After more than 35 years with the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA), president and CEO Chris Lorenc has announced he will retire effective Dec. 31, 2026. He is the longest-serving CEO in the association’s more than 80-year history.
“Serving the MHCA, the industry it represents and the opportunity it has provided to work with government and stakeholder organizations in Manitoba and across Canada, has been the greatest privilege of my professional life,” said Lorenc. “I have never once regretted leaving the practice of law to pursue this career.” Over his career, Lorenc has played a key role in shaping infrastructure policy, strengthening industry and multi-stakeholder collaboration, and advancing Manitoba’s role in domestic, continental and global trade and transportation.
His contributions include:
- Helping introduce the concept of the “infrastructure investment deficit,” now widely used in public policy
- Advancing a three-pillar federal infrastructure framework reflected in national policy
- Championing the proposition that growing the economy is job #1 for every level of government
- Providing leadership to organizations such as the Canadian Construction Association, CentrePort Canada, and the Western Canada Roadbuilders & Heavy Construction Association
- Supporting landmark reports that defined infrastructure funding needs in Winnipeg
- Contributing to the development of CentrePort Canada as a major economic initiative
- Promoting safety through initiatives such as the MHCA WorkSafely program and SAFE Roads Committee
- Supporting workforce development through sector councils and MHCA programs
In recent years, Lorenc has continued to focus on national trade infrastructure planning, transportation strategy and workforce development. “Under Chris’s leadership, MHCA has grown from 73 members to more than 420,” said board chair John Highmoor. “He expanded MHCA’s influence as a national voice for the heavy construction industry, and its programs and advocacy are now essential to the sector.”
Lorenc emphasized the collective nature of the association’s work. “This progress reflects the efforts of many people across our industry, in government and in business organizations,” he said. “Together, we have strengthened public policy and reinforced the importance of infrastructure to Manitoba and Canada’s economies and quality of life.”
Lorenc says he will work with the board to support a smooth leadership transition in the months ahead.