What types of trades and professional occupations are in the construction industry?
A list of regulated occupations employed in the construction industry is available at the website of the Alberta Learning Information Service - ALIS, please select the option: Occupations by Industry Search.

2003 FACTS Calgary Economic Region:
. 4.5 % annual economic growth for the Calgary Economic Region
. 8.6 % of the total employment demand in Calgary was in construction
. 2.8% employment growth rate for trades people in construction
. 19,680 trades people were employed in the construction industry

Areas of Activity in the Construction Industry
The construction industry is a very diverse industry sector, composed of four major areas of activity, with different employment opportunities, cycles of hiring and different rates of growth:

New Home Building and Renovation
Construction activity that refers to new buildings and remodeling or renovation of single-family homes and multi-family residential buildings (condominium complexes, duplexes and rental apartment buildings).

Heavy Industrial
Construction activity that refers to the construction of diverse manufacturing operations or factories (plants). Examples of heavy industrial buildings are: cement factories, power plants, food factories, metal shops, machinery and equipment repair shops.

Institutional and Commercial
Construction activity that refers to the building of commercial and institutional buildings and any related structures. Examples of commercial buildings are: shopping centers, office buildings, warehouses, restaurants and coffee shops. Examples of institutional buildings are: sports and leisure complexes, schools, universities, government buildings.

Civil Engineering
Construction activity that refers to large and complex engineering projects, such as highways and roads, interchanges, light railway transit systems and platform stations, water and sewer lines, power and communication lines, and bridges.

Major Long-Term Institutional and Engineering Construction Projects
Responding to population growth challenges and the needs of Albertans, the Government of Alberta provided major funding for health care, education and affordable housing.

In the next three years, major institutional construction projects are taking place in Calgary through the Government of Alberta Capital Plan (2004-2007) and the Government of Alberta Centennial Capital Plan (2003-2006). The Centennial Capital Plan is a unique capital funding plan to accomplish projects that will serve Albertans and celebrate 100 years since the Province of Alberta joined the Canadian Confederation on September 1, 1905.

In addition, Calgary is receiving from the provincial government $450 million to expand four hospitals over the next four years.

TIME FRAME - PROVINCIAL FUNDING FOR CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS

2003-2006 - Centennial Capital Plan Construction Projects for Calgary

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
. School Facilities: $21.4 million
. Ongoing School Projects: $47.9 million
. Infrastructure Maintenance Program: $38.4 million
. University of Calgary Health Research Centre: $105 million

HEALTH CARE
. Health Care Facilities: $67.7 million
. Infrastructure Maintenance Program, Health: $32.3 million

2004-2007 - Capital Plan Construction Projects for Calgary

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
. New Schools, Calgary Roman Catholic Separate School District: $27 million
. New Schools, Calgary Board of Education: $25million

HEALTH CARE
. Redevelopment - Foothills Medical Centre: $70 million
. Land Acquisition - South Calgary Hospital: $12 million

2004-2008 - Other Provincial Government Funding for Calgary

. Expansion at Four Hospitals: $450 million
. Affordable Housing Grants ($51.24 million for the entire)

(Province of Alberta matched by an equal contribution from the Federal Government)

Recognizing the tremendous urban growth and the role of Calgary as the transportation hub for Western Canada, more government funding is being allocated for major engineering construction projects designed to expand roads and the public transit system. For example, over the period 2004-2007 the City of Calgary Municipal Government has allocated $45 million for transportation initiatives. In 2003, the City Council approved the much-needed expansion of the Glenmore Trail at a cost of $99 million.

In addition, the City of Calgary has developed the Transportation Infrastructure Investment Plan: 2003-2010, identifying needs, possible funding sources and engineering construction costs to expand and upgrade Calgary�s transportation system.

READ MORE...City of Calgary - Transportation Infrastructure Investment Plan Presentation 2003-2010

Very-Long Term Engineering Construction Projects
The extension of the Calgary�s Light Railway Transit (C-Train) is expanding over a 20-year period. The C-Train project is now at a preliminary planning stage, dependent on available federal and provincial funding.

Another long-term plan is the future expansion of the Calgary International Airport runway and includes adjacent road improvements. It is estimated that it will take 10 years to complete the work once the estimated $157 million funding is available.

Residential Construction Activity and Long-Term Projects
The residential construction activity is dependent on continuous economic growth and sustained high employment rates in Calgary. Growth in residential construction is dependent on the net migration of people who move from other parts of Canada to Calgary. Net migration is slowing down from record highs achieved during the period: 1998 to 2002.

After a record high of 21,000 new housing starts during the peak residential construction years: 2001 and 2002; the City of Calgary forecasts a steady more normal pace of new construction with a total of 56,000 new single-family homes to be built from 2003-2008. Construction for multiple-dwelling homes, such as condominium complexes and rental apartment buildings, is expected to slow-down.

In Calgary, major residential construction projects are planned for two inner city areas, on land recently sold by the government to private developers in the East Village and in the Bridgeland area. In addition to inner city developments, Calgary continues to expand at the borders changing farmland into urban developments. The city of Calgary municipal government approves new developments based on an analysis of available funding from developers and total costs to build roads and provide services to the future communities.

Trends that May Impact on the Construction Industry in Calgary

Trends with Positive Impact:
. Calgary expands at a fast pace; the City of Calgary estimates that by the year 2008 the population will expand to over 1 million.

. The Centennial Capital Plan (2003-2006) creates more opportunities and short-term growth in institutional and engineering construction activity in Calgary and through out Alberta.

. The Province of Alberta may undertake more institutional and engineering construction projects once the provincial debt is eliminated possibly a year in advance, during the budget year 2004-2005.

. Record low interest rates and mortgages increase affordability for home ownership, commercial and industrial property ownership and the capability to undertake major renovation and remodeling projects.

. Increased home ownership affordability because of declining unemployment rates, the City of Calgary forecasts an unemployment rate of 4.9% in 2008, declining steadily from 5.8% in 2002.

. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation allows homebuyers to buy without a down payment, allowing more people to buy homes as they have to pay only the monthly mortgage amount.

. Continued economic growth in Calgary fuelled by low interest rates, high oil and natural gas revenues and one of the lowest unemployment rates among Canadian cities.

.The City of Calgary gets a rebate from the Federal Government for a portion of the Goods and Services Tax (GST); rebate to be used to build roads and cover other infrastructure needs.

Trends with Negative Impact:
. High value of the Canadian dollar reduces the volume of Canadian exports and affects jobs in manufacturing, export trade and transportation.

. Globalization of businesses and migration of manufacturing operations to other parts of the world to lower costs.

. Increasing general and builder�s risk insurance rates for construction companies.

. Increasing cost of energy and emission control (Canadian environmental regulations) that results in higher costs for building materials.

. Unexpected global risks that may impact Western Canada or the entire continent (terrorism, flu epidemics and other human and livestock diseases).