Women in Construction Week
Vigilant would like to take the time to recognize Women in Construction Week. This week is a celebration of the huge progression of gender balance in the workplace and a reminder that we still have work to do. We thank past generations of women who worked tirelessly to make the construction industry a more fair and equitable place today.
My position is designed to be collaborative. I get to work with the entire business team to push the sales process forward. Working with a close team is very satisfying and always a lot of laughs. My role with Vigilant also requires me to be very detail-oriented, and write persuasively, which are skills I take pride in.
In the heart of St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, stands a silent witness to the city's evolution—the Majestic Theatre. Built in 1918, this structure is not just bricks and dust; it embodies the heritage and soul of the community. With a rich history, the Majestic has seen St. John's transform over the decades.
In the annals of local history, the Majestic Theatre became a focal point of a significant political movement. In April 1932, it hosted a gathering of 2,000 impassioned citizens who marched on the Colonial Building, demanding justice, and investigation into charges against Sir Richard Squires, the Prime Minister of Newfoundland.
Fast forward to the 21st century, the theater was renovated and is now operated by Terra Bruce Productions and Vigilant had the privilege to work to resurrect this historical gem. The mission was clear: restore the Majestic to its former glory not just as a building but as a cultural epicenter. Vigilant approached this task with meticulous planning, unwavering dedication, and a deep understanding that we were safeguarding a legacy, not just renovating a structure.
Time presented the most formidable challenge. The Majestic's revival wasn't a mere construction project; it was a race against time, a mission to conserve the past for the future. Vigilant’s role wasn't just supervisory; it was transformative. We adapted to the project's pace while ensuring that every detail paid homage to the weight of history.
Finally, on the 21st of September the moment arrived and the doors to the Majestic Theater opened once again with the original musical The Wild Rovers. The Majestic Theatre, silent for six years, buzzed with the promise of artistic expression. Its interior, meticulously redesigned, boasted 350 seats and a grand stage, reflecting not just the grandeur of the past but also the vision of a future thriving in the arts. The Majestic's reopening wasn't just an event; it was a celebration—a celebration of reborn history, realized dreams, and the indomitable spirit of a community.
As the doors of the Majestic Theatre swung open, Vigilant accepted an invitation, not merely to witness but to participate in this historic moment. This wasn't just a renovation; it was a resurrection. The Majestic Theatre, meticulously and lovingly restored by Vigilant and the other dedicated members of the project team, stood as a testament to the power of preservation.
If you get a chance, come to the Majestic Theater to watch a play and reminisce or to enjoy their delicious food in a historic ambience. Welcome to the Majestic Theatre, where the past finds its voice, the present finds its rhythm, and Vigilant is forever proud to be a part of its rich history.
Vigilant is pleased to introduce the new Co-op students Martina and Jacob who will be part of our team this fall!
At Vigilant, work term students are valued members of the team contributing in numerous facets. Each student brings something different to our offices, infusing our team with new ideas and ways of thinking. This is critical to our success as in a continuously changing industry it is important to have continuously changing ways of thinking.
This fall, Martina will be helping with business development, while Jacob will be helping on the engineering side. We are happy to have them.
Martina Malá
Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
My name is Martina and I am an international student at Dalhousie – I come from Slovakia. I am in the Commerce program, majoring in International Business (this is not set in stone just yet). This is my second work term, however the first one with Vigilant :)
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
I love being at home – cooking and eating with my boyfriend, reading fantasy books in the dark with candles lit (currently reading Six of Crows), watching TV shows (I have to recommend Good Trouble) with my best friend and roommate Nadia while having a wide variety of snacks, going for walks with my dog Poppy, traveling, running errands with my boyfriend – especially going to Costco (weird, I know), spa/girls’ days, cleaning our house and organizing, shopping at Lush is my current obsession, drinking coffee in bed, having conversations with the people I am close with (preferably one-on-one), going to coffee shops, spending time at the beach, and I am trying to start liking exercising more – hot yoga classes seems to be the best bet for me.
What is your job title and what are your responsibilities at Vigilant?
My job title is Business Development and Marketing Coordinator. Some of my tasks are will be helping with the recruitment process of new co-op students, designing project sheets, helping with proposals, updating the website, writing blog posts, updating employees’ CVs and designing Birthday cards (my favourite task so far).
