ACA Updates Public Policies
ACA has updated its Public Policies. The Public Policies, available at www.albertaconstruction.net, educate stakeholders of industry views. A number of our policies are new or updated.
The Policies are organized under 5 headings:
1 General Statements
2 Free Trade
3 Infrastructure
4 Industry Practices
5 Human Resources
Under Industry Practices, the Board approved a new policy entitled “Social Procurement / Community Benefits” as follows:
“ACA is opposed to using the procurement of construction services to advance unrelated community benefits and other public policy objectives where they jeopardize the integrity of the competitive bid system”.
Social procurement is being discussed at all levels of Government. Federally, the Canadian Construction Association has testified on Bill C-227, An Act to amend the Department of Public Works and Government Services Act (community benefit), currently being reviewed by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure, and Communities.
Ontario’s Bill 6 (Infrastructure for Jobs and Prosperity Act, 2015) includes the following planning principle:” Infrastructure planning and investment should promote community benefits, being the supplementary social and economic benefits arising from an infrastructure project that are intended to improve the well-being of a community affected by the project, such as local job creation and training opportunities (including for apprentices, within the meaning of section 9), improvement of public space within the community, and any specific benefits identified by the community.”
Here in Alberta, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo has approved Adoption of a Social Procurement Framework. The Alberta Government’s current Procurement Policy Review is, among other outcomes, seeking to encourage “fair treatment of Alberta businesses and Alberta workers”.
In representing industry, ACA Vice Chair Chris Ambrozic has cited the ACA Policy and urged the Alberta Government to utilize standardized contracts to promote fairness and provide opportunity for firms with limited means to retain legal counsel to review non-standard, potentially onerous commercial contracts. He further urged that tender documents and processes be clear with defined measurables to ensure fair, transparent bidding and objective evaluation. Without clarity and objectivity, tender authorities risk perceptions of unfairness and open themselves to potential litigation.
ACA looks forward to continued discussions with governments to ensure sanctity of the bidding process.
ACA has updated its Public Policies. The Public Policies, available at www.albertaconstruction.net , educate stakeholders of industry views. A number of our policies are new or updated.
The Policies are organized under 5 headings:
1 General Statements
2 Free Trade
3 Infrastructure
4 Industry Practices
5 Human Resources
Under Industry Practices, the Board approved a new policy entitled “Social Procurement / Community Benefits” as follows:
“ACA is opposed to using the procurement of construction services to advance unrelated community benefits and other public policy objectives where they jeopardize the integrity of the competitive bid system”.
Social procurement is being discussed at all levels of Government. Federally, the Canadian Construction Association has testified on Bill C-227, An Act to amend the Department of Public Works and Government Services Act (community benefit), currently being reviewed by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure, and Communities.
Ontario’s Bill 6 (Infrastructure for Jobs and Prosperity Act, 2015) includes the following planning principle:” Infrastructure planning and investment should promote community benefits, being the supplementary social and economic benefits arising from an infrastructure project that are intended to improve the well-being of a community affected by the project, such as local job creation and training opportunities (including for apprentices, within the meaning of section 9), improvement of public space within the community, and any specific benefits identified by the community.”
Here in Alberta, the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo has approved Adoption of a Social Procurement Framework. The Alberta Government’s current Procurement Policy Review is, among other outcomes, seeking to encourage “fair treatment of Alberta businesses and Alberta workers”.
In representing industry, ACA Vice Chair Chris Ambrozic has cited the ACA Policy and urged the Alberta Government to utilize standardized contracts to promote fairness and provide opportunity for firms with limited means to retain legal counsel to review non-standard, potentially onerous commercial contracts. He further urged that tender documents and processes be clear with defined measurables to ensure fair, transparent bidding and objective evaluation. Without clarity and objectivity, tender authorities risk perceptions of unfairness and open themselves to potential litigation.
ACA looks forward to continued discussions with governments to ensure sanctity of the bidding process.