Industry’s experts convene for CCA Annual Conference: infrastructure investment, workforce, and procurement featured
The hot desert sun and Catalina Foothills were the backdrop for this year’s Annual Conference in Tucson, Arizona. More than 500 industry professionals, including 110 first-timers, were in attendance for the four-day event that took place March 7 – 10, 2023.
The conference offered both in-person and live-streamed content – allowing delegates at home to also benefit from the latest insights from industry experts.
Tareq Hadhad, Syrian refugee turned founder and CEO of Peace by Chocolate, kicked things off with a compelling keynote on perseverance, entrepreneurialism, and the importance of giving back.
Delegates were left inspired as Hadhad shared stories of his family’s struggles in war torn Syria and later as refugees, facing barriers that many new Canadians face. “We didn’t come here to take jobs. We came here to create them,” said Hadhad of his family business, which is now the third largest employer in Antigonish, Nova Scotia.
“It is our moral responsibility to lift others to success,” said Hadhad, as he offered advice to conference delegates on how to help new Canadians working at their companies.
Delegates attended 16 sessions with 34 speakers, ranging from discussions on trade infrastructure and green procurement, an insider’s perspective on Canada-U.S. relations and its impact on the construction sector, a CEO roundtable discussion on risk mitigation and opportunities for growth, as well as panels on improving procurement and workforce development.
Several themes emerged from the four-day event.
Green procurement and collaborative models are changing the game
Procurement made its way into many discussions at this year’s annual conference. Public Services and Procurement Canada’s Stephan Déry outlined how carbon reduction is becoming a key factor for the industry with the federal government’s commitment to net-zero. These necessary investments are helping to move the conversation away from lowest cost to best value.
Delegates also had an opportunity to reflect on their pain points and opportunities with procurement at a session that gave the owner’s perspective and at a workshop on how to fix procurement.
CEOs Silvy Wright, Northbridge Insurance, and Craig “Tooey” Courtemanche, Procore Technologies, also confirmed they are seeing a movement away from low-cost bid to collaborative procurement at a breakfast roundtable.
Shift in policies needed to recruit more workers
An underpinning topic across many sessions at this year’s conference was the construction labour shortage. Contractor colleagues from Arizona shared how multi-level partnerships between contractors and community-based organizations are helping to build skills in their region. CCA also hosted a panel discussion on how changing outdated immigration policies and temporary foreign labour requirements can help solve the labour crunch in Canada.
“Prioritizing educational certification does not help the construction sector. The use of a scoring system that does not prioritize applicants who may match the needs of construction companies is a major challenge…Give the provinces more say in who they are bringing in.”
Patrick McManus, Executive Director, Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association.
Trade infrastructure is a recipe for growth
Industry experts discussed the future direction of infrastructure investment at sessions on opportunities to electrify Canada and trade-enabling infrastructure. The importance of securing investment to develop Canada’s trade corridor was also top of mind for Stuart Bergman, Chief Economist and Vice-President at Export Development Canada, during his Economic outlook keynote – a must for Canada to keep pace and remain competitive.
“A comprehensive national strategy to move goods is what’s needed. You need to have a plan for the entire country.”
Jean-Pierre Gauthier, Peter Kiewit Sons ULC
Delegates also took advantage of the many networking and social activities throughout the conference. A golf tournament at the championship El Conquistador course, a country western-themed Fun Night reception, a music-laden Talent and Tequila showcase, and a Closing Gala under the stars connected friends, old and new.
The recorded sessions will be available to conference registrants on the Pheedloop platform in April.