What do you hope to learn during your time with Vigilant?
First and foremost I hope to learn more about myself – during these internships I get to experience different roles but also different work environments and cultures. I want to learn what I like and what makes me happy. We spend a huge chunk of our life working, and I believe it is important to do something that fulfills you and makes you happy.
Furthermore, I am very excited to learn to use InDesign as well as a little bit of Photoshop – so far I have enjoyed it very much and I am grateful I was introduced to it here as I would like to learn even more in the future.
Overall, I am just excited to learn from everyone in the team!
What do you plan on pursuing in the future?
Unfortunately, I do not have a clear answer to this question. Before starting this degree, I wanted to once become a CEO of a company, however, I would not rely on that haha. I am in international business because I would love to work with different cultures as I find it fascinating. I might get more into marketing, and thus International Marketing sounds kind of fun!
Jacob Brown
Can you tell me a little bit about yourself?
My name is Jacob Brown and I am from Mount Pearl, NL. I have recently completed my second year in pursuit of my Bachelor of Civil Engineering degree from the Memorial University of Newfoundland. This is my second work term placement and I look forward to being a part of the team at Vigilant in the Paradise office in Newfoundland!
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
In my spare time, I like to go to the gym and go for hikes as exercise not only helps me improve physically but also mentally! With consistent exercise, I tend to find myself in a much better mental place to be productive. I do also enjoy playing some video games to relax as an escape from the real world from time to time would do anyone good, right?
What is your job title and what are your responsibilities at Vigilant?
During this term, I have assumed the role of Junior Project Manager where I aim to help the project management team as much as possible to ensure that everything can go as smoothly as possible. My responsibilities include attending meetings and taking meeting minutes where necessary, assisting the cost estimation team in quantity take-offs, and general administrative tasks.
What do you hope to learn during your time with Vigilant?
From this term, I would like to sharpen my project management skills as much as possible. I love to see how projects come together and I applied to this position as I thought it would be a good fit for someone like me to learn under experienced individuals who are knowledgeable in a wide range of relevant topics. I look forward to the next few months where I get the opportunity to sponge as much knowledge as I can hold from the team!
What do you plan on pursuing in the future?
I aspire to complete my degree in Civil Engineering at the Memorial University of Newfoundland with possibility of further education after completion of this degree, but for the moment, I plan on tackling just one thing at a time! I am determined to achieve my Professional Engineering (P. Eng) status and work as a civil/structural engineer here in Newfoundland. I have great interest in structures, especially in bridges, and how projects come together from proposal to grand opening and I hope that I am able to dedicate my career to working alongside construction of some breath-taking feats of infrastructure.
Just like that the summer begins to come to an end meaning an end to our Co-op hires Ewan and Emma’s time with us. We have thoroughly enjoyed having them with us and they have become valued members of the Vigilant family. We wish them nothing but the absolute best going forwards.
Before they finished we asked them a couple of questions about their time here at Vigilant.
If you were to describe vigilant in a word what would you say and why?
Fun
I know its a pretty basic word but I feel it describes Vigilant perfectly. It really is a great place to work filled with fun people. I don’t know of any other work term placements that host a mandatory team horseshoe tournament. While I have to miss it, which is lucky for Terry as I would've been coming for his throne, it’s things such as that create such an enjoyable work environment.
What did you enjoy most about working at Vigilant?
There are many things I’ve thoroughly enjoyed about working at Vigilant, however, I can without a doubt say my favourite part was the sense of a team that's present. Everyone feels intertwined and connected despite the offices being in different provinces. You never feel stranded or alone when working on something. Even if I needed to ask someone in the Paradise office a question they always accommodated me and helped me out. On top of this, Vigilant has regular events such as the weekly all-hands meeting, which does an excellent job of keeping the continuity present and is just a fun thing to look forward to.
What have you learned?
During this work term, I learned more than I could have imagined. For example, prior to this, I had no idea an RFP even existed. While my understanding of them is still in its infancy I feel I can greatly benefit from having this knowledge going forwards. I’ve also learned valuable communication and HR skills through the hiring process for the next set of Co-Op students. Going through the process of screening, selecting, and interviewing was an experience that had unforeseen intricacies. However, I learned how to make it all work and ended up taking a lot from this experience that I can carry forward with me.
