Time to put contractors' work hours under microscope

Torontosun.com
May 30, 2017
By Sue-Ann Levy

I was thrilled to hear Mayor John Tory talk about how his battle plan to speed up 32 road construction projects is already working.

He told reporters Tuesday two more projects have finished early (thanks to his efforts to push a new “attitude” at City Hall) - one on Lake Shore Blvd., from Leslie St. to Woodbine Ave., and another at the intersection of Dundas and Parliament Sts.

It’s all because the contractors have been asked to use “extended work hours” - often at a 5%-15% premium, according to city transportation officials.

But before I’m ready to give the mayor “The White Knight” award for this “new attitude,” perhaps we should consider the insights of a source close to the city’s transportation projects who suggests the rules are already there and are just not being followed.

That source, who did not want to be identified for fear of reprisal, claimed that many, if not most, city road projects already have extended working hours baked into them - namely 7 a.m.-11 p.m. - but contractors are refusing to work them.

In fact, the source provided me with a standard tender document for a road project that mandates these extended hours of work because it involves a “major road.”

The source said the fault lies with the city’s engineering officials who “don’t enforce the rules” and don’t “hold contractors accountable.

“Absolutely the extended hours are mandatory, not an option ... it’s not ambiguous,” the source said.

The source added cost premiums are also already built into the project bids because contractors know that extended work hours mean either a second work team or overtime costs.

“So when a contractor doesn’t follow that, the city should hold back money on them,” the source insisted, emphasizing that usually doesn’t happen.

Tory spokesman Don Peat said the mayor is “proud” that he has urged city staff to speed up construction on dozens of projects.

He added that the mayor “trusts” city officials will manage road contracts properly and ensure taxpayers only pay for work that is done.

“If that’s not the case, he’s confident that staff will act on any information presented,” Peat said.

City spokesman Steve Johnston, responding on behalf of transportation staff, argued it’s only on “certain projects” - where the type of project and area permits - that the “permissible working hours” are extended from 7 a.m.-11 p.m. (the rest are 7 a.m.-7 p.m.)

Johnston said construction schedules have been compressed to encourage contractors to make use of extended hours. However, he confirmed the city “does not mandate” contractors to work extended hours.

“The city permits the contractor to schedule their construction activities to ensure efficiency in their operations to meet the reduced schedule requirements,” he said, adding that the city employs inspection staff to monitor the activities of contractors.

Not enough, it seems.

Never mind extended hours. How many worksites have we driven, biked or walked by where the crew has left the job by 4 p.m. or 5 p.m.?

It’s well and good to reduce the schedule of days the project is supposed to take but if penalties aren’t properly enforced to get the work done on time - or the contractor is not penalized for refusing to work extended hours - the fallout is cost overruns and endless delays.

And we’ve seen plenty of evidence of that around the city, starting with the watermain project I mentioned in a previous column on Bedford Rd.

But you can help: E-mail me the location of any construction projects around the city where contractors are gone from the job site by 4 p.m. or 5 p.m.