Community Benefit Agreements Must be Done Right PCA Urges Alberta MLAs

Edmonton (November 27, 2018) – As the Alberta government lays the groundwork to begin building public infrastructure projects through Community Benefit Agreements, the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA) is urging all MLAs during today’s Alberta Lobby Day to ensure the procurement process is fair for all Alberta taxpayers and workers.

“Community Benefit Agreements can benefit communities, but only if they are designed in a way that’s fair, open and transparent,” said Paul de Jong, President of the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada. “Alberta taxpayers deserve to get good value on their infrastructure investments. Workers also deserve to be treated fairly.”

PCA member companies have been key innovators in Community Benefit Agreements. PCA staff, its members and labour partner CLAC met with MLAs from both the NDP and UCP to raise awareness about the risk to Alberta’s construction industry should Horgan style Community Benefit Agreements be under consideration in Alberta.

“Alberta has an opportunity to get it right, by not following the lead of B.C.,” added de Jong. “No one benefits from rules that force workers to join select unions or drive up infrastructure costs for no good reason. The Alberta government can and should do better.”

PCA is the voice of progressive unionized employers in Canada’s construction industry. Our member companies are responsible for 40 percent of energy and natural resource construction projects in Alberta and British Columbia and are leaders in infrastructure construction across Canada. PCA member companies employ more than 25,000 skilled construction workers in Canada, represented primarily by CLAC.

For further information, contact:
Danna O’Brien, Danna@obriencommunications.ca 416-500-0699

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