2023 Advocacy Summary

Throughout 2023, the Association prioritized proactive and strategic advocacy. In the initial months of 2023, the executive boards of Prince Albert, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Regina, and the Saskatchewan Construction Association worked together to establish a shared vision for the five organizations: "To be the leading voice of the construction industry within Saskatchewan." This collective vision has been instrumental in guiding our Advocacy team as we focus on building trust and integrity with industry stakeholders, spanning various levels of government.

The top priority of our Advocacy team is to foster relationships with key public infrastructure owners, promoting open dialogue and ensuring that the concerns of our industry are effectively communicated. Our Association has engaged in meetings with various government officials from the Government of Saskatchewan, as well as representatives from the City of Saskatoon, Regina, Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, and Warman. Additionally, interactions with crucial Crown Corporations, including CIC (Crown Investment Corp), SaskPower, SaskEnergy, SaskTel, SaskWater, and the Water Security Agency, have taken place. Committed to being a valuable resource for our members and industry stakeholders, our team places great emphasis on building relationships grounded in trust and merit. This approach aligns with our overarching goal of becoming the foremost voice in construction, with a meaningful commitment to integrity.

Noteworthy recent activities of our Advocacy team involve collaborative sessions convened by our Association, bringing together Contractors, Engineers, Architects, and the Ministry of SaskBuilds focus on better collective outcome for project and procurement. Additionally, we have aided the City of Regina during a transition in their procurement leadership. Our Advocacy team has also achieved success with the City of Saskatoon by hosting meetings focused on enhancing practices related to Permitting and Inspections. This effort resulted in the creation of a comprehensive Contact and Information sheet, contact our Saskatoon office.

In the past few years, there has been a notable misalignment between project budgets and the cost of construction. Consequently, our advocacy team invested significant effort in comprehending the several factors influencing construction costs. These costs stem from multiple layers of contributing factors, collectively leading to an overall increase in project costs. Although this situation has raised concerns among stakeholders, the complexity of the issue is expected to stabilize in the future, as emphasized in the State of the Industry statements presented by Our Association below.

Throughout 2023, our Association has continued to fulfill the role of the Adjudication Authority known as the Saskatchewan Construction Dispute Resolution Office (SCDRO), as designated by the Government of Saskatchewan. This appointment is a direct outcome of our successful advocacy efforts in prioritizing Prompt Payment in Saskatchewan. The primary aim of Prompt Payment is to ensure the smooth flow of cash on construction projects. While this represents a significant aspect of the changes to the Builders Lien Act, another noteworthy alteration involves providing access to adjudication for the resolution of construction disputes. Adjudication serves as an Alternate Dispute Resolution process tailored specifically for the construction industry. In collaboration with the SCDRO, the Association is promoting Adjudication in Saskatchewan. To delve deeper into the intricacies of Adjudication, you can learn more at scdro.ca, on LinkedIn.

Summary of Recent Events 

• Quarterly meetings with Industry Advisory Council, priorities identified by this group are, Improving the Image of Construction, Workforce Development and Sustainability, Project Demand Predictability and Stability, and Risk Allocation.
• Spearheaded successful special meetings with key decision-makers and leadership in SaskBuilds, alongside contractors, engineers, and architects.
• Continued support for the re-establishment of the Saskatchewan Construction Panel through SaskBuilds.
• Quarterly meetings held with the Mayors and Senior Leaders in Prince Albert, Moose Jaw, Saskatoon, and Regina, leading to a stronger voice with consistent messaging from our industry.
• Regular Industry Inclusion Committee meeting, working on expansion to provincial presence focused on ensuring we are a welcoming Industry, organizing women events, learn to golf, learn to curl events among others.
• Presented on the cost of construction for ACEC-SK with a Construction Panel.
• Represented Saskatchewan at the inaugural Prompt Payment and Adjudication symposium in Alberta.
• Delivered the "Enhancing Chances of Bidder Success" education session & Owners Panel.
• Hosted Infrastructure Owners Forum (IOF) for a presentation on the City of Regina procurement initiatives.
• Host the IOF in Elk Ridge for presentations on the cost of construction and construction trends.
• Established direct communication with Owner Agencies and decision makers.
• Provided Government of Saskatchewan 2023 Budget highlights for construction industry.
• Highlighted construction-related points from the Government of Saskatchewan Throne speech.
• Worked with SIEC, planning Spotlight on Construction and representing the construction sector at SIEC’s Contact Conference.
• Represented the Construction Industry at the Prairie South School Division’s Career Day in Moose Jaw
• Partnered with SATCC and Office to Advance Women Apprentices at the RDIEC.
• Continued partnership development with the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training.
• Worked on the implementation of SupplierLink in Saskatchewan.
• The SupplierLink Partnership continues to bring in new partners and opportunities.
• Addressed labor and workforce concerns, exploring complex solutions such as immigration, transient labor force, youth, and women in construction.
• Initiated an Association-wide effort to highlight news released that impact construction in Saskatchewan, as federal regulations on news sharing on Google and Facebook have changed.
• Contributing to maximize the value of our major events through sessions and educational opportunities.