ICBA ECONOMICS: Closing the Books on a Tough Year for Construction
By Jock Finlayson, ICBA Chief Economist As temperatures cool and winter approaches, the Canadian construction industry may welcome the looming end of what’s been a less than stellar 2024. Amid a stagnant Canadian economy that has produced serial declines in per person...
WELLNESS WEDNESDAY #175: Financial Fitness Webinars
ICBA Wellness is looking at Financial Fitness this month, and there are two free webinars for anyone who would like to check them out! Register at the links. All times Pacific: Debt Solutions...
ICBA ECONOMICS: Construction Prices Still Rising Faster than Overall Inflation
By Jock Finlayson, ICBA Chief Economist The Canadian construction industry has been forced to navigate fast-rising costs and a more complex operating environment over the past several years. Recent data point to a moderation in the pace of cost increases, but both...
ICBA ECONOMICS OP/ED: Canada could capitalize as global electricity demand continues to rise
The following, written by ICBA Chief Economist Jock Finlayson in his work with the Fraser Institute, first appeared in the Calgary Sun on October 30, 2024. There’s no getting around it. The world is consuming more energy than ever, notwithstanding a temporary slump in...
WELLNESS WEDNESDAY #174: Warding Off Burnout
After a long stretch of busy-ness – whether on construction sites or in the office – it’s natural to feel tired, and even burned out. But there are some ways to push back against that feeling: Put Rest and Recovery First: Long hours and physical demands in...Follow ICBA on Facebook
Canadian productivity has slumped so badly that it's become an "emergency", according to senior Bank of Canada officials. ![]()
![]()
ICBA Chief Economist Jock Finlayson agrees, and in his latest piece for BIV, he looks at the widening gap between the US and Canada, what it means for Canadian wages (SPOILER ALERT: It's not good), and how we can turn the trend around.
Happy #GivingTuesday!![]()
![]()
In 2025, ICBA launches our own ICBA Foundation – a new charity dedicated to helping trades apprentices get their Red Seals and supporting mental wellness in construction. It will build on our half-century of work with the trades, and our position as B.C.’s single largest sponsor of apprentices.![]()
![]()
The ICBA Foundation, a separate entity from ICBA and ICBA Benefits, is the embodiment of our values of training excellence, supporting mental health, and developing the next generation of tradespeople.![]()
![]()
The ICBA Foundation is all about Building Stronger Futures.![]()
![]()
Stay tuned to learn how you can make a difference in construction!
🇨🇦 Canada's housing capital stock has reached $4 trillion, accounting for 54% of the nation's total physical assets. Despite this substantial investment, the country faces a significant housing shortage, necessitating at least a doubling of homebuilding efforts to meet current and future demands. ![]()
![]()
But it's more than just housing that's a challenge, as ICBA Chief Economist Jock Finlayson points out: "If policymakers are serious about tackling Canada’s 'productivity emergency' and reversing the country’s eroding global competitiveness, they have no choice but to adopt a different economic growth model… one that prioritizes investment over consumption."![]()
![]()
Read Jock's analysis: www.icbaindependent.ca/2024/11/27/icba-economics-measuring-the-housing-capital-stock/
WELLNESS WEDNESDAY #178: The North Needs More![]()
![]()
The more work we do to break down the stigma around mental health in construction, the more we realize how woefully under-resourced mental health services are in B.C. and across the country. Government just hasn’t taken this issue seriously enough.![]()
![]()
It’s a sentiment echoed by virtually every expert – including the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Northern BC branch. From a recent MYPGNow interview:![]()
![]()
“In the north, it is so much more difficult for folks to access in-person services and of course, online services it wouldn’t matter where you live but that in-person, one-on-one service is very difficult to have access to when you are in the north. Some of our local communities don’t have a psychiatrist that works there who is there 24/7. Even our hospitals if we look at the number of emergency rooms that are currently being shut down – we are impacted by that with our physical health but we are also impacted by that with our mental health.”![]()
![]()
This isn’t good enough. ![]()
![]()
Premier David Eby, whose NDP have overseen mental health services for seven years as the crisis deepened, scrapped the Ministry of Mental Health in his latest cabinet announcement. Hopefully, putting it back under the Health Minister will render better results – but we remain skeptical.![]()
![]()
-------![]()
Each week, ICBA’s Jordan Bateman reflects on what we’ve learned as we participate in ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program. ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program has helped more than 100 companies and 15,000 construction professionals better understand mental health. This program is free for all ICBA members – check out icba.ca/wellness for details.
Canada's public infrastructure is showing signs of significant deterioration. ![]()
![]()
🚙 Statistics Canada estimates that replacing roads rated in poor or very poor condition would cost $250 billion. ![]()
![]()
🚰 10%+ of water infrastructure assets are deemed to be in disrepair. ![]()
![]()
📈 Local and regional governments, responsible for more than 70% of these assets, face escalating replacement costs, which have increased by over $100 billion between 2020 and 2022. ![]()
![]()
This growing infrastructure deficit underscores the urgent need for strategic investment and policy action to maintain and enhance the nation's essential services.![]()
![]()
Read ICBA Chief Economist Jock Finlayson's analysis here: www.icbaindependent.ca/2024/11/25/icba-economics-growing-wear-and-tear-on-canadas-public-infrastr...
TRAINING THURSDAY: Understanding Self-Care: More Than Just a Buzzword (Webinar)![]()
![]()
Kerry and Jordan talk about ICBA’s latest featured course – and it’s free!![]()
![]()
Understanding Self-Care: More Than Just a Buzzword (Webinar)![]()
Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024 | 11AM – Noon Pacific![]()
Live Online | FREE!![]()
icbatraining.arlo.co/w/courses/602-understanding-selfcare-more-than-just-a-buzzword/2637 ![]()
Missed this one? Check out icba.ca/courses![]()
![]()
In today’s fast-paced world, self-care has become a buzzword often thrown around in casual conversation, but what does it truly mean? Is it merely a trendy hashtag or a genuine practice that can transform our lives, particularly in high-stress fields like construction?![]()
![]()
In this enlightening 1-hour webinar, we’ll delve deep into the true essence of self-care and debunk common misconceptions that diminish its importance. You'll discover that self-care is not just about pampering yourself with a spa day—it's about nurturing your physical, emotional, and mental well-being, especially in a demanding work environment.![]()
![]()
Thank you to CCI/Kanin Construction for their support of ICBA Wellness, which allows us to offer this webinar free-of-charge.
Tweet ICBA!
The more work we do to break down the stigma around mental health in construction, the more we realize how woefully under-resourced mental health services are in B.C. and across the country. Gov't just hasn’t taken this issue seriously enough.
Read more: https://www.icbaindependent.ca/2024/11/27/wellness-wednesday-178-the-north-needs-more/
Jock Finlayson is digging into 🇨🇦Canada's physical assets and finds two troublespots: despite 🏠housing accounting for 54% of all assets, we don't have nearly enough. And it's dragging productivity way down.
Read his analysis:
🔗https://www.icbaindependent.ca/2024/11/27/icba-economics-measuring-the-housing-capital-stock/