ACEC and CCA Welcome Federal Announcement on Policy Framework for New Building Canada Fund

OTTAWA, Feb. 13, 2014 /CNW/ - The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies-Canada (ACEC) and the Canadian Construction Association (CCA) are pleased with today's announcement made by the Rt. Hon. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada and the Hon. Denis Lebel, Minister of Infrastructure, Communities and Intergovernmental Affairs on the policy framework for the New Building Canada Fund (NBCF).

"Federal infrastructure investment has been the catalyst leading national infrastructure renewal efforts for the past ten years," said Michael Atkinson, President of CCA. "We are pleased that the Building Canada Fund will remain a key driver for this continued effort ensuring pan-Canadian leadership in the development of the trade-enabling infrastructure Canada will require to remain globally competitive for the next fifty years."

"Our members welcome the news that the government will begin accepting applications as of April 1^st," said John Gamble, ACEC President. "The certainty provided by today's announcement permits provinces, territories and municipalities alike to initiate the important design and engineering work required for the application process."

ACEC and CCA have advocated for a long-term infrastructure plan for many years and applaud today's announcement. The NBCF will enable both governments and private sector partners to properly plan and resource major infrastructure projects which will provide better value to taxpayers and reduce overall lifecycle costs.

The NBCF is an important component of the overall New Building Canada Plan. In total, the government has allocated $70 billion towards infrastructure renewal over the next ten years.

The consulting engineering and construction sectors look forward to working with the government and stakeholders in the weeks ahead to inform development of the NBCF terms and conditions, including an efficient application process for projects and P3s screen process.

For more information on the details of the announcement visit http://www.infrastructure.gc.ca/plan/plan-eng.html

The Association of Consulting Engineering Companies - Canada represents companies in Canada that provide professional engineering services to both public and private-sector clients. These services include the planning, design and execution of all types of engineering projects, as well as providing independent advice and expertise in a wide range of engineering and engineering-related fields. For more information about ACEC, please visit www.acec.ca

The Canadian Construction Association is the voice of the national non-residential construction industry. It represents over 20,000 members in an integrated structure of some 70 local and provincial construction associations. Construction has become a cornerstone of the Canadian economy. The sector employs more than 1.3 million Canadians or approximately 8.5 per cent of Canada's total workforce. Annually, construction is responsible for nearly $300 billion in economic activity and more than 7 per cent of Canada's overall Gross Domestic Product.

SOURCE: Association of Consulting Engineering Companies

For more information please contact:

ACEC office: 613-236-0569, [email protected] 

CCA office: 613-236-9455, [email protected]