Building and development industry groups join up
Alberta’s building and development industry has elected to work together, with its two industry associations voting to join forces to create one voice.
The Canadian Home Builders’ Association-Alberta and Urban Development Institute Alberta voted in July to fold their organizations into a new one to be named Building Industry and Land Development (BILD) Alberta. BILD Alberta will advocate for land developers, home builders, renovators and trades and suppliers at the provincial level.
“We are thrilled to have the mandate from the industry. We’re really pleased with the results,” says Wendy Jabusch, transition board chairwoman. “(The move to amalgamate) has been an ongoing initiative now for over 10 years. The industry is perceived as one industry, not as a land developer or a home builder. It makes good sense for us to speak as one voice and really represent the industry in total, which is land development and home building, renovations and the trades and suppliers in its entirety.”
Whether it’s in dealing with the public, government or administrative groups, the members of CHBA and UDI feel they have a stronger voice in speaking together. By doing so, they are also able to address concerns in a more nuanced fashion.
“What we have come to realize is that we might have a different perspective on a particular issue, but we’re never on opposite sides of an issue. It really is presenting the concerns or solutions that our industry can bring forward,” Jabusch says.
BILD Alberta’s two founding organizations have long-standing histories — this year marks 50 years for UDI-Alberta and next year would have been CHBA-Alberta’s 75th anniversary.
“(July 12) was a great day to honour all of the great accomplishments of CHBA-Alberta and UDI Alberta,” Jabusch says. “It’s also exciting to have the opportunity to move forward as BILD.”
Voting took place between July 5 and 11, with CHBA-Alberta members voting 88 per cent in favour and 94 per cent of UDI Alberta’s members supporting the move.
There are 1601 CHBA members within the five locals and BILD Calgary Region (CHBA–Central Alberta, CHBA-Edmonton, CHBA- Grande Prairie, CHBA-Lethbridge, CHBA–Medicine Hat) and more than 300 members across seven UDI chapters and BILD Calgary Region (UDI Cold Lake, UDI Edmonton, UDI Grande Prairie, UDI Lethbridge, UDI Medicine Hat, UDI Red Deer, UDI Wood Buffalo).
The transition board is made up of Jabusch, Tally Hutchinson, Ryan Scott, Donna Moore and Colin Wiebe from CHBA-Alberta; and Peter Cavanagh, Shane Erickson, Gord Bontje, Patrick Shaver and Tracey Hill from UDI Alberta.
Jabusch will be the chairwoman. Erickson is the first vice-chair; Scott is the secretary/treasurer; Moore is the chief executive officer; and Hill is the executive director.
BILD Alberta now has 120 days of transition time to unite the organizations. During this time, the transition board will hire a CEO, as well as establish a board of directors.
In Calgary, the local chapters of CHBA and UDI amalgamated in March 2016, and are now known as BILD Calgary Region.