Saskatchewan’s construction industry needs help, and the Saskatchewan Construction Association (SKCA) is calling on MLAs to consider its proposals in the upcoming election.
SKCA president and CEO Mark Cooper laid out what the construction industry needs from the province on Monday morning. As shopping and buying local grows in popularity, the association is asking for the province to bring that same mentality to construction.
Cooper is asking that local construction companies — of which there are 9,000 in Saskatchewan — be set up to win local contracts as construction comes back online in the province.
“Saskatchewan work should go to Saskatchewan companies,” said Cooper. Right now Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba and other provinces can bid for local projects, depending on trade agreements and jurisdictional agreements.
“It starts with ongoing and early engagement with local vendors. That doesn’t happen today,” he said. “The culture within government doesn’t really see that procurement is a local economic development opportunity.”
With existing trade regulations, this kind of treatment may be difficult, which is why Cooper wants there to be an “after-action report” when a local company loses out on a contract.
Prompt payment is also on the table with Cooper saying that it would be a huge help in the midst of COVID-19, asking for the legislation that would require construction companies to be paid quickly after work is completed to be enforced by April 1, 2021 at the latest.