CRCA Announces the 2023 Roofing Canada Award Winner
May 29, 2023 – Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
The Canadian Roofing Contractors Association (CRCA) is pleased to announce that Groupe Cirtech Inc. from Charette Quebec is the recipient of the 2023 Roofing Canada Award for their work on the Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Nicolet Cathedral in Nicolet Quebec.
Built in 1963, the St-Jean-Baptiste-de-Nicolet Cathedral is the jewel in the crown of the architectural and religious heritage of this southern Mauricie town. The cathedral is also the main place of worship of the diocese of Nicolet.
The cathedral’s re-roofing project represented a waterproofing challenge outside the traditional framework of modern roofing. The arched, multi-sloped concrete construction imposed many constraints on both the technical and installation aspects of the project in order to maintain the original appearance of the cathedral. Groupe Cirtech inc. had to show creativity and constant precision in order to carry out this unusual work. Since the roof is highly visible, it was essential that the installation be flawless and uncommon working methods had to be used to achieve this objective.
Being built in a vast area bordering the St. Lawrence and Nicolet rivers, the building is exposed to strong prevailing winds, forcing the roofers to adapt their work methods. Multiple aerial work platforms were required due to the slope of the roof, curved arch in both axes, did not allow workers to work safely over most of the area to be covered. In addition, temporary structural beams were added to the main roof sections to ensure the safety of the workers as the thickness of the existing concrete slab did not allow for the use of standard anchoring methods.
Due to the complexity of the project, very specific technical details were developed in collaboration with the architect, EVOQ, and manufacturer, SIKA. A ten-foot-wide PVC roof membrane was selected to minimize the number of seams and to facilitate water and snow drainage. The roofing system also included a metal frame to hold the insulation and to secure the support panel. A glycol heating system was integrated into certain sections below the roof in order to quickly reduce the amount of snow that could accumulate.
Groupe Cirtech inc. also donated a portion of their profits from this re-roofing project to the diocese of Nicolet to assist them carry out this major project.
“CRCA received a number of unique entries and it was not an easy task for the CRCA Board of Directors to select a winner” says Bob Brunet CRCA’s Executive Director, “Each entry highlighted the complex work that our members are involved in.”
This award-winning project and the roofing contractor Groupe Cirtech inc. will be highlighted in the 2023 Fall/Winter issue of Roofing Canada magazine. Their project will also be featured on all marketing material for National Roofing Week 2024.
The Roofing Canada Award recognizes a project completed by a CRCA member based on outstanding workmanship, innovation, service to the community and or service to the industry. All entries were judged by their roofing industry peers. For more information about CRCA awards including the Roofing Canada Award, click here or contact CRCA at 800-461-2722 or crca@roofingcanada.com.
About CRCA
Members of the Canadian Roofing Contractors Association (CRCA) are the most knowledgeable roofers in Canada. We advocate for and keep our members informed on matters of national and international interest. As the voice of the Canadian roofing industry since 1960, we promote collaboration within the industry from coast to coast. We also represent and defend our members’ interests, and support them to excel in business both professionally and technically. www.roofingcanada.com