The federal government should increase its investment in infrastructure and proposals like the Western Canada Gateway Initiative and work with the construction industry to build the workforce of the future.
Those are some of the recommendations laid out in a pre-budget submission made recently to Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland by the Canadian Construction Association (CCA).
“Commitments to infrastructure spending must be sufficient to close the serious gaps that have been identified and position Canada for the future,” CCA president Mary Van Buren stated in a letter accompanying the submission. “Investments must be planned in a way that is coherent, long-term and guided by an independent body that can align federal, provincial, municipal and Indigenous needs.
“Approaches to procurement must be streamlined and modernized. Finally, Canada needs to take more action to address the serious workforce shortage in the construction industry, as we brace for 22 per cent of our labour force retiring over the next decade.”
The submission states the government’s commitment to building a more resilient economy, including investments in public infrastructure and action to address the impacts of climate change, are indeed essential priorities, but infrastructure is critical to the competitiveness and quality of life of Canadians.
“We rely on power generation, roadways and transit, water management, hospitals, and natural resource development to function personally, socially and economically,” states Van Buren. “And, as recent events have shown, the importance of building in resiliency can not be overstated.”
The construction industry is ready and able to play its part in positioning the country for future challenges by helping to address aging infrastructure, increasing the resiliency of Canada’s infrastructure to climate change, and building the reliable infrastructure that connects supply chains and efficiently moves goods and services across borders, she says, but the industry needs the help of government.
“We are an inclusive and diverse industry, seeking to hire and retain a skilled and talented workforce with good paying jobs that can become a lifelong career.”
The CCA brief outlines five key ways the construction industry can support a strong economic recovery.
On infrastructure, the CCA states the federal government is responding appropriately to the situation with initiatives like the Investing in Canada Plan and Canada Infrastructure Bank funds, but the organization calls on the government to invest more money and consider long-term infrastructure realities.
The CCA wants government to reduce red tape, eliminate inter-provincial trade barriers, incentivize business investment in Canada, ensure sustainability be built into infrastructure procurement, and close the gap between planned levels of investment and what is needed to address aging infrastructure.
Government should also invest in trade-enabling infrastructure like the Western Canada Trade Gateway and Corridor Initiative, the CCA submission states, because the country’s economy needs reliable roads and bridges to connect supply chains and efficiently move goods and services across borders.
As a trading nation, part of positioning Canada for success in the future is ensuring goods can get to the global market, the CCA states, but the country’s trade-enabling infrastructure is vulnerable, as demonstrated by the global pandemic, the impact of extreme weather events in B.C. and the truck blockades.
“Canada needs to significantly recapitalize its trade corridor fund for long-term, strategic investment in trade-enabling infrastructure, including the Western Canada Trade Gateway and Corridor Initiative, to drive our nation’s economic growth.”
Government must also work with the industry to promote and invest in programs that address workforce shortages, like the Talent First Here campaign designed to attract new recruits to construction.
Between retirements and demographic shifts, the construction industry will be left with hundreds of thousands of jobs to fill by 2028. CCA says construction provides well-paying and rewarding jobs, but the industry must be positioned as a career of choice in order to attract candidates from both under-represented demographic segments and the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
“The government’s recent initiative to promote the skilled trades as a strong first-choice career path for youth and young adults is a welcome first step, but more needs to be done since skilled trades are only part of the problem,” the brief states. “The construction industry also needs engineers, project managers, project co-ordinators and other professionals.”
Investing in programs to address workforce shortages, including prioritizing skilled immigrants and funding for apprenticeship placements, will provide a viable and inclusive employment sector for Canadians, while also attracting a diverse and skilled workforce, the CCA states.
Meanwhile, the CCA is calling for an independent advisory body to be established to guide infrastructure investments and align federal, provincial, municipal and Indigenous infrastructure needs.
The stability of having multi-year project pipelines, based on evidence and independent expert advice, would enable the development of the skilled workforce, and encourage private sector investment, CCA says.
Adopting modern procurement strategies to encourage productivity, innovation and use of alternate delivery models that support shared risk is also being recommended by the CCA.
“The federal government’s outdated procurement approach leaves little room for creative solutions and fair risk sharing,” CCA states. “Innovative procurement can improve productivity, enable cost savings, and shorten the timeline for construction projects.”
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