern College president Fred Gibbons.

It will also make use of Telepresence technology, which will allow instructors to be transmitted in true-to-life dimensions for distance education at Northern’s Moosonnee campus.

Local people will be hired to reinforce the concepts being taught, allowing for tests to be administered at the Moosonnee campus. This will help Moosonnee students to find “the same level of achievement” as those with in-person instructors, says Gibbons.

Although they have yet to get underway, there are a number of Timmins projects planned for 2010 that are in the books, including a $6 million addition to the dialysis unit at the Timmins and District Hospital and a $4-million health clinic at the east end of Northern College grounds.

Also in the process of being finalized with city officials is the transformation of the former St. Mary’s Manor into a new senior’s residence by Sudbury’s Autumnwood Mature Lifestyle Communities. What began as an $10-million proposal has since potentially ballooned into a $16-million proposal with 95 retirement units and 60 independent living spaces. Although the exterior and foundations will remain intact, much of the interior will be hollowed out and rebuilt.

If passed, the project could have a transformative effect on the downtown, spurring further construction and renovation, says Gibbons, who also serves as president of the Timmins Chamber of Commerce.


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