On April 16 and 17, 2024 at the Calgary Telus Convention Centre, COAA hosted our annual conference. VISION 2024: Enabling Workforce Solutions to Shape Alberta’s Construction Future brought together heavy industrial construction professionals, trades, labourers, and key players in the large-scale industrial investment industry. As the largest event of its kind in Alberta, this two-day event welcomed more than 225 attendees and explored the latest developments and best practices in heavy industrial construction and maintenance sectors.

Expert speakers and senior leaders led an event program full of knowledge and experience, covering topics and themes critical to our industry. Attendees engaged on meaningful discussions on labor trends, human and organizational performance (HOP), safety, productivity, technology enablement, collaborative contracting, new energy sources, and much more. Thank you to event sponsors and supporting stakeholders who helped make the event a tremendous success.

As director of strategic engagement for Pathways Alliance, Patricia Bailey provides leadership and oversight to Pathways Alliance Stakeholder Relations team, ensuring priorities are aligned to the strategic direction from the Policy and Government Relations Steering Group, and the Communications Steering Group.  Before her role at Pathways Alliance, Patricia worked across several sectors in the UK and Canada. She has held progressive leadership roles in non-profit, post-secondary and energy serving as Manager, Associate Director, Director, and Chief of Staff overseeing multi-disciplinary teams.

 With nearly 20 years of working across multiple Industries, Patricia has expertise in various areas, including crisis communications, project management, corporate social responsibility, reputation management, strategy, and public relations. In 2020, in addition to leading a large-scale post-secondary pandemic crisis response, she designed a first-in-kind comprehensive pan-Canadian crisis communication certificate. She delivered it for three years to senior-level professionals across all sectors to build crisis capacity within large, complex organizations.

Patricia holds a Bachelor of Science (Hons), Speech Therapy and an MA in Organizational Design and Leadership from Royal Roads University.

As the Vice President and General Manager of Bird Stuart Olson’s Maintenance, Repairs, and Operations Division (MRO), Adam brings a wealth of experience in the industrial services sector. His strategic acumen and dedication to excellence have propelled the business to the forefront of industrial maintenance, turnarounds, and sustaining capital projects.

Driven by a passion for innovation and an understanding of the evolving workforce landscape, Adam recognizes the pivotal role of trades labour, and recruitment opportunities in shaping the industry’s future. With a proactive approach to talent acquisition and development, he navigates the challenges of attracting skilled professionals and effectively offsets the impacts of retiring workers, ensuring a seamless transition and sustained growth for the company.

Adam is a visionary leader who believes in creating opportunities for both seasoned professionals and newcomers alike. Whether he is providing growth pathways for existing team members or providing a welcoming environment for recruits, He is committed to maintaining a culture of excellence and inclusivity. Under Adam’s guidance, Bird Stuart Olson’s MRO Division continues to thrive, pushing boundaries, and setting new standards of excellence in the industrial services sector. With his strategic foresight, Adam is helping shape the future of the company.

Adam holds a Diploma in Electrical Engineering Technology, launching a rewarding career as a field Engineer. This was instrumental in developing skills in problem-solving and critical thinking. He strongly values continuous learning, challenging the status quo, and driving personal growth.

Dale is an entrepreneur in the construction technology industry where he helped to start and lead a construction cloud software company with corporate offices located out of Edmonton, Alberta. Today that same company, Intelliwave Technologies, has become a global leader in the tracking of construction resources including project materials and equipment for industrial, infrastructure, commercial, and residential projects. Intelliwave has grown from a local Alberta-based technology company servicing projects in the oil sands to providing construction software and services to multinational companies and contractors on every continent.

Dale received a B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering with Honours from the University of British Columbia and an M.B.A from the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington. Dale is currently registered as an active member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA).

Terry Burton is the Director, Planning & Engineering with the City of Lloydminster.

Terry has over 30 years of experience in leading projects through the initial planning stages, design, project management, to the completed construction and use of the intended facilities and/or infrastructure. Projects include, subdivisions, transportation, water distribution, storm and sanitary collection systems, drainage, and facility upgrades. The latest accomplishment has been the recent upgrading of the City’s Wastewater Treatment facility. Utilizing a relatively new project delivery methodology called Integrated Project Delivery (IPD), the project was successfully completed on time and on budget. Project was started pre-Covid and on through the supply-chain issues that are and continue to be present to this day.

