b'FROM OUR PRESIDENTMoving City Construction ForwardWCA Board members were among the hundreds of local business leaders who attended the Winnipeg Chamber of Commerces annual State of the City Luncheon in March. This was the first State of the City address for Mayor Scott Gillingham, providing him an opportunity to discuss new developments and challenges and to introduce plans for the upcoming year.Echoing his election campaign, Mayor Gillingham offered a fresh approach featuring a more inclusive City Hall, using an analogy of everyone getting in the same boat and rowing in the same direction as the best way to move the City forward. Gillingham described his economic pillars, which include several large projects such as the widening of Kenaston, the extension of Chief Peguis Trail and the North End Water Pollution Control Centre (NEWPCC) project. The City is currently in the middle of the budget process for the coming year and is facing significant challenges, with increasing fire and policing costs, crumbling infrastructure, increased crime and homelessness as some of the chief issues. Social issues are not traditionally the responsibility of the municipal government, but the current situation truly requires all levels of government to work together. Mayor Gillingham wants to ensure the City gets value from its construction investment and made the commitment to our industry to consider the use of standard contract documents (CCDC). The Citys use of its General Conditions (GC) Contract has long been a contentious issue with WCA contractor members. A working group of our members, along with several senior City of Winnipeg staff, spent months reviewing the GC on a clause-by-clause basis two years ago. While we did make some headway on a number of points, the City continued to resist changes to its dispute resolution process and indemnity provisions. We have seen direct evidence this month of contractors choosing not to bid on City projectsthis is not good for the industry or for the interests of the City of Winnipeg.In our pre-election brief, we indicated that while we appreciate that the City has a right to develop their own contract, everyone should realize that this is public money, and we all deserve to see value for the investment. The current GC is costing the City of Winnipeg and taxpayers moneyfull stop. Construction involves risk, and this risk needs to be shared among parties where appropriate. This will result in fair and competitive bids.We have a commitment from the mayor to work on these issues, and we look forward to the discussion in the coming months.Ron Hambley10 BUILD MANITOBAwinnipegconstruction.ca'