Just because we’ve always done things one way doesn’t mean we shouldn’t consider alternatives.
That was the message from Glen Arthur, alternative delivery manager, Western Canada, for Kiewit Infrastructure Markets & Strategies in his presentation about procurement at the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association (SHCA) Infrastructure Summit and Trade Show, held in Regina late in 2024. Arthur explained progressive delivery models, which are an alternative to traditional procurement.
Progressive delivery projects involve collaborative teams where the client, engineer and contractor are integrated to collectively make decisions regarding projects, rather than the contractor and project designer working in silos. Arthur says progressive models deliver solutions for projects with complex design and phasing – with long lead times for materials – that are high risk, require in-depth research, involve multiple stakeholders, have local subcontractors and are time and budget sensitive.
Progressive delivery combines a project’s design and build stages. Instead of a transitive model where progress is passed from design to construction, this approach engages all parties from Day One to create collaborative solutions for projects and clients. Primarily originating in Australia, this model has now been used around the world, delivering approximately $90 billion of work worldwide.
“One of the problems we are seeing on large projects is that they are sometimes late and over budget – this is becoming a problem,” said Arthur, who points out that using a collaborative progressive delivery model may solve these problems. “You have a more efficient team, a more efficient timeline and all parties are engaged from Day One to create collaborative solutions.
Also, because the team is all sitting around the table together, you can discuss innovation – something you can’t do when you don’t work as a team. I believe bringing more innovation to projects will be one of the biggest advantages of this model over time.”
Arthur says this model is effective when a project has six main characteristics:
The key, Arthur says, is early stakeholder and local contractor engagement, and client collaboration. One example of this model is the Waaban Crossing in Kingston, Ont., a project that was awarded the 2020 Infrastructure Innovation Award by the Ontario Road Builders’ Association. Arthur says the City of Kingston had only $180 million for this project and knew it needed creative solutions to stay within its budget.
“Early collaboration between the integrated project delivery parties facilitated development of a constructible solution within the city’s budget,” said Arthur. “Key was bringing the steel supplier to the table early in the process since that was going a big part of procurement.”
Arthur stresses one of the biggest advantages of this model is cost overruns were reduced by 50 per cent. Other advantages for the owner included:
Advantages for the contractor and designer included:
Arthur stresses that good partnerships lead to innovation and success, and one of the best examples of a great partnership that used the progressive delivery model is Tłı̨chǫ All-Season Road, built in the Northwest Territories.
This 97-kilometre, all-season gravel Highway 3 links the remote northern community of Whatì with its neighbours in the Northwest Territories. It is the first P3 project in North America with an Indigenous government having an equity stake. The project is also notable for its unique approach to handling long-term risks related to climate change.
“This project had challenging terrain – muskeg, permafrost, extreme temperatures and it is just below the tree line,” said Arthur. “There’s sand, gravel, rock, wildlife, and you are working with traditions such as traplines and culturally important sites.”
The Government of the Northwest Territories worked in partnership with the Tłı̨chǫ Government to advance the project, which was funded jointly by the Government of Canada (25 per cent) and the Government of the Northwest Territories (75 per cent). The project involved replacing the southern section of an existing winter road so it would adapt to the impacts of climate change, provide uninterrupted access to Whatì and increase the winter road access to the communities of Gamètì and Wekweètì.
All-weather access reduces the cost of living for the region, enhances residents’ quality-of-life through increased social opportunities and will attract further interest from industry interested in exploration and development of natural resources.
The project is a 28-year, performance-based agreement to design, build, finance, operate and maintain this 97-km, all-season gravel highway, replacing a winter-only ice road. The owner of this project is the Government of Northwest Territories, and the capital ceiling was $200 million.
The model was Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Maintain (DBFOM):
Construction began in fall 2019 with a target date for substantial completion of Nov. 30, 2021, but the project finished a year ahead of schedule.
