Hands-on maintenance solutions, during CONEXPO-CON/AGG, where attendees walk the show floor and learn how to reduce downtime, lower operating costs and improve safety.
- Date: Saturday, March 7, 2026
- Time: 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Cost: $199
Province Proclaims SaskAbilities Day to Celebrate 75 Years of Service
The Government of Saskatchewan proclaimed Dec. 2, 2025, as SaskAbilities Day in recognition of the organization’s 75 years of service to persons with disabilities and their leadership in strengthening communities across the province.
“Our partnership with SaskAbilities is one we deeply value, and I want to congratulate them on this milestone,” Social Services Minister Terry Jenson said. “For decades, individuals and their families have benefitted from the quality services provided by SaskAbilities. I look forward to continuing our shared efforts to build an inclusive Saskatchewan.”
Founded on Dec. 2, 1950, SaskAbilities has grown from a small, family-led initiative into a province-wide organization that supports more than 50,000 individuals each year. This growth reflects their commitment to meeting the evolving needs of persons with disabilities and to building inclusive communities where everyone can thrive.
“In 1950, Saskatchewan families came together with a heartfelt hope: a better life for their children,” SaskAbilities president Paul Blackstock said. “From these humble beginnings, SaskAbilities now supports children, youth and adults experiencing disability with employment, quality of life and rehabilitation programs and services. We are grateful for the decades-long support from the Government of Saskatchewan and the people of our great province as we continue to work together to build inclusive communities for people of all abilities.”
To learn more about SaskAbilities programs or to access supports, visit saskabilities.ca.
National Infrastructure Assessment Underscores Urgent Need for Delivery-Focused Reforms
The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) welcomed the release of the National Infrastructure Assessment (NIA), noting that its findings strongly substantiate CCA’s long-standing recommendations for long-term planning, modernized delivery systems and the core infrastructure required to support Canada’s housing ambitions.
CCA president Rodrigue Gilbert says the assessment reinforces a message the industry has long emphasized: Canada cannot build more homes without the enabling infrastructure required to support them.
“We are pleased to see the NIA clearly recognize that housing cannot accelerate without major improvements to water and wastewater capacity, solid waste management and public transit access,” said Gilbert. “These are the foundational systems that determine whether communities can grow.”
By providing a detailed snapshot of Canada’s housing-enabling infrastructure, the NIA reinforced the challenges CCA has consistently raised. The assessment shows that over $126 billion of infrastructure is in “poor or very poor condition,” with 11 per cent of water and wastewater assets and more than 13 per cent of public transit assets at risk, and solid waste infrastructure approaching capacity limits. This re-emphasizes the need for governments to act decisively to support safe, resilient and growing communities.
While the NIA provided an important national roadmap, CCA notes several areas where further action is needed:
- Workforce gaps: The report focuses primarily on engineering students, without addressing the broader construction trades, vocational training and apprenticeships critical to meeting labour demand.
- Data limitations: The NIA provides a snapshot of infrastructure conditions using 2022-2023 data, but lacks a plan for regularly updated, comprehensive information to guide evidence-based decisions.
- Annual publication and stakeholder engagement: CCA recommends an NIA be published annually, developed with extensive engagement of relevant stakeholders, reflecting diverse perspectives and using evidence from infrastructure, economic and growth data to support long-term asset management planning.
- Future scope: While the current NIA focuses on housing-enabling infrastructure, future assessments should also address transport and trade-enabling infrastructure to strengthen economic resilience and bolster our supply chains.
“The assessment provides a clear national vision, but delivery depends on coherent policy frameworks that support it,” said Gilbert. “To turn these findings into action, we need a workforce strategy that reflects real labour-market needs, fair, open and transparent procurement policies, supply chains that remain resilient under new domestic sourcing rules and internal trade policies that break down barriers between provinces. Without these elements, even the strongest infrastructure plan risks stalling on implementation.”
Build Your Career Day: Career Connect and the Third Annual Infrastructure Summit and Trade Show Photos
Last week at the 2025 SHCA Infrastructure Summit and Trade Show, the SHCA rolled out new merchandise.
This industry doesn’t run on buzzwords. It runs on grit, skill and teams who show up in the cold, the dust and the long days to keep projects moving. That’s what this gear is meant to represent: pride in the work, and pride in the people doing it.
What’s available now
The new lineup is live and ready to order: clean designs, quality pieces and gear your crew will actually wear on site, in the shop or on the road.
If you’ve got a crew that just pushed through a tough build, or leaders who set the pace every day, consider picking up a few items for your team. It’s a simple way to recognize them, and it helps the SHCA tell a stronger story about the industry across Saskatchewan.
Check out the new SHCA merchandise here.
