Journal of Commerce | DCN-JOC News Services | November 14, 2025
OTTAWA – Eighteen construction sector organizations have joined forces, penning a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney in the wake of his latest major projects list.
They are urging the Liberals to rethink their procurement practices when it comes to building Canada up on a global spectrum.
“Every day, more than 1.6 million skilled men and women – most of them working in open shop or progressive unions/open managed companies – build the infrastructure that keeps our country moving,” the letter reads. “They pour the concrete, weld the steel, and raise the towers that define our skylines, connect our communities, and develop the natural resources that power our nation. Yet despite their skill and dedication, they are too often told they aren’t welcome on government-funded projects simply because they don’t belong to the ‘right’ union.
“That must end.”
In essence the letter states the government needs to “reject any attempt to impose building trades union (BTU)-only Project Labour Agreements (PLAs) or Community Benefits Agreements (CBAs), as well as any prevailing wage schemes akin to the Investment Tax Credit, which presumes BTU wages and benefits as a sole basis, on federally funded projects.”
It cites B.C. as a “cautionary tale,” saying since 2018 the NDP government in that province has been using the CBA model, which has led to “projects delayed by years, more than $1.7 billion in cost overruns (and counting), and fewer bidders and workers.”
Manitoba has also started to use a similar policy, but yet more than 70 per cent of the
construction industry are not a member of a building trades union, the letter notes.
“Workers lose opportunities and jobs, and taxpayers have paid more and gotten less. That’s not fairness. That’s political favouritism dressed up as public policy,” the coalition states.
Since the government has emphasized it wants to double the pace of homebuilding, expand public infrastructure and build major projects to make the economy more competitive, the coalition says the starting point “cannot be to divide workers, telling most they are not welcome and denying them jobs and opportunity…Open bidding demonstrably delivers better value, more competition and stronger communities.
“Prime minister, this is a defining moment for fairness and fiscal responsibility in public construction. Canadians are watching how their government spends their money. If you truly believe in value for taxpayer dollars, competition, economic reconciliation and opportunity, the answer is simple: keep public projects open to all qualified workers and contractors, regardless of union affiliation.”
COALITION SIGNATORIES TO THE LETTER
- MERIT CANADA
- NATIONAL COALITION OF CHIEFS
- FIRST NATIONS NATURAL GAS ALLIANCE
- CLAC (CHRISTIAN LABOUR ASSOCIATION OF CANADA)
- CANADIAN IRON, STEEL AND INDUSTRIAL WORKERS UNION
- ALL NATIONS UNITED
- PROGRESSIVE CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION OF CANADA
- INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS AND BUSINESSES ASSOCIATION
- BRITISH COLUMBIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
- INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS AND BUSINESSES ASSOCIATION ALBERTA
- ALBERTA ENTERPRISE GROUP
- MERIT CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION OF SASKATCHEWAN
- SASKATCHEWAN HEAVY CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION
- ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION OF SASKATCHEWAN
- CONSTRUCTION ASSOCIATION OF SASKATCHEWAN
- MERIT MANITOBA
- MERIT ONTARIO
- MERIT NOVA SCOTIA