Close to 270,000 workers, or about 21% of Canada’s construction workforce will retire in the next 10 years. With several major projects on the horizon across Alberta, the construction industry needs to find ways to connect with Gen Z and Gen Alpha workers in ways that match their expectations and values. A recent article in BuildForce Magazine looks at what that means. Different Values, Same Opportunity Gen Z has been shaped by the pandemic and grew up entirely in a digital world. Their values reflect those experiences. But the construction industry has a lot to offer workers looking for real-world impact. Building physical infrastructure, shaping communities and seeing tangible results from work resonates strongly with younger workers who want meaningful careers. CLRA supports this connection through partnerships with Skills Alberta, Careers the Next Generation and the Workforce Development Trust, helping bridge the gap between younger workers and construction opportunities. What Matters to Gen Z Clear career paths and good wages matter. The article’s author points out that the opportunity to work on sustainability-focused projects and community-centered work also matters. Gen Z wants to know where their career is heading and how their work contributes to something bigger. Construction can deliver

The federal government has promised “one project, one review” to stop regulatory duplication between Ottawa and the provinces. A new article from the Canada West Foundation examines whether these co-operation agreements are actually delivering on faster approvals. For Alberta’s construction industry, approval timelines directly impact our ability to put skilled workers to work on the projects Canada needs. When regulatory processes drag, it creates uncertainty that affects workforce planning and our members’ ability to build the infrastructure that strengthens our economy. What are co-operation agreements? Co-operation agreements streamline the process between the federal government and provinces by letting the federal government either step out of the review process early if a project doesn’t affect federal areas, accept a province’s review instead of doing its own, or work with the province on one shared assessment. Before this push, only B.C. had a co-operation agreement. Now Ontario and New Brunswick have signed on, and several more provinces including Alberta are negotiating. The Results So Far Only two projects have been fully approved through federal assessment since 2019 – both LNG projects in B.C. One took 3.5 years and the other took 2 years. While this represents improvement over the previous system, both

Construction Labour Relations Alberta (CLRA) has launched Industry Insights, a new series of breakfast meetings designed to give board members, industry partners and stakeholders visibility into upcoming project priorities, policy developments and emerging trends shaping Alberta’s construction sector. CLRA plays a vital role in leading discussions and building partnerships within the industry to build awareness and help address these issues so every aspect of construction in this province benefits. The inaugural event featured Kendall Dilling, President of Pathways Alliance, who provided an update on the organization’s work supporting Alberta’s oil sands industry through the construction of carbon capture and storage projects. The Pathways Alliance carbon capture and storage network represents a major opportunity for Alberta’s skilled trades. Construction is expected to generate more than $16.5 billion in GDP and over 129,000 jobs, with $13.3 billion flowing into Alberta’s economy and $12.2 billion in labour income. Beyond the immediate construction activity, the network positions Alberta’s oil sands sector to remain globally competitive. The project helps establish Alberta as a leader in carbon capture technology that can serve other industries and be exported internationally, while generating economic benefits that fund healthcare, highways and transit infrastructure. Industry leaders heard from Mr. Dilling that