Place an order here
Photos: Vince Suma-Oy, Versus Captured Productions
Budget Updates, Industry Dialogue and What Comes Next
Once again, the SHCA had a very busy fall leading up to our third annual Infrastructure Summit and Trade Show in Regina. As we finalized presentations, speakers and trade show exhibitors, we also kept an eye on other factors impacting our industry.
On Nov. 4, the federal finance minister unveiled the 2025-26 federal budget. The budget revealed that the federal government is committing $115 billion over five years to major infrastructure projects. The $115-billion investment is broken down into $5 billion for trade and transport infrastructure, $19 billion for Indigenous communities and municipal infrastructure, $37 billion for other infrastructure and assets (e.g., health, innovation) and $54 billion for core public infrastructure (e.g., water, wastewater, transit).
As the details of the federal budget begin to take shape, the SHCA will be tracking what the federal commitments mean for our industry and our province.
On Nov. 7, the SHCA had the opportunity to co-host an industry-government mixer in Saskatoon. The event was attended by both industry and government representatives and once again gave SHCA members an opportunity to speak with the provincial government about the issues affecting our industry.
The event was also timely, as the provincial government is beginning to bring together the pieces of its 2026-27 budget, which will be delivered in the spring. Our members were able to discuss our priorities directly with ministers and MLAs to keep them informed on what infrastructure investments are needed to keep our industry and Saskatchewan moving forward.
Engagement update
On Dec. 2, the SHCA and Women of Asphalt Canada hosted Build Your Future: Career Connect, a recruitment and networking event connecting emerging talent with leading employers across the heavy civil construction sector.
On Dec. 3 and 4, the SHCA hosted its third annual Infrastructure Summit and Trade Show at the Delta Convention Centre in Regina.
Check out this video from the event!
Build Your Future: Career Connect
Are you looking to recruit the next generation of talent for Saskatchewan’s heavy civil construction sector? Do you want to connect directly with graduating students, early-career professionals and emerging industry talent who are eager to launch their careers?
The SHCA and Women of Asphalt Canada invite your organization to participate in the inaugural Build Your Future: Career Connect, a signature industry event designed to bring motivated job-seekers together with contractors, engineering firms and government employers shaping Saskatchewan’s infrastructure future.
📅 Tuesday, Dec. 2, 2025
🕔 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
📍 Milan Room, Delta Marriott Hotel & Convention Center, Regina
Who Should Participate?
This event is ideal for employers looking to recruit or engage with candidates pursuing careers in:
- Civil, geotechnical or municipal engineering
- Engineering technology
- Quality control, materials testing and lab roles
- Heavy equipment operation and mechanics
- Trucking and hauling
- Project coordination and project management
- Asphalt, aggregate, crushing and other plant operations
- Paving, underground, concrete, bridge and structural crews
- Surveying and survey support
- Traffic control and site safety
- And all roles connected to Saskatchewan’s roadbuilding, bridge construction, underground utilities and major infrastructure projects
Why Your Organization Should Attend
Build Your Future: Career Connect gives you the opportunity to:
- Meet job-ready talent preparing to enter the workforce in 2026 and beyond
- Promote your company, career paths and upcoming hiring opportunities
- Identify candidates who align with your workforce needs
- Build early relationships with students and emerging professionals
- Support and strengthen the future talent pipeline for Saskatchewan’s heavy construction sector
- Network with industry peers, leaders and partners
- Enjoy complimentary food and beverages throughout the evening
Built on Grit: Powered by Future Talent
Saskatchewan’s heavy construction industry thrives because of organizations like yours: employers committed to building the roads, bridges and infrastructure that drive our province forward. By joining us, you’ll play a key role in welcoming and developing the next generation of skilled workers who will continue that legacy.
RSVP is required – limited employer spots available. To confirm your organization’s attendance, please email traceyk@saskheavy.ca. Early registration is strongly encouraged, as space is limited. This is a premier, one-of-a-kind recruitment and networking event designed to strengthen our industry’s workforce and create meaningful connections that move Saskatchewan forward.
Networking Event
Thank you to all the MLAs, industry leaders and association members who joined us for an exceptional government-industry networking event hosted by the SHCA and Merit Contractors of Saskatchewan. Your time, insights and engagement helped make the evening a tremendous success. Together, we strengthened connections, shared opportunities and continued building the strong partnerships that move Saskatchewan’s heavy construction industry forward.
Skilled Trade and Technology Week in Saskatchewan
The Government of Saskatchewan proclaimed the first week of November (Nov. 2 to 8) as Skilled Trade and Technology Week in Saskatchewan. This week promotes and raises awareness of the opportunities in the skilled trade and technology sectors.
