TOP 10 OPEN SHOP CONTRACTORS INDUSTRY LEADER
ICBA leads fight for more
construction and responsible
resource development
Canadian Design and Construction
Report special feature
From humble beginnings has
come an open shop giant. Founded
in 1975 in the small town of Trail,
B.C., by a group of open shop con-
tractors denied access to bidding,
the Independent Contractors and
Businesses Association (ICBA) has
grown to be a powerful voice for the
open shop construction and respon-
sible resource development indus-
tries. With a reach that extends across
Canada, the association represents
2,000 member companies and
clients who collectively employ more
than 50,000 people. ICBA speaks out
on issues that impact members, in-
cluding labour and employment poli-
cies, fair tendering, safety policies,
regulation, taxation and infrastruc-
ture. ICBA fights for fair and open
competition in awarding contracts
for public projects.

ICBA communications director
Jordan Bateman says advocacy is
one of the association’s key member
benefits. Pushing government at all
Chris Gardner at the ICBA AGM 2017
levels to approve projects, he says
ICBA is unapologetic in its support of
construction and resource develop-
ment. “We’re doing everything we
can to get the Kinder Morgan Trans
Mountain pipeline project built. We
fought hard to get a yes for this and
now we’re doing all we can to make
it stick.”
Construction is a tough industry,
Bateman says, and ensuring the in-
dustry’s voice is heard above the din
of professional protestors, pandering
politicians, and negative non-govern-
mental organizations (NGOs) re-
quires a similar toughness.

“Unlike many associations who
fear rocking the boat, we consider
Peyton Manning - ICBA AGM 2017
Nathan Bogusz - carpenter apprentice
pursuing his Red Seal
The Canadian Design and Construction Report — Spring 2018 – 19