Arthur says one of the biggest advantages of the project is construction and maintenance meant significant employment and training opportunities for Tłı̨chǫ residents, supporting the development of a strong northern workforce. Fifty-five per cent of the labour was local, and many workers transitioned from construction to work on the ongoing maintenance of the road.
“This progressive model exceeded all requirements and expectations that the client had of us,” Arthur said.
Artificial intelligence (AI) isn’t a buzzword anymore. It’s here to stay and construction professionals should embrace it as an important tool to improve their work and project management. This is according to Daniel Anvari, Ph.D., a presenter at the Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association (SHCA)’s recent Infrastructure Summit and Trade Show held in Regina.
An expert in system dynamic modelling, predictive data analytics, business intelligence and machine learning, Anvari is primarily focused on AI startups and driving innovation in AI applications.
He has contributed to Toronto’s York University, the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatchewan Polytechnic, Kwantlen Polytechnic University and the British Columbia Institute of Technology. Speaking at the summit, Anvari stressed how AI is making construction more efficient and “smarter.”
“Don’t be afraid that AI will eliminate your job – it won’t. It will make your job easier and you will be more efficient,” said Anvari. He said three of the biggest areas to use AI in construction are:
Anvari offers examples of how industry can use AI.
Tools like DeepMind Traffic Flow use real-time data to optimize traffic lights and reduce congestion.
AI-enabled surveillance systems and sensors: For detecting accidents, fires and other emergencies, thereby allowing faster response times. AI sensors for safety and efficiency:
“You will find AI particularly useful to manage schedules, budgets and supply chains,” said Anvari. “The technology is there now and it will help you.”
He used the example of government inspections as an area where AI will make projects more efficient. Calling government officials for inspections during construction can often cause delays, creating problems in meeting tight timelines. Using AI, someone can walk around a project with augmented glasses (that have the approved designs and plans pre-loaded), look at the project’s construction and progress, and AI will compare what you are looking at to the pre-loaded designs, letting officials know whether the work is compliant.
“Don’t be afraid that AI will eliminate your job – it won’t. It will make your job easier and you will be more efficient.”
Daniel Anvari, Ph.D.
Regarding future applications for AI, especially in construction, Anvari said applications are coming faster than ever. “When email was introduced, it took 10 years for wide adoption. When ChatGPT was released, 1 billion people were using it after three months. “Applications coming now, especially with the introduction of super computing, will come faster and faster,” he said.
Anvari’s recommendation is to start now. “You have data in your company. Make sure you are recording all your data. Then you will feed this data into your AI, and it will continue to gather more and more data as you use it,” he said. “The more data it gathers, it will get better and better in helping you with your work, and helping you make good decisions.”
Anvari compared AI to the maturation process a human goes through. “It takes a person 20 years to mature. AI matures quickly. The more data you incorporate into your AI technology, the better it gets, and it makes better decisions. So, record your data and get ready so you can make the best use of this tool in the future,” said Anvari. Rather than being afraid of AI, Anvari recommends embracing it. “You need to get trained and get on top of the technology. If you have the tools, there are many opportunities,” he said.
Shantel Lipp, president of SHCA, says her organization is working with Anvari and other experts in the AI field to offer AI training to heavy construction professionals.
“We are working to have short, accessible courses available, hopefully sooner than later, in 2025,” said Lipp. “We envision webinar courses that you take at your convenience and that will be broken up into small, easy-to-handle segments. We will also make sure the content is relevant to our members and what they face in the Saskatchewan economy.
“Stay tuned – we will have an announcement as soon as things are ready.”
The origin of tools began over 2.6 million years ago to help civilizations hunt and survive. In today’s world, the concept has not changed because we continue to use and develop tools to ensure we as a civilization continue to advance and survive.
At the 2024 Infrastructure Summit and Trade Show, attendees heard from John Law on a new tool that could revolutionize the planning and future forecasting of where to build infrastructure next. Law is the president of Lawmark International, which he founded in 2012 to provide integrated business development, logistics and regulatory support services to his clients in Western Canada.