“Apprentices and skilled tradespeople are in high demand in Saskatchewan,” Immigration and Career Training Minister Jim Reiter said. “This week recognizes the value that skilled tradespeople bring to our economy and quality of life. These are rewarding, hands-on careers that give people the opportunity to solve complex problems and make an impact on communities across our province.”
Skills Canada Saskatchewan is recognizing the week through an online campaign, “Building Saskatchewan’s Future through Skills” and aims to provide educators with information and resources about the history of the skilled trades in Saskatchewan, in-demand trades in the province and the future of trades training. The campaign will be shared from Skills Canada Saskatchewan’s Facebook and Instagram accounts.
Skills Canada Saskatchewan hosts an annual Olympic style skills competition for dozens of competition categories in the trade and tech sectors. They also offer summer camps that introduce participants to construction, cooking, welding and game design; and host Trade and Tech Days at schools across the province where Skills Canada Saskatchewan competition alumni share their success stories.
“Skilled Trade and Technology Week is a pivotal week for us,” said Krystal Nieckar, Skills Canada Saskatchewan executive director. “We have an opportunity to shine the light on trades and technologies as incredible opportunities for young people. We work with our partners throughout the year to showcase how careers in these sectors enable young people to thrive, grow and stay in Saskatchewan.”
The Saskatchewan Apprenticeship and Trade Certification Commission (SATCC) promotes skilled trades careers to youth through the Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship program. Participants complete 12 activities, including interviewing a journeyperson and completing the Young Worker Readiness Certificate Course. Those who register as apprentices within five years receive 300 trade time hours and have their fees waived for apprenticeship registration and Level 1 technical training. Saskatchewan Youth Apprenticeship (SYA) representatives travel across the province to promote the program and highlight the benefits of apprenticeship and skilled trades careers.
“Over the last couple of years, we have observed growth in total apprentice numbers and new apprentice registrations,” SATCC CEO Jeff Ritter said. “We encourage young people to consider registering for the SYA program to find out if a skilled trades career might be right for them.”
As of June 30, 2025, there were 7,166 total apprentices in Saskatchewan, a six per cent increase over the previous year. Educators interested in promoting careers in the skilled trade and technology sectors are encouraged to connect with Skills Canada Saskatchewan to host a Trade and Tech Day at their school; invite apprentices, journeypersons or other industry representatives to deliver classroom presentations; or administer the SYA program.
Canadian Construction Association Applauds Federal Budget’s Significant Infrastructure Investments, Calls for Co-ordinated Workforce Strategy
The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) welcomes the federal budget, which puts construction at the heart of Canada’s economic strategy through investments in infrastructure, defence and housing. These measures are critical to supporting the businesses and people who build the homes, transportation networks and other projects Canadians rely on every day.
CCA commends the government’s significant $115 billion investment in infrastructure, including $51 billion for local infrastructure such as housing and transportation, which will support communities across Canada and enable the ambitious homebuilding agenda.
“Canada has underinvested in critical infrastructure for decades,” said Rodrigue Gilbert, president of CCA. “These investments reflect the essential role of housing-enabling infrastructure in addressing the national housing shortage and committing substantial resources to these projects.” CCA also welcomes investment for the Major Projects Office, and the recognition within the budget that “for too long, the construction of major infrastructure in Canada has been stalled by arduous, inefficient approval processes.”
While the budget marks an important step toward recognizing construction’s role in Canada’s economy, CCA continues to call for a co-ordinated national workforce strategy, one that connects immigration, apprenticeships, upskilling and the destigmatization of careers in the skilled trades. “The construction sector employs 1.6 million Canadians and contributes $165 billion to Canada’s GDP, yet we continue to face significant labour shortages,” said Gilbert. “Without a long-term, co-ordinated workforce strategy, any ambitious construction agenda will stall.”
The government’s investment in foreign credential recognition is also important. However, CCA cautions that it is too narrowly focused on unionized programs. “Union training programs play an important role in building Canada’s workforce, but we must ensure equitable access to training and credential recognition for all workers, including the 70 per cent of Canada’s construction workforce that is non-unionized,” said Gilbert. “If we want to build more homes and infrastructure faster, we need investments that don’t leave the majority of workers behind.”
Finally, CCA supports the government’s ambition to strengthen domestic industry, but procurement policies must not unintentionally restrict the construction supply chain. Canada’s builders depend on a reliable flow of materials and components. Continued dialogue with the construction sector is critical to ensuring that domestic sourcing policies strengthen rather than constrain Canada’s ability to build.
“We look forward to working with the federal government to ensure domestic sourcing policies strengthen – not constrain – Canada’s construction capacity,” said Gilbert. “When [the] government and industry work together, we can deliver more skilled workers, modern infrastructure and stronger communities. Together, we build Canada.”