Calgary Construction Association Responds to Government of Alberta’s Budget 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – March 1, 2023

Calgary Construction Association Responds to Government of Alberta’s Budget 2023

Calgary, Alberta – The Calgary Construction Association is pleased to see significant infrastructure spending in the Calgary region that will promote jobs and economic activity in the construction industry. Moreover, as Calgary experiences record growth, the Association notes the significance of infrastructure spending around transportation mobility: with key investments and continued support for the City’s LRT Program, and much-needed upgrades to Deerfoot Trail.

Key highlights include:

• $541 million over 3 years for Calgary LRT projects.
• $429.7 million over 3 years for Deerfoot Trail upgrades.
• $282 million over 3 years for the Springbank Off-Stream Reservoir Project.
• $166 million over 3 years for the Calgary Cancer Centre.
• $134.2 million over 3 years to complete the Calgary Ring Road.

 

“Budget 2023 is an important investment in Calgary’s infrastructure – especially as the city grows,” said Bill Black, President, and COO of the Calgary Construction Association. “With an emphasis on transportation and mobility, these are important investments in how Calgarians commute around our City”.

The Calgary Construction Association notes that Budget 2023 does not provide further funding for the City’s Downtown Strategy – which emphasizes commercial to residential office conversion. Big-ticket capital items like the Event Centre project and Field House are also left out.

“These are important projects for the city because not only do they provide jobs and economic activity for the industry, but they are also strong investments in the cultural vibrancy of Calgary and serve as magnets that attract people to move here,” said Black. “We hope that the Government of Alberta considers these projects in the future”.

On labour shortage issues, the Calgary Construction Association is keen to see continued funding for the Alberta at Work initiative, which was put in place to address labour shortages and address critical skill gaps. The Association estimates that there are between 2,500-4000 construction job vacancies in the Calgary region alone.

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Media Contact:

Frano Cavar

Director of Government Relations, Calgary Construction Association

franocavar@cgyca.com

(403) 389-1998