Toronto and Ottawa construction associations have taken on constructionlab to train would-be adjudicators

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Construction associations in Toronto and Ottawa have chosen constructionlab, a professional development and consulting company, to run a two-day construction fundamentals course for new Ontario adjudicators.

The course, which will run August 14-15 in Toronto and August 27-28 in Ottawa, will include modules covering four areas of construction and building, including designers and consultants, drawings and specifications, construction teams and subcontractors, and the building process from beginning to end. A third day, to cover civil construction, is in the works and will launch just after the initial session.

“It will be a very busy but focused and intensive two days,” said Derek Smith, a design professional with constructionlab, responsible for creating and facilitating the course.  “A basic understanding of how process, building materials, terminology and moving around drawings and specifications interface in construction documentation is the main objective.”

Smith says the adjudicators will come away with more confidence in weighing evidence presented by disputing parties during adjudications.

“While the formal adjudication process is still a bit elusive, critical timelines are known by the regulation, and the framework is known from other jurisdictions around the world,” Smith said. “The focus should be for those wanting to become adjudicators that have little to no design or construction background. Or, if they need a refresh on how the modern project site works.”

Jeff Bolingbroke, a constructionlab facilitator, said the course is aimed especially at legal professionals, who may comprise a good portion of the adjudication roster. “Other adjudicators may be architects and engineers, or quantity surveyors or accountants,” Bolingbroke said. “Of course anyone is welcome to join us, it will be a great 2 days and we always make our workshops fun for all.”

Ontario’s new Construction Act allows for the Authorized Nominating Authority (ANA) to choose adjudicators and oversee the adjudication process in case of payment disputes over construction services. New prompt payment rules, set out in the Act, will take affect October 1, 2019.

The ANA, recently chosen to be ADR Chambers, Inc. is currently in the process of building a roster of adjudicators. While the ANA may set up mandatory training in time, at this point constructionlab’s course, being offered through construction associations, is voluntary.

constructionlab has already set up a single-day course through the Grand Valley Construction Association and the Sault Ste Marie Construction Association, entitled Prompt Payment and Mechanics of Adjudication, and has filled three classrooms with attendees. That course is set to run on August 20 in Toronto and October 1 in Hamilton.

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