Saskatchewan Construction Association Advocacy Update
ECAS Newsletter - November 2018
Procurement Reminder to Members
If you are encountering any issues with provincial government or Crown procurement that falls outside of Priority Saskatchewan guidelines, contact us immediately. It is possible to address problems in tenders while they are active. This is not the case once tenders are closed.
Stay tuned for updates in the coming months on the transition to a centralized procurement process across all provincial ministries. The organizational work towards this "single-window" approach is already well under way.
Prompt Payment Legislation
The SCA continues to work towards introduction of prompt payment Saskatchewan legislation in Saskatchewan. Prompt payment addresses consistent and systemic late payment in construction. The Prompt Payment Saskatchewan (PPS) working group agreed to pursue the following key principles:
- A payment cycle;
- The right to suspend work;
- A dispute mechanism;
- Interest on overdue payments; and
- Transparency and disclosure.
We expect the government will follow through on its commitment to introduce prompt payment legislation in the fall session of the Saskatchewan legislature, which ends on December 6, 2018.
Details of the Saskatchewan bill will be available once it has been introduced in the legislature.
Marijuana Legalization
Recreation marijuana is legal in Canada as of October 17, 2018. Specific rules around sale, usage, and handling are set at the provincial-level, just like with alcohol.
Cannabis legalization poses one unique problem because there is no test which can distinguish between marijuana intoxication 'right now' vs. 'residual levels of marijuana from previous off hours usage (the active intoxicant in cannabis, THC, is fat soluble unlike virtually all other intoxicants - so it stays in the body system long after the affects have worn off).
However, employers need to understand that legalization - or even medical direction to use - does not entitle anyone to be impaired at work. If an employ is not fit for duty, any employer has the right to remove them from the workplace.
In session after session hosted by the SCA and others in the year leading up to legalization, professionals have continually advised erring on the side of safety when an employer or supervisor is suspicious. If testing determines that an employer was wrong about intoxication after removing an employee from a work site - simply apologize, pay for wages lost, and chalk it up to a successful demonstration of your business' commitment to the safety of your employees, partners and job sites.
Procurement Day
Looking for new opportunities? Planning your business for the year ahead?
Register today to save your spot for Saskatchewan's first-ever Procurement Day!
This is the only construction focused procurement forum in the province - bringing the contracting community and public and private infrastructure owners together to discuss capital plans and procurement policies.
This is your opportunity to hear what's coming down the pipeline in 2019 and determine what criteria owners and general contractors are evaluating in their upcoming projects.
Connect with new and key general contractors, owner representatives, consultants, and suppliers to develop the valuable relationships that can drive your business to the next level. Time will be set aside for structured networking to help you make the right connections.
Over lunch, attendees will hear an expert panel discuss the Saskatchewan economy moving into 2019. The first inductees into the Saskatchewan Construction Hall of Fame will also be announced.
Seating is limited. Tickets to spend the day with general contractors, owners and key industry partners are only are $50. Secure your spot before it's too late!
Owners in attendance will include Nutrien, Federated Co-op, Arbutus, Dream, SaskPower, City of Saskatoon, University of Saskatchewan, SaskBuilds, and others.