Terry is a registered Professional Licensee (Engineering) through the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) and an Engineering Licensee through the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Saskatchewan (APEGS).

When not assisting the City, you can find me spending time with family and enjoying the outdoors camping, quadding, fishing, and hunting.

With over 10 years of experience in executive Health and Safety roles, boards and industry associations, she is a leader in collaboration, strategic thinking and strong governance. She is the Director, Health, Safety, Security and Environment for TransAlta where she ensures that capability and resources are in place to deliver safe, reliable and sustainable energy. Michelle has led HSE organizations in the Utility and Energy sector from BP to PETRONAS and EPCOR to TransAlta over her 20-year career in Health and Safety. She has volunteered her time to health and safety boards and industry associations as the Ministerial Appointee for public safety for ABSA – Alberta’s Pressure Equipment Safety Authority, Energy Safety Canada’s Advisory Committee, and the Job Safety Skills Society a not-for-profit organization supporting young worker safety. She brings her education from McGill University (M.Sc. Occupational Health), Toronto Metropolitan University (B.Sc. Occupational Health and Safety) and the University of Alberta (B.A.) to advance the understanding of Health and Safety in the workplace and community.

Michelle has presented internationally on health and safety topics at the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and the American Industrial Hygiene conference (AIHce).

Suryash Chakravarty is a Consultant with Turner & Townsend, with 4 years of experience in the midstream Energy sector. His expertise in the field extends to Construction Progress Monitoring, Quantity Surveying, and Project Controls. Suryash has tested various field tech and is an advocate for improved on-site data capture and visualization.

As the President and CEO, Murray directs the strategic path and development of Energy Safety Canada, the national energy safety association. Appointed President in 2017, he successfully led the organization during the merger of Enform and Oil Sands Safety Association to form Energy Safety Canada. Now as President and CEO, Murray continues to lead the visionand strategy of the new organization. After studying Chemical Engineering at the University of Toronto, Murray began his career in the oil and gas industry with Shell Canada in 1986. During his 30 years with the multi-national company, he held progressively senior roles in development and production.

Murray’s leadership roles in industry associations include the Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers’ Board of Governors, Alberta Executive Policy Group (EPG) and Oil Sands EPG, as well as chairing and participating in industry regulator committees.

As President, Oil Sands Developers Group, he led the industry review that later transformed OSDG into the Oil Sands Community Alliance, which has become part of Pathways Alliance.

Murray also served on the Enform Board of Directors prior to the merger forming Energy Safety Canada.

Karla brings over 16 years of technical experience in construction management and virtual construction planning and execution.  She is a skilled professional and expert in BIM (Building Information Modeling) and VDC (Virtual Design and construction).  Additionally, Karla’s skillsets extend to the leading-edge, digital AWP (Advanced Work Packaging) process for construction.

In addition to Karla’s experience with the digital planning and modeling of projects, she has assisted with the management of complex projects where she has honed her skillsets for the establishment, management and reporting of estimates, cost control, schedules, work packages, subcontractor management, and client and stakeholder liaising.  

Bill Ferreira has played a leading role in Canada’s construction industry for nearly a decade. Bill assumed the role of Executive Director at BuildForce Canada in August 2017, after serving as Vice-President, Government Relations and Public Affairs at the Canadian Construction Association since 2008. Bill has also served as a Senior Policy Advisor in a range of portfolios at the Federal Government, including Citizenship and Immigration, Environment Canada and International Trade. Following government, Bill joined a boutique government relations firm in Ottawa, focusing his expertise on the energy, transportation and telecommunications sectors. Bill also played a pivotal role as Director of Government Affairs at the Forest Products Association of Canada. 

Bill was born in Toronto. He’s a graduate of Carlton University in Ottawa where he earned a degree in Political Science. 

Keray Hopaluk is a seasoned professional with over two decades of hands-on experience in project management, strategic planning, contracts, and project development and execution. Throughout his career, Keray has demonstrated a strong commitment to collaboration, leveraging his expertise to work alongside all stakeholders to find shared project goals. With a proactive approach to problem-solving, he has successfully navigated complex challenges while fostering open communication and teamwork. With a background in the trades, Keray is widely recognized for his knowledge in construction. Outside of work, Keray enjoys spending time with his family outdoors, cultivating his love for nature, travel and adventure.

