Thursday, December 4, 2025

A Year of Achievement—A Future of Promise

Members in Alberta and Saskatchewan experienced a season of growth, opportunity, and success across industries. And we expect that to continue into 2026.

Guide Magazine

By Dennis Perrin, Alberta and Saskatchewan Director

Construction Momentum

Saskatchewan buzzed with activity throughout 2025. Local 151 now has over 2,000 active members. Growth is being powered by both the potash and agriculture sectors, alongside headline projects with PCL Builders Inc., including the building of the hospital in Prince Albert and the Cenovus Energy Hub, a hockey arena in Lloydminster.

In Alberta, progress continues on the Dow Path2Zero project near Fort Saskatchewan. While the project timeline continues to shift, Dow remains committed, and CLAC-signatory contractors are actively engaged. A key highlight is CLAC’s amended project labour agreement with Dow for the Linde scope of work, which provides members with excellent wages and employment terms and conditions. Construction in other parts of the province also saw a tremendous amount of activity. Work is happening with clients such as Suncor, CNRL, Air Products, and many others.

Education Achievements

Spring brought a milestone with the successful negotiation and ratification of a first collective agreement for the full-time faculty at The King’s University in Edmonton—further extending CLAC’s reach into education and professional workplaces.

In August, we were also thrilled to welcome the full-time faculty and instructors from Ambrose University in Calgary. Ambrose is a liberal arts and sciences university in Calgary and has approximately 900 students enrolled.

The faculty at King’s and Ambrose join those of Trinity Western University in Langley, BC, who joined Local 62 in March 2023. Combined, CLAC now represents over 200 faculty members in Alberta and BC.

Apprenticeship Training and Support

CLAC enhanced direct support for apprentices. Tuition bursaries have risen from $850 to $1,150 per successfully completed apprenticeship level, with a $100 performance bonus for marks of 90 percent or higher. This new amount applies to apprentices in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and BC (Locals 151, 63, and 68) whose schooling or challenge exams finished after February 1, 2025, supporting members in the face of rising costs.

Looking Forward

The new year promises to be another exciting one for members in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Key and significant projects in both provinces will continue to see increased activity, resulting in more need for skilled labour. This will present members with plenty of work opportunities throughout 2026. Pipeline projects in western Canada will also factor into this, with slightly more pipeline activity than we witnessed in 2025.

The retail sector also looks promising for growth, with opportunities to represent more workplaces and see impressive wage gains in this very important sector. Currently, CLAC represents over 5,000 Local 301 members employed at Save-On-Foods and Real Canadian Wholesale Club.

From resurging construction sectors and landmark industrial projects to steward leadership, new collective agreements, and expanded apprenticeship support, members in Alberta and Saskatchewan are positioned for a thriving year ahead.

The road forward is full of opportunity. Together, we’re building stronger workplaces and a future of promise.

A Year of Achievement—A Future of Promise

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