An industry working group will craft recommendations for working with MTI to improve tendering, including the advertising schedule, and ensure more timely payments for work completed.
The decision to assign the task to a small sub-group of the MHCA Highways Committee was made at the April 9 MHCA Board of Directors meeting.
The MHCA identified four areas requiring attention, which were presented in a number of meetings with MTI senior officials, including with Minister Lisa Naylor March 27.
The areas are:
- Early project design assignment
- Reliable tender ad schedules
- Tendering/awarding 80% of the highways capital program by the end of February each year
- Ensuring prompt payment to the industry
Once the recommendations are reviewed by the Highways Committee, they will be submitted to the MTI deputy minister, for consideration at a joint MTI-MHCA committee.
The highways capital program review was one of a number of priority issues discussed at the Board meeting.
Other items on the table included:
- Continuing discussions and monitoring prompt payment now that legislation has been implemented on April 1. MHCA will be hosting a legal seminar with TDS Law on May 2 for members. To register click here.
- Ongoing monitoring of tenders, their anticipated advertising dates and delays.
- MHCA and senior industry members will be meeting in the coming weeks with the City of Winnipeg’s newly installed Chief Construction Officer, Tom Sparrow, to give input on his mandate and goals.
- Surveying members on the Western Canada Roadbuilders & Heavy Construction Association (WCR&HCA) annual conference in Maui this February; gathering information on perceptions, values, costs and hopes for the future.
- MHCA will communicate the Canadian Construction Association’s federal election campaign messaging, social media shareables and weekly news roundups to its members in the lead up to the April 28 election.
