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BUILD MANITOBA     winnipegconstruction.ca
CCA NEWS
By Rodrigue Gilbert, President, Canadian Construction Association
A UNIFIED VOICE  
FOR CANADA’S BUILDERS: 
Building infrastructure in Canada has 
never been more challenging. Critical 
transportation routes must be built faster. 
Trade corridors need to operate without 
interruption. Aging assets require urgent 
rehabilitation. Communities must remain 
connected. All of this is unfolding amid 
rising costs, regulatory hurdles and 
economic uncertainty that continue to 
complicate project delivery.
For companies on the ground, success 
depends on having a strong, coordinated 
national voice that can influence the 
policies, investments and frameworks 
shaping how infrastructure gets built in this 
country. That is the role of the Canadian 
Construction Association (CCA).
KEEPING CONSTRUCTION  
AT THE CENTRE OF CANADA’S 
ECONOMIC AGENDA
In a year marked by geopolitical change 
and economic disruption, one outcome 
mattered above all: keeping construction 
central to Canada’s growth strategy.
Working alongside regional partners like 
the Winnipeg Construction Association 
(WCA), CCA has been actively advancing 
industry priorities across key federal 
files. This includes engagement on the 
renegotiation of Canada-United States-
Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), efforts to 
accelerate approvals for major projects, 
support for trade diversification and 
shaping Buy Canadian procurement 
policies to ensure construction 
considerations are embedded in  
federal decisions.
Through direct dialogue with policymakers 
and a growing national media presence, 
CCA has positioned construction as 
central to solving Canada’s biggest 
challenges – from housing supply and 
trade capacity to economic resilience  
and defence.
This repositioning has produced 
measurable results. It has helped keep 
infrastructure investment a federal priority, 
while reinforcing the industry’s role 
as a key partner in delivering national 
priorities. At the same time, the industry 
has gained a more consistent seat at the 
table, strengthening our ability to influence 
national initiatives before they reach  
the jobsite.
This level of visibility does not happen 
by accident. It is built through sustained, 
strategic advocacy, and it benefits every 
company working in the sector.
At Hill Day 2025, more than 100 industry 
leaders participated in over 100 meetings 
with ministers, Members of Parliament and 
senior staff. Record attendance, a high-
profile reception and a coordinated public 
campaign – including a press conference 
and major-market advertising under the 
We Build Canada banner – demonstrated 
CCA’s growing influence with the  
federal government.
That advocacy will continue this summer 
with our Construction for Canadians 
Tour, which will bring construction’s 
impact to life through site visits to active 
and recently completed projects across 
Canada, culminating in an 11-episode 
docuseries showcasing the people and 
projects building Canada’s communities 
and economy.
FROM ADVOCACY TO ACTION: 
SHAPING LONG-TERM 
INFRASTRUCTURE PLANNING
For years, the construction industry has 
called for a more coordinated, long-term 
approach to infrastructure planning in 
Canada – one that moves beyond short-
term funding announcements toward 
predictable, strategic investment. Today, 
that shift is now underway. Federal 
initiatives such as the creation of a 
Major Projects Office and the National 
Infrastructure Assessment reflect priorities 
long championed by CCA: better data, 
clearer project pipelines and faster, more 
predictable approvals.
These changes have direct, practical 
implications on how construction 
contractors operate. A clearer national 
project pipeline gives companies the 
confidence to invest in equipment, 
workforce and innovation with confidence, 
while evidence-based planning and 
better alignment ensure that projects 
move forward based on the real needs of 
provinces and municipalities – not timing 
or politics.
This is what effective national advocacy 
looks like: aligning government action with 
industry reality.
REDUCING BARRIERS AND 
MODERNIZING PROCUREMENT
Regulatory complexity and outdated 
procurement practices remain major 
obstacles to infrastructure delivery. 
Lengthy approvals, overlapping 
jurisdictions and unclear requirements can 
delay projects for years. At the same time, 
unbalanced contracts and unclear risk 
allocation discourage participation, inflate 
CCA driving progress in Ottawa

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