Recorded live at BUILDEX on February 11, 2026

Federal uncertainty. Provincial ambition. Municipal power.

This live Builders' Bench conversation dives into the policies and political shifts shaping construction right now. We cover tariffs, the "build baby build" push, BC's Infrastructure Projects Act, prompt payment wins, and why the upcoming municipal election may define how we build for the next decade.

Take a seat on the bench with us.

The budget is big. The numbers are louder. But what do they actually mean for construction?

On the latest episode of The Builders' Bench, host Craig Larkins sits down with Louis-Philippe Champagne from the Canadian Construction Association to cut through the data and focus on what matters.

From permits and labour to the build, baby, build push, this episode breaks down what's coming, what could slow things down, and what the industry should be watching as we head into 2026.

In this week's episode, we explore the incredible potential of prefab to transform the industry and tackle the housing shortage.

Craig Larkins sits down with Craig Mitchell, Partner and Project Manager at 720 Modular and former VRCA Board Chair, fresh off a tour of Sweden's prefab factories. They break down what prefab really means, why Sweden builds at scale, and what Canada needs to change to build faster, smarter, and at the pace this moment demands.

This episode of the Builders' Bench is brought to you in part by Pitt Meadows Plumbing – building iconic projects and elevating the industry through strong teams, partnerships, and advocacy.

What if the path to a skilled trade started before graduation? Host Craig Larkins is joined by Mark Reid from the Vancouver School Board to explore Youth Work in Trades, a program connecting students to paid apprenticeships early, supporting families, and helping industry tackle the labour crunch.

This episode is brought to you in part by Pitt Meadows Plumbing - building iconic projects and elevating the industry through strong teams, partnerships, and advocacy.

What if the path to a skilled trade started before graduation? Host Craig Larkins is joined by Mark Reid from the Vancouver School Board to explore Youth Work in Trades, a program connecting students to paid apprenticeships early, supporting families, and helping industry tackle the labour crunch.

This episode is brought to you in part by Pitt Meadows Plumbing - building iconic projects and elevating the industry through strong teams, partnerships, and advocacy.

A year of political shakeups, big promises, and nation-building talk. Host Craig Larkins and Sajjid Lakhani from Impact Public Affairs unpack what it all means for builders as British Columbia heads into a critical municipal election year.

Take a seat on the bench with us!

On this episode of The Builders' Bench, Craig sits down with Sue Connors and Adam Addlestone from the BC Construction Association (BCCA) to break down PermitsCA - a new tool giving builders real-time visibility into permit activity across B.C.

What does it mean? Smarter bids. Better planning. Fewer surprises.

If you want to know where the work is headed before anyone else, this is the episode to tune into.

Take a seat on the bench. This one's a game changer.

In this episode, the federal budget has dropped and with billions promised for housing and infrastructure, the City of Vancouver is watching closely.

We hear from the City's planning leaders on why federal investment is critical to unlocking non-market (affordable) housing and the infrastructure needed to support it.

They share what's encouraging in this year's budget and what's still needed to turn ambition into action - alongside Vancouver's ongoing efforts to modernize zoning, digital permitting, and its new city-wide Official Development Plan.

Hosted by Craig Larkins, with VRCA President and guest co-host Jeannine Martin.

Take a seat on the bench — where construction conversations happen.

In this episode, the Federal Budget 2025 dropped with bold promises - billions for infrastructure, housing, and nation-building. But can Ottawa turn ambition into action?

Host Craig Larkins sits down with Louis-Philippe Champagne (CCA) and Sajjid Lakhani (Impact Public Affairs) to unpack what's the numbers, and what builders need next.

Progress on paper. Challenges on the ground.

Take a seat on the bench - where construction conversations happen.

In this episode, the latest BCCA Stat Pack just dropped - and the results might surprise you. From job surges to permits, BCCA President, Chris Atchison, joins The Builders' Bench to discuss what's really happening behind the numbers.