Construction leaders prod feds for partnership
By Adam Freill
Construction Infrastructure LeadershipIndustry advocates at Parliament Hill for comprehensive infrastructure investment, workforce development and procurement modernization.
Nearly 100 construction leaders representing every province gathered on Parliament Hill this week to bring a unified message to the federal government: partner with the construction industry to build a strong foundation for a stronger Canada.
Construction is a major contributor to Canada’s economic health, contributing $151 billion (7.4 per cent) to Canada’s GDP in 2022 and generating $92.7 billion in employment income to some 1.6 million people across the country.
During the Canadian Construction Association’s (CCA) annual Hill Day, Canadian construction leaders met with government representatives to ask members of Parliament and the government to commit to comprehensive infrastructure investment; address the workforce shortage by overhauling immigration; and modernize procurement processes.
“Faced with concerns over inflation, the housing crisis and high cost of living, Canadians are looking to their government for solutions,” explained Mary Van Buren, president of the Canadian Construction Association. “Construction is the ideal partner to help drive economic growth for Canada — all while delivering housing and infrastructure that Canada urgently needs.”
The national construction organization says that when the construction sector does well, the sector creates a ripple effect that causes expansion in other sectors, including engineering, manufacturing, agriculture, technology and retail.
“The Canadian Construction Association is urging the federal government to collaborate with the construction industry and implement policy changes that can unleash the full potential of an industry that is an economic powerhouse,” said CCA chair Brendan Nobes.
Across Canada, CCA represents more than 18,000 member firms drawn from 62 local and provincial integrated partner associations, giving voice to the public policy, legal and standards development goals of contractors, suppliers and allied business professionals working in, or with, Canada’s heavy civil, institutional, commercial and industrial construction industry.
