WCR&HCA BACKGROUND & HISTORY
The WCR&HCA consists of the four western Canada roadbuilder associations: BC Road Builders & Heavy Construction Association (BCRB&HCA); Alberta Roadbuilders & Heavy Construction Association (ARHCA); Saskatchewan Heavy Construction Association (SHCA); and the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA).
Originally known as the Prairie Roadbuilders Association, the Western Canada Roadbuilders & Heavy Construction Association (WCR&HCA) was founded in 1943 in Regina, Saskatchewan.
The Saskatchewan and Manitoba roadbuilder associations were the first members. The Alberta Roadbuilders Association joined in 1956, followed by the British Columbia Roadbuilders Association in 1973. The Association’s name changed to the Western Canada Roadbuilders Association (WCRA) in 1973, and in 1996 the name was expanded to the Western Canada Roadbuilders & Heavy Construction Association, to better reflect all the industries represented.
MISSION STATEMENT & MANDATE
“Committed advocate for economic and industry growth.”
The WCR&HCA’s mandate is to advocate for sustained and strategic investments in Canada’s core infrastructure and transportation networks that support productivity enhancements, competitiveness, and economic growth for the western region and the country.
This approach recognizes that growing the economy is the nation’s most important priority. Without a growing economy, there is no revenue for governments to support programs that sustain or enhance Canada’s quality of life and standard of living.
PUBLIC POLICY & RELATED ENGAGEMENT HIGHLIGHTS
The WCR&HCA advocacy is influenced and shaped by events along with the Board’s assessment of policies that advance Canada’s best interests supporting economic growth and social welfare, with national purpose and benefits at the centre.
Among the WCR&HCA highlight areas of public policy are:
National Highways Commission: WCR&HCA called upon the national government to establish the Commission to coordinate all matters associated with construction of national highways in support of economic growth in 1953.
The Road & Information Program Canada (TRIP/Canada): Formed in 1983, it underpinned national advocacy efforts in support of sustained and strategic investment in Canada’s core infrastructure needs. TRIP/Canada has since become known as the Canadian Construction Association’s (CCA) Civil Infrastructure Council, where national lobby efforts are coordinated.
National Infrastructure Policy (NIP): Adopted in 1995, this led to a national effort to advocate for three public policy areas: municipal infrastructure investments; national highway system (NHS); and strategic infrastructure investments collectively enabling new economic activity. Elements of the NIP were reflected in the 2007 federal budget.
Transportation Awareness Partnership (TAP): To better influence public opinion, in 2004, the WCR&HCA led the formation of the TAP whose objective was to increase public awareness on the importance of transportation to Canada’s standard of living.
Western Canada Transportation System (WCTS): Development of WCTS was initiated by the WCR&HCA following the 2005 Western Transportation Ministers’ Report, which called for a strategic transportation system for Western Canada. The collaborative efforts led by the WCR&HCA resulted in a 2007 report outlining its broad footprint which was endorsed by the four western provinces.
Infrastructure & the Economy: In 2008, the WCR&HCA initiated advocacy at the national level stating that infrastructure investment is the engine that fuels economic growth. The CCA adopted this as its primary infrastructure messaging in 2010, in addition to providing research and funding for two reports by the Canada West Foundation (At the Intersection: The Case for Sustained and Strategic Public Infrastructure Investment, 2013, and Building on Advantage: Improving Canada’s Trade Infrastructure, 2014), and one by Mowat Centre (From the Ground Up: The Role of Local Governments in Building Canada’s Economic Infrastructure Network, 2015) that continue to influence national stakeholder views and Canada’s public investment in trade-enabling infrastructure.
Trade Team West (TTW): Building in 2015, the WCR&HCA launched the TTW advocacy initiative which encouraged the four western provincial governments to adopt policy and programs supporting integrated, sustained, and strategic investment in new and existing multi-modal infrastructure assets (road, rail, air, marine, and pipelines) to further enhance Western Canada and Canada’s global-trade profile.
