ACA has developed recommendations on improving the Temporary Foreign Workers (TFWs) program. Although the issue is no longer on the media front pages it remains an important discussion and now is the time to improve the program before the need becomes urgent.

ACA and its members remain committed to employing Albertans and Canadians first. Despite this commitment, the long lead times to develop experienced trades, coupled with the project based nature of construction means that the need for TFWs remains.

To read our submission please click here.

ACA is concerned that Albertans may not be aware of the potential negative impacts on employers of proposed legislative changes.  ACA has embarked on a strategy ACA Construction & Community Together, to help raise Albertans awareness of the importance of maintaining strong construction employers to their community.

ACA tested the concept this summer.  ACA met directly with members, local construction associations, and some of the weekly print media of Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, and Red Deer regions. During these meetings, we were able to talk with our members about the construction industry, their passions, community involvement, and how government can support and undermine our businesses.

ACA has created a YouTube channel to share the videos we recorded with four of our members. Derek O’Connor from Fort Macleod, Jim Taylor from Medicine Hat, Will Woodward and Kelly Slepicka from Red Deer are featured. In each of these videos our members talk about how they got into construction, what projects they are most proud of and how they contribute to the larger community.

It is hoped that these videos, our social media campaigns, and meeting with smaller print media will allow us to continue to build a long-term method to help educate the public on the importance of construction members in their community and the economic and social benefits our members offer.

You can visit our YouTube channel here.

For decades, hard hats have been synonymous with construction job site safety. Recently an article on the Construction Junkies blog looked at a new alternative.

The one major flaw of hard hats, however, is that if workers fall, the hard hat rarely stays on their head, exposing them to possible head injuries resulting from the fall. The US based National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has launched testing aimed at finding alternatives. Their study is not complete yet.

So far, attention has turned to safety helmets, similar to the ones search and rescue teams and mountaineers wear. These helmets come with chin straps, and are seen as a possible solution. Contractors in Europe have begun to test safety helmets on the job site and found that it has worked well for them.

To read the full article click here.