CLRA is excited to share the launch of our newest social media campaign this week, which is dedicated to showcasing career, education, and training opportunities in the skilled trades for groups that are statistically underrepresented in the construction industry. This includes women, newcomers to Canada, Indigenous peoples, veterans, and those with disabilities. Our goal with this campaign is to challenge misconceptions and remove barriers that have traditionally prevented diverse individuals from exploring and excelling in the trades. By featuring success stories, providing targeted, valuable resources, and sharing available supports, we aim to make the trades more accessible and attractive to a broader audience. Given Alberta’s unprecedented population growth and the continual labour shortage, the need to advocate for trades careers has never been greater. The campaign will primarily run on X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, and Instagram. We invite you to explore our new web page and follow our social media channels for weekly updates. We also encourage you to share our posts to help us reach a wider audience. CLRA believes that by fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable environment, the skilled trades can benefit from a richer pool of talent and fresh perspectives. This campaign is not just about

The Business Council of Alberta recently released their quarterly economic update, the Summer 2024 Alberta Snapshot. Covering key aspects of Alberta’s commercial landscape – economic indicators, business sentiment, policy developments, and projections for the province’s overall outlook – the report offers a clear snapshot of both current conditions and expected trends. Alberta’s economy is navigating challenges like high interest rates and inflation with resilience, showing few signs of serious distress. The labour market presents a mixed picture, with Calgary’s unemployment rate reaching 8.1% – the highest among major cities – though this may be misleading due to significant workforce expansion in the province, especially in Calgary. Business activity remains robust, with ongoing hiring and strong optimism, particularly in Edmonton. Exports of petroleum products and a rise in housing starts are bolstering recent growth, supported by the completion of the Trans Mountain Pipeline, high oil prices, and migration trends. Particularly noteworthy to CLRA members, the report highlights that optimism is strongest among professional services and construction. More than 80% of businesses in these fields express varying degrees of optimism about their future prospects, despite facing significant challenges such as labour shortages; an issue that CLRA is all too familiar with (and

CLRA was pleased to attend last week’s launch of BLUprint at TELUS Spark, an innovative new program designed to spark curiosity and inspire Alberta youth to explore the skilled trades. This initiative, supported by a generous grant of nearly $900,000 from the Government of Alberta’s Advanced Education Ministry and an additional $100,000 sponsorship from Calgary Construction Association, marks an exciting step forward for the future of skilled trades in our province. As representatives of Alberta construction employers, CLRA is particularly thrilled about the potential of BLUprint to encourage kids to consider careers in the skilled trades. This program, the first of its kind in Canada to combine skilled trades programming with a science centre, offers a unique opportunity for young people to engage with the trades in a fun, hands-on, and interactive environment. BLUprint features an outdoor space where youth can use real tools, gain practical experience, and understand the science behind various trades. Later in the year, the program will expand inside the science centre, providing additional opportunities for learning through virtual reality and other innovative technologies. By integrating trades education within a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) framework, BLUprint celebrates the creativity, skill, and ingenuity that