Advocacy ALERT

Restructured cabinet and Speech from the Throne signal new direction for Government

Prime Minister Mark Carney has unveiled a leaner, tiered federal cabinet following the April 28 election. The new cabinet structure includes 28 Ministers and 10 Secretaries of State, combining new Members of Parliament (MPs) with experienced faces from the Trudeau era. Notable appointments for the construction industry include:

• Dominic LeBlanc – President of the King’s Privy Council for Canada, Minister for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs and One Canadian Economy
• Chrystia Freeland – Minister of Transport and Internal Trade
• Lena Metlege Diab – Minister of Immigration, Refugees, and Citizenship
• Joël Lightbound – Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works, and Procurement
• Gregor Robertson – Minister of Housing and Infrastructure

CCA is also pleased to see the formation of the Build Canada Cabinet Committee, created to focus specifically on critical issues, such as housing, infrastructure investment, and climate action. This committee represents a strategic step toward building a competitive, productive economy and advancing Canada’s long-term economic resilience.

Speech from the Throne

In this year’s Speech from the Throne, delivered by King Charles III, the federal government outlined its priorities under the unified theme of tackling the generational challenge that Canadians are facing regarding the cost-of-living crisis and reconfiguring international relationships and partnerships.

The speech emphasized the important role of the construction sector in driving Canada’s economic growth and prosperity. This included the emphatic directive to Build Canada Strong through investment in affordable housing, expanding the skilled trades workforce, and simultaneously unifying and diversifying our national and global trade dynamics.

CCA is committed to working with the federal government to take advantage of this opportunity to support and grow Canada’s construction industry and catalyze projects of national significance.

What’s next for construction?

The Canadian construction industry is encouraged to see the early signals of alignment with long-standing industry priorities. Key promises include:

• Removing interprovincial trade barriers
• Investing in trade-enabling infrastructure
• Building housing and the supporting infrastructure that drives our communities
• Investments in strategic nation-building projects to stimulate economy growth

The industry sees many opportunities for collaboration and partnership with the new government to build the Canada that Canadians deserve.

As policies and programs roll out, the Canadian Construction Association will continue to monitor developments and advocate for smart solutions to support the industry’s role in delivering on national priorities.

For more information on CCA’s advocacy initiatives, contact our Associate Vice-President of Public Affairs and Industry Practices, Louis-Philippe Champagne.