b'CCA NEWSBUILDING CANADASCONSTRUCTION WORKFORCEIS TOP OF MIND IN ADVOCACYAND APPRENTICESHIP INITIATIVESBy Mary Van Buren, President, Canadian Construction AssociationIts not news to anyone that Canada isREBUILD CANADASwork with provinces to ensure skillsfacing its most severe labour shortageWORKFORCE NOW matching is properly funded and in over 50 years. Every province andIn October, CCA launched an industrysupported; andsector of the Canadian economy iscall to action to Rebuild Canadas update the Temporary Foreign reeling from historically high jobworkforce NOW, connecting members vacancy rates.directly to their MPs through a letter- Worker Program to allowwriting campaign. Retirements andseamless access for the The situation is especially acute for therecruitment challenges will be a heavyconstruction industry.construction sector, with approximatelyblow to Canadas future economicThe federal governments pledge 13 per cent of the workforce expectedgrowth if steps arent taken now toto increase immigration and better to retire between 2022-2027 andbuild workforce capacity throughpartner with provinces to align with 81,000 open yet unfilled jobs. With ansupportive immigration policies.industry needs is the result of the ambitious post-COVID growth plan inThis message was taken directly to theconstruction sector and other sectors place, including federal investment insteps of Parliament Hill during CCAsforcefully bringing this to the attention infrastructure, climate-resilient retrofitsHill Day on November 15. Over 70of government. That said, our industry and vital maintenance, we needindustry representatives met with MPsmust continue to ensure that the workers now.to urge the federal government to: system favours immigrants who are trained or willing to be trained to work As the industrys national advocate, modernize Canadas immigrationin the civil and vertical sectors. We stillthe Canadian Construction Associationpolicy and point system to betterface an enormous challenge to stand (CCA) is tackling this issue through autilize the skills and experience ofout from other sectors who also want combination of initiatives. immigrants and newcomers; workers, and the government must SERVICES: Wire SawingSelectiveElectric & Diesel Demolition Flat SawingConcrete CoringWall Sawing@204demolition204demolition.ca26 BUILD MANITOBAwinnipegconstruction.ca'