65 Lillian Street Condominium Building

65 Lillian Street Condominium Building

65 Lillian Street Condominium Building

Work on this jobsite included the excavation support system for a new condominium building located on 65 Lillian Street in Toronto, Ontario. HC Matcon used soldier piles and shotcrete lagging shoring (SPLS) with soil nails to support the excavation of an approximately 30-foot deep underground parking garage.

One challenge of this project was the close proximity of the excavation to the property line of the adjacent residential buildings. The consultant’s design included a caisson wall for this part of the system. HC Matcon proposed an alternative to save the owner and general contractor money, schedule time, and square footage of finished building by applying an equivalent system of shotcrete shoring and soil nails. This system will also act as a one-sided form for foundation walls.

During this project, there were some unforeseen obstacles for the shoring installation that required avoidance.

Utilities were found between the shoring system and the adjacent existing building footings to be demolished. HC Matcon was able to modify the pile design to support these utilities during demolition.


Other concrete obstructions were avoided by using an alternative pipe pile design to satisfy property line constraints, a perched walkway for the access of neighboring houses, and to facilitate the demolition of the existing parking garage.

HC Matcon will take on many challenges related to shoring and foundation design while keeping the interests of the general contractor and owner in mind.

Client: Lewis Build Corporation
Location: Toronto, Ontario

Dufferin Mall

Dufferin Mall

Dufferin Mall Pedestrian Tunnel

This renovation project includes the challenge of constructing a 10ft wide by 12ft deep pedestrian tunnel inside an active mall. HCM together with RWH Engineering proposed an innovative design and construction process to accomplish this endeavor with very limited working space and tricky access issues. The construction involves:

• Shotcrete shoring to allow for vertical excavation of the tunnel area

• Bob Cat mounted TEI drill for the installation of tie backs

• Removal of excavated material via narrow stairwells and utility corridors

• Supply of materials and tools via narrow stairwells and utility corridors

In addition, HCM’s scope of work includes increasing the depth of an existing elevator pit, building underpinning, exterior stair concrete footings and retaining walls.

Client: EllisDon Corporation
Location: Toronto, Ontario

CN Malton GO Station

CN Malton GO Station

Challenge: Build While Trains Are Running

Work on the Malton GO Station in Toronto, Ontario includes improvements such as new walkways and a tunnel for pedestrian access to new platforms.

HC Matcon’s scope of work, includes:

  • 37 caissons at 30-inch diameter, and an approximately 25-foot deep shoring system with strand anchors.
  • The pile and caisson installation was challenging due to a number of factors. The train tracks, in close proximity to the work being done, were required to be fully operational.
  • Special precautions were taken for track protection and the safety of workers.
  • Due to the close proximity to Pearson International Airport, special precautions were taken to conform to the Greater Toronto Airport Authority’s guidelines for the operation of high-mast drills and cranes.
  • HC Matcon accommodated special staging requirements set forth by CN for work, such as the installation of the precast tunnel and track relocations.

HC Matcon will work with all parties involved in a project to ensure a swift execution with minimal conflicts.

Client: B. Gottardo
Location: Toronto, Ontario

TTC Wilson Complex Modification

TTC Wilson Complex Modification

Engineering Solutions

The Toronto Transit Commission will be purchasing all new subway cars in the near future, creating the requirement of larger maintenance carhouses. The original contract drawings employed caisson wall, soldier piles and lagging, and conventional concrete underpinning for the earthwork specifications related to our field of work. HC Matcon proposed an alternative engineered solution that included the use of shotcrete, underpinning, micropiles, soldier piles and shotcrete lagging (SPSL) to achieve the same effect. The acceptance of this proposal allowed for a substantial cost savings to the owner, as well as a shorter construction schedule for the various contractors involved. Mechanical jacking pits were built where shoring is used as a backform for manholes. Shoring for carhouses below- grade will be used as a backform for foundation walls. The substitution of shotcrete underpinning in lieu of caisson walls will allow for easier access to the tunnel portion of the project. This will allow for less demolition of the existing building and less clearance issues.

The above are just a couple examples of the innovations that HCM Contractors Inc. will use to add value to any project.

Client: Aquicon Construction
Location: Toronto, Ontario

St. Joseph’s Health Centre Parking

St. Joseph's Health Centre Parking

Shotcrete Reduces Costs for Owner

The St. Joseph’s Health Centre is adding a new Our Lady of Mercy wing complete with three levels of underground parking.

HC Matcon was responsible for:

  •  installing the approximately 20,000 square feet of zero clearance shotcrete and caisson wall to be used as a back form for the foundation walls.
  • 121 caissons to support the foundation perimeter and new ambulance bay canopy drilled with a Watson 3110.

HC Matcon’s alternative shotcrete shoring solution added value to the project with a substantial cost savings to the owner.

Client: Harbridge and Cross
Location: Toronto, Ontario

TTC St. Clair Station

TTC St. Clair Station

Two new elevators on the east and west sides of St. Clair station were installed to allow easier access for disabled persons. During construction, HC Matcon was confronted withsome interesting challenges, including extremely tight access and a high water table.

The east elevator pit was constructed with a 10 m deep caisson wall, braced horizontally against the existing subway structure. Piles were drilled with a Bauer BG 22H self-lining drill in order to overcome the high groundwater conditions.

The west elevator pit was constructed with an 8 m deep lagging wall, the piles for which were drilled in a single weekend in order to comply with TTC and City of Toronto access restrictions. HC Matcon’s excavation operations were aided by our own dewatering systems installed at each elevator pit. A total of 4 deep wells were effectively used to lower the water table below final excavation grade.

Client: Consolidated Canadian
Location: Toronto, Ontario

TTC St. Clair Station

TTC St. Clair Station

Overcoming Tight Access and High Water Table

Two new elevators on the east and west sides of St. Clair station were installed to allow easier access for disabled persons. During construction, HC Matcon was confronted with some interesting challenges, including extremely tight access and a high water table.

  • The east elevator pit was constructed with a 10 m deep caisson wall, braced horizontally against the existing subway structure. Piles were drilled with a Bauer BG 22H self-lining drill in order to overcome the high groundwater conditions.
  • The west elevator pit was constructed with an 8 m deep lagging wall, the piles for which were drilled in a single weekend in order to comply with TTC and City of Toronto access restrictions.
  • HC Matcon’s excavation operations were aided by our own dewatering systems installed at each elevator pit.
  • A total of 4 deep wells were effectively used to lower the water table below final excavation grade.

Client: Consolidated Canadian

Location: Toronto, Ontario

Mars B Toronto General Hospital

Mars B Toronto General Hospital

This 3.5 Million dollar contract involved HC Matcon providing a full excavation, a 16,000 Sq. Ft. shoring and large diameter caisson package for this project. Challenges included the support of historical facades, tight working room, land locked site location and staged demolition. The site required all 4000 Dump Truck loads to be removed through a narrow laneway. HCM demolished a 14 Ft. brick service tunnel, while maintaining a 6 inch live steam line, through piled supports, eventually digging under the live line to maintain schedule. The combined shoring and excavation package was well suited to this project requirement as tight co operation between the excavator and shoring contractor was critical. HC Matcon maintained excavators on site during the full project duration which allowed for many advantages to Ellis Don and the owner.

Client: EllisDon
Location: Toronto, Ontario

Smith Residence

Smith Residence

Toronto’s First Permanent Soil Nail Wall

This project involved a hillside lot and a high end home in Toronto. The installation was the first permanent soil nail wall used in Toronto.

  • Micro piles were used to support a cantilever canopy on one level and HC Matcon completed the full excavation, shoring and footings as a package to the owner.
  • The shoring design called for over sized MAI bars due to low corrosive soil, and a 100 year plus life is expected.
  • The house construction is wood framed which was a lower cost than steel/concrete in that hillside loads over time are taken by the shoring system, which is 150 mm from the house walls.
  • The advantages of shotcrete shoring include smaller equipment to access and do the nails, as typical shoring solution involved large equipment and high costs to build working berms on a hillside lot.

Owners of land that was typically considered unsuitable as building lots can re consider and realize hidden value with permanent soil nail walls constructed by HC Matcon. HCM is a full service Design Build Specialist contractor.

Client: HC Matcon
Location: Toronto, Ontario