In his presentation, Law showed the concept of a mapping system called the Prairie Regional Information Systems Map (PRISM) that takes data from multiple sources and layers it to produce a tool that tracks the movement of commodities across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. In co-ordination with the three Prairie province transportation agencies and ministries, Law was able to build PRISM in three months.
In co-ordination with the three Prairie province transportation agencies and ministries, Law was able to build PRISM in three months.
“The development, in partnership with them, used a lot of their data sources and this was purposeful,” said Law. “The intention was to help the three of them work closer together. So instead of having your own provincial transportation system, you’ve got the whole regional transportation system. Instead of having commodities for one province, using forestry as an example, you now have a shared interest in forestry improvements and movements.”
To develop PRISM, Law took the data provided to him from the various ministries and agencies, and began layering integrated gross domestic product and commodity flow information with geographic information system-layered transportation corridors. PRISM is a tool that will allow industry and government to determine where trade infrastructure is best served to deliver commodities to the customer. It is also a tool that will help them find prospective partners and stakeholders who will see the value to investing in the region.
Law indicated that PRISM for the three Prairie provinces can be expanded to other regions with the goal of applying it to a national plan. “The response is that this can serve as a bit of a demonstration; that this can serve as a demonstration of what we have been arguing for a long time, which is for a national strategy, a national plan,” said Law. “We did all of this in about three months. Three jurisdictions in three months. We could do the whole Maritimes in three months. The idea that we can start to move towards a national plan is one of the opportunities that the tool supports.”
Law used the Pembina-Emerson port in Manitoba as an example of how PRISM can be used to bring the federal government to the table to help with funding infrastructure projects that will improve our trade ability.
“The tool will show you that there is about $13 billion worth of products going through the Port of Emerson that originate in Manitoba, but about $9 billion are coming from Saskatchewan and Alberta,” said Law. “If I want to make an argument to Ottawa about the importance of the improvements to Emerson, I got all three provinces now with economic activity that I can point to with specific commodities and I can show which markets in the U.S. we are moving to.”
Although PRISM is still a concept and not a final product, it is yet another tool that has been developed which will help civilization survive and thrive.
Football fans know that the view of the game is much different up in the stands compared to what you can see on the sidelines of the field.
Football coaches know this even better. The value of having an eye in the sky to have a view of the entire field can be exactly what some coaches need to figure out a way for their team to win. Having someone in the booth to call plays based on that vantage point can make a big difference in the outcome of their team’s game.
Getting a different view of the field can be advantageous when running a business, too, but that can be easier said than done. Running a business can take up so much time and attention, and it can be hard to find the occasions and resources to get an accurate perspective about what is happening beyond the business.
However, it is crucial for the success of the business to pop your head up, look around and observe, to get a view of what is happening on the field. Seeing beyond what is immediately going on can give the perspective a business owner needs to find solutions to overcome current challenges and recognize issues that are on the way.
The easiest way to get an in-depth view beyond the day-to-day activities of a business is to be a member of an industry association, such as the SHCA. An industry association has a view of the broader industry and more, and is set up to share that outlook with members to help them be more successful.
Industry associations provide important context to their members who are trying to understand and cope with the forces and challenges each of them encounters in business. Those forces and challenges could be understanding evolving customer interests, navigating human resources and labour issues, securing valuable partnerships or any one of the many complex and evolving situations a member might find themselves in.
SHCA members run businesses that are about more than building roads and infrastructure. These businesses contribute to building the economy. Collectively, the businesses that make up the heavy construction industry add more than $6 billion to Saskatchewan’s gross domestic product, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and providing $1.5 billion of income.
These figures come from the most recent economic impact analysis that was done by Praxis for the SHCA. Research like this benefits the industry and members by establishing the scale and significance of the work they are doing.
Collectively, the businesses that make up the heavy construction industry add more than $6 billion to Saskatchewan’s gross domestic product, supporting tens of thousands of jobs and providing $1.5 billion of income.