On top of this, I’ve gotten the chance to actually apply theories I’ve only ever learned about in class to the real world. For years I’ve spent my time wondering if what I’m learning is actually applicable to the real world, and now finally I can say it is. This is such a rewarding feeling, and while I may still hate studying for tests and exams at least I now know what I’m studying will be beneficial going forward.
Final goodbyes
I would like to thank everyone on the Vigilant team for making my first work term a great one. I really couldn't have asked for a better work environment filled with lively and supportive people. I can say that I enjoyed going into the office every day knowing I would get to see everybody. Once again thank you very much for the experience :)
If you were to describe vigilant in a word what would you say and why?
If I were to describe Vigilant in one word, it would be exceptional. Vigilant has by far exceeded my expectations in all aspects. The vision that Vigilant has on how a company should be operated is like no other. The remarkable level of flexibility and support offered to employees has enhanced the enjoyment that comes with going to work. The Vigilant team consists of highly skilled and talented members, all of whom are eager to involve students and answer questions. Vigilant also highly values the work of students and offers them trust and responsibility, which greatly helps to enhance a students learning experience.
What did you enjoy most about working at Vigilant?
The thing I enjoy most about working at Vigilant is that the opportunities are truly endless. Vigilant works on a variety of projects which helped me to become more adaptable, strengthen my problem-solving skills, and obtain a broader perspective that enhances my skill set as a junior project manager. The team at Vigilant is eager to involve students and help them grow as professionals. If there was something I wanted to learn more about or a skill I wanted to develop, someone was always willing to assist me. The experience I enjoyed most during my time at Vigilant was my trip to Nova Scotia to visit some of the projects the company was working on, as following this trip I was provided the opportunity to work remotely in PEI while spending time with my family.
What have you learned?
Over the last four months I have learned many things about project management and the construction industry. I was involved in multiple projects, each in a different phase. This allowed me to learn about the pre-construction phase, design phase, bidding and procurement, construction phase, commissioning phase, project turnover, and post-construction. I have learned to write RFPs, RFQs, and monthly progress reports. Most importantly I have become proficient at writing meeting minutes such that I have received Lloyd’s approval. Editor’s Note: Lloyd’s approval is a sacred talisman. I have also learned how to invoice, create and process change orders, monitor and control shop drawing submittals, along with many other project management related tasks and skills. I worked with the cost estimation team at Vigilant and learned how to do quantity take-offs for both civil, mechanical and electrical drawings.
Final goodbyes
I would like to thank everyone at Vigilant for such a great experience and valuable work term. This has truly been the best experience and I will miss everyone dearly when I go back to school in September. I have learned so much during this work term, and have learned many lessons that I will carry with me into my career.
Vigilant is happy to highlight our work on the new regional wellness center in Placentia, NL
The Town of Placentia located on the southwest coast of the Avalon Peninsula is positioned in an area of crested hills and a jagged but marvelous coastline. Having been first settled in the early 15th century by the French it is an area rich in history. Vigilant’s connection to this historic area came from the need to replace the aging recreation complex that had been standing since 1997. It had served the community for many years but as with everything time had finally begun catching up to it.
Vigilant is providing project management and advisory services to the Town of Placentia in building the new regional wellness center. This project will provide a state-of-the-art facility to meet the current and future recreational needs of the residents of Placentia. The Wellness Centre will target LEED Silver principles in accordance with the Provincial Build Better Buildings Policy. The Town and their former consultant completed this project’s planning and procurement stages.
The Town engaged Vigilant to lead the detailed design, construction, and closeout of the project. Our team is working with the design-builder to achieve desired goals through a collaborative approach. As the Owner’s Advisor (OA), Vigilant has taken a leading role in ensuring the project’s success. Vigilant is actively advocating for the Town’s goals, priorities, and interests during all remaining stages of the project (design management, project controls, construction execution, commissioning, and closeout). We are working to identify any secondary objectives with the Town, and are striving to deliver this project on time and within budget. The Owner’s goal is to complete the project in a cost effective, efficient, and timely manner. Construction began in the summer of 2022 and will be completed 20 months later.
