Edmonton, AB – Qualico’s safety leaders from across Western Canada and the US gathered in Edmonton on October 7 and 8 for the 4^th Annual Safety Summit. The two-day event brought together regional safety managers, coordinators, and joint venture partners to share insights, align safety practices, and strengthen collaboration.

The annual Safety Summit is a cornerstone event for Qualico’s Health and Safety Program, providing an important forum for open dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and teamwork. This year’s goals were to foster collaboration across all regions, allow individuals to engage in team building activities, and continue improving Qualico’s Health and Safety Program.

“The event exceeded expectations, with discussions revealing significant opportunities to enhance document quality and ensure better clarity and benefits for Qualico employees overall,” said Bill Laursen, Regional Safety Manager, US Region. “The Summit ultimately showcased the incredible depth of expertise across the safety team, highlighting our collective commitment to fostering a safer workplace.”

The agenda focused on aligning regional safety initiatives and exploring new tools and strategies to support field staff. Sessions covered topics such as organizational structure updates for 2026, aligning safe work practices and safe job procedures, and the use of digital tools like SiteDocs to support frontline staff.

On the second day, participants welcomed representatives from Qualico’s joint venture partners, Empire Envelope, Star Mechanical, Star Building Materials, GDI Drywall, and WM Schmidt, further emphasizing collaboration beyond internal teams.

“Seeing and associating with like-minded professionals is always a pleasure and something I look forward to,” said Gord Dilling, Health and Safety Manager, WM Schmidt. “It’s valuable to learn from one another and share best practices that ultimately raise the standard of safety across all our organizations.”

The event also featured an insightful leadership presentation by Mark Hoosein, CEO of the Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA), who shared leadership philosophies for managing people and promoting safety excellence.

For Trevor Shwaluk, Director, Corporate Health and Safety, the Summit was a strong reminder of the trust and collaboration that define Qualico’s culture.

“It was a fantastic opportunity to bring the entire Safety Team together in person and work together,” said Trevor.  “We want our Safety Team to be the non-judgmental resource that business units and supply chain companies can rely on when safety guidance is required. In my view, business relationships only progress with trust. Trust in our Safety Team will ultimately measure the success of our program.”

As Qualico continues to expand its business operations, the lessons and connections built at this year’s Summit will help shape the company’s next chapter of safety excellence.