Government Advocacy
This newly appointed group falls under the Strategies and Engagement Committee of the ECA board. Struck in February 2024, it aims to provide oversight and guidance to ECA advocacy, lobbying, and public relations activities conducted by the board and senior staff.
Members have an important role in informing ECA's external outreach initiatives with the City of Edmonton, the Government of Alberta, and the many stakeholders we collaborate with regularly, including our colleagues with the Calgary Construction Association and the Alberta Construction Association.
Among the group's responsibilities are supporting ECA government relations, communications, and public relations tactics, fostering policy and advocacy alignment with stakeholders and other industry associations.
2024 Overview
The Edmonton Construction Association’s Government Relations and Advocacy Working Group had an active year in 2024, championing key industry concerns and fostering collaboration across municipal, provincial, and federal levels.
Here’s an overview of the group’s significant activities and achievements throughout the year.
QUARTER 1 - 2024
We began the year by forming the Government Relations and Advocacy Working Group under the ECA Board's Strategies and Engagement Committee. This group established general advocacy objectives focusing on municipal investments, equitable procurement, workforce development, and affordability.
Key highlights from the first quarter included:
- Builders Connect Expo: A successful event that brought together over 600 members and key officials, including Alberta’s Minister of Infrastructure Pete Guthrie and Edmonton City Councilor Tim Cartmell. Discussions focused on industry challenges, public policies, and economic trends impacting construction.
- Housing and Affordability Task Force: ECA hosted a national dialogue featuring Don Iveson, co-chair of the Task Force on Housing and Climate, addressing Canada’s housing challenges and exploring actionable strategies for the construction sector.
- Budget Advocacy: While appreciating workforce development and housing commitments in Alberta’s 2024 budget, the ECA raised concerns over delays in critical infrastructure projects like Edmonton’s new hospital, emphasizing equitable capital investments between Edmonton and Calgary.
QUARTER 2 - 2024
Spring saw ECA amplifying its efforts to build bridges with the City of Edmonton and the Government of Alberta.
Notable achievements included:
- State of the City Engagement: ECA representatives attended Mayor Amarjeet Sohi’s address, advocating for increased infrastructure funding to support Edmonton’s rapid growth and strained resources. Discussions concerned the city’s $3 billion investment in the construction sector and challenges in balancing growth with municipal expenditures.
- Premier Danielle Smith Engagement: ECA co-hosted a fireside chat with Premier Danielle Smith at MacEwan University, and co-hosted by CHBA Edmonton Region, NAIOP, BOMA Edmonton, and IDEA. This was an opportunity to advocate for workforce development and capital investment priorities.
- Day at the Alberta Legislature: ECA’s 2nd annual advocacy day included meetings with nearly 30 people from five ministries.
QUARTER 3 - 2024
Summer and early fall were devoted to refining advocacy priorities and tackling pressing issues:
- Prompt Payment and Contract Modernization: In collaboration with the ACA, ECA pushed for reforms to the Public Works Act to improve risk allocation and compliance for government contracts.
- Canada-Alberta Jobs Grant Advocacy: ECA addressed concerns over the early closure of the grant program, vital for workforce development. The group actively sought solutions to reinstate the funding and communicated member feedback to provincial authorities.
- General Contractor Forum: In response to member concerns, ECA hosted a forum to discuss provincial procurement
QUARTER 4 - 2024
As the year concluded, ECA’s focus shifted to implementing lessons from earlier quarters and engaging in impactful discussions:
- Government Advocacy: ECA brought concerns from the contractor forum to the Government of Alberta. We also highlighted the value of the TradesLink platform and explored partnerships.
- Collaboration with ACA: Joint roundtable discussions with the Infrastructure Minister explored solutions for workforce development, procurement challenges, and construction of new school spaces.
- MLA Reception: ECA joined ACA in hosting Alberta MLAs, recognizing updates to the Prompt Payment Act and fostering collaboration.
- Contract Modernization Sessions: ECA engaged stakeholders in Alberta Infrastructure’s revamped procurement contracts, ensuring members were equipped for upcoming changes.
FUTURE FOCUS
ECA aims to expand municipal advocacy, engage stakeholders through events, and emphasize strategic priorities in workforce development and sustainable infrastructure. As the group continues its collaboration with ACA, members can expect robust representation in policy discussions shaping Alberta’s construction landscape, and increased participation in municipal discussions in advance of the next municipal election.