The association hopes to bring attention to four critical issues affecting contractors across the country through a new website and an outreach effort to candidates and Members of Parliament.

The federal election is only a few weeks away. With that in mind, the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) is encouraging its members to raise attention to what the national organization says are the four most pressing issues facing our industry: investor confidence, innovation, workforce and infrastructure.

CCA is inviting industry organizations to visit its new website, construction4cdns.ca, to learn more about these key issues, and to write letters to their Members of Parliament asking for their support. The association will broaden the scope of its letters campaign later in the summer, once all the candidates for each riding are known.

CCA president Mary van Buren called the plan the association’s boldest foray into federal politics.

“It is part of our delivery strategy to unite the industry on national issues that matter,” she said. “Part of that is increasing our visibility with our government, engaging with our members and meeting with the government.”

The issues

On investor confidence, CCA is urging the federal government to remove any further regulatory delays to the Trans Mountain expansion project. According to the association, these delays—combined with the imposition of the federal carbon pricing program and many of the proposed changes to environmental legislation—have eroded investor confidence in Canada. Additionally, a lower American corporate tax rate and less project risk, combined with the increased costs of doing business in Canada, make the U.S. more attractive for business investment.

The association is calling for the government to remove any regulatory challenges to the pipeline’s construction. Any further interruption may impede investment, employment, innovation and technology development, it says.

Furthermore, CCA is asking for the federal government to offer certain exemptions to the heavy construction sector.  Establishing rebates and tax credits to companies who adopt newer “green” technologies, applying carbon tax at the pump prior to the provincial, excise and GST taxes, and excluding anti-idling devices from GST are only a few such exemptions that would help the construction industry remain competitive.

On the subject of infrastructure planning, the association would like to see the government commit to a 25-year national infrastructure-spending plan. Since much our national infrastructure was built in the 1960s and 1970s, it is reaching, or has past, the end of its service life. And while the government has enacted initiatives such as the Investing in Canada Plan, which commits $180 billion in federal funding for public infrastructure over 12 years, and the Canada Infrastructure Bank, which invests funds into projects while generating revenue through public and private capital, the association worries that these funding commitments to change with a change of government. Funding, it says, must be made steady, reliable and consider long-term infrastructure realities.

On the issue of innovation, CCA is asking the federal government to partner with the industry. It’s no secret that when it comes to innovation, productivity and technology, construction lags behind other industrialized countries. To secure its path for growth, the industry must champion innovation and technological advancement within the right policy framework.

As governments and project owners begin to look at the life-cycle cost of their assets, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to seek out more sustainable solutions, the construction industry has an important role to play. CCA is seeking partnerships with all levels of government, academia and industry to advance these priorities and increase awareness of and access to technology by those working in the construction industry.

The association is therefore asking the federal government to earmark spending to stimulate world-class, large-scale innovation and collaboration that will increase productivity and strengthen Canadian competitiveness.

Finally, on the issue of attracting a skilled and diverse workforce, CCA is calling on the federal government to increase funding for career and technical training programs. Recent projections show the industry is about to lose one-fifth of its total workforce due to retirement alone in the next 10 years. A new strategy is therefore needed to recruit, retain and re-train a diverse, skilled and tech-savvy workforce in order to keep the industry healthy and competitive.

As a result, CCA is asking for three things. First, that the government to increase funding for career and technical training programs. CCA is asking the government to fund its request for 1,700 student placements over four years in construction work-integrated learning programs across Canada. Continued funding for apprenticeship programs will strengthen the pool of skilled labour.

Second, that the government invest with CCA in programs that promote the industry as an employer of choice to new Canadians, indigenous groups, women and other under-represented groups. A national strategy to re-position the image of the industry as an inclusive sector with opportunities for career growth is essential to address the workforce shortage.

Finally, CCA is asking that the current procurement process remain the same to ensure productivity and competitiveness. Specific legislation or regulations relating to community benefits associated with construction project may threaten the fair and competitive bidding process on federal government contracts and tenders. The focus should be on working with industry to develop an inclusive workforce strategy rather than on creating legislation that may expose projects to political interference and costly delays.

Learn more about CCA’s 2019 election priorities at www.construction4cdns.ca.