\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/PCL.png\")
<\/p>\nAs governments across the country begin rolling out an impressive amount of infrastructure investment, Canadian general contractors are presented with opportunity, alongside mounting risk, ongoing labour pressures and increasing project complexity.
\n<\/p>\n
Momentum builds at North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant in Vancouver, British Columbia \u2013 an incredibly complex project that\u2019s due to be completed by June 2031. Image courtesy of PCL Construction.<\/p>\n
For much of Canada\u2019s history, major construction pushes have emerged during moments of national transformation. From railways and highways to energy systems and urban transit networks, infrastructure has often served as both an economic catalyst and a nation-building tool. Today, Canada\u2019s Top Contractors argue that the country is entering another such period.<\/p>\n
Canada\u2019s construction sector, having weathered pandemic disruptions, inflationary shocks and supply chain turmoil, now finds itself at the centre of an ambitious agenda involving transportation infrastructure, energy security, defence investments, healthcare facilities, data centres and community development. Yet, while the pipeline of work appears stronger than it has in decades, the challenges associated with delivering that work have become equally significant.<\/p>\n
Considering these factors, Mike Wieninger, COO, Canadian Operations at PCL Construction<\/a> \u2013 Canada\u2019s 2026 Top Contractor in Canada \u2013 believes the industry has demonstrated incredible resilience while positioning itself for long-term growth.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Canadian construction industry remains resilient and continues to play a critical role in supporting economic activity, national infrastructure priorities and long-term competitiveness,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n While labour availability, supply chain volatility, regulatory complexity and cost escalation remain ongoing challenges, he notes that \u201cthere is also significant opportunity emerging across several high growth sectors.\u201d<\/p>\n For general contractors operating in Canada\u2019s heavy civil sector, success is being realized increasingly by not only building out projects, but by effectively navigating risk, securing labour, managing complexity and adapting to a rapidly changing procurement environment.<\/p>\n \u201cThe construction industry was the only thing that kept Canada together and created any kind of economic growth during COVID, which shows how critical this industry is to the country\u2019s resilience,\u201d says Rodrigue Gilbert, President of the Canadian Construction Association<\/a>.<\/p>\n And the industry\u2019s importance is becoming even more clear as governments once again look to construction to drive economic growth and long-term competitiveness.<\/p>\n \u201cGovernment again is turning back to construction to be the driver of the future of the country, just as it has during other pivotal moments in Canadian history,\u2019 Gilbert adds.<\/p>\n A generational pipeline<\/p>\n Following several years of uncertainty, many industry leaders believe that the market is entering a period that\u2019s becoming increasingly defined by visibility and long-term opportunity.<\/p>\n Teri McKibbon, CEO of Bird Construction<\/a>, says construction has largely emerged from the disruption that\u2019s been plaguing the industry recently.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Canadian construction market has undergone a meaningful shift since the inflation and supply chain disruptions of 2021 through 2024,\u201d he says. \u201cAs we moved through 2025, we saw several important shifts across the broader market. Supply chains largely stabilized, cost visibility improved and there was a continued move toward more collaborative delivery models that better align expectations across owners and contractors.\u201d<\/p>\n At the same time, governments have advanced major capital programs tied to infrastructure, energy, security and defence, helping to create a clearer view into future project flow. It\u2019s also resulting in an incredible amount of opportunity available to general contractors operating across the country, with investment being poured into just about every major infrastructure category, including nuclear energy, renewables, oil and gas, LNG, mining, healthcare, education, transportation and data centre construction.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a very exciting time to be in the construction industry with what feels like a generational pipeline of long-cycle opportunities for the industry over the next several years,\u201d McKibbon says.<\/p>\n Those opportunities, however, are being driven by a number of powerful and significantly meaningful forcing functions. Canada\u2019s infrastructure deficit is substantial. Electrification initiatives require new transmission systems and generation assets. Defence spending is rising. And population growth continues to place pressure on transportation, healthcare and housing infrastructure. Meanwhile, digital transformation is fueling demand for the development of data centres and related facilities.<\/p>\n Construction of BHP Raw Ore and Product Capacity constraints become the central challenge<\/p>\n As a result of this demand, for many contractors, the question is no longer whether work will be available, but whether the industry has sufficient capacity to deliver it, making the availability of labour the defining current constraint. From PCL\u2019s perspective, in order to execute, collaboration will need to support every decision made.