Women in Construction: Raising the Bar – and the Acute Care Tower
Women in Construction Week – March 1 to 7 – is a time to recognize the people whose expertise, leadership, and commitment are reshaping Canada’s built environment. On the Halifax Infirmary Expansion Project, women are doing exactly that—every day, in every role, and at every stage of delivery.
Behind the cranes, hoarding, and concrete pours is a diverse team of women planners, engineers, architects, project managers, safety professionals, tradespeople, administrators, and support staff. Together, they are helping deliver one of the most complex healthcare infrastructure projects ever undertaken in Nova Scotia—within a fully operational urban hospital setting where precision, collaboration, and care are essential.
“Women on this project are solving technical challenges, coordinating intricate construction sequencing, managing risk, ensuring worker and public safety, overseeing quality, controlling costs and schedules, and keeping patients, staff, and neighbours informed,” said Nancy Soliman, Build Nova Scotia’s Director, Healthcare Infrastructure – Project Delivery. “Their work is not only highly technical—it is deeply human. Every decision is made with an understanding that this facility will support patients, families, and healthcare workers for generations to come.”
Just as importantly, these women are mentors, role models, and leaders. They are demonstrating that construction is a place where women belong, thrive, and lead—on job sites, in boardrooms, and across multidisciplinary teams. Their presence is helping build a stronger, more inclusive industry and inspiring the next generation to see construction as a meaningful and rewarding career path.
As Women in Construction Week reminds us, projects are built by people. The Halifax Infirmary Expansion Project is stronger because of the women behind it—women whose skill, resilience, and dedication are helping shape the future of healthcare infrastructure in Nova Scotia and beyond.
Nancy Soliman and Alex MacDonald are presenting at Engineers Nova Scotia’s Spotlight on Local Innovation on March 12, 2026, where they will be highlighting the roles of women in construction as part of their presentation: Building the Future of Care: Innovation Behind the QEII Halifax Infirmary Expansion.