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236 State of Construction: Management, Technology and Oversight Manage the Complexities of Construction
Throughout February UrbanToronto is featuring a special State of Construction editorial series to explore all the critical issues of construction across our region.
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It’s been said Toronto has two seasons — winter and construction — and now that the latter doesn’t stop for the former, generations of Torontonians have had to endure a lot of construction activity, year round. Despite a temporary slowdown due to global economic uncertainty and affordability issues, all levels of government are committed to building more residential buildings to accommodate the GTA’s fast-growing population.
While the big major developers can afford to have all of the management in-house, many other companies turn to outside firms to handle the very complex task of construction management, such as Clark Construction Management of Mississauga. Clark has a varied list of clients, such as residential/commercial developers, non-profit organizations, private organizations such as sports clubs, direct energy providers, hotels and institutional clients.
“Clients turn to Clark because they want class-leading customer service, certainty on budget and scheduling and a construction manager that is invested as they are in the project’s success,” says Clark Executive Vice President Marlon Bray. “We care about each and every project, are our own worst critic and demand high standards of excellence from all of our teams. Clients can sense the passion in our work and the pride we take in delivering their vision.”
Founded in 2017, Clark positioned itself as an independent alternative to self-build delivery models. “What we offer is to be more innovative, cost-effective and quicker than any developer that self-builds,” says Bray. “We also aim to set the bar for which all other third-party construction managers can be measured in performance against all key performance metrics and ultimately force change in an industry generally stuck in the 1980s.”
One of the most prominent projects Clark is currently working on is 8 Elm Street in the heart of downtown, a 69-storey condominium tower being built by Capital Developments and Reserve Properties. It required a lot of out-of-the-box solutions brought forward by Clark to build a 69-storey tower on a postage stamp of a site in its location.
“It is truly spectacular and beyond challenging as one of the most logistically complex residential high-rise projects to be constructed in Toronto,” says Bray. “But the best part about the challenges is that it is already looking like a truly wonderful building. The historical façade design by Arcadis stands out and adds to the character of the building, which we will finish ahead of schedule and under budget in becoming a landmark residential project for the city.”
One of the many innovative tools Clark brings to its work is that it is built on a technology platform largely powered by Procore Technologies Inc., a leading global provider of construction management software, which allows Clark to focus its time on problem-solving and execution.
“Construction has traditionally relied on emails, spreadsheets, paper drawings and disconnected systems,” says Procore’s Nolan Frazier, Head of Sales, Canada. “The intent behind Procore was to bring all the people and information on a construction project into one platform. Our goal was to create software that connects the office and the field, improves communication and provides visibility into cost, schedule, quality and safety, all in one place. At its core, Procore is about helping teams deliver projects more predictably and with fewer surprises.”
According to Frazier, users of Procore’s software consistently tell them it helps the most in three key areas: Coordination and communication; Financial visibility and; Documentation and accountability. “Canada is facing labour shortages, rising material costs and increased pressure to deliver housing and infrastructure faster,” says Frazier. “We cannot solve these challenges using yesterday’s processes. Investing in technology is not just about efficiency – it is about competitiveness. Companies that adopt modern tools are better positioned to control costs, attract younger talent and deliver projects more reliably.”
Frazier reports that several major mixed-use and condominium developments in the GTA have used Procore to help manage complexity at scale, such as The Well, led by Tridel, Deltera, and RioCan. “It is one of the most ambitious mixed-use communities in downtown Toronto, combining residential, office and retail,” says Frazier. “On a project of that size, hundreds of stakeholders must stay aligned. A centralized platform helps ensure everyone is working from the latest drawings, tracking changes properly and managing inspections and budgets in real time.”
What must never be lost, observes Frazier, is that construction is a signpost of a healthy and vibrant city. “Construction is fundamentally about building communities, homes, hospitals, transit and workplaces, and technology should support that mission, not complicate it,” he says. “When data is connected and transparent, projects become safer, more predictable and more collaborative. That benefits not only the contractors and developers, but also the cities and communities they are building for.”
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Marlon Bray of Clark Construction Management will be joining UrbanToronto’s State of Construction online webinar on Wednesday, February 25 at 1 PM, along with Gokul Pisharoty of The Daniels Corporation. You can register for the event here!
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UrbanToronto’s research and data service, UTPro, provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Golden Horseshoe—from proposal through to completion. Other services include Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.
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Thank you to the companies joining UrbanToronto to celebrate State of Construction Month.