Research lends added credibility to members’ interests and experiences, but it also serves customers of the industry by helping them better understand it and the businesses that form it. Other research, such as collecting and analyzing data that can help the industry come up with answers and propose influential solutions for major economic challenges, is also important.
An example of this was the work done to produce the Canada West Foundation (CWF) report titled From Shovel Ready to Shovel Worthy: The Path to a National Trade Infrastructure Plan for the Next Generation of Economic Growth. That work was done through a collaboration between the Canada West Foundation and the Western Canada Roadbuilders and Heavy Construction Association (WCR&HCA), along with other national industry associations and business organizations.
Having access to the major leagues is possible through a membership with the SHCA. Becoming an SHCA member automatically provides an integrated membership to the WCR&HCA as well as the Canadian Construction Association (CCA), both of whom were a part the Shovel Worthy report and advocacy.
The Shovel Worthy report was developed to get it in front of and be seriously considered by the federal and provincial governments as a plan for how Canada can return to its place in the top 10 of global trade infrastructure rankings, which is needed to restore the confidence of Canada’s trade customers.
Getting in the game and playing the best game possible is more likely when one deeply understands the sport. All governments have competing interests and concerns that must be addressed, as well as their own policy priorities. They have a process for advancing priorities and those who can best engage in the process will have their voices heard. Those who choose not to engage will have no say in decisions that could fundamentally impact their ability to do their job.
There is more success to be found playing as a team than going solo. The SHCA brings a voice on behalf of its members to key stakeholders and decision-makers. The association advocates on behalf of members who in turn benefit when their businesses grow.
The SHCA currently has several active working groups with the Ministry of Highways and the Water Security Agency, the Association of Consulting Engineers of Saskatchewan, the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, the Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association, including: the Roadway Technical Committee, the Contract and Specification Committee, the Safety Committee, the Best Value Procurement Committee, the Bridge Construction Committee, the Urban Committee, the Rural Committee, and the Sand and Gravel Committee.
The SHCA has also been on the board of the Saskatchewan Common Ground Alliance, where the association joins the ranks of the major Crowns as well as major mining and development companies. The SHCA also participated on the board of directors for the Saskatchewan Center of Excellence of Transportation and Innovation at the University of Saskatchewan. Once a year, the SHCA also meets with the federal members of parliament to talk about the importance of infrastructure on a national level.
There are also opportunities for players to learn to play at a higher level and find more opportunities to put points on the board. Each player in the game is going to perform better when they dedicate themselves to learning the sport. This begins with knowing the most current information and status of government regulations, specifications and legislative changes affecting the industry.
The SHCA provides all current members with updates with the most recent information available. Delivered daily are e-news and tender information notifications. These notifications include information about the association events, news updates and technical notices for all members.
Strong players know who is who and what is what when it comes to their sport. The SHCA produces a popular rental rate guide, which is the definitive reference tool used by both the user and purchasers of SHCA’s members’ services. This guide can be accessed electronically, which makes it even more useful. While it comes out annually, the SHCA knows people are using it daily to inform and connect them to the people and services they require.
At least five times a year, members are invited to gather and network with others in the industry. At these events, such as the annual general meeting and the new Infrastructure Summit, speakers share valuable knowledge and viewpoints that will help members as they consider and conduct their own business. Each year, the calibre of speakers and events keep increasing.
Think BIG also continues to be a great tool for getting the industry’s messages out to the people and government. Through this publication, the SHCA promotes their vision, mandates and services, providing members with information related to what’s happening not only in Saskatchewan, but around the world.
Between Think BIG issues, the association’s social media accounts keep members and the public up to date about the latest industry developments. Follow SHCA’s Facebook and LinkedIn accounts to be notified about training opportunities and events, and see the industry and the people working in it celebrated.
