MOFFATT Happy 60th Birthday ECAA

We just finished celebrating our history on December 10 at the Calgary Westin with a James Bond “Casino Royale” theme. The event was very well presented and enjoyed by the great crowd that attended. The video of historical pictures and interviews was very well done, and the entertainment provided by Bare ‘N Von Hair was very good, followed by casino tables, music, and dancing. Many thanks to the Calgary Chapter for allowing us to host this event in place of what is typically their “Winter Gala”.

It is my privilege to serve on the ECAA Provincial Board as President, and as I write this message, I find myself reflecting on the past four years of challenges and accomplishments our association has met and achieved.

Strategic planning has resulted in redefining our Vision/Mission statement, updating our bylaws, and setting the course for the years ahead. We said thank you and goodbye to Sheri McLean who retired after 32 years of service to our association, and we wish her well in her retirement. We conducted a search for a new Executive Director, and believe we have found an excellent successor in Robin Bobocel. He brings a wealth of experience to the position, and continues to challenge and understand our systems, looking outside the box for opportunities to improve that keeps our provincial board on their toes and focused on strategic priorities.

Many thanks to Camille, Christine, and Dorothy for their contributions to the organization, along with their support of and assistance to Robin, as he takes firm control of our association.

Through the efforts spearheaded by Terry Milot over the past 10 years, Alberta now has Prompt Payment legislation. The fine details of implementation continue to be developed, but contractors now have a greater sense of security regarding when and how they get paid for the work they have performed. It was a pleasure to recognize Terry for his efforts on this file in front of his peers at the 60th Anniversary Gala.

The face and indeed the structure of apprenticeship in Alberta is changing as a result of the Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship Act (STAEA) being brought into legislation. A new Board of Skilled Trades has been created and charged with setting new policies and processes that will continue to have industry input and participation. Industry involvement in apprenticeship has been a cornerstone of the Alberta system for many years, and that will continue to play a significant role in the development and management of apprenticeship programs. Apprenticeship now has academic credits on par with other post-secondary education accreditation. This will pave the way for students to move from one vein of occupation/ education to another with their academic accomplishments being recognized. The stigma of trades being considered secondary to traditional post-secondary education and occupations has been removed with this “parity of esteem”.

We are pleased to welcome Jeff Bailey to our staff as Education Coordinator. Jeff will be busy evaluating our current educational offerings to ensure they remain relevant and provide value to PEC’s, contractors and their staff members. He will also be looking to identify and develop additional training opportunities for our members.

Certainly, the COVID-19 pandemic threw us a curveball over the past two years, affecting our lives and industry in many ways; some of which we have weathered, while others continue to impact members abilities to identify and deliver projects on time and on budget. Our Provincial Board and local Chapters were challenged with how to maintain meaningful and productive engagement with members, while we navigated restrictions. Virtual meetings became the norm, and while less than ideal, we were able to continue providing an opportunity for members to engage with one another.

As we started to come out of the pandemic, Chapters were looking for new ways and locations for members to meet and socialize. With the ability to conduct hybrid meetings, our Provincial Board is taking meetings on the road, to the

Chapters, allowing for members of the Board to meet with local members, while minimizing the cost of travel.

The future is full of new opportunities and challenges. I’m confident our industry and association will continue to find ways to deliver our Vision/Mission:

“The Electrical Contractors Association of Alberta is the voice and information centre of the electrical industry; a self-governing body working to ensure professional membership through education, safety and strong stakeholder relationships”. n

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