Training & Education: Supported strategies that assist in attracting, training, and retaining a skilled workforce, to meet the growing demands of the construction industry.
New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA): Supported the principles underpinning the New West Partnership for inter-provincial cooperation on economic development.
Indigenous Engagement: Initiated and chaired a CCA Task Force which resulted in the 2016 publication of the award-winning CCA Indigenous Engagement Best Practices Guide.
Engagement with the Canadian Construction Association (CCA): The WCR&HCA is a leading voice with the CCA on key issues, including linking strategic investment in trade-enabling infrastructure and growing the economy; accelerating and clarifying federal infrastructure funding programs; the pursuit of regular ‘Canadian Infrastructure report cards’ which assess the condition of Canada’s municipal infrastructure; workforce development strategies; silica management and best practices guide; standard specifications and contracts; opposition and tracking of the use of reprisal clauses by public sector entities; and support free trade within Canada.
‘From Shovel Ready to Shovel Worthy’ report: In 2020, the WCR&HCA partnered with the CCA and the Canada West Foundation to develop a national trade infrastructure investment strategy aimed at spurring economic growth, with strategic investment in Canada’s trade gateways and corridors. The May 2022 report, ‘From Shovel Ready to Shovel Worthy’ outlined foundational principles for trade-enabling infrastructure investment. It emphasized focusing investment away from shovel ready to a focus on shovel worthy priorities. The objective was to concentrate on projects that deliver national and global trade-productivity gains, maximizing the return on investment.
Canada Trade Infrastructure Plan (CTIP): From 2021 to present, the WCR&HCA initiated the development of the CTIP in collaboration with national organizations including the Business Council of Canada (BCC); Canada West Foundation (CWF); Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC); Canadian Construction Association (CCA); Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA); Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME); and the Civil Infrastructure Council Corporation (CICC). Stemming from the CWF’s ‘From Shovel Ready to Shovel Worthy’ report, CTIP advocates for prioritizing trade-enabling infrastructure investment in projects that enhance national and global trade productivity, emphasizing return on investment over readiness alone.
CTIP gained strong national traction. In 2023, CTIP principles were unanimously endorsed by the Premiers’ Council of the Federation, which called for a first ministers’ meeting with the Prime Minister to align competitiveness and strategic infrastructure investment. Advocacy promoting the national benefits of CTIP continues.
Priorities 2025 and forward
In response to the tariffs and trade war imposed upon Canada by US President Trump, the WCR&HCA has called on political leaders to adopt the following four-pronged approach to build economic diversity and resilience, in support of national benefit:
- Eliminate internal trade barriers.
- Ensure Canada builds the necessary assets, including pipelines, to help export our products east, west and north (port of Churchill).
- Harness the full value of existing free trade agreements and engage in trade discussions with more countries to enhance/diversify our global import/export market profile; and
- To help achieve the above, implement a sustained nation-building effort to invest in Canada’s trade gateways and corridors as called for in CTIP.
STRUCTURE & AFFILIATIONS
The Board of Directors is composed of two directors and the chief operating officers – as ex officio members – from each of the member associations. The Chairperson position rotates every two years amongst the provinces in a westward direction.
Since 1995, the WCR&HCA has been headquartered at the offices of the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association (MHCA) in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The MHCA’s President & CEO also serves as President & CEO of the WCR&HCA. MHCA staff provide required administrative support.
The WCR&HCA is active within the Canadian Construction Association with representation on the CCA Board, on its Civil National Advisory Council and through its members participating in the Civil Infrastructure Council Corporation (CICC). The WCR&HCA members network and advocate broadly with key public and private stakeholders, the media, public and governments in Western Canada and nationally.
CONCLUSION
The WCR&HCA advocacy continues shaped by the development of policies tailored to advance Canada’s best national interests supporting Canada’s economic growth and social welfare.
National purpose and benefit – the hallmarks of WCR&HCA advocacy.