Member voices, offers and opportunities to grow your business. August 13, 2026 Sign up | View online The Buzz This Week Ottawa establishes Strategic Exports Office to strengthen Canada’s global competitiveness Office will bring together Canada’s diplomatic, commercial, and financial expertise to remove trade barriers and open more doors for Canadian companies looking to succeed in markets worldwide. OMERS buys $1 billion of Canadian stocks to bolster domestic holdings In the first half of 2026, OMERS earned a 4.8% return and bought an additional $1 billion in Canadian stocks. Feds and City of Toronto announce new partnership to build thousands of new homes The City of Toronto and the federal government have announced up to $2.7 billion in funding, financing and incentives to support the construction of 5,600 rental homes across the city, including $1.8 billion in low-cost loans. Air Canada announces new African route Following an expanded air transport agreement between Canada and Nigeria, Air Canada will offer a direct flight to Lagos starting next year. ON THE MOVE ▸Peter Zebedee named next CEO of Suncor ▸Sebastiaan Bock named next CEO of rest of world division at Barrick Mining Corp ▸Evan Siddall named Build Canada Homes inaugural Chair ▸Gordon T. Trafton named Chair of Canadian Pacific Kansas City ▸Adam Buzanis appointed Managing Director and Head of Funds at OMERS ▸Steve Vincent named Global Market Lead for Power at AtkinsRéalis What Our Members Are Saying Beyond the “Technical Recession” – Canada’s Rolling Adjustment “Canada has absorbed a series of rolling shocks, with strain in one sector often cushioned by resilience in another. Housing and construction softened first, population-sensitive sectors adjusted next, and trade-exposed industries are now under pressure from tariffs and global uncertainty. The result has been a prolonged adjustment that shifted from sector to sector without becoming a broad-based recession.” — Rannella Billy-Ochieng’, Senior Economist, TD The Inside Perspective: Member Update Meeting Twice a year, the Board provides members with a direct update on the work being done on their behalf. Join us on September 17 for our Member Update Meeting, a virtual session offering a clear look at our current priorities, programs, and advocacy, and how each translates into value for your business and the Toronto region. Register here to take part. Member Spotlight Ontario's infrastructure buildout is unlike anything in recent memory. But who builds it, and how, may matter as much as how much gets funded. Arsalan Zargar, Senior Vice President of Transportation at CIMA+, has spent his career on both sides of that equation and has a clear perspective on what it will take to get it right. Here are three takeaways from Zargar: 1. What's driving the infrastructure demand you're seeing right now? “It's partly fueled by under-investment in previous years, and partly by higher demand in response to shifts in the political landscape, environmental changes, and advancements in technology. These things excite me about our future, not only for our industry but also for us as humans and Canadians.” 2. What are the biggest issues facing your industry right now? “Demand for skilled labour and engineering know-how, along with rising costs, will add pressure to our ability to respond to the challenges ahead of us. Clients today need timely, informed decision-making more than ever before. That means engineering and construction partners must be proactive in identifying risks early, anticipating challenges, and presenting practical, solution-oriented options before issues impact schedule or costsy.” 3. How has the relationship between owners and contractors changed? “Collaboration is the big word over the past couple of years. A few years ago, alternative delivery model meant a rigid, fixed-price P3 contract. Now it means delivery models such as alliance and progressive design-build. When you look at the most common drivers of the largest claims and disputes between owners and engineers and contractors, it often comes down to how we work together rather than what we do.” Learn more about how CIMA+ is building what’s next. Members: are you driving change in your industry? Contact your Relationship Manager to share your story with us and be featured. The Talk Track “The run-up to construction is where you actually build the relationship. That’s where you figure out who’s doing what, what the expectations are, and how decisions will be made. That’s where you decide whether you’re doing this together or not. If you don’t take the time then, you’ll pay for it later. If you do, the project has a much stronger chance of success.” — Desiree Norwegian, Manager, Indigenous Relations, Aecon at Building Together – Indigenous Business and the Infrastructure Opportunity “We can’t build innovation if our institutions are working in silos. Every investment we make has to drive not just infrastructure, but also research, commercialization, and capacity for the future.” — Leah Cowen, Vice-President, Research and Innovation, and Strategic Initiatives, University of Toronto at the Infrastructure Symposium: Delivering What's Next for Toronto Upcoming Member Workshops Our Member Workshops are hosted by Members and built to share expertise, spark connections, and equip you with practical solutions you can use right away. Spaces are limited, so secure your seat while they’re available. ► Sep 28 (In Person) – Succession Planning for Business Owners hosted by CIBC ► Sep 28 (In Person) – From Core Strengths to Transformative Social Impact hosted by Connected North Have industry insights to share? Host a Member Workshop and position yourself as a subject matter expert — contact your Relationship Manager to get started. Join the Conversation Events & Opportunities from Members Calvary Placement Agency Ribbon Cutting – August 20 Join Calvary Placement Agency's official ribbon cutting celebration and learn more about their work supporting children and youth through behavioral health case management, wellness checks, and life skills programming. Come connect, show your support, and be part of this milestone. NOT A MEMBER? DISCOVER HOW MEMBERSHIP CAN WORK FOR YOU How did you enjoy this installment? Let us know! Our team reviews every response. 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