Canadian Construction Association applauds federal budget’s significant infrastructure investments, calls for coordinated workforce strategy

Today’s federal budget positions construction as a strategic driver of Canada’s economic growth. The Canadian Construction Association welcomes these investments and looks forward to working together with the federal government to address the industry’s workforce shortages.

OTTAWA, ON, Nov. 4, 2025 /CNW/ – The Canadian Construction Association (CCA) welcomes today’s federal budget, which puts construction at the heart of Canada’s economic strategy through investments in infrastructure, defence, and housing. These measures are critical to supporting the businesses and people who build the homes, transportation networks, and other projects Canadians rely on every day.

CCA commends the government’s significant $115-billion investment in infrastructure, including $51 billion for local infrastructure such as housing and transportation, which will support communities across Canada and enable the ambitious homebuilding agenda.

“Canada has underinvested in critical infrastructure for decades,” said Rodrigue Gilbert, President of CCA. “These investments reflect the essential role of housing-enabling infrastructure in addressing the national housing shortage and committing substantial resources to these projects.”

CCA also welcomes today’s investment for the Major Projects Office, and the recognition within the budget that “for too long, the construction of major infrastructure in Canada has been stalled by arduous, inefficient approval processes.”

While the budget marks an important step toward recognizing construction’s role in Canada’s economy, CCA continues to call for a coordinated national workforce strategy, one that connects immigration, apprenticeships, upskilling, and the destigmatization of careers in the skilled trades.

“The construction sector employs 1.6 million Canadians and contributes $165 billion to Canada’s GDP, yet we continue to face significant labour shortages,” said Gilbert. “Without a long-term, coordinated workforce strategy, any ambitious construction agenda will stall.”

The government’s investment in foreign credential recognition is also important, however CCA cautions that it is too narrowly focused on unionized programs.

“Union training programs play an important role in building Canada’s workforce, but we must ensure equitable access to training and credential recognition for all workers, including the 70 per cent of Canada’s construction workforce that is non-unionized,” said Gilbert. “If we want to build more homes and infrastructure faster, we need investments that don’t leave the majority of workers behind.”

Finally, CCA supports the government’s ambition to strengthen domestic industry, but procurement policies must not unintentionally restrict the construction supply chain. Canada’s builders depend on a reliable flow of materials and components. Continued dialogue with the construction sector is critical to ensuring that domestic sourcing policies strengthen rather than constrain Canada’s ability to build.

“We look forward to working with the federal government to ensure domestic sourcing policies strengthen — not constrain — Canada’s construction capacity,” said Gilbert. “When government and industry work together, we can deliver more skilled workers, modern infrastructure, and stronger communities. Together, we build Canada.”

About the Canadian Construction Association

CCA represents more than 18,000 member firms drawn from 57 local and provincial integrated partner associations across Canada. CCA gives voice to the public policy, legal and standards development goals of contractors, suppliers and allied business professionals working in, or with, Canada’s institutional, commercial, industrial, civil and multi-residential construction industry.

The construction sector is one of Canada’s largest employers and a major contributor to the country’s economic success. The industry, 99.9 per cent of which is made up of small and medium enterprises, employs more than 1.6 million Canadians and contributes 7.3 per cent of Canada’s Gross Domestic Product.

SOURCE Canadian Construction Association