Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA) has released four free resources to help construction companies adopt artificial intelligence (AI) while managing risks involving data privacy, confidentiality and accountability.
The resources, developed through the OGCA’s Innovation Committee, include a practical guide to AI in construction, an executive brief, a 20-minute audio overview and an online tool that generates a draft AI governance policy tailored to individual companies.
The initiative is aimed at helping contractors, particularly small and mid-sized businesses, establish guidelines for AI use as the technology becomes more common in estimating, scheduling, document review and administrative work.
The Artificial Intelligence in Construction guide outlines potential applications for the technology, associated risks and steps companies can take to introduce AI responsibly. It includes a phased approach to adoption, from initial trials to company-wide implementation. Download a copy here.
The executive brief summarizes key considerations for business owners and senior leaders, including questions to ask before approving AI tools, responsibility for AI-assisted work and measures of successful implementation.
An accompanying audio presentation uses AI-generated hosts to explain potential applications, including summarizing requests for proposals, converting voice notes into meeting minutes and drafting requests for information and daily reports.
It also highlights risks such as uploading confidential pricing information to public AI tools, storing project data outside Canada and relying on AI-generated documents without human review.
The fourth resource, an online AI Governance Policy Builder, allows contractors to generate a draft policy by answering questions about their company, existing AI use, data privacy, risk management, priority applications, training and workplace culture.
The tool produces a nine-section policy that can be exported to PDF or Word. The OGCA recommends that companies review the draft with legal counsel and senior leadership before adopting it, ensuring it aligns with contractual obligations, client requirements and applicable collective agreements.
“Many contractors are already using AI somewhere in their business, often without anyone having set the ground rules,” said Michael Rennie of Maestro Technologies Inc., who chaired the AI Guide Sub-Committee.
“The goal was to make the first step practical: know which tools your people are using, decide what information stays out of them, and make sure a qualified person stands behind anything AI helps produce.”
The association recommends that companies begin with the executive brief before using the policy builder to develop a framework for their own operations.
The guide was developed by the AI Guide Sub-Committee of the OGCA Innovation Committee. Contributors included Rennie; Kyle Bryan, vice-president of operations for Ontario Buildings at Bird Construction; Shaun Dawson, president of GEN-PRO; Jon Boktor, formerly with PCL Construction; Roberto Alzuarde of Mattamy Homes Canada; Giovanni Cautillo, OGCA president; and Andrew Sampogna, OGCA vice-president.
The resources are available through the association’s website at Ontario General Contractors Association.
