CCA secures significant wins for the industry
Representing 20,000-plus member firms, the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) is proud of its mission to inspire a progressive, innovative and sustainable construction industry. The key to our success is you, our members – and the trust you place in CCA as your partner, adviser and champion. CCA has taken a strong and proactive leadership position throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, relentlessly pursuing programs, policies, resources and tools to help the industry meet and excel at any challenge.
Your trusted partner
A central focus of CCA’s advocacy is the need for a 25-year infrastructure planning and investment strategy. The federal government’s proposed National Infrastructure Assessment initiative, “Building the Canada We Want in 2050,” is an encouraging step in this regard, with the potential of providing significant economic, social and environmental benefits for all Canadians.
CCA led a broad consultation process to ensure our submission reflected the national interests of our membership. Recommendations focused on accelerating the flow of much needed infrastructure investment to communities and a national vision for the future guided by evidence-based and independent expert advice. A stable, long-term infrastructure pipeline will create a profitable, sustainable and resilient industry powered by a diverse, skilled future workforce.
The recommendations, endorsed by our 63 local construction association partners, can be reviewed in more detail in CCA’s response to the National Infrastructure Assessment. The points raised in the report also provided the basis for CCA’s advocacy efforts during the federal election campaign.
A stable, long-term infrastructure
pipeline will create a profitable,
sustainable and resilient industry
powered by a diverse, skilled future workforce.
Take action today! Economic revival is a top priority for all Canadians. Almost two-thirds of Canada’s GDP comes from trade – a number that is above the global average and twice the same figure for the U.S. Canada’s trade corridor will play a big role in its economic future. CCA recognizes this potential and is currently supporting efforts to grow the flow of domestic and international trade. We have worked to persuade governments to put an end to interprovincial barriers and are currently supporting efforts to improve investment in the Western Canada trade corridor. This included a recent roundtable discussion, in partnership with Export Development Canada and the Western Canada Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association, with business leaders from across Canada affirming their support. The economy needs reliable infrastructure to connect supply chains and efficiently move goods and services across borders.
Your trusted champion
CCA’s voice, amplified by our network of 63 partner associations across Canada, secured big wins for the industry in 2021.
Since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, CCA campaigned the federal government for the creation of an Emergency COVID-19 Cost Reimbursement Program. Thanks to your letters and joint engagement on the file, our continued discussions with Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) led to recognition of the unforeseen and extraordinary costs contractors have had to shoulder on federal projects due to COVID-19, while continuing to provide the essential services that Canadians rely on every day. To date, this amounts to over $50 million returned to the pockets of contractors!
We were also pleased that the federal budget included the extension of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy, Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy and Canada Emergency Business Account until Sept. 25, 2021. CCA has advocated for these business support programs since the beginning of the pandemic.
Our focus on government relations and advocacy keeps us in constant communication with key leaders and representatives from various departments and agencies, including Infrastructure Canada, Finance, PSPC, Defence Construction Canada, and Employment and Social Development Canada.
Another win was to delay the unilateral roll-out of changes to the federal security screening process; changes that would have made it increasingly difficult for smaller contractors to participate on government projects, reducing fair competition in procurement.
CCA continues to champion growing workforce capacity through its “Talent Fits Here” campaign, designed to shift perceptions and encourage more Canadians to consider a career in construction. Both the industry and the government share a desire to have a more inclusive and diverse construction industry building for the future, today. We are currently working to obtain funding from ESDC on an expanded variation of the campaign targeting Indigenous groups across Canada.
CCA launched several services to help our members accelerate the adoption of innovation in the industry.
Your trusted adviser
Advancing the innovation agenda has been a focus area for CCA for several years now, the importance of which was further highlighted by the pandemic. Companies that had re-created themselves for a digital world were in a much better position to weather the storm of change brought on by COVID-19.
CCA launched several services to help our members accelerate the adoption of innovation in the industry. With our partners at KPMG in Canada, CCA offered a digital maturity assessment tool to assist Canadian construction companies to measure their digital readiness, which culminated in a report designed to help them make informed strategic and operating decisions. We also delivered a series of webinars, “The Power of Innovation” with BDO Canada and the “R&D Showcase” with Cognit.ca, to bring more attention to industry advances.
CCA published the first edition of its Insight report: Innovation and R&D in constructionin July. The report serves as a quick reference guide to important innovations in construction and why they matter to your business.
CCA developed a companion piece to its research paper on the benefits of investing in sustainable and resilient infrastructure to help members better equip themselves to manage environmental impacts and be part of the climate change solution. The 13-page document, Strength, resilience, sustainability: A guide to implementing climate resilience in construction risk management, serves as a best practices guide for project owners, designers and contractors in developing their understanding of climate risks and incorporating that information in the way projects are conceived, proposed, designed and built.
CCA continues to strengthen its member services and advance best practices through its Gold Seal program, Canadian Design-Build Institute (CDBI), Lean Construction Institute of Canada (LCIC) and Canadian Construction Documents Committee (CCDC). Virtual training sessions were delivered by CDBI and LCIC this summer and CCDC continues to inform and educate members on its two new documents, CCDC 2 “Stipulated Price Contract” and Master Specification for Division 01 “General Requirements.” A series of CCDC document webinars will launch in October to address your frequently asked questions and solidify your confidence while using CCDC documents. Starting your Gold Seal certification has also never been easier, thanks to a streamlined enrollment framework and new competency and credit self-assessment tools.
Stay in touch!
Canada will be counting on the construction industry to build back better. You can count on CCA to be your voice with the federal government, to provide helpful tools and to share best practices across the country. We are working passionately on your behalf and will continue to put Canada’s heavy civil, institutional, commercial and industrial construction industry first in everything that we do.
Stay in the loop by subscribing to CCA’s newsletter at bit.ly/ccasubscribe, by following @ConstructionCAN on Twitter, or by looking up Canadian Construction Association on LinkedIn.
Please email me at mvanburen@cca-acc.com if you have any feedback or comments on how CCA can serve you better.
Mary Van Buren is president of the Canadian Construction Association (CCA).