This build has not come without challenges. The facility had to be designed to mitigate the risk of flooding as it lies within a potential flood area. Doing this required careful design and enhanced quality control to ensure any potential flooding caused no negative impact on the facility. The new facility was also to be connected to the existing facility which required an intricate assessment of the existing facility and coordination of existing building systems. Along with this, there were unexpected delays in acquiring major equipment for the project. This was remedied through supplier and contractor negotiation and expediting several major pieces of equipment to ensure that the project would be completed on schedule.
The project is currently a major success, with it being anticipated to be on schedule and under the initial contract value. Construction quality has been high and in compliance with the design intent and contract documents. Vigilant is working to maintain this trend throughout the project all the way to completion.
The previous wellness center provided a boost for this community that could not be measured in numbers. It provided a hub that promotes social interactions and an active lifestyle. This is critical for any community and the boost provided by the old facility certainly diminished as the facility aged. This new wellness center will rejuvenate this community hub which will provide benefits to all those who enter its doors.
We at Vigilant are extremely thankful for the opportunity to work on this amazing facility and look forward to its completion.
Vigilant would like to welcome the newest member of the team Nat Salfas. Nat’s addition to the team grants us the exciting opportunity to add architectural design services to our offerings. His deep background working on projects with large valuations and his attention to detail is an invaluable asset to any project.
Vigilant is proud to announce that we have added civil design work to our list of services. We believe this new service offers our clients a more streamlined experience for their projects. They can now benefit from Vigilant's expertise from the beginning of the project through to completion, knowing that our team is committed to achieving their goals and fully understands their vision for the final project. We are with you every step of the way: whatever it takes.
Construction sites are dangerous work environments, so Vigilant’s top priority is ensuring everyone’s safety on all our project sites. The driving force behind Vigilant’s rigorous safety policy is our Senior Project Advisor and Partner, Lloyd Hussey. Lloyd is a leading expert in commercial construction, quantity surveying, construction safety, and general contracting. He brings over 40 years of experience and knowledge to every project.
Lloyd has been interested in Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) for almost as long as he has worked in the construction industry-going as far back as 1984. He became more involved in 1993 as a member of the Construction Industry Forum (CIF) and Industrial Adjustment Service Committee (IASC). This team ultimately led to the founding of the Newfoundland and Labrador Construction Safety Association (NLCSA) in 1997. Lloyd was a founding member of the first NLCSA Board of Directors (BOD) and the first Chair of the NLCSA Curriculum Committee. Since 1997, he has been a member of the NLCSA BOD.
Lloyd has strived to be an advocate for OHS when it was not that popular to do so. Many years ago, OHS did not have the same priority with contractors as it does today. Lloyd states, “In many ways, I was a bit of a voice in the wilderness. The construction industry has come a long way since the days when we had to strenuously insist that workers wear proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as hard hats, boots, vests, and safety glasses, to today where wearing PPE is a requirement for all persons on the construction site. Today, almost all contractors have a working OHS program that they take pride in promoting. It is important to reiterate that it wasn't always like that.”
Lloyd has spent a significant portion of his time in the construction industry trying to explain to various stakeholders - particularly contractors - the benefits of having and maintaining a viable working OHS program. He often explains to people that OHS is simple - just not that easy to implement and properly manage. OHS can be as straightforward as training workers to recognize workplace hazards and strategies to eliminate or mitigate these hazards.
When we formed Vigilant back in 2012, we formed an OHS Committee and established and maintained our own OHS policy, program, safe work practices, and procedures. We also felt it was important that we be an advocate for OHS on our client's projects. That meant being actively involved in evaluating the contractor's OHS programs, recommending improvements where appropriate, being aware of hazards on work sites, and highlighting concerns where warranted. We also spent a great deal of time making our project managers aware of work site hazards and how they could properly deal with those hazards.
Workplace NL named Lloyd Hussey as an Occupational Health and Safety Ambassador and, by extension, a member of the CEO Safety Charter - Leaders in Health and Safety. This award gives recognition to Lloyd’s lifetime pursuit of promoting safety in all facets of the construction industry.
Vigilant is proud of our safety culture, and we commit to protecting workers and ensuring the health and safety of all people on the job site.
