“With labour demand rising across Alberta’s construction sector, attracting the next generation of skilled workers remains a priority for CLRA. That’s why the launch of the Alberta Trades Discovery Centre represents an important step forward for the sector and for the province,” said CLRA President, Joe McFadyen. The Alberta government has announced the creation of the Alberta Trades Discovery Centre, an initiative designed to give students hands-on exposure to careers in the skilled trades. The centre will introduce junior high and high school students to construction trades in a professional environment and help them make informed decisions about their future education and career pathways. The province is investing $6 million over three years to support the centre’s initial implementation and operations, aligning with our Seed vs. Sod approach. For CLRA, “Seed” comes first: building a strong local pipeline through education, training and mentorship. Our strategy focuses on attracting more Alberta youth to trades, strengthening training pathways and deepening partnerships with post‑secondary institutions to meet industry needs. This reinforces our commitment to growing Alberta’s own talent. Students will gain practical experience in “try-a-trade” bays, learn directly from experienced tradespeople and explore the wide range of opportunities available across Alberta’s construction sector.

Construction Labour Relations Alberta (CLRA) continued its Industry Insights breakfast series on March 17th, welcoming Infrastructure Minister Martin Long for a discussion on Alberta’s capital plan and the workforce challenges facing the construction sector. Launched in January of this year, the Industry Insights series was created to give CLRA board members, industry partners and stakeholders visibility into upcoming project priorities, policy developments and trends shaping Alberta’s construction sector. Minister Long provided an overview of the government’s three-year, $28.3 billion Capital Plan and spoke to the pressures that Alberta’s rapid population growth is placing on infrastructure and the skilled trades workforce. For CLRA members, this level of sustained investment translates directly into increased project flow, stronger workforce demand and a growing pipeline of work for the skilled contractors our members represent. This year’s provincial budget also includes significant workforce investments relevant to our members, including a nearly 25% increase in apprenticeship funding, $96 million through the Apprenticeship Learning Grant, $384 million for NAIT’s Advanced Skills Centre and $115 million for broader workforce strategies. For a full breakdown of what the budget means for Alberta’s construction sector, read our detailed analysis here. Minister Long and Deputy Minister Mark Kleefeld took questions from

Last week’s provincial budget delivered a major commitment to Alberta’s construction sector. With the theme of Focused on What Matters, Budget 2026’s three-year Capital Plan is forecast at $28.3 billion, which is a $2.2 billion increase from Budget 2025. For 2026-27, capital spending is forecast at $8.7 billion; $48 million more than estimated in Budget 2025. This historic increase in capital investment is directed at public services infrastructure across the province including schools, hospitals, and critical community facilities to better meet Alberta’s growing population demands. For construction employers, this budget represents a significant and sustained opportunity. The scale of capital spending being deployed means increased project flow, stronger workforce demand, and a growing need for the kind of skilled and experienced contractors that CLRA represents. We continue to work with the government to ensure our members are actively considered for these projects. However, the increased spending does create fiscal challenges for the province. Last week’s provincial budget highlighted the challenges of declining resource revenues and rising cost pressures, with total spending rising to $83.9 billion, up from $4.5 billion last year, and a $9.4 billion deficit is projected for 2026-27. Detailed information on the budget can be found on the