Calgary Construction Association Releases 2023 Alberta Provincial Election Platform
As we close in on the Alberta Provincial Election with the vote on 2023-05-29, the Calgary Construction Association (CCA) has released their Alberta Provincial Platform highlighting the challenges and opportunities facing the Alberta construction industry today, and for the coming years.
Construction plays a significant role in Calgary and Alberta’s economy. According to
Statistics Canada, about 222,000 Albertans were employed in the construction industry – or
roughly one in ten workers province-wide. Further, the industry accounted for $23.8B of the
Province’s GDP in 2021. Moreover, according to Statstics Canada, in August 2022, during the
peak of the summer season, over 83,000 Calgarians were employed in the construction
industry.
In 2021, 27 percent of all construction workers were self-employed. Moreover, Indigenous
people in Alberta are more likely to join a career in construction, with 13.5 percent employed
in a career in construction, compared to 9.8 of employed non-Indigenous Canadians.
According to Statistics Canada, immigrants also make up a significant share of the
construction workforce, accounting for 18.5 percent of employment in 2021, representing
a 6.9 percentage point increase over the past decade.
Priority #1: Supporting A Strong Construction Workforce in Alberta:
The shortage of skilled construction workers is causing concerns about potential delays and
increased costs in the local construction industry. Despite a growing demand for new homes
and infrastructure projects, exasperated by record migration to the Calgary region, both
commercial and residential builders are struggling to find enough workers to keep up with the
pace of development.
The shortage is attributed to several factors, including strong demand for record migration to
the region, an aging workforce, and a lack of young people entering the industry. Many
experienced construction workers are retiring or are leaving the industry, causing a gap in the
labour market.
The Calgary Construction Association estimates that there are between 3,000-4,000
construction job vacancies in the Calgary region. Nationally, the number of construction job
vacancies is estimated at over 90,000.
Policy Proposals:
Protect and increase funding for increased apprentice enrollment at post-secondary
institutions and associated capital and operational needs.
Implement recommendations of the Career Education Task Force to support the
development of skilled trades interests among junior and senior-high school-aged
students.
Build on the Alberta is Calling campaign to attract women and workers from
underrepresented groups, such as Indigenous people and newcomers, to skilled trades
professions in Alberta.
Work with the Government of Canada to expand the Provincial Nominee Program,
ensuring that an adequate amount of skilled labour is selected and fast-tracked into
Alberta’s construction industry.
Priority #2: Addressing Issues Around Public Procurement and Risk
Existing procurement practices have resulted in costly interruptions to capital projects and
the adoption of increasingly untenable risk profiles for the industry. In Calgary, this was
exasperated and made apparent by the cancellation of the Deertfoot Trail Upgrades
procurement in August 2022.
There is a need for continued improvement in relationships between the industry and the
Government of Alberta to ensure procurement processes are transparent and equitable and
contribute to competitiveness and growth in Alberta’s construction industry.
Policy Proposals:
Improve alignment between IA, AT, AHS and Alberta Education procurement practices.
Build on departmental rounds table discussing risk assessment by appointing a
ministerial task force with representation from the Calgary Construction Association
and Edmonton Construction Association to discuss implementation.
Priority #3: Supporting Calgary Through Strong Infrastructure
The City of Calgary continues to grow at a rapid rate. As a result, the Calgary
Construction The City of Calgary continues to grow at a rapid rate. As a result, the
Calgary Construction Association believes that the time is now to continue to invest in
critical infrastructure. Whether it be roads, public transportation or civic amenities, there
is a role for the government of Alberta to play in procuring construction projects that will
improve the quality of life of Calgarians.
Policy Proposals:
The Calgary Construction Association and its members have been engaging directly
in dialogue regarding the Green Line Project with the City of Calgary and Alberta Transportation on behalf of industry and Calgarians for over three years. We
categorically support this project as a major element in Calgary’s continued
growth and a stimulus for local industry firms.
Given that Phase 1 of the Project is well underway, the future connectivity of the line
will likely be considered in the near future. We call on the Government of Alberta to
partner with the City of Calgary to secure funding to build Phase 2 of the project – down to
the South Calgary Health Campus in Seton as a priority, and north to the community of
Carrington.
In Budget 2023, the Government of Alberta committed $5M dollars to complete
engineering work and explore the feasibility of extending the Blue Line LRT to Calgary
International Airport. We call on the Government of Alberta to commit to funding the
International Airport link as a matter of priority.
The Calgary Construction Association is thrilled to welcome the announcement of a
new event centre agreement in Calgary. This exciting new development will not only
enhance the entertainment options in the area but also provide significant economic
benefits for the construction industry through jobs and follow-on investment in the
Rivers’ District.
The construction industry is poised to play a major role in bringing this new facility to
life, and we are proud to support this project. Our Association is committed to working
closely with all stakeholders as an advisor to ensure that this project is delivered on
time, within budget, and to the highest level of quality.
We call on all political parties seeking election to support the build-out of the event centre
and River’s District and honour the agreement reached between stakeholders in April,
2023.
Downtown is the cultural and economic heart of Calgary. We support Calgary’s Greater
Downtown Plan to attract vibrancy and investment in our downtown core through
incentives for office-to-residential conversion projects, capital projects to improve the
vibrancy of downtown and large-scale projects. We call on the Government of Alberta
to further fund the Downtown Strategy and partner with the City of Calgary
on Downtown Revitalization efforts