From amplifying the upcoming local election cycle, to municipal engagement, workforce development, and prompt payment legislation, construction continues to be at the centre of some of the most important conversations happening across our region.
Municipal Election Update – Build Lower Mainland Campaign
Launching this July, VRCA’s Build Lower Mainland Campaign is designed to create a platform where construction, candidates, municipalities, and communities come together around the future of housing, infrastructure, workforce development, and economic growth across the region.
This campaign is about more than an election; it is about raising the profile and visibility of construction as the major contributor to the economy, our communities, future careers, and vital infrastructure. It is about ensuring construction has a stronger voice in shaping the future of our communities and creating opportunities for meaningful conversations between industry and decision makers at a critical moment for the Lower Mainland.
Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.
Prompt Payment Update
Last week, BC’s Ministry of Infrastructure officially released its Discussion Paper on the Construction Prompt Payment Act (CPPA), marking another significant step toward prompt payment legislation in British Columbia.
The discussion paper outlines key components of the proposed legislation and invites formal feedback from industry stakeholders.
The BC Construction Association (BCCA), alongside the regional construction association partners including VRCA, is collaboratively leading a comprehensive industry submission in response to the discussion paper. This work includes engagement with BCCA’s Industry Practices Committee, Board of Directors, regional associations, and partner organizations to ensure broad industry representation
Municipal Engagement
VRCA continued its municipal engagement across the Lower Mainland with a stop in Surrey this month with meetings involving city representatives and Development Approval Process Improvement Committee (DAPIC) members, including a follow-up discussion with General Manager of Planning and Development Ron Gill.
The discussions focused on several key issues impacting construction and development in Surrey, including:
Development Cost Charges (DCCs)
Metro Vancouver regional DCC impacts
Development approval processes
Industry participation on advisory committees
Permit timelines and phased permit payment options
Future collaboration opportunities between industry and the City
These conversations are an important part of VRCA’s broader municipal advocacy efforts as we continue building relationships and ensuring construction has a strong voice at local decision-making tables in the lead up to this falls municipal election.
Metro Vancouver Infrastructure Update
On May 21, VRCA attended a Burnaby Board of Trade discussion focused on delivering critical infrastructure amid growing economic uncertainty, featuring representatives from Metro Vancouver.
During the discussion, VRCA’s Director of Advocacy & Engagement, Craig Larkins, raised a question that continues to dominate headlines and industry conversations: if federal infrastructure dollars are available and the need for infrastructure is clear, where is the disconnect in British Columbia?
Metro Vancouver Board Chair Mike Hurley pointed to red tape, lengthy approval processes, and the need for matching provincial funding as major barriers.
That raises an even bigger question: if the funding is there, what is preventing it from moving?
Is it fiscal capacity? Process? Competing priorities?
VRCA will continue advocating for answers on behalf of industry and communities across the Lower Mainland because while governments work through those questions, communities continue growing and projects continue becoming more expensive.
Federal Advocacy: Property Rights Discussion
VRCA also attended the Property Rights Stakeholder Roundtable hosted by Member of Parliament Chau Au and Member of Parliament Tako Van Popta.
The discussion focused on growing national conversations surrounding property rights, development certainty, Indigenous rights frameworks, and the broader implications for housing and infrastructure investment in Canada.
These conversations continue to evolve federally and are increasingly relevant to the construction and development industry as governments work to balance economic growth, housing delivery, Indigenous reconciliation, and regulatory certainty. The event was the lead up to a vote in Ottawa: Majority of MPs vote down Conservative motion calling for private property protection
Federal Engagement
VRCA’s national partner association, the Canadian Construction Association (CCA), is continuing its advocacy efforts in Ottawa ahead of Budget 2026, focused on turning recent federal infrastructure investments into real project delivery results.
Following the federal government’s recent “Build, Baby, Build” commitments, CCA is calling for action on several key industry priorities, including workforce development, modernized procurement, adoption of industry-standard contracts and documents, and improvements to the federal security clearance process. Read CCA’s Key Recommendations here.
The Builders’ Bench : Take a seat on the bench with us!
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and across the construction industry, the conversation is shifting from awareness to action.
On the latest episodes of The Builders’ Bench, Craig Larkins sits down with Rose Olsen from the Tailgate Toolkit and James Boley from PainBC to discuss practical, jobsite-ready approaches to leadership, mental health, and pain management in construction.