Wes Jickling assumed the role of COSIA Chief Executive in August 2019 and became the Vice President, Technology Development and COSIA under the Pathways Alliance in May 2022. Prior to joining COSIA, Wes was the Chief Executive Officer of Innovation Saskatchewan and Deputy Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs for Saskatchewan. Wes has held senior roles in corporate, government, and international organizations, including United Nations postings in Brazil, Swaziland, Ukraine and Sudan.

Wes was born and raised in Estevan, Saskatchewan. He and his wife Shelley have three children. He earned his master’s degree in Denmark and his bachelor’s degree from the University of Calgary.

Shandra Linder, BA, MBA,  is the principal of Linder Industrial Relations Consulting Ltd.  Shandra represents multiple clients in Heavy Industrial Maintenance and Construction.  She is the Acting President of the Association of Maintenance Contractors Canada (AMCC), and is an influential leader with over 24 years of expertise in management and labour relations. Her diverse career has spanned the public sector, post-secondary institutions, and large industrial maintenance and construction projects. Notably, she served as a Senior Labour Relations Advisor at Syncrude Canada Ltd. for a significant tenure, where she was recognized for her achievements, including a robust COVID-19 response and cost-effective restoration of plants.  Her broad knowledge encompasses areas such as contractor management, safety, workforce acquisition, and policy building, especially within Canada’s Oilsands Owner environment. Beyond her primary roles, Shandra’s impact has also been felt through her active board and committee participation with organizations like ACTIMS, the Construction Owners Association of Alberta, where she influenced industry standards and practices. An advocate for innovation and excellence, Shandra has played a crucial role in shaping policies and forging strong relationships with unions, contractors, and industry operators across Canada. Her insights into policy creation, economic forecasting, and organizational effectiveness, along with an MBA in Natural Resources, Energy, and Environment, underscore her standing as a key influencer in her field.

Joe McFadyen is President of Construction Labour Relations – An Alberta Association (CLRA), a position he has filled since July 2019.  CLRA brings contractors, owners, and top-quality tradespeople together to build Alberta’s economy and secure a competitive future for the unionized construction industry.

CLRA has led Alberta’s construction employers through labour negotiations for more than 50 years, through principled commitment to the values that created Alberta’s modern construction industry: Collaboration, Innovation, Integrity, and Leadership.

Our members contractors can depend on CLRA to uncomplicate the collective bargaining process, provide comprehensive training and support programs, and craft creative solutions that keep pace with the construction trends shaping our industry.

Joe has worked for the Association since 2012 involved in all aspects of Labour Relations, arbitrations, collective bargaining, agreement administration.  He is currently a Director of Helmets to Hardhats, a member of the Construction Owners’ Association of Alberta Safety Committee for the Construction Best Practices Initiative.  Joe has previously been a labour relations practitioner in both air transportation with 2 major airlines in Canada and academia working with the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology.

With over 12 years of HR experience, the last 7 of those years at Brock Canada, Holly Nash has established progressive HR leadership, transitioning the Human Resource Department into a fully integrated, full service part of the business. As the HR Manager, Holly exhibit’s a comprehensive understanding of human resources functions, specializing in recruitment, labor relations, and HR management. Holly Nash is particularly passionate about fostering diversity and inclusion within the trades sector, recognizing the pivotal role it plays in enhancing organizational culture and driving innovation. In 2023 Holly was recognized by our private equity owners as being the best leader under 35 out of all of their portfolio companies.

Terry Parker is the Executive Director of the Building Trades of Alberta, which represents more than 60,000 skilled tradespeople and 18 Alberta local unions. Previously, Terry served for 12 years as the Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Building Trades Council. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience in the unionized construction and maintenance industries. 

Terry is a Glazier, and prior to 2005, was a Business Agent for the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades. He is a graduate of the University of Manitoba, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science.

His dedication to the labour movement and to the safety and welfare of the unionized workers he represents is evident in the actions he takes and the decisions he makes every day.

 Ross has more than 30 years’ experience working in the North American energy industry. He joined TransAlta in 2021 to lead the Project Execution and Construction team. Prior to joining TransAlta, Ross held a similar role at another major Alberta based electricity generation company.

Previously, Ross held progressively senior roles in the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction industry which included work on the Southwest Calgary Ring Road, Calgary’s New Central Library, the new Canadian headquarters for Jacobs Engineering, as well as several electrical generation new-build projects across North America.

Ross is most proud of his recent involvement in the transition of Alberta’s electrical generation away from coal to clean fuel sources as well as 800+ megawatts of new wind construction for TransAlta in Canada and the US. He was also involved with a leading-edge dual-fuel hydrogen electricity generation new-build with a major US based energy producer.

Ross is active in several organizations as a Board member including the Construction Owners Association of Alberta and the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society, which is the largest immigration and resettlement organization in the prairie provinces. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Calgary and is a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta.

A seasoned Construction Manager and Professional Engineer with over 25 years experience in leading complex industrial projects to successful completion. With a passion for innovation and a keen interest in emerging technologies, I am dedicated to integrating cutting-edge solutions into construction practices to enhance efficiency and sustainability. My commitment to excellence and continuous improvement drives me to contribute significantly to the advancement of the industrial construction sector.

Stefan is the Chief Operating Officer with CAREERS: the Next Generation. In his role, he leads the Operations, Research & Development, and SafeGen (high school safety training courses) teams. Stefan joined CAREERS in 2020 as the Director Operations when the organization embarked on a significant growth journey. CAREERS has since grown to provide annually over 3,400 paid internships to high school students in a variety of high-demand occupations with over 1,800 employers across Alberta. Currently, the organization is on a path to providing 6,000 internship placements annually.

Before joining CAREERS, Stefan was a global director with the international engineering and consulting firm Worley and lived and worked in several countries. He started his career as an environmental consultant before moving into various operational and international leadership roles.

Stefan is currently a member of the College of School Superintendents supported Trades and Vocational Education (TAVE) Committee and was formerly part of Alberta Education’s Career Education Task Force. He holds a Master’s degree in Environmental Geography from Philipps-University Marburg, Germany, and a Master’s degree in Responsibility and Business Practice from the School of Management, University of Bath, UK.

Gabriela Urrego graduated from the University of Calgary with a degree in Chemical Engineering. She began her career as a Field EIT for pipeline construction projects where she spent time with the construction management team for projects in Grande Prairie and Cold Lake Alberta. Gabriela moved to the System Design team to learn capacity management of meter stations and laterals for Canadian assets. Currently, Gabriela is a Project Engineer on TC Energy’s Consolidated Emissions Reporting and Governance team.

Tyson Vany is an APEGA registered Professional Engineer specializing in Project Execution with over 2 decades of experience in progressive project execution roles.  With a strong background in construction management and execution, he is an advocate for alternative execution models focused on a high degree of owner involvement and strong collaborative relationships with contractors and service companies.

In the early 2000’s, Tyson started his career in Fort McMurray at Syncrude where he quickly realized what is required in the field is often much more complex and challenging than what is assumed initially by head office.  That early realization remains paramount to his project execution philosophy; building early fit for purpose integrated project plans that lead to successfully implemented execution strategies and tactics.

Tyson is currently the Vice President of Capital Projects at Cenovus Energy where he leads a multi-discipline team, accountable for the delivery of full life cycle project execution beginning with opportunity screening through to final commissioning and start-up. 

Tyson holds a B.Sc in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Saskatchewan and is a Director on the Construction Owners Association of Alberta.

Richard Venerus is the Founder and Principal of Skalable Partners (and its brother entity, Venerus Advisory Partners).

Richard has over 20 years of experience in Supply Chain Management (SCM) in a diverse set of industries, including technology, financial services, transportation, sports and entertainment, construction and energy. 

He is a qualified lawyer, certified in Construction Law and holds a MBA from the Schulich School of Business.  Richard is professionally trained or certified in Project Management, Change Management, Construction Contract Administration, Adult Education, Mediation, Arbitration and ISO 44001- Collaborative Working. 

Richard is also an instructor for Supply Chain Canada (SCC) delivering training on SCM best practices.

When not being an entrepreneur, Richard enjoys travelling with his young family to warm water locations that offer the opportunity for him to maintain his certification as a Master Scuba-Diver. 

A client-centric leader with over 15 years of experience in geomatics and surveying. Well versed in survey fundamentals, error sources, adjustments and ETL (extract transform and load) technology.

Bill Woodhead is a Partner at Borden Ladner Gervais LLP in Calgary, Alberta and Vancouver, British Columbia. Bill focuses his practice in the areas of procurement and construction law. He acts for public and private owners, contractors, engineers, subcontractors, and suppliers drafting and negotiating procurement documents and the various agreements required to design, procure and construct any asset. Bill often speaks at construction and industry conferences on all aspects of construction and procurement law.