Advocacy - Vancouver Regional Construction Association

14 04, 2022

Construction Industry Faces Yet Another Challenge: Fixed-Price Contracts in a Price-Volatile Market

By admin|April 14th, 2022|Advocacy, Membership|

The Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) hosted a free, online panel discussion on what is currently the hottest topic in construction: Fixed-Price Contracts in a Price-Volatile Market. Over 215 association members attended the 90-minute session, which broke attendance records for the VRCA’s online events. Donna Grant, President, moderated, with the following panelists fielding questions [...]

5 07, 2021

Skilled Trades Certification Town Hall

By craigvrca|July 5th, 2021|Advocacy|

Our Compulsory Skilled Trades Certification Town Hall gave VRCA members the opportunity to share their voice and hear the input of others. We thank all who attended and are happy to share the recorded session here. Thanks to Chris Atchison, BCCA President, for his presentation and for answering members’ questions. His PowerPoint presentation [...]

23 10, 2020

Industry leaders to discuss mental health

By David Weir|October 23rd, 2020|Advocacy, Mental Health, Occupational Health & Safety|

The last session of the 5 Part Virtual Summit included in the Psychological Support Toolkit for Employees and Employers: COVID-19 will be streamed at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29. It will feature an industry leaders panel providing their perspective on COVID-19 and the effects on mental health and wellness in the workplace. Register [...]

26 06, 2020

CBA legal challenge heads to B.C. Court of Appeal

By David Weir|June 26th, 2020|Advocacy, Community Benefits Agreement|

The construction industry partners challenging B.C.’s Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) will be in court July 16 and 17 to appeal the B.C. Supreme Court ruling that stalled the judicial review last February. The B.C. Court of Appeal will be asked to overturn Supreme Court Justice Christopher Giaschi’s decision striking portions of the petition for [...]

6 03, 2020

VRCA assembles resources for job seekers

By David Weir|March 6th, 2020|Advocacy, In The News|

Employment in British Columbia’s construction industry is expected to grow by nearly 8 per cent – approximately 16,600 jobs – over the coming decade. At the same time, B.C.’s construction workforce is getting older. By 2029, some 44,200 men and women – approximately 22 per cent of construction workers – are expected to retire. [...]

2 03, 2020

CBA update – BCIB publishes updated FAQ

By David Weir|March 2nd, 2020|Advocacy, Community Benefits Agreement, In The News|

Contractors wanting to understand how B.C.’s Community Benefit Agreement (CBA) will be applied may find the answers they need in an updated Contractor & Subcontractor Q and A document produced by B.C. Infrastructure Benefits Inc. (BCIB). The updated Q&A, which was posted recently to a redesigned BCIB website, provides answers to several questions VRCA [...]

2 03, 2020

Share your concerns on commercial insurance

By David Weir|March 2nd, 2020|Advocacy, In The News|

The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is aware of concerns related to rising insurance costs for certain lines of business, such as commercial condominium, commercial trucking and school boards. Consumers in other sectors may also experience similar challenges. To address the concerns, IBC has created a National Commercial Insurance Task Force to examine the [...]

2 03, 2020

VRCA launches Top 16 ways in which to navigate the skilled labour shortage

By David Weir|March 2nd, 2020|Advocacy, In The News|

VRCA members surveyed tell us the No. 1 issue keeping them up at night is the skilled labour shortage. And with good reason: The Lower Mainland will be short 7,300 skilled tradesmen and women by late 2021, and short 17,400 by 2029. Province wide, the construction industry will be short 11,700 skilled trades professionals [...]

25 11, 2019

Celebrate Canada’s first National Construction Day

By David Weir|November 25th, 2019|Advocacy, Events, In The News|

The Vancouver Regional Construction Association joins the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) and construction associations across the country to mark the first annual National Construction Day on Tuesday, Nov. 26. The objective of the day is to recognize and celebrate the dedicated, hard-working men and women who are instrumental in building and connecting our communities [...]

22 11, 2019

VRCA attends rally demanding government stops the CBA roll-out

By David Weir|November 22nd, 2019|Advocacy, Community Benefits Agreement, In The News|

The Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) joined industry representatives and progressive labour unions at the B.C. legislature on November 19 to demand the provincial government stop the roll-out of its prescriptive and regressive Community Benefits Agreement (CBA), introduced in July 2018. “Our industry is deeply offended at the lack of industry engagement that took [...]

