Canadian Design and Construction Report staff writer
More than 100 of Canada’s construction leaders were in Ottawa on Tuesday to speak with parliamentarians and government partners.
Following federal budget approval, Canadian Construction Association president Rodrigue Gilbert addressed attendees at Industry Day, hosted by the Department of National Defence and Defence Construction Canada.
“You know, the worst thing that can happen in the construction industry is uncertainty,” he said. “And when we can plan and we can have a vision of 25, 30 or even 40 years, our companies, our members are willing to step up and build with you.”
The CCA calls its annual Hill Day “the hallmark of its advocacy activities.” Members from across the country, representing multiple sectors of the industry, meet with parliamentarians from all parties and regions to champion construction and reaffirm the industry’s role in Canada’s economic growth.
This year brought the largest number of participants, with 115 delegates and more than 100 meetings.
Gilbert responded to Budget 2025, the newly released Major Projects Office (MPO) project list and new Buy Canadian measures, emphasizing the steps needed to turn federal commitments into delivered projects.
“We welcomed Budget 2025’s investments, the creation of the MPO and the intent behind Buy Canadian,” Gilbert said. “But without a predictable infrastructure pipeline, a modernized procurement approach and a strengthened construction workforce, these commitments risk stalling before they reach the job site.”
The association emphasized the need for a long-term, stable infrastructure plan to give companies the certainty to invest in people, equipment and innovation.
It also stressed the need to modernize federal procurement, calling for systems that support fair risk-sharing, encourage innovation and align with the evolving Buy Canadian policy. The CCA urged careful consultation on supply-chain impacts to avoid slowing project timelines.
Gilbert also underscored the need for a national workforce strategy, noting that the projects identified through the MPO represent major construction demand — including site preparation, transportation links and processing facilities — that cannot advance without sufficient labour.
While federal investments through the Union Training and Innovation Program represent a positive step toward supporting skills development, the program excludes the roughly 70 per cent of construction workers who are non-unionized. Gilbert emphasized the importance of ensuring all workers, regardless of training pathway, can access the skills and opportunities required to support Canada’s project pipeline.
“Our industry is ready to build the strong, sovereign country that Canadians deserve,” he said. “Now we need the policy environment that ensures major projects can advance quickly and responsibly, and that Canadians see real results on the ground.”
