CRCA directors receive regular reports from me, they use them for their respective provincial association CRCA reporting. Below is an attempt to summarize my five-page March report.

In February your CRCA board of directors closed the loop on the 2024 – 2027 Strategic Plan. Being the voice, advocacy/lobbying, attracting workers and setting industry standards are the four Key Results Areas (KRAs).

In the association world, it is not uncommon for one set of activities or actions to fit in more than one KRA, such is the case with CRCA’s work to attract new workers. On Monday March 4th a few CRCA members joined me in a virtual meeting with a Director at Employment Services and Development Canada responsible for the temporary worker program. Our unified message was the system needs to work better for the ICI roofing industry and we welcome the opportunity to hire seasonal workers.

I followed this up with a meeting with Senior staff at the Department of Immigration, Refugees, Citizenship Canada (IRCC). You may recall we are working with Talent Beyond Boundaries in an attempt to access IRCC’s Economic Mobility Pathways Pilot (EMPP) program. It looks promising for CRCA members to be able to access the economic refugee talent pool. We are waiting for written confirmation. Stay tuned.

If you happen to be in Ottawa and would like to join me in such meetings when they happen, please let me know. Having CRCA members at my side as I do the “Ottawa thing” adds strength to our voice.

On April 16th Ottawa will be ‘a buzz’ with Federal Budget activity, for us association types that means reading it and summarizing how its’ content will impact members. My colleagues and I at the National Trade Contractors Council of Canada (NTCCC), will be doing just that. Expect to receive a summary shortly after the budget. With our NTCCC partners, our budget ask has three components; fair procurement practices, skilled workforce development and immigration policies tailored to meet the needs of construction trades.

We are making progress toward full membership in the Federal-Industry Real Property Advisory Committee (FIRPAC), a collection of construction-related associations and federal government departments that procure construction services. I was an observer at the last meeting, where we heard presentations on the contract modernization initiative, harmonization of the building code, federal office portfolio reduction, Building Information Modelling (BIM), and quality-based selection.

As we continue to strive to set industry standards, our technical work continues. We are providing input into public commentary on the move to harmonization and updating of the national model construction codes. We have also provided input to similar efforts by the City of Vancouver. Our 8 research projects with the National Research Council of Canada are ongoing. The National Technical Committee (NTC) will meet on May 9th in Victoria.

I gave an in-person presentation to the IIBEC North America board of directors. In it, I touched on how their Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) might participate and work with our NTC.

Finally, I hope you can join us in Victoria, May 10th to 12th, it is shaping up to be a great opportunity to reconnect and learn. See you there!