Calgary Construction Association in Ottawa for Annual Hill Day, Calls on Federal Government to Invest in Infrastructure, Address Skilled Labour Shortage, Modernize Procurement Processes

Earlier this week, Bill Black our President and COO, and Frano Cavar, our Director of Government Relations, joined construction leaders across Canada in Ottawa, Ontario to participate in the Canadian Construction Association’s Annual Hill Day.

Our message to federal stakeholders and decision-makers is clear: construction is a major contributor to Canada’s economic health. The construction industry contributed $151 billion to Canada’s GDP in 2022 and generated $92.7 billion in employment income for 1.6 million people across the country.

We note when the construction sector does well, it creates a ripple effect of expansion in other sectors like engineering, manufacturing, agriculture, technology, and retail.

Together, we called on the following action from the federal government:

1. Commit to comprehensive infrastructure investment:

The federal government should restore Canada’s reputation as a leader by committing to implementing the National Infrastructure Assessment and including a 25-year plan for infrastructure investment that includes housing-enabling and trade-enabling infrastructure.

2. Address the workforce shortage:

The federal government should address ongoing industry-wide labour shortages by modernizing the existing immigration policy and the points system to better reflect the workforce needs of the Canadian economy.

3. Modernize procurement processes:

The Auditor General should review existing procurement processes and consult with the industry to recommend practices to better balance risk-sharing between public contracts and the private sector, reduce red tape and accelerate approvals for critical projects.

To learn more about our Hill Day activities, click here: https://www.cca-acc.com/canadian-construction-leaders-come-to-ottawa-to-urge-federal-government-to-partner-in-building-a-strong-foundation-for-economic-growth/