Premier Danielle Smith’s mandate letters, released in September 2025, set out a comprehensive agenda for government ministries. For Alberta’s construction industry, these commitments are more than policy—they are signals of where opportunities will emerge, how procurement and planning will change, and where ACA must continue to advocate for our members.
Stability and Predictability in Capital Spending
Infrastructure remains at the heart of the province’s agenda. The government has committed to finalizing a capital funding formula to bring long-term predictability to project planning. This has been a consistent ACA priority, as sudden swings in capital budgets create uncertainty for companies and their workforce. A stable, transparent funding approach will help firms retain skilled trades, build capacity, and plan effectively for future projects. ACA welcomes this development and will continue to work with the government to ensure the formula reflects both regional needs and industry realities.
Procurement Reform and Contract Modernization
Across ministries, the government has emphasized efficiency and accountability in procurement. The infrastructure mandate includes full adoption of the One Government Experience (1GX) system, category management, and the development of a hybrid centralized procurement model.
For ACA members, who have often raised concerns about complexity and inefficiency in procurement processes, this commitment is encouraging. However, we will remain active in ensuring reforms reduce red tape, maintain fairness, and balance risk appropriately between owners and contractors.
Workforce Development and Skilled Trades
The mandate letters for Advanced Education and Education and Childcare highlight the government’s determination to elevate the skilled trades as a respected and desirable career path. Commitments include new apprenticeship opportunities at the high school level, parity of esteem for trades and professions, and streamlined teacher certification pathways for those with trade backgrounds.
For ACA, this alignment is critical. Our industry faces ongoing labour shortages, and early exposure to trades in schools, coupled with clear post-secondary pathways, will help build the workforce of tomorrow. ACA will continue to partner with the government on initiatives that encourage young people to pursue careers in construction and related sectors.
Jobs, Immigration, and Economic Growth
The Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration mandate reinforces Alberta’s focus on talent attraction and workforce readiness. The “Alberta is Calling” program will continue to draw skilled workers, while the province also moves to streamline credential recognition for both national and international workers. These measures are vital to address immediate shortages while also supporting long-term labour force development.
The mandate also commits to stronger industry engagement in workforce planning, short-term training programs tied to labour market needs, and the implementation of the new Canada-Alberta Productivity Grant. For ACA, these initiatives are directly relevant, as productivity gains and workforce stability are essential to ensuring our industry remains globally competitive.
Building Capacity Through Collaboration
A common theme across all letters is collaboration, with municipalities, industry, and other ministries. Whether it is infrastructure procurement, trades education, or labour attraction, the government is signalling that industry feedback will be essential to success. ACA welcomes this call for engagement. Our association and our partners will continue to bring forward practical solutions from members on challenges such as cost escalation, supply chain pressure, and regulatory barriers.
The mandate letters show a government determined to deliver results across infrastructure, education, workforce development, and economic growth. For ACA and our members, the commitments to predictable capital funding, procurement reform, skilled trades promotion, and labour attraction are encouraging steps. Our focus now is to ensure that these commitments are implemented in ways that strengthen Alberta’s construction industry, create sustainable opportunities for contractors, and deliver lasting value for communities.
ACA looks forward to working with Premier Smith, Cabinet, and the public service to turn these mandates into action and to continue building Alberta’s future.