Being a member also provides access to networking opportunities. At least five times a year, members are invited to gather and network with others in the industry. At these events, such as the annual general meeting and the new Infrastructure Summit, speakers share valuable knowledge and viewpoints that will help members as they consider and conduct their business. Each year, the calibre of speakers and events keep increasing.
It is important to consider who else attends these events. The SHCA has formal opportunities to listen to and be heard from, such as the panel of guests hosted from SaskBuilds, Priority Sask and the Ministry of Highways at SHCA’s 2024 spring meeting to talk about capital budget planning and procurement.
There are informal opportunities as well. Governments and key stakeholder groups often have their representatives attend SHCA events, such as the annual industry summit, giving members an opportunity to meet and casually discuss their interests.
High-performing players also need to be strongly skilled and well-conditioned. That is where education and training come into the picture in helping members become high performers. The SHCA works with those who develop and provide education and training opportunities, so members and their employees have the skills and knowledge they need to be at the top of their game.
For example, the SHCA collaborates with the Asphalt Institute, which provides full days of training, such as the paving inspector certification session. Ministry of Highways officials have attended those sessions to explain why the ministry is making such training a mandatory requirement for paving crews working on their projects.
Think BIG also continues to be a great tool for getting the industry’s messages out to the people and government. Through this publication, the SHCA promotes their vision, mandates and services, providing members with information related to what’s happening not only in Saskatchewan, but around the world.
Watch SHCA’s social media to learn of upcoming opportunities to participate in training sessions. In June, SHCA’s sessions provided information and insight into procurement and contracting, contract law and risk management as well as Construction 101, which is training for introducing people interested in construction to the industry.
The SHCA also shared and supported opportunities for longer training courses to qualify people for careers in the industry. For example, there is the 36-week Heavy Equipment & Truck & Transport Technician Certificate program available through Southeast College in Estevan, which gives participants basic training in two high-demand mechanical trades at the same time as a heavy-duty equipment technician or transport mechanic.
To continue to develop players, coaches must keep adding people to the roster. They must send the message to those not yet in the game that they would enjoy playing and be welcomed onto the team. The SHCA actively encourages people to consider careers in the industry, working to demonstrate that heavy construction is a viable option for women, new Canadians and others who may wonder if they are a fit.
How you practice is how you play. Approaching practice as an opportunity to strategically develop technically, mentally and socially will prepare SHCA members to play a stronger game. The benefits and resources offered by the SHCA empower members to stay competitive, adapt to industry changes and thrive in their market.
Those who are in business know they must invest money, time and energy to give the business the best chance at success. Investing time and effort to participate in what the association has to offer will also return a result.
There are many functions and services provided to the membership. Several have already been described, but another to take note of is SHCA’s affinity program. There are several opportunities for members to benefit from discounts on office supplies, work site supplies, shipping services, tires, and access to communication services and meeting facilities.
However, for the association to be as strong as it can be, members need to be active, engaged and involved. It takes a strong team to come together to bring forward ideas and information to formulate plans and put them into action. It requires people showing up in person to engage with one another to build the relationships needed to advance the industry’s interests.
There is growing pressure on the federal government ahead of its next budget to recognize the need to plan and invest in trade infrastructure to grow Canada’s economy.
Advocacy work initiated by the Western Canada Roadbuilders & Heavy Construction Association (WCR&HCA) has strong momentum. Several national groups dedicated to trade, business, construction, manufacturing and more joined it to form a coalition that is pressing politicians across the country to take this need seriously. Premiers of provincial and territorial governments have confirmed they are on board.
That need for planning and investment and the effort to have it recognized by the federal government was discussed during a panel discussion held the first day of the SHCA 2023 Infrastructure Summit & Trade Show. Titled “How Trade and Transportation Infrastructure Intersect in Canada’s Economic Growth Strategy,” the panel brought together representatives of some of those groups in the coalition – John Law, senior fellow with Canada West Foundation and co-author of From Shovel Ready to Shovel Worthy: The Path to a National Trade Infrastructure Plan for the Next Generation of Economic Growth, Mary Van Buren, president of the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) and Chris Lorenc, president of the WCR&HCA.
