August 27, 2024 – The next general election in British Columbia is scheduled for October 19. To turn the spotlight on the construction industry, two industry associations are proposing a new role in cabinet.

With BC’s construction industry contributing $27 billion to the province’s GDP, and the total current value of construction projects sitting at $160+ billion, the Vancouver Regional Construction Association (VRCA) and BC Construction Association (BCCA) argue “it’s high time the sector had its own dedicated voice at the legislature in Victoria”.

To that end, the associations are proposing the creation of the provincial cabinet role: Minister of Construction.

“The BC Construction Association has been calling upon the Government to create a Ministry of Construction since 2019,” said BCCA president Chris Atchison. “Given the importance of BC’s construction industry—not to mention its size, complexity, and impact on communities across the province—we remain steadfast in asking for this commitment.”

The associations say the Minister of Construction would serve as “the ultimate project manager”, cutting through red tape and laying the groundwork “for a smoother, more efficient construction process in BC”.

“We need a minister who will ensure our industry gets the voice and attention it deserves,” added VRCA president Jeannine Martin. “It’s time we had someone in charge of this vital, economy-driving, entrepreneurial industry.”

From introducing prompt payment legislation to navigating the complexities of permits and addressing the skilled labour shortage, the Minister of Construction would be the go-to minister for everything related to the province’s construction sector.

“Our friends at [BCCA and VRCA] are absolutely right: it’s time for BC to have a Minister of Construction,” wrote Matt MacInnis, president of Electrical Contractors Association of British Columbia.

“Since joining [ECABC], it’s become clear to me that one of the challenges the sector has with advocacy is that no minister has accountability or responsibility for construction,” MacInnis added.

BCCA and VRCA are calling on all parties to consider their proposal. “We’re building the future,” Martin said. “And we think it’s time the government had someone in charge who gets that.”