Launch of new Afro-Canadian Contractors Association
February 1, 2021 | By HPAC Magazine
The association aims to promote and encourage black-owned contracting companies in the Canadian construction industry.
On February 1, the beginning of Black History Month, the new Afro-Canadian Contractors Association (ACCA) official launched with the intent of facilitating a united voice for the Black construction industry.
“Black contractors have a longstanding history of contributing to projects across Canada,” notes Stephen Callender, president of ACCA, in a media release. “Yet full integration into the industry has only been achieved by a small subset of talented Black-owned construction companies. In keeping with our mandate to multiply the number of Black-led construction projects, we must also ensure that Black workers are treated fairly and paid equally.”
The association first formed in September 2020 with the primary goal of increasing the presence of black-owned contracting companies in the Canadian construction industry. It was focused on the principle of TRUST, Talent-Respectable-Unified-Skilled-Trades, aiming to provide industry stakeholders with a pool of experienced contractors for projects in both the residential and ICI sectors.
George Lloyd, president of Lloyd HVAC Services in Toronto also sits on the ACCA Board as Director of Services.
ACCA intends to also address racism, unfair hiring process and inaccessibility to job opportunities in the Canadian construction industry by offering a range of professional workshops focused on educating Black contractors and lobbying for change within the unions and among industry stakeholders.
“With this trend towards socially responsible public spending taking root, ACCA is poised to make sure our community is aware of the opportunities to bid on these projects,” explains Omari Francis, ACCA Board member. “We’re working towards developing Black contractors to meet the long term needs of the construction industry as our economy rebounds to pre-pandemic levels”
