Breaking New Ground—Stories from Defence Construction Breaking_new_ground | Page 50

Or was that a hurricane?
The rest of the 1960s brought some significant challenges with them. By
the end of the decade, the unification of all three military services—Army,
Air Force and Navy—had created a very different structure for DCL’s key
client, affecting both construction engineering and property management
functions. DCL needed to be as flexible as possible to work with the new
structure—and it would be required to prove its efficiency and, indeed,
the need for its very existence.
The early 1960s also saw a change of presidents as Dick Johnson retired
and Joe Bland took the helm. Major projects followed, including Expo 67.
DCL brought a new and important innovation to this project with the use of
the critical path method of scheduling and controlling projects. While some
Expo commentators have claimed that this was introduced from the United
States, DCL had experience with it from the BRIDGE and EASE projects in
the early 1960s—and a 1965 Daily Commercial News article also noted that
DCL and DND were among the first organizations in Canada to use the criti-
cal path system.
In fact, DCL’s 1962–63 Annual Report noted “particular attention was given
this year to the training of DCL staff members in the use of the ‘critical path’
method of scheduling and control. The use of this relatively new technique
as an instrument in the forecasting and control of completion dates was
promoted.”
The exchange of personnel between the construction industry and DCL, and
indeed between the Canadian Forces and DCL, was keeping the company
in the forefront of the industry, setting standards for high quality building,
but also for contract and construction management.

The Glassco effect
In 1960, J. Grant Glassco was appointed to chair the Royal Commission
on Government Organization, with a mandate to recommend changes to
promote efficiency, economy and improved services. Its initial recommendation
that DCL be absorbed into a new DND organization to manage the acquisition,
construction and operation of real property for all three services was ultimately
overtaken by DND unification—but it did lead to changes in the authority to
which DCL reported in 1965. In the meantime, however, DCL itself was
facing a major change.
40
Joe Bland joined DCL in 1954 and
succeeded Dick Johnson as President
from 1963 to 1985. During his tenure as
President, Bland oversaw crucial projects
such as Expo 67 and the new ship repair
facilities at CFB Halifax.
BREAKING NEW GROUND
DEFENCE CONSTRUCTION CANADA