November 27, 2006

Associations

Construction Advisory Council a go

PATRICIA WILLIAMS

staff writer

The Ontario government has given the green light to establish a long-awaited construction advisory council.

The entity, at least five years in the works, will provide a forum “to exchange ideas and provide feedback” on issues of significance to the industry, said David Caplan, minister of Public Infrastructure Renewal (PIR).

It will include representation from the residential and non-residential sectors, the design community, construction users and labour.

The first meeting is Dec. 14.

“I look forward to discussing industry issues that relate to PIR and those that are widely provincial in scope to maximize the effectiveness of our programs and mandate,” Caplan said in a letter to the Council of Ontario Construction Associations (COCA).

The news was welcomed by key industry players.

COCA president David Frame told Daily Commercial News the initiative is an important one, “given that pretty well every key sector of the economy has a cabinet minister who speaks on its behalf.

“What this really does is set up a forum for the minister (Caplan) to work closely with the industry and to take his knowledge of the industry forward to cabinet when there are issues pertaining to it.”

Frame said Caplan, who is “depending on a strong and vibrant” construction industry to deliver his ambitious infrastructure renewal program, has agreed to use the council as a vehicle to advocate on the industry’s behalf.

Priority issues to be tabled for discussion are currently being identified.

Clive Thurston, president of the Ontario General Contractors Association (OGCA), called creation of the council “an extremely positive move by the government to engage the industry in meaningful dialogue” and move its infrastructure program forward.

“We’re fully behind it,” he said.

The move was also applauded by John Gamble, president of Consulting Engineers of Ontario (CEO), one of three associations from the design sector to be represented on the new council.

“The design and construction industry is one of the most significant contributors to the province’s social, economic and environmental quality of life,” Gamble said. “It’s important that our voice is heard by government.

“Frequently, a lot of government policy, as much as it might have been well intended, is developed in isolation from some of the practical realities of implementation and without consideration of the cumulative impact on the industry.

"It's important that our voice be heard by government."

John Gamble

CEO

“Hopefully, this will allow us to help the government come up with sound policies and forward-looking strategies to efficiently and safely deliver sustainable infrastructure and sustainable construction and get on with the business of building this province.”

The list of organizations to be represented on the 14-person council include the Ontario Road Builders Association, the Ontario Association of Architects, the Toronto Construction Association, RESCON, the Ontario Sewer and Watermain Construction Association and the Ontario Construction Users Council in addition to CEO and OGCA.

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