The designation of the Pacific Link pipeline as a project of national interest, alongside other recent commitments, signals growing momentum for major projects across Canada. Last month, the Canada Investment Summit, announced nearly $500 billion in new commitments across sectors including infrastructure, energy and technology. These commitments will drive real economic growth, and Alberta’s construction employers are ready to deliver the projects that make it happen. This level of investment reflects global confidence in Canada’s economic strength and will help support long-term growth and opportunity. It is reinforced by new federal measures aimed at improving productivity and encouraging capital investment. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced the new Productivity Mega Deduction, which will let businesses deduct the full cost of a wider range of assets right away. The total tax savings do not increase, but they arrive sooner, which helps project owners justify new work. For Alberta’s construction sector, immediate expensing lowers the after-tax cost of investing and can help project owners move large energy and infrastructure work forward. Investment is only one part of the equation. Projects also need predictable approvals and a skilled workforce to move from announcement to construction. Alberta’s construction employers are facing growing vacancies in trades

On September 15, CLRA welcomed Robert Fernandez, Chair of Invest Alberta’s Board of Directors, for an Industry Insights session on Alberta’s investment climate and the growing interest in AI and data infrastructure. With investment decisions directly influencing the construction industry, the major projects our members build, and the workforce needed to deliver them, the discussion was top of mind for construction employers. The conversation looked at Alberta’s position in a changing global investment landscape and what it will take for the province to stay competitive as major projects move ahead. Fernandez spoke about Alberta’s strong foundation of resources and talent, and the group discussed how the province can build on that strength by improving productivity, adopting new technology and delivering projects on time and on budget. Fernandez said confidence plays a major role in attracting investment, and Alberta’s ability to execute projects well is central to that. Fernandez also talked about Canada’s high standing with global investors and what that means for Alberta’s ability to secure capital for major resource projects and critical infrastructure. With the scale of projects coming online, the demand for skilled labour will be significant. He highlighted the need for creative approaches to workforce attraction, including

September 16, 2026 – Construction Labour Relations Association (CLRA) and seven of Alberta’s local building trades unions have signed a Preferred Project Agreement (PPA) that will make NAIT’s new $779 million Advanced Skills Centre (ASC) a first of its kind worksite as a classroom for apprentices. The agreement comes at a time when Alberta is preparing for roughly $22 billion in energy investment and more than 20,000 new construction related jobs by 2030. The PPA means project owners, contractors and the building trades agree to make apprenticeship training part of how a project is built. Contractors are expected to create apprenticeship opportunities in each of the on-site trades where project needs allow, support apprentices in gaining the on-the-job hours required for their progression and explore opportunities to move apprentices to another contractor on the project if their current employer’s work wraps up. The goal is to treat the work site as part of the learning environment and give apprentices more consistent and predictable opportunities to progress. CLRA is piloting this model with NAIT on the ASC, which will be a major training hub for apprentices. The PPA helps ensure a steady supply of skilled tradespeople and stable labour relations throughout