In search of a better way to build Manitoba

The following piece is a submission on behalf of WCA, the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association and the Construction Association of Rural Manitoba that originally appeared in the February 24 Opinion section of the Winnipeg Free Press.

Manitoba was built through hard work, collaboration, and community. Every hospital, school, road, and bridge reflects the dedication of our construction industry. Today, the sector employs more than 57,000 Manitobans, contributes $4.2 billion annually to the provincial economy, and supports businesses in every region. We are proud of the role we play in building Manitoba’s future.

We are speaking out about the Manitoba Jobs Agreement (MJA) not to oppose the government’s goals, but to ensure public policy delivers real value, respects worker choice, and protects taxpayers. The practical consequences of the MJA are clear: fewer bidders, reduced competition, increased administrative burden, and higher project costs. When competition narrows, prices rise. When compliance complexity grows, risk premiums follow. All of this lands on a provincial budget already facing structural deficits.

The MJA imposes a specific labour relations structure on provincially funded projects exceeding $50 million. Successful bidders must hire union card-holding workers first if their own workforce is insufficient. Union membership becomes the deciding factor — not skill, experience, or performance. If the goal is to ensure Manitobans work on these projects, there is a simple solution: require contractors to certify that their workforce consists of Manitoba residents. A union card should not determine who is entitled to work on taxpayer-funded infrastructure. The agreement also introduces entirely new costs. All employers must pay 85 cents per hour worked to the Manitoba Building Trades Council; an unprecedented charge in Manitoba construction. On a typical school project, this payment alone can exceed $250,000, with no measurable benefit to taxpayers.

Open-shop contractors face additional costs, including compulsory union dues, numerous union fund contributions, and payments to third parties. Taken together, these requirements will add millions of dollars to publicly funded projects. It’s money that could otherwise be invested directly in classrooms, hospitals, and infrastructure.

These levies apply to every qualifying project for as long as the policy remains in place. Has the government publicly quantified this financial transfer? How much will be collected annually, and who ultimately receives these funds? If those figures are unknown, taxpayers should be concerned.

Equally troubling is how the MJA was developed. It was negotiated privately with the Manitoba Building Trades Council, while industry associations representing the majority of workers and employers of Manitoba’s construction workforce were excluded. This policy was not clearly presented during the election campaign, nor transparently detailed in the provincial budget. A change of this magnitude warrants open consultation and public debate.

Approximately 80 per cent of Manitoba construction workers have chosen not to join a union. Yet the MJA effectively imposes union structures on publicly funded projects, requiring many workers to operate under union rules and contribute fees to organizations they did not choose. Worker choice — a fundamental principle of our labour system — is being disregarded.

Manitoba already has strong wage, safety, and local hiring protections. Existing legislation provides robust safeguards for fair pay, safe worksites, and local employment. The MJA duplicates these frameworks while adding new layers of cost and red tape.

There are also broader economic risks. If local open-shop contractors are discouraged from bidding, provincial capacity shrinks. Over time, this may force labour to be imported from outside Manitoba — undermining the stated goal of maximizing local employment and weakening rural and small-business economies.

The MJA is already being applied to major projects, including a four-school construction bundle and the Victoria Hospital redevelopment. The stakes are no longer theoretical. This direction, however, is not irreversible. The construction industry has consistently articulated three principles for any revised framework: respect for worker choice, open and fair competition, and broad workforce participation. These are not partisan positions; they are practical foundations for delivering infrastructure efficiently in a province with diverse labour models and regional realities.

Taxpayers deserve policies that maximize competition and value. Workers deserve respect for how they choose to work. Employers deserve the opportunity to compete based on merit — not union affiliation. Manitoba’s construction industry stands ready to work with government, labour, and community leaders to find a better path forward — one that protects public value, maximizes local opportunity, and delivers the infrastructure Manitobans need. It is time for genuine partnership. We can respect workers’ choices and protect taxpayers at the same time.