Vigilant installed a live-stream video portal between offices to combat this issue. Every day, Vigilant’s employees in the Dartmouth, NS, and Paradise, NL offices are able to see each other as they pass by the portal. Integrating the portal in our two offices allows us to connect the Vigilant team, and share a few laughs daily.
As summer comes to an end, so does the internship for our co-op students. Vigilant takes pride in hiring co-op students and has been doing so since 2014. The first few students were responsible for helping run the company's daily operations to support our CEO, Terry. Our co-op students have always been a crucial part of our team, and we plan on keeping it that way. They are just like any other member of the Vigilant team. They have their unique role, which comes with responsibilities and goals.
At Vigilant, we believe it is our duty to create a positive, rewarding work environment, where everyone is encouraged and able to reach their full potential. In order to do this, we need to give our employees the climate that facilitates their best work. Above all, we are advocates for our clients and their interests. Our team adds value through diligence and creativity. We lead by example, putting accountability and safety at the forefront of our work.
Our Business Development Team shared insight into Vigilant’s frequently asked questions. Check out our website and we can answer more of your construction related questions.
Vigilant was founded in 2012 by a group of construction industry experts who had a common goal: to eliminate inefficiencies and simplify the building process. Since then, we have been doing this by building close relationships with our clients, understanding their needs, and acting in their best interest.
Vigilant is client-oriented. We manage your unique construction needs so you can focus on your business, and avoid the headaches that undoubtedly come with complex construction projects . We currently offer four main services, including Full Project Delivery, Rapid Cost Monitoring, Construction Cost Estimating, and Advisory Services.
We continue to see long delays in construction materials such as steel, electronics, electrical panels, HVAC equipment, and specialty doors. The construction labor market is also in high demand which results in higher prices and longer schedules. Construction schedules take 20%-30% longer today than they were two years ago. This is why it is increasingly important to have the right people on your side of the table during the planning stage.
Construction inflation for 2022 is predicted to rise 7.2% over 2021, which we are certainly witnessing now that we are six months into the year. We are expecting a continued increase in overall construction costs of 5% per year for the next two years. If construction demand continues to be high, we expect the construction costs to increase 2-5% annually for the next five years. Eventually, supply chain issues will improve but we expect to see construction labour shortages to continue five to ten years from now until the industry can increase automation to meet the demand.
Our team nails down accurate estimates through decades of experience and by incorporating state-of-the-art software. Our estimating team has really seen it all. Our value added services give us a competitive edge in the market. For example: Vigilant’s engineers, who have significant general contracting experience, share knowledge from the project management side with our estimating team. We have a diverse set of construction experts on our team to help minimize the risk.
Vigilant is very excited to introduce the newest members of the company: Grace Joyce, Robyn Horwood, and Marta Fratter. Coop students at Vigilant play the important roles of supporting the project management team, assisting our human resources team, and sales team to facilitate workflow and ensure that tasks are being completed effectively.
Since Vigilant's expansion into the Maritimes, we have moved from hiring students exclusively in Newfoundland to hiring three students across Atlantic Canada. These new team members continue to improve our processes, streamline our marketing efforts, and manage daily operations. Vigilant trusts co-op students to bring a talented skill set that provides a unique edge to the organization. We feel strongly about the value they bring to help us achieve our goals and reach new heights. For these reasons, we believe that the term "co-op student," is a misnomer. We prefer to refer to these ambitious individuals as full-fledged team members
-Introduce yourself
My name is Grace Joyce, and I’m 18 years old. I live in Bay Bulls, Newfoundland and just finished my first year of engineering at Memorial University. This is my first work term and I’m incredibly excited to be here and gain experience in the field. I plan to enter the civil engineering discipline in the fall and believe this is an excellent introduction to the field.
-What made you apply to Vigilant?
As a first year student applying for my first work term, I was of course incredibly excited when applying for jobs. This led to me applying for as many jobs as I thought I had a chance with. However, since reading the job description Vigilant had posted, I had a different feeling about it than any other job posting. One thing that stuck out to me in the Vigilant job posting rather than the others was the sense of welcoming. I could tell just from the job description that they were a company proud of their company culture.
-Tell us about your role at Vigilant
I am the junior project manager at Vigilant. I work closely with the project management team on project delivery. In my position, I am responsible for assisting the project management team with tasks such as technical report writing, cost estimating, project scheduling, and site inspections.
