ATCO Energy Systems announced its plans to launch the Yellowhead Mainline Project, a new energy infrastructure that will expand the capacity and efficiency of Alberta’s natural gas network. It will support energy, petrochemical, building materials and hydrogen projects that use natural gas and carbon-capture technology to produce products with lower emissions than previously possible. The project is expected to create more than 2,000 jobs during construction and will provide gas supply for the more than $20 billion of investment in associated employment in Alberta via its customers, including the Dow Fort Saskatchewan Path2Zero project. “Dow appreciates the partnership with ATCO to supply Dow’s Path2Zero project. Together, these projects will have a profound positive impact on communities, creating jobs and economic opportunity for Alberta,” says Diego Ordonez, President of Dow Canada.

Construction Labour Relations Alberta is hosting an exhibitor booth at this year’s Provincial Skills Canada Competition from May 8 to 9 at the Edmonton Expo Centre. Skills Alberta Canada will present the largest trade and technology career exploration event in Alberta, and CLRA is delighted to connect with the next generation of skilled and technology professionals.  Every year, Skills Canada Alberta hosts the Provincial Skills Canada Competition, an Olympic-style contest with 700 competitors showcasing their talent in 3D digital game art, robotics, cabinet making, sheet metal work, and more. The event celebrates skilled and technology professions and is a gateway to a world of career opportunities for secondary and post-secondary students. Hosting more than 80 of Alberta’s top employers, associations, labour groups, training institutes, and government partners, the event offers youth and young adults a large platform to explore a wide variety of skills, trades, and careers. It’s an exciting opportunity for the next generation to learn about different industries and participate in competitions, which will pave the way for their future success. We look forward to partnering with Skills Canada Alberta and meeting the industry’s next generation.

CLRA President Joe McFadyen and Board Chair Bonnie Smith represented members at a meeting with Alberta’s Minister of Advanced Education Rajan Sawhney at the Alberta Legislature earlier this week. This was an important opportunity to discuss opportunities for partnerships between unionized construction employers and the provincial government, and solutions to develop the skilled trades workforce through education, training & apprenticeship opportunities – like the recently announced partnership between the ministry and IUOE 955. Over an hour-long meeting, CLRA discussed how members’ workforce development initiatives align with the Government of Alberta’s efforts to address the labour shortage in the construction industry. We also talked about our Seed vs. Sod approach to enticing workers to our province, and encouraging young people to build rewarding careers in our industry. CLRA looks forward to developing our relationships with our provincial government further, and to convening valuable policy discussions about skilled worker education, training, and economic development with Minister Sawhney and her cabinet colleagues, our unionized construction employer members, and our colleagues across all building trades.