Winnipeg’s Public Works department has begun using a qualification-based selection process to assign design engineering work of road projects, which will speed up tendering and awarding of construction projects to the industry, MHCA’s Executive Committee heard October 30.
The City, as encouraged by MHCA, adopted the QBS process to accelerate the engineering work, which precedes tender advertising. The discussion between Public Works and MHCA arose mid-2024 due to noticeable delays in tendering, MHCA President & CEO Chris Lorenc said to the Committee.
The department has informed MHCA awards to engineering firms are wrapping up now and the expectation is for construction tenders for 2025 work to be ready for posting by the end of February.
The 2026 tender advertising schedule is expected to be further advanced.
The Committee also heard that Manitoba Transportation & Infrastructure’s latest update of its tender ad schedule indicates, since mid-July, $98 million worth of projects (total project cost) have been tendered or awarded, with another $87 million (TPC) yet to be tendered.
The report follows up on notice from the province, mid-July, it would be adding $150 million in projects to the tender schedule, with $90 million of that to flow in 2024-25, to ensure the full $500-million highways infrastructure budget would be expended.
An MHCA review found that, as of early October, new projects awarded or tendered to the industry had amounted to $56 million.
“We’ll approach MTI for clarification and to request an update on how close to $500 million has been expended and what is expected, if anything, to be included in the 2025 budget,” Lorenc said.
Other updates on association priorities discussed at the Executive Committee meeting included:
- MTI Minister Lisa Naylor will join CentrePort Canada President Carly Edmundson and Francis Roy, Board Chair of the Canadian Construction Association in a panel called “Trade & Transportation – a Team Sport” at the MHCA Awards Breakfast November 22
- MTI will present its 2025 tender advertising schedule at the Awards Breakfast
- The provincial panel reviewing the Construction Industry Wages Act has all but wrapped up its work and will present recommendations to the minister. MHCA representative, John Highmoor, submitted the heavy construction industry’s recommendations, which included raising the provincial minimum wages for heavy construction to approach 80% of the current market average.
- MHCA will be hosting, with TDS Law, a seminar on the changes to the labour legislation under Bill 37, which is expected to be passed before the end of the year. Bill 37 would
- Introduce automatic certification for a workplace when evidence of more than 50% support for a bargaining unit is presented
- Prohibit an employer from using replacement workers during a labour dispute
- Require determination of essential services that would need to continue during a labour dispute