-What are you most excited about for this co-op experience?
The thing that I’m most excited about is gaining more learning experiences. Since this is my first work term, I of course still have so much to learn about the engineering profession. Having the chance to gain my first bit of experience with Vigilant is definitely something I’m looking forward to. Everyone in the office is incredibly helpful and they all want to help me learn. Most have been in my shoes at one point and know how challenging it can be as a student so they’re all very open to questions, helping me learn things I haven’t seen before and making me feel important in my role.
-What are 3 words that describe you? Why?
Independent - I have always been independent in the work that I do. Of course when working independently, I need to be aware of what my job is, and I work by myself to figure out what I need to do to achieve that. With that comes the responsibility of being able to recognize when help is needed - which I believe I have. I try to figure things out on my own first, but if I’m really struggling, then I know to reach out to others so that I can continue to problem solve.
Persistent - I believe that I am persistent as I often do what I can to get things done. If I have issues with delays in some work that I’m doing, I’m always looking at what I need to do in order to get it done. Like any student, I’ve faced challenges in my first year of university and while they may have discouraged me at first, I never quit and instead, it pushed me harder to do my best.
Adaptable - I believe I’m an adaptable person because I adjust well to change. I’m also a pretty easygoing person so if there’s ever any significant change, I’m able to remain relaxed and figure things out. Worrying about the little things isn’t something I do - I take what’s thrown at me and roll with it.
-Introduce yourself
My name is Robyn Horwood and I am 21 years old and a 4th year Business Commerce student at Memorial University. I am concentrating in marketing, with an interest in sales. I live in St. John’s, Newfoundland and my hometown is Grand Falls-Windsor, Newfoundland.
-What made you apply to Vigilant?
When applying for my final work-term I wanted to work in a work environment that felt both professional and fun. Which it has been both of that so far!
-Tell us about your role at Vigilant
My role at Vigilant is Operations and Marketing Coordinator. My responsibilities include assisting the members of the business team with invoicing, business and engineering co-op hiring, as well as other marketing tasks.
-What are you most excited about for this co-op experience?
I am most excited about getting to work closely with the other work-term students on various projects. We are currently creating weekly trivia for the Vigilant team and I am looking forward to completing more projects with the business team!
-What are 3 words that describe you? Why?
Energetic- I have a witty personality. I love socializing with people and making new friends! As well, when it comes to learning a new work related skill such as learning how to use a new software, or in my personal life such as learning how to play the guitar, I always have an enthusiastic behavior towards it!
Communicative- I am communicative as I am always talking to my friends in person or via social media. In addition, with my curious personality I find myself always asking questions and having interesting conversations with people.
Creative- I am creative and I love to learn new skills. I love making marketing content such as creating videos, advertisements and writing! I’m also so excited to be making trivia on Kahoot for all the business team to participate in over the next few months.
-Introduce yourself
My name is Marta Fratter and I am 21 years old. I am currently living in Halifax Nova Scotia where I just completed my third year at Dalhousie University. I am an International student from Italy who is majoring in Commerce and minoring in Spanish.
-What made you apply to Vigilant?
Vigilant caught my attention because of its interesting field and flexibility. This is my third and final coop experience. So, I was interested in learning more about the construction world and getting to experience a more flexible work environment.
-Tell us about your role at Vigilant
My role at Vigilant is the one of Marketing and Business Development Coordinator. I am responsible for assisting our business team with sales, marketing, HR and business development tasks.
-What are you most excited about for this coop experience?
During this coop, I am most excited about learning about the construction industry and improving my marketing skills. I think that working alongside the very knowledgeable Vigilant staff, will be a great learning experience.
-What are 3 words to describe you? Why?
Curious- I always had an inquisitive mind. Since I was young, I was interested in learning new things, traveling and exploring different places. I think my curiosity is one of the reasons why I decided to leave my home country and come to Canada for university, because I wanted to explore something new!
Ambitious- I pride myself with my work ethic and ambition. I was always told to dream big, and that is what I have been doing. I work very hard in all my classes to get the best results and I like to do that in the professional world as well.
Polyglot- I always had a big interest in languages. My mother tongue is Italian, and I started learning English and Spanish when I was still in Elementary school. I started learning Russian when I was in highschool and I keep working on it to improve it.