21 10, 2019

Community Benefits Agreement and regional advocacy the focus at November Division meetings

By David Weir|October 21st, 2019|Advocacy, Community Benefits Agreement, General Contractors, Manufacturers & Suppliers, Trade Contractors|

The provincial government policy requiring key infrastructure projects to be built using the Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) framework continues to be one of the top issues worrying B.C.’s construction industry. Join us at Division meetings in November to get an update on: The legal challenge to the CBA brought by VRCA and its industry [...]

4 10, 2019

BCLI seeks feedback on proposed changes to Builders Lien Act

By David Weir|October 4th, 2019|Advocacy|

The British Columbia Law Institute (BCLI) has issued a Consultation Paper on the Builders Lien Act and is seeking feedback from all sectors of the B.C. construction industry and other stakeholders to detailed proposals for changes to the Act. Read more about the Builders Lien Act Reform Project. BCLI wishes to hear from all [...]

15 04, 2019

VRCA welcomes trade tribunal’s recommendation to end safeguards on five of seven types of steel

By David Weir|April 15th, 2019|Advocacy, In The News|

The Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) joins the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) in welcoming the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) recommendations to terminate preliminary safeguards imposed on five of seven categories of steel products. “We’re pleased that CITT is recommending an end to safeguards on five categories of steel products,” said Fiona Famulak, VRCA [...]

21 01, 2019

Separating fact from fake on the B.C government’s infrastructure deal

By David Weir|January 21st, 2019|Advocacy, Community Benefits Agreement, In The News|

Do you support forcing the Canucks to play with half of their own players while having the other half assigned to them at game time? We suspect few would agree to such a proposal, yet that’s exactly what the B.C. Government is asking construction companies to do under its Community Benefits Agreement (CBA). Paul [...]

14 01, 2019

Have you seen the resources on VRCA’s website to help members get relief from steel import tariffs?

By David Weir|January 14th, 2019|Advocacy|

VRCA member companies can apply for targeted relief from Canadian tariffs on certain imports from both U.S. and non-U.S. sources using links found on VRCA’s website. On Dec. 19, the Government of Canada announced targeted surtax relief on imports of steel and aluminum products for specific companies facing particular circumstances, such as contractual obligations, [...]

26 11, 2018

Canadian Construction Association applauds initiatives in federal government’s fall economic update

By David Weir|November 26th, 2018|Advocacy|

The Government of Canada published its fall economic update on Nov. 21. Below is the statement that CCA released for member information. Canadian Construction Association applauds government’s initiatives to restore business confidence The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) applauds the government’s efforts to restore business confidence in Canada as stated in the fall economic update [...]

26 11, 2018

Urgent feedback needed regarding steel safeguards (tariffs)

By admin|November 26th, 2018|Advocacy|

VRCA continues to advocate vigorously on its members' behalf to secure a solution to the tariffs on U.S. steel and aluminum and safeguards (tariffs) on non-U.S. steel products. At very short notice, via the B.C. Construction Association, we have been asked by the Trade Policy and Negotiations Branch of B.C.’s Ministry of Jobs, Trade [...]

19 11, 2018

BCCA shares BCIB’s responses regarding the Community Benefits Agreement

By David Weir|November 19th, 2018|Advocacy, Community Benefits Agreement|

There are many questions about the Community Benefits Agreement that can’t be answered by reading the agreement itself. Some, but not all, of the questions were answered during a recent meeting between the B.C. Construction Association (BCCA) and BC Infrastructure Benefits (BCIB). Based on member feedback at the Oct. 17 Division meeting, VRCA compiled [...]

29 10, 2018

VRCA needs your feedback on proposed changes to B.C.’s Labour Relations Code

By David Weir|October 29th, 2018|Advocacy, In The News|

VRCA needs member feedback to help it prepare a response to proposed changes to B.C.’s Labour Relations Code. On Oct. 25, the provincial government posted the report from a panel of special advisors tasked with reviewing the Labour Relations Code. The full report contains 29 recommendations covering a wide range of topics such as [...]

22 10, 2018

Who really benefits from community benefits agreements?

By David Weir|October 22nd, 2018|Advocacy, Community Benefits Agreement, Events, In The News|

VRCA and Mierau Contractors Ltd. are co-sponsoring the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce November luncheon Nov. 1. The topic is: "Who really benefits from community benefits agreements?" The guest speaker will be Ken Baerg, executive director of Canada Works. Baerg is a seasoned labour relations strategist and practitioner who is passionate about supporting sustainable and [...]

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