<\/p>\n \u201cCanada has a substantial infrastructure deficit and ambitious pipeline of nation-building projects ahead,\u201d says Wieninger. \u201cSuccess will depend on continued collaboration between government, industry and trade partners to build workforce capacity, improve productivity and deliver the infrastructure needed to support Canada\u2019s future growth.\u201d<\/p>\n Despite the need to collaborate, however, owners are increasingly competing for the same skilled labour pools, equipment fleets and specialized contractors. As a result, industry leaders warn that without greater coordination, project schedules and budgets could come under increasing pressure.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to make sure projects are not fighting with each other,\u201d Gilbert asserts. \u201cYou can see two or three major projects in the same area creating workforce and capacity issues that delay delivery.\u201d<\/p>\n However, the current labour challenge extends well beyond simple headcount shortages. Many contractors point to a growing shortage of experienced personnel capable of managing increasingly complex infrastructure projects. In fact, Angelo Grassa, President and Chief Operating Officer at Grascan Construction<\/a>, believes the industry faces a significant experience gap as major infrastructure programs accelerate.<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s not enough people to do the work that\u2019s coming up,\u201d he says. \u201cNobody wants to work building rail lines and bridges. It\u2019s hard work.\u201d<\/p>\n That concern is particularly acute within the specialized sectors, where decades of accumulated knowledge often separate successful delivery from costly delays.<\/p>\n In fact, Grassa argues that many of the industry\u2019s future challenges will stem not only from labour shortages but from a shortage of experienced decision-makers on the jobsite.<\/p>\n \u201cThe biggest downfall for the industry is going to be when the people that are currently managing projects leave,\u201d he says, pointing to the retirement of veteran professionals and the steep learning curve facing newer entrants.<\/p>\n Contractors are responding, however, through a combination of workforce planning, training investments and partnerships.<\/p>\n Bird Construction, for example, has focused on aligning workforce planning with its long-term backlog while investing in apprenticeship programs, Indigenous partnerships and initiatives aimed at attracting women and young people into the trades.<\/p>\n \u201cWe support workforce development through long-standing Indigenous partnerships, targeted training initiatives and a focus on building diverse, sustainable talent pipelines,\u201d McKibbon says.<\/p>\n PCL\u2019s Wieninger agrees that workforce capacity has become the defining execution challenge facing the industry. However, as investment accelerates across multiple sectors simultaneously, he argues that contractors must be strategic about growth and resource allocation.<\/p>\n \u201cContractors must remain disciplined in managing their backlog and avoid overextending their capacity,\u201d he warns. \u201cEqually important is ensuring that trade partners, suppliers and the broader construction ecosystem have the capacity to support project demands.\u201d<\/p>\n Grascan\u2019s rehabilitation of Toronto\u2019s The risk revolution<\/p>\n While labour shortages might dominate headlines, many contractors identify another issue as the industry\u2019s most significant structural change.<\/p>\n \u201cThe big word is risk\u201d says Grassa.<\/p>\n Historically, owners and consultants carried a larger share of project risk, supported by detailed designs and extensive project information before tender. Today, many contractors argue that risk allocation has shifted dramatically toward builders.<\/p>\n In fact, according to Grassa, increasingly complex projects are often tendered with incomplete information, forcing contractors to identify design deficiencies, assess constructability concerns and absorb significant uncertainty during the bidding process.<\/p>\n \u201cOwners are risk averse,\u201d he says. \u201cThe shift in the industry is that the tenders are not being managed properly.\u201d<\/p>\n The result is an environment where contractors are being asked to manage not only construction risk but also elements of design, coordination and project development that were previously handled elsewhere, creating ripple effects through the project lifecycle.<\/p>\n Procurement models evolving<\/p>\n As risk has increased, traditional procurement models have come under increasing scrutiny, with industry leaders arguing that conventional design-bid-build approaches are poorly suited to today\u2019s complex infrastructure projects.<\/p>\n \u201cThe world is changing so fast,\u201d says Gilbert. \u201cWe need procurement models where all the players are at the table when you plan the project and remain involved through delivery.\u201d<\/p>\n That philosophy is driving growing adoption of collaborative delivery models, including progressive design-build, integrated project delivery (IPD), construction manager\/general contractor (CMGC) and other approaches that emphasize early contractor involvement.<\/p>\n \u201cThe industry is evolving quickly in response to growing expectations around safety, Indigenous partnerships, productivity and technology adoption,\u201d says Wieninger. \u201cMore owners and contractors are embracing collaborative delivery models, digital construction tools, prefabrication and AI-enabled solutions to improve certainty, efficiency and project outcomes.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Bird.png\")
<\/p>\n
Storage foundations in Saskatchewan. Image courtesy of Bird Construction.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/canada\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Grascan.png\")
<\/p>\n
Gardiner Expressway, which was completed significantly ahead of schedule. Image courtesy of Grascan Construction.<\/p>\n