Strategic moves ahead: Board highlights and NAC initiatives
Ahead of the CCA Annual Conference in Quebec City, several key business meetings took place from March 9-10, 2025, including the final meeting of the 2024-2025 Board, the Annual General Meeting (AGM), and the first meeting of the 2025-2026 Board alongside five National Advisory Councils (NACs). Read on for the highlights.
Annual General Meeting
Francis Roy and Trevor Doucette will continue in their roles as Chair and Vice-Chair of CCA, and the new Board of Directors was officially confirmed. At the AGM, CCA’s updated By-Laws were approved, which included a modification to clarify the term length for directors.
If you missed the AGM, take a few minutes to review our key achievements from 2024.
Election campaign update
CCA will be launching an industry campaign to elevate our voice during the upcoming federal election. Our mission is to collaborate with partner organizations to align our collective capabilities and influence federal election platforms in support of long-term infrastructure investment and planning, workforce capacity, and fair procurement practices. The goal is to ensure the campaign has broad appeal across the entire construction industry, rather than focusing solely on CCA.
Joined two new councils – CABC and CUSTC
CCA has joined the Canadian American Business Council (CABC) and the Canada-US Trade Council (CUSTC). They have weekly meetings and provide opportunities to meet with many government officials. CCA also holds one-on-one sessions with Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), which are very useful for discussing the impact of steel and aluminum tariffs on construction.
Save-the-Date: Best Practices Services Symposium
A BPS Symposium is taking place October 16-17, 2025, in Toronto. This event is a must for anyone looking to expand their expertise in construction management best practices. Registration details will be shared shortly.
New CCDC documents
The Board of Directors has endorsed CCDC 14, 15, 32, and 33:
- CCDC 14: A prime contract between the owner and design-builder, with the design-builder providing design and construction services for a fixed price.
- CCDC 15: A standard contract between the design-builder and consultant to provide design services for a design-build contract between the owner and design-builder, outlining required design services for a design-build project.
- CCDC 32: A progressive design-build prime contract between the owner and the design-builder where the design-builder provides design services during the project development phase and completes work for a set price.
- CCDC 33: A common contract between the design-builder and consultant to provide design services for a progressive design-build project between the owner and design-builder.
Updates on SignaSur and CCA service agreement
CCA presented a summary of the improvements made to SignaSurTM as a result of consultations with our integrated partner association leaders. There was a group walkthrough in December, but CCA believes that further one-on-one conversations would be helpful. The revised Distributor Agreement is ready to be signed by partner associations.
NAC updates
All five NACs met to discuss issues of importance to their respective sectors.
General Contractors
The GC NAC has established three different subcommittees that aim to use webinars to communicate their content. First is the “Construction playbook,” which was released last year and will now take the highlights and present them in a webinar. Similarly, the “Mastering risk management in construction contracts” subcommittee will do the same. Both subcommittees are a few meetings away from being finalized. At the same time, the BIM subcommittee will be presenting three case studies to introduce BIM to stakeholders who are new to the process. The subcommittee is actively working on finalizing the presentation.
Trade Contractors
The Trade NAC addressed several key concerns, including the division of responsibility and liability in modular construction between general contractors, trade contractors, and suppliers. Members raised issues about the potential loss of work due to outsourcing and the impact of offshoring with modular construction. There was also discussion about third-party prequalification programs with modular construction. The workforce shortage continued to be a major issue across much of the country, along with price uncertainty related to the US-Canada trade war. Other challenges noted include poor maintenance of onsite facilities by general contractors and a lack of power infrastructure in certain regions, which has led authorities to halt new construction projects.
Manufacturers, Suppliers and Services
MS&S members reviewed the progress of the CCA and KPMG in Canada Digital Readiness Survey, now in its third year. Over 125 respondents have participated so far, with a goal of reaching 200. The final report is expected by mid-June 2025. Building on the success of the 2024 tech webinar series, which drew over 200 industry professionals, the tech sub-committee will host three tech-focused webinars in 2025. The pre-fabrication sub-committee, established earlier this year, is working to educate the industry and provide valuable insights on pre-fabrication. The Prompt Payment Act is set to roll out in Manitoba, now that the adjudication process is in place. In Ontario, regulatory changes to the Prompt Payment Act are nearing completion, with revised regulations expected to take effect by July 2025.
Civil Infrastructure
The Civil NAC meeting was dominated by discussions about current political and advocacy issues. The CICC chair provided details on the Canada Trade Infrastructure Plan campaign and its importance as U.S. tariffs threaten our supply chains. The roundtable discussion was heavily influenced by the state of the Canada-U.S. relations and its impact on construction, heavy machinery, and project spending. Nevertheless, many other key topics were discussed, including public infrastructure investment, NATO spending requirements, indigenous procurement, and energy regulation.
Local Construction Associations
The workforce and immigration sub-committee continues its work, focusing on gathering experiences, efforts, and briefing materials from LCAs and LCA members regarding challenges with the current immigration system. The goal is to standardize this information into talking points and a toolkit that associations can use to strengthen their advocacy across Canada. A sub-committee meeting is scheduled for May 6, 2025, and in anticipation, a preliminary report will be presented at the following NAC meeting.
Partner Association Reports
The Board of Directors greatly appreciates the comprehensive updates and valuable insights provided by our partner associations. These detailed reports offer a vital window into key activities and developments within their communities, enriching our understanding of the broader industry landscape. The Board recognizes how these contributions strengthen CCA’s overall ecosystem, ensuring that we remain well-informed and responsive to the needs of our members across the country.
CCA Partner Association Symposium
The symposium will take place May 20-22 at the Westin Calgary, in Alberta. The proposed agenda and hotel reservation information was in the meeting invite sent to all Integrated Partner Association COOs. Registration for the event will be launched shortly.
Upcoming meetings or events
- April 3, 2025: Orientation for Board, committee and NAC members – Virtual
- April 10, 2025: Orientation for Board and Board committees – Virtual
- June 11-13, 2025: CCA Board meeting and retreat – Victoria, BC
- June 17-19, 2025: National Advisory Councils – Virtual
As always, we are happy to participate in your AGMs, Board, or member meetings. Just reach out to Robin Borne to schedule us!