PCA Welcomes Focus on Infrastructure in Federal Speech from the Throne

EDMONTON, Dec. 4, 2015 /CNW/ – The Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA) today welcomed the new federal government’s focus on infrastructure in the Speech from the Throne. The Speech outlined key federal government priorities on infrastructure investment and Employment Insurance reform that will help strengthen the skilled trades sector.

“PCA members will play a significant role in building the infrastructure of tomorrow,” said PCA President Paul de Jong. “The measures announced in today’s Throne Speech will create good and meaningful jobs for Canadians.”

PCA member companies and their employees will be interested in a number of initiatives outlined in the Speech from the Throne, including:

*   Significant new investments in public transit, green infrastructure and social infrastructure

*   Reforms to the Employment Insurance system

*   Measures to enhance the Canada Pension Plan

“PCA will be active with Canada’s new federal government to advance progressive labour policies on behalf of our members. We will continue to work to ensure that as new federal infrastructure dollars start to flow there are opportunities for all companies, regardless of labour model, to bid on these projects,” concluded de Jong.

About the Progressive Contractors Association of Canada (PCA)

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

PCA’s goal is to ensure that Canada has a fair and open construction industry, cooperative labour relations, and a robust, inclusive and highly-capable workforce. PCA believes in open competition in which no sector is given artificial and unfair advantage over another on the basis of union affiliation or lack thereof.

SOURCE Progressive Contractors Association of Canada

For further information:

Media inquiries: Darrel Reid, dreid@pcac.ca<mailto:dreid@pcac.ca>, (403) 978-3171