They were joined by two deputy ministers from the Saskatchewan government, Kyle Toffan of the Ministry of Highways and Jodi Banks of the Ministry of Trade and Export. Opening and moderating the panel was Gary Mar, president of Canada West Foundation. He says broadly speaking there is infrastructure Canadians want, such as parks. There is infrastructure Canadians need, which includes hospitals and schools. Then there is infrastructure that creates wealth that allows a country to be able to afford the other types of infrastructure.
Two-thirds of Canada’s GDP depends on trade, which relies on trade and transportation infrastructure. Mar says this reality is not lost on Canada’s premiers. What Canadians produce must be moved to ports to be shipped out of country for Canada to be able to participate in trade. The important role trade infrastructure plays in Canada’s economy and its future growth is expressed in the Shovel Ready to Shovel Worthy report authored by Law. In his brief overview of the report, he explained that Canada depends on road, rails, airports, bridges and other forms of trade infrastructure to get products to market.
“Every country needs good quality trade and transportation infrastructure, but it matters more for Canada,” said Law. “It matters to the extent of being three times more important to Canada from a GDP perspective than it is for the United States, for example, who are not only our major trading partner, but also our major competitor.”
The U.S. has paid significant attention to its infrastructure with the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act being passed, which the White House calls a “once-in-a-generation investment in our nation’s infrastructure and competitiveness.” This legislation will drive forward the rebuilding of American roads, bridges and rails, strengthening supply chains by improving the country’s ports, airports, rails and roads to grow its economy “sustainably and equitably.” Law says that level of attention and investment is being made by other countries Canada competes against in trade as well.
“Our argument in the Shovel Ready report is that we need something that is not simply focussed on short-term, but rather is a long-term permanent solution for how we do this,” said Law.
Housing is the federal government’s current infrastructure priority, as evidenced by its 2023 Fall Economic Statement, Van Buren says. There are plans in motion to change the federal Department of Infrastructure to the Department of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities, which Van Buren says is a “very strong signal” of the Liberal government’s focus. She says there is acknowledgement of the civil infrastructure that must be developed to support new housing, but she says there is a need to advocate for the federal government to recognize that trade-enabling infrastructure is a benefit to all Canadians.
Working together is necessary when advocating for change, Lorenc says, citing a proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together.”
“No matter where you are in Canada, goods and services have to move out and we also need them to come in,” said Van Buren. “We’re working hard [with the other organizations] to make sure that trade-enabling infrastructure is on the table. We want a balanced approach. We can’t just put all of our money now into housing. We have to also look at trade-enabling infrastructure as well as community infrastructure.”
Banks and Toffan spoke about Saskatchewan’s focus on trade and transportation, with Banks highlighting the Saskatchewan Growth Plan and the work being done by her ministry to tell Saskatchewan’s story to the world and encourage trade to strengthen the provincial economy. “We have a huge amount of gross domestic product that depends on trade infrastructure,” said Toffan. “Saskatchewan has been doing about $37 billion in trade a year through and we have targets to grow that. That means more transportation infrastructure, not less.”
He outlined the challenges and opportunities from the perspective of the Ministry of Highways, including reduced federal funding of infrastructure, strained capacity in all areas of the supply chain to develop more infrastructure, rising costs due to inflation, the impact of carbon tax and insufficient national trade and transportation planning, as well as geopolitical considerations that can impact the quantity of resources, such as potash, that are needed by other nations.
Toffan also touched upon the memorandum of understanding (MOU) on economic borders signed by Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba in April 2022. The key priorities of the three provinces are planning, investment and partnership opportunities with the private sector as well as harmonizing the regulatory environment, but elections held in Alberta and Manitoba since the signing have significantly slowed progress. Advocating for federal investment into economic corridors is another priority.
