News release: Statement on the B.C. government’s reinstitution of public project labour agreements

For Immediate Release
July 16, 2018

VANCOUVER, B.C. — Earlier today, the Government of British Columbia announced that all public infrastructure projects will be subject to project labour agreements, which require companies to hire only pre-approved unionized workers if they win bids on government projects.

As a free enterprise organization, the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade believes in free and open competition for government contracts, to get the best value for increasingly scarce taxpayer dollars. We have concerns that today’s announcement will inevitably lead to higher costs and added complexity for public infrastructure projects, which will ultimately cost taxpayers.

Our organization acknowledges and respects collective bargaining in both the private and public sectors. However, we do not believe it is government's role to pre-select a contractor type (i.e., unionized or non-unionized) before a bidding process even begins.

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About the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade:

Since its inception in 1887, the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade has been recognized as Pacific Canada’s leading business association, engaging members to impact public policy at all levels of government and to succeed and prosper in the global economy. With a Membership whose employees comprise one-third of B.C.’s workforce, we are the largest business association between Victoria and Toronto. We leverage this collective strength, facilitating networking opportunities, and providing professional development through four unique Signature Programs. In addition, we operate one of the largest events programs in the country, providing a platform for national and international thought leaders to enlighten B.C.’s business leaders.