From residential builds to major industrial developments, the East Coast is alive with the crash, boom, bang of a hyper-active construction industry

According to the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council and their 2014 Major Projects Inventory, there are 439 major investment projects worth over $122 billion in the works throughout Atlantic Canada. Yep, you read that right: $122 followed by nine zeroes. And that’s just the big stuff. Add on the multitude of “minor” projects valued at less than $25 million apiece which didn’t make the APEC review (under $10 million in P.E.I.), plus a positive horde of renos, and you’ll begin to appreciate the sizeable footprint which the construction sector has across the region. In this special report, we salute Atlantic Canada’s builders large and small, as well as the innovative artisans who deliver the ultimate finishing touches.

Artisans
Heavy Metal Love
By Quentin Casey

For nearly 40 years John Little has been transforming rough steel into fantastic shapes, from gates to sculptures. “Hot metal cannot simply be beaten into obedience,” says Little, who works in an oceanside studio in East Dover, Nova Scotia. “A young smith’s work always looks forced and beaten up… The best work comes from the hands of a smith comfortable enough to dance and play with the hot metal.”