Pen was put to paper on Tuesday morning to complete a historic agreement that will bring labour stability to Cape Breton’s construction industry over the next five years.

The contract signing by members of the Cape Breton Building and Construction Trades Council comes as major builds across the island, particularly the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, begin to ramp up.

The collective agreement covers the commercial and industrial sectors of the construction industry that are building the new Nova Scotia Community College downtown campus, an addition to the Cape Breton Regional Hospital and other public and private projects that have an estimated worth of $1.5 billion.

Its length tops that of past agreements, including one many years ago that saw a three-year agreement with Port Hawkesbury Paper extended by one year.

“We are about to embark on something that is really fantastic for all of us in this room and for a lot of Cape Bretoners, Nova Scotians and further out as well when the opportunity comes,” said Jack Wall, president of the trades council, who described the agreement as a modest one due to the present uncertainty of the economy.

“What we did, was we understand what happened with COVID and we understand the economy is trying to hold on right now, so we didn’t actually go after a lot for the first two years. But we figured we need to get close to the cost of living for the last three. The contractors agreed. They agreed for this year and for next year, let’s take modest increases and help them out as well, so they can get back on their feet, as well.”

Robert Shepherd, president of the Nova Scotia Construction Labour Relations Association, was also on hand at the Membertou Trade and Convention Centre for the signing.

Like Wall, he spoke of the labour stability the contract will bring.

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