CNC Receives $25K Donation from ICBA
From left, CNC President Henry Reiser and the ICBA’s Mike Davis, VP of