PCL St. Paul’s Hospital Project – Empowering the Community through Local Employment Opportunities
EMBERS Staffing is celebrating over seven years of partnership with PCL Construction!
The PCL St. Paul’s Hospital project employs 25+ workers from EMBERS Staffing daily. Being a large project, many different trades are needed including General Labourers, Skilled Labourers, Traffic Control Persons, Hoist Operators, Carpenters and more!
The new St. Paul’s Hospital is the most extensive hospital redevelopment in BC’s history and is expected to reach completion in 2026 and open to patients in 2027. With 550 beds, it will offer a long list of care services, including chronic disease management services; emergency and critical care; mental health and addictions; ambulatory services and outpatient clinics; end-of-life care; Indigenous health; maternity; colorectal and gastrointestinal services; and community care and community outreach programs. It will also include a multi-level underground parking garage, a public plaza, new roads, and civil infrastructure.
The project started in 2021 and EMBERS Staffing is proud to have partnered with PCL to provide staffing solutions from the beginning of the project.
As Randy Callaghan, PCL Workforce Supervisor, recalls, “We have partnered with EMBERS since September 2016 and have relied on EMBERS for many projects in Vancouver and in Abbotsford. When we were awarded the New St. Paul’s Hospital, we knew we would be able to count on EMBERS for many of our Craft workforce. The location of the project and the training that EMBERS offers to their workforce made it a perfect fit.”
Recently, all of the EMBERS Staffing workers at the PCL St. Paul’s Hospital project underwent Fall Protection and WHMIS training at the EMBERS Head Office. This is the biggest training session we have held for a single site – benefiting workers who receive extra training and PCL by providing new skills to the EMBERS Staffing workforce on site; a win-win!
Construction is a growing industry with many career development opportunities. We asked Randy his advice for those entering the industry; “The construction industry has so many opportunities, from trade apprenticeships through to senior management. Construction is so exciting because every day there is something different to do. The project evolves with the help and talent of so many great people. The construction industry in BC and across the country is so busy that the employment opportunities are outstanding. If you are willing to work hard, be reliable and have a desire to learn then you will be very successful in the construction industry.”
As a social enterprise, EMBERS Staffing connects job seekers with work opportunities. A job provides a stable income, a sense of purpose, community and a chance to build a future. PCL’s partnership with EMBERS Staffing allows more people to find meaningful employment in the construction industry.
“Social responsibility is just a part of what we do. From local hiring to procurement of goods and services it’s all part of what happens daily for the New St. Paul’s Hospital project.”
– Randy Callaghan, PCL Workforce Supervisor
Promoting positive social impact doesn’t mean compromising on quality staffing services; in fact, they can go hand in hand. By integrating social responsibility into our business practices, we not only contribute to the greater good but also enhance the overall quality and value of what we deliver.
This sentiment is echoed by PCL: “EMBERS is our go-to organization for workers with short notice. Things happen daily that are last-minute changes. With EMBERS we can call and sometimes get people on the same day. When we work with EMBERS we have the option to direct hire after a certain amount of hours worked. This option makes our decision to hire easier because they have worked with our team already. This has been very successful at the New St. Paul’s Hospital project.”
PCL’s partnership with EMBERS Staffing shows that dedication to excellence in construction and a genuine commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of individuals within our community can coincide.
The support of our partners enables EMBERS Staffing to create meaningful employment opportunities, fostering personal and professional growth for our workers. It is through collaborations like this that we can collectively build a stronger society!
A big thank you to Randy and the staff at the PCL St. Paul’s Hospital site for hosting us on site and participating in this interview.