“If Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba can find three or four quick wins, some really big-ticket items that need investment, we’ll have a much better chance at getting investment than if we went at it alone, so we are trying to figure out a way to coordinate that as well,” said Toffan.
He says some judge major investments in infrastructure projects that are expected to serve the province for 100 years after just two to three years of operation, which is short-sighted. “These investments are being made for our kids, our grandkids, and our great grandkids, no different than the investments made in the 1800s and early 1900s,” said Toffan. “We have to think differently about these investments. They are nation-building and they have the opportunity to unlock all kinds of economic potential.”
Working together is necessary when advocating for change, Lorenc says, citing a proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone, but if you want to go far, go together.” He says the three provinces signing the MOU is an important example of that. Successful advocacy work includes patience, principles, commitment, a stated purpose and resources. It is also important to understand your audience and harness public opinion. The message you deliver must be tailored to meet their needs, Lorenc says, otherwise they have very little appetite to listen. Going where voters are and gently persuading them to see your point of view is also necessary.
Getting to this point of a coalition of like-minded organizations coming together to deliver a shared message to politicians, and having the Canada Trade Infrastructure Plan (CTIP) developed to present them, has taken about four years of advocacy work. It started when representatives of the WCR&HCA met with Van Buren to discuss the need for research related to trade and transportation. That is when Canada West Foundation was approached about developing a report, which Law authored. It was released in May 2022.
The next groups to be approached were the Business Council of Canada, Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters. They were asked to be part of a nation-building exercise that recognizes that two-thirds of Canada’s GDP is trade dependent and that three billion jobs coast to coast are sustained by this trade activity. It was pointed out that Canada’s reputation as a trading partner has fallen and needs repair to ensure Canada stays competitive and is viewed as a reliable trading partner. As a nation, Canada produces more than it consumes, and it must be moved to market. All of those principles along with the contents of Law’s report were used to develop CTIP.
CTIP urges the Council of the Federation to pursue a federally-leveraged, nation-building plan to revitalize Canada’s trade-enabling infrastructure to support sustained economic growth and expand and diversify Canada’s global trade profile. It says Canada should adopt globally recognised best practices and harness recommendations flowing from the Shovel Ready report to “usher in an era of long-term, predictable and high-value investments in Canada’s trade infrastructure.”
“These investments are being made for our kids, our grandkids, and our great grandkids, no different than the investments made in the 1800s and early 1900s.”
– Kyle Toffan, Ministry of Highways
The process of getting this plan to the federal government began in January 2023 with a meeting with then-premier of Manitoba, Heather Stefanson, who was serving as chair of the Council of the Federation, which is made up of all 13 provincial and territorial premiers in Canada. She was presented CTIP and asked to support and champion it at a July meeting of the council. She agreed to that request.
At that July meeting, there was unanimous support for CTIP from the premiers who explicitly endorsed its principles. They urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to convene a First Ministers’ Meeting dedicated to the linked priorities of competitiveness and strategic infrastructure. The next premier to take over as chair of the council was Nova Scotia premier Tim Houston, who sent a letter in August to Trudeau reminding him of that request. It was again repeated in fall 2023. At the same time, meetings have been held with federal opinion leaders, deputy ministers and assistant deputy ministers across the country, organized and led by the coalition of organizations behind CTIP (Business Council of Canada, Canada West Foundation, Canadian Chamber of Commerce, CCA, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters, Civil Infrastructure Council Corporation and the WCR&HCA).
Lorenc says the objective of those meetings is to push for the 2024 federal budget to include an announcement of an investment that is sustained, predictable, incremental and driven through a lens of the return on investment to the GDP and nation-building. This would not be an investment based on per capita requirements, but rather one that looks at what the country needs to develop and enhance a strategic trade-enabling infrastructure network that will result in growth and wealth generation.
“That is advocacy at work. No single entity can do it on its own,” said Lorenc. “Saskatchewan can’t do what you heard the deputy minister speak to on its own. It has an MOU with two colleague provinces. Western premiers can’t do it individually. They meet as Western premiers. Provincial and territorial premiers can’t do it individually on their own. They do it through the Council of the Federation. Heavy construction associations, business organizations, manufacturers and exporters, rail, air, you pick your industry, can’t do it on their own, but together we can go further make a significant contribution to building this country. That’s what this advocacy is all about.”
SHCA wants to thank all of the wonderful sponsors, exhibitors, presenters and attendees for making the inaugural Infrastructure Summit a resounding success! The goal of the Summit was to feature the excellent companies and individuals of the industry that have helped build Saskatchewan and Canada from the ground up. Check out photos from the Summit:
I am counting down the days until the first ever SHCA Infrastructure Summit & Trade Show takes place in Regina next week, and I can’t wait for you to see all that it will bring to the forefront.
First, you will see the importance and impact of the heavy construction industry within and beyond Saskatchewan reinforced. I look forward to seeing contractors, suppliers, engineers, government officials and other professionals coming together to focus on infrastructure and transportation for two full days on Nov. 29 and 30, 2023, at the Delta Hotel & Convention Centre.
You have heard me say that funding to develop and maintain that infrastructure can deliver a return when there is a strategy for investment. This event is another opportunity to deliver that message. The role of infrastructure in trade relationships and the need for long-term investment in infrastructure to grow trade that will benefit our economy are why this event will be valuable to more than members.
I hope all who are there will take in the panel discussion, which is in the agenda for Nov. 29. You will hear the panel discuss how trade and transportation infrastructure intersect in Canada’s economic growth strategy. The panelists will include:
Mar and VanBuren are involved in a coalition of national organizations that also includes the Business Council of Canada and the Canadian Chamber of Commerce. They are concerned about the current level of investment as well as the lack of coordination and planning on a long-term strategy and the state of the federal trade corridors fund.They have endorsed the WCR&HCA report by the Canada West Foundation, From Shovel Ready to Shovel Worth: The Path to a National Trade Infrastructure Plan for the Next Generation of Economic Growth.
This coalition is approaching the three orders of government to advocate for a nation-building strategy to invest in Canada’s trade corridors to harness trade-based economic growth. This summit is important for government because for decades the private sector has been asking for a long-term permanent plan to grow business investment.
I am excited about the opportunities you will have to deepen your knowledge about infrastructure, equipment, labour needs, projects, investment and much more.
As projects become more complex and technology evolves, there is always a need to prepare for the future. At the summit, you will gain information through industry education sessions that can help you become an even better builder. Technological advancements within the industry will be highlighted through technical sessions across a broad sector of industry applications.
Valuable information on many different topics will be shared by Brandt Industries, Gerry Huber, Wirtgen Group, Water Security Agency, Asphalt Institute, SMS Equipment, SaskPower, Cenovus Energy and the Women of Asphalt. They will cover cold in-place recycling, how to use intelligent compaction, asphalt volumetrics, balanced mix design, AI advancements in roadbuilding equipment, new technology in tack coats, flood mitigation, the future of carbon capture and mining, and the inclusion and retention of women in the industry.
There will be opportunities to learn more about the production and processing of materials as well as troubleshooting asphalt plants and greener ways of paving. You can expect to see virtual reality being used to attract young people to our sector as well as to conduct safety training.
It is a time to develop personally as well as professionally. Speakers at the summit include Mark Nesbitt, who will discuss creating the next generation of construction leaders. There will be a presentation by Pamela Barnum, who will describe how to unlock the code of non-verbal communication. Also speaking is Bob Vaughn, who will cover projects becoming more complex and how to create a culture of success. There will be so many people you will want to meet and interact with – whether it is at the innovative trade show or the industry awards and banquet that will wrap up the event.
It will be a busy two days full of people embracing our industry and sharing what it means to this province we call home. I look forward to seeing you there to take part in all that activity to show you value a strong future for all who make up and support the heavy construction industry.
