Ottawa’s latest housing strategy aims to build 3.87 million homes by 2031, with a new Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund to ensure essential systems such as water, power and transit can keep up.

It is a bold ambition, and it’s the right one. However, meeting these targets will require more than funding. It also demands that we treat infrastructure as mission-critical and modernize the way we deliver it.

Across the country, momentum is evident. Governments at every level are committing significant capital to public works. Ontario has committed to a $70-billion transit program, moving ahead on projects like Toronto’s Yonge North Subway Extension. British Columbia has budgeted $43.3 billion over three years for healthcare, transportation, education and housing. The

Canada Infrastructure Bank

is scaling investments across clean power, transit, trade corridors and broadband.

Meanwhile, the federal government has committed to substantial investment and regulatory fast-tracking for nation-building projects to strengthen the economy. It also agreed to increase defence spending to five per cent of annual GDP by 2035, with 1.5 per cent dedicated to critical infrastructure. These are encouraging signs, not only of spending, but of intent and resolve.

Yet, the country’s infrastructure challenges extend beyond funding. Electrifying our vehicles, homes and industries will roughly double the demand for electricity by 2050. At the same time, aging water and wastewater systems require renewal; roads and bridges must be made climate resilient, and communities connected by advanced digital infrastructure. This is our chance to lay the foundation for an opportunity-rich Canada.

Having spent almost 40 years in the construction industry, I’ve seen firsthand what separates the projects that struggle from those that succeed. Beyond funding, the true differentiator is how we work. If we want to deliver more homes, healthier, more connected communities and a more stable, cleaner grid at the current pace of demand, it is essential we make three shifts in how we plan, build and work together.

1. Move procurement from ‘lowest compliant bid’ to ‘best-for-project outcomes’

First, we need to rethink how projects are awarded. Too often, the contract goes to the lowest bidder that meets the basic requirements. This can result in schedule delays and cost overruns if the contractor did not properly estimate the scope of the project or account for potential challenges.

Adopting a “best-for-project-outcomes” procurement approach means teams are chosen based on their ability to collaborate effectively, meet performance goals and deliver quality results. This shift prioritizes long-term value and leads to better outcomes for communities.

Complex, multi-stakeholder projects, such as transit interchanges, grid expansions and major upgrades to make buildings more energy efficient, are most likely to succeed when we — owners, designers and constructors — collaborate early, share information openly and ensure timelines and budgetary goals align.

We can see that Canada is already making progress on this front. For example, Infrastructure Ontario has committed to a collaborative approach in which risks are shared fairly and problems are solved as a team. This matters. Because when risks such as unexpected site conditions, labour shortages, and higher material costs or design constraints are unfairly pushed onto one party, they don’t disappear. They show up in the form of schedule delays, cost overruns — even legal disputes.

2. Increase trade recruitment and apply innovative construction methods and technology to boost productivity

Canada’s construction sector faces a major challenge: there simply aren’t enough qualified tradespeople to meet the growing demand. A large percentage of the country’s skilled workers are nearing retirement and not enough young people are entering the trades to replace them.

This shortage is slowing down projects and making it harder to deliver the infrastructure Canadians need. To fix this, we must invest in trade schools, expand apprenticeships and make the trades a more attractive career path for the next generation.

That also means being purposeful about inclusion — creating real opportunities for underrepresented groups, including women, newcomers and Indigenous peoples, so that they not only enter the construction business but also thrive. And we should accelerate the recognition of foreign credentials so that skilled workers can contribute sooner.

However, adding new workers alone will not meet the scale of demand.

The other half of the equation is productivity. Embracing modular construction, mass timber, standardized components and off-site fabrication can dramatically improve efficiency, compress timelines and reduce risk. Productivity is further amplified with digital tools such as building information modelling (BIM) and virtual design construction (VDC), which allow teams to plan projects in 3D before anything is built. These tools help identify problems early, reduce costly rework and ensure that buildings and infrastructure perform as intended from day one.

3. Above all, build trust

Finally, we need to build trust between our teams and our communities. In the past, infrastructure projects moved ahead with limited transparency and inadequate collaboration with affected communities. The lack of transparency led to frustration, delays and, in some cases, mistrust among stakeholders.

Collaboration is not a slogan, it’s a discipline. The more clearly we define success at the outset, the easier it will be to deliver a successful project for the community.

This is especially important as we build in Indigenous communities and urban neighbourhoods that have experienced decades of under-investment. When trust is earned, it accelerates permitting, reduces conflict and results in infrastructure that communities actually want and need.

Some may argue that collaboration adds complexity or that industrialized construction methods — such as using and building prefabricated components off-site — limit design freedom. But in practice, these approaches often reduce delays, improve cost certainty and deliver more consistent quality.

Construction companies play an active role in addressing Canada’s infrastructure deficit. They must invest in people, embrace data-driven planning and adopt delivery models that share accountability. These are practical tools to help close Canada’s infrastructure gap.

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This decade will determine whether Canada can grow affordably and sustainably, and construction companies play an active role in making that happen. When we choose builders based on long-term value, invest in a skilled and inclusive workforce supported by innovation and build trust through collaboration, we can deliver the infrastructure Canadians need.

If we get those things right, we will not only build the homes and infrastructure the country needs; we will build confidence that Canadians can still deliver big things, together.

Teri McKibbon is president and CEO of Bird Construction.