Shortlist announced for 2025 Canadian Building Diversity Awards; winners to be celebrated at Toronto Summit

Special to Ontario Construction News

A shortlist of nominees has been selected from more than 150 submissions for the Canadian Building Diversity Awards, with winners to be announced during the Canadian Building Diversity Awards & Community Benefits Summit in Toronto on May 29 and 30.

Celebrating diversity, equity and inclusion across Canada, the 5th annual event will feature performances by top Canadian artists and presentations from industry leaders who will honour the “visionaries and innovators pushing boundaries in the construction industry” under an embracing the possibilities theme.

Proceeds from the event will support NexGen Builders programs, which provide mentoring and professional development for underrepresented youth, women, and newcomers in construction.

Entries were evaluated for alignment with the global diversity, equity and inclusion benchmarks by a nominations committee made up of industry professionals and diversity, equity, reconciliation, and inclusion experts.

Judges shortlisted three nominees per category selecting finalists whose entries were evaluated for effectiveness, context, and meaningful community engagement.

The Toronto Community Benefits Network Board of Directors will also present three individuals with the Building Diversity Legacy Awards at the event to be held at the Theatre at Great Canadian Casino Resort in north Toronto.

The National Community Benefits Summit, May 30 at the North York Central Library, meanwhile, is a companion event focused on how community benefits agreements for public procurement can support a more inclusive economy.

2025 Building Diversity Awards shortlisted nominees:

Skills Ontario has demonstrated a commitment to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion across the skilled trades and technology sectors in Ontario.

A Women’s Work Support Centre is a woman-led non-profit that is Ontario’s first trade school dedicated exclusively to women. AWW provides free skilled trades training designed to address barriers faced by women—particularly those from underrepresented and marginalized backgrounds.

Women’s Multicultural Resource and Counselling Centre of Durham provides services and programs to black and racialized women in the region. The organization delivers trauma informed care services and entrepreneurship to assist immigrants and racialized women, and young women get into skilled trades and in owning their business.

Canadian Turner Construction Company Ltd. has a workforce that is 58 per cent diverse, setting annual hiring quotas with more than half of new hires from underrepresented groups. The Turner School of Construction Management equips minority and women-owned businesses for success, while partnerships with the Afro Canadian Contractors Association and WoodGreen support BIPOC contractors and single mothers.

Bass Installation has implemented comprehensive policies to foster a diverse and inclusive workforce and participates in community initiatives, such as Build a Dream events, to empower underrepresented groups in the trades.

Tridel’s $26.8 million commitment to community benefits in Regent Park and similar efforts in Alexandra Park highlight a focus on local economic empowerment, including local hiring, training, and small business support. The builder has invested more than $360,000 in social procurement, prioritizing diverse and social enterprises.

The Canadian Union of Postal Workers has implemented policies that significantly increase the representation of Indigenous and racialized communities at Canada Post and within the union. The commitment to diversity is evident in the affirmative action plans developed to encourage the hiring of Indigenous workers.

LiUNA Local 183 exemplifies leadership in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion within the construction industry. It has adopted the LEAD Charter of Inclusion and Diversity, which is incorporated into the 2022–2025 construction industry collective agreements. The charter commits the union to promoting racial and gender diversity and inclusion in the industry and communities.

Trades NL: Building Trades Council of Newfoundland and Labrador represents 14 building trades unions and prides itself on having a diverse, qualified, safe, and productive workforce of over 14,000 skilled workers. Trades NL fosters a culture of inclusion and belonging for all.

Buy Social is a social enterprise that has created a guide that brings together innovation and expertise so that community organizers, policy makers, and construction companies can leverage construction projects to achieve community goals.

The Oakwood Vaughan Community Organization was formed out of the Oakwood Vaughan Neighbourhood Action Partnership and has led advocacy efforts, delivered services, and administered community-driven projects.

The Hamilton Community Benefits Network envisions Hamilton as an inclusive city in which all residents have opportunities to contribute to building healthy communities and a prospering economy.

Crosslinx Transit Solutions Constructors embedded a community benefits agreement into its project agreement for the Eglinton Crosstown LRT and has built a strong foundation for inclusive workforce development. Through its community benefits and apprenticeship program, CTSC hired more than 600 individuals from diverse backgrounds, many of whom advanced into other major transit projects or earned professional certifications.

The Gordie Howe International Bridge project is a $7 billion infrastructure initiative linking Windsor and Detroit, with completion slated for fall 2025. A community benefits agreement was developed through engagement with equity-deserving groups.

The New St. Paul’s Hospital project in Vancouver stands as a model for integrating community benefits into large-scale infrastructure. Initiated in 2021, this $2.174 billion development is the first to activate Vancouver’s community benefit agreement policy. Under the CBA, the project set clear targets: 10 per cent of new hires from equity-deserving groups, 10 per cent local procurement, and 10 per cent social procurement from certified social enterprises. As of early 2023, the project has exceeded these goals.

Ticha Albino: As human rights representative and lead instructor of the IBEW 353 Pathways Program, Ticha has applied strategies to dismantle barriers for historically excluded groups—particularly Indigenous, racialized, and newcomer women. Under Ticha’s leadership, the Pathways Program has, since April 2022, accepted 169 participants, including 150 women.

Varni Tayalan is community relations specialist at Aecon. Varni played a pivotal role in the Finch West LRT project, where her efforts resulted in 21 per cent of hires coming from community benefit targets and more than $25 million invested locally.

Walied Khogali Ali is an advocate for equity in Toronto’s construction and urban development sectors. As co-chair of the Regent Park Social Development Plan, Neighbourhood Association, Community Benefits Oversight Working Group and Build Ontario Line Differently, Walied has helped align the construction industry with community benefits standards and best practices.

Amadou Ceesay, a journey carpenter with Carpenters Union Local 27 and founder of Fanatech Cladding, represented his craft at the National Apprenticeship Competition. But his true legacy lies in mentorship. He has trained and supported more than 100 apprentices, newcomers, and underrepresented individuals across the GTA, Halton, and Durham regions.

Said Keyliye, a drywall apprentice with Local 675 Drywall Union, exemplifies the core standards and best practices for community benefits in the construction industry. Through his measurable and timebound goals—such as completing health and safety certifications—Said demonstrates a focused and attainable pathway toward professional excellence.

Samuel Kuluuqtuq is a young Inuit tradesperson whose dedication, leadership, and commitment to community make him a role model for the next generation of builders in Nunavut. After completing a carpentry course at Algonquin College, he returned home to Iqaluit to work with NCC Development Limited as an apprentice carpenter.

Brittany Anderson, a natural gas pipeline inspector at Enbridge, is recognized for her leadership within her union, where she contributes to equity and inclusion committees and supports outreach to underrepresented jobseekers impacted by COVID-19, job loss, and poverty.

Joel Kitaka, a journey person carpenter with Toronto-area Carpenters Union Local 27, is chair of the equity, diversity and inclusion committee, driving change through initiatives that are measurable, attainable and timely.

Wade Whittle, superintendent at NCC Investment Group Inc., fosters local employment, career advancement, and long-term skill development in Gjoa Haven—a remote community of just 1,350 people. Through direct mentorship, Wade has guided eight local trainees who recently completed pre-trades training.

BC Infrastructure Benefits Inc. objectives are to foster culturally respectful, discrimination-free workplaces, and to prioritize apprenticeship and employment opportunities for Indigenous people, women in non-traditional roles, people with disabilities, and other equity-seeking groups. BCIB ensures these objectives are embedded across 15 major infrastructure projects.

Building Up provides training and culturally relevant mentorship. Its alumni program extends support post-training through job placement, career coaching, and networking—clearly defined steps toward sustained employment. Apprenticeship success is strengthened through strategic partnerships, notably with LiUNA 506, offering a path into unionized trades careers.

NCC Investment Group Inc., a 100 per cent Inuit-owned organization based in Nunavut, supports Inuit and other diverse employees by offering financial assistance, on-the-job training, tutoring for entrance exams, and support for childcare needs.

Aecon-Golden Mile Centre for Inclusive Economic Opportunity is a community-driven construction social enterprise operating in the GTA. Established in July 2022 as a joint venture between Aecon Utilities and CIEO Golden Mile, A-GM bridges commercial excellence with a strong community mission.

Énska, co-led by Tim Coldwell and Wes Hall, is Canada’s first Indigenous real estate advisory and project governance firm. Based in Toronto, Énska works with First Nations, institutions, governments, nonprofits, and investors to drive inclusive development. Rooted in the Mohawk concept of unity (Énska meaning one), the company leverages real estate to generate shared value, build community wealth, and foster environmental stewardship.

ProPlanix Consulting Group Inc., led by Neil Lowhar, has built a reputation for delivering high-quality services while championing diversity and inclusion in the construction sector.

Chris Campbell’s leadership in the Canadian construction industry spans more than three decades. As president of Carpenters’ Union Local 27 and director of equity, diversity, and inclusion at the Carpenters’ Regional Council, Campbell has been instrumental in creating pathways for black, Indigenous, and racialized youth into the skilled trades.

David Galvin: As labour relations manager for Crosslinx Transit Solutions, the consortium building Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown LRT, David has been instrumental in assuring equity, diversity, and inclusion across all stages of the project. Under his guidance, CTS hired more than 424 individuals from equity-deserving groups.

Judy Brooks: In her role as manager of the community benefits and supports program at Metrolinx, she has been instrumental in integrating community-focused strategies into large-scale transit projects. Under her leadership, the program has created more than 1,700 job opportunities, with a significant percentage filled by individuals from BIPOC communities and women.