CCA Updates
Lena Hogarth
2022 Year in Review and 2023 Look Ahead
2022 was a flagship year for our advocacy efforts on behalf of Calgary’s construction industry. We focused on familiarizing ourselves with the policy environment in Calgary while creating key connections with stakeholders in the City of Calgary, the Province of Alberta and the Government of Canada. To that end, we’ve developed key relationships with Calgary City Councillors, the Mayor’s Office, the Green Line LRT Team, and other key figures in City Administration including the City’s Planning Department and Climate Strategy team. We’ve also expanded our Provincial Advocacy and have connected with various Members of the Legislature and Provincial public service...
City of Calgary makes funding commitment to Bridgeland Place affordable housing redevelopment
via City of Calgary As part of the 2023-2026 Service Plans & Budget deliberations, Calgary City Council has approved $53.5M towards the estimated $109M-cost to redevelop the City-owned Bridgeland Place to provide new and renovated sustainable residences for Calgarians in need of affordable housing. The improved and redeveloped Bridgeland Place affordable housing site at 736 McDougall Court N.E. is expected to have more than 222 homes when fully complete. With this approval, the project will achieve forty nine percent of the funding required. Our next step is to work with other funding sources and orders of government to secure the remaining...
Access up to $1 million through the Energy Savings for Business Program
Alberta contractors, manufacturers, and distributors can help eligible businesses receive up to $250,000 per project and up to $1 million per parent company for high-efficiency products and onsite energy generation technologies. By applying to Emission Reduction Alberta’s Energy Savings for Business (ESB) program and Expanded Technologies Pilot (ETP), businesses can decrease operating costs, grow operations, become more competitive, and reduce emissions. The ESB program helps contractors and their clients build projects quickly through a readymade menu of incentives, including technologies such as combined heat and power (CHP), variable frequency drives (VFDs), building envelope and lighting. Whether it is an industrial...
Calgary City Council Debates 2023-2026 Budget Cycle
Briefing Note: Calgary City Council Debates 2023-2026 Budget Cycle This week, Calgary City Council is debating the 2023-2026 Budget Cycle. The City’s proposed total annual operating budget will reach $4.9 billion by 2026 and invest a total of $10.2 billion in capital infrastructure that starts or continues in this cycle. The following is a summary of the potential impact on Calgary’s local construction industry. Key anticipated operating investments: $19 million (ongoing) and $159 million (one-time) to preserve heritage assets, provide user- and business-friendly planning policies and deliver programs to revitalize downtown. $3.8 million (ongoing) and $44 million (one-time) to set...
Alberta’s Construction Associations applaud direction laid out in Ministerial Mandate Letters
Alberta’s Construction Associations applaud direction laid out in Ministerial Mandate Letters Premier Danielle Smith’s direction to Ministers is a solid step towards addressing long standing and emerging issues of Alberta’s construction industry. Ministerial mandate letters across Government address key issues for Alberta’s contractors. Mandate letters can be found here (https://open.alberta.ca/publications/mandate-letters-to-ministers-2022). Highlights include: Sustained infrastructure investment including trade corridors to support Albertan’s quality of life and economic prosperity Best value procurement and standardized contracts to reduce risk Extending prompt payment provisions to Government of Alberta contracts Promoting trades education, working training, recognition of out of province credentials, fostering opportunities for people...
Get up to $15,000 to Boost Your Business Technology QUALIFIED CDAP DIGITAL ADVISOR
The Boost Your Business Technology Grant The Government of Canada, as part of the 2021 federal budget, announced the Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP). The goal of the CDAP program is to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to meet the challenges of the digital age and reach their full potential. Eligible businesses can leverage this grant to pay for the services of a digital advisor (who has to be pre-approved for this by the gov’t). These advisors will work with companies to recommend digital pathways and strategies to help them achieve their business goals and increase their competitiveness in the digital...
Calgary Construction Association in Ottawa to Advocate on Job Vacancies, Immigration Reform
This week, Bill Black our President and COO, and Frano Cavar, our Director of Government Relations, were in Ottawa, Ontario to participate in the Canadian Construction Association’s Annual Hill Day. They joined representatives from across the Canadian construction sector to call on the federal government to make changes to modernize Canada’s immigration policy and update the Temporary Foreign Worker program in order to address the most severe labour shortage Canada has faced in more than 50 years. While every province and sector of the Canadian economy is reeling from historically high job vacancy rates, the situation is especially acute for...
Calgary issues $1.43 billion worth of construction permits in Q3
via Journal of Commerce by ConstructConnect The construction industry in Calgary continued its upward climb this year with more than $1.4 billion worth of permits issued in Q3, states a recent news release. “In spite of the global challenges we have collectively experienced in the last two years, investment in Calgary’s future continues to remain a priority for our construction industry and development remains a driving force in our community,” said manager of business and building safety approvals Ulrik Seward in the release. Construction permits issued this quarter represent a 38 per cent increase from Q2. Approximately 5,101 permits were...
Congratulations!
Please join CCA in congratulating Ian Reid on his retirement from Bird Construction effective October 31, 2022. Ian’s extensive career with Bird began in 1989, when he joined the organization as a carpenter foreman. From there he progressed through progressively senior positions, from a superintendent to a project manager, and ultimately to the Vice President and District Manager of the Bird Calgary team. In 2014, Ian became a member of our 25 year club and throughout his 33 year career with Bird, he has played an integral role in the growth and development of the Calgary District and the successful...
AB Infrastructure electronic bid bonds
In January 2022, Alberta Infrastructure moved away from accepting hard copy bid bonds and now only accepts electronic bid bonds as bid security. The use of electronic bid bonds is commonly used by many large owners in the province and is known to the construction industry. As we have had some time to monitor this change in process we have noted a few issues that we’d like to share with the Alberta Construction Association and its members. The intent of the electronic bid bond is that Alberta Infrastructure receives an authenticated PDF that contains a link to the surety site...