CLRA is encouraged by Dow Inc.’s confirmation that its $10-billion Path2Zero petrochemical project is moving ahead in Fort Saskatchewan. The company announced a new timeline with the first phase expected to start by the end of 2029 and a second phase operating by the end of 2030. This represents one of the largest active industrial projects in Alberta and a significant opportunity for the province’s skilled construction workforce. Last April, the company had delayed construction plans to reflect market conditions. Their renewed commitment provides the kind of certainty Alberta’s construction industry needs. The project is expected to create up to 5,500 jobs during peak construction and approximately 400 to 500 full-time jobs once fully operating. For CLRA members and the skilled trades workforce across Alberta, this represents substantial multi-year work in the Industrial Heartland region northeast of Edmonton. “Major petrochemical projects like Path2Zero are exactly the kind of project that puts our skilled trades to work and showcases what Alberta’s construction industry can deliver,” said CLRA President Joe McFadyen. “Our members have the expertise to build complex facilities like this and we’re ready to work with Dow to ensure they have access to the skilled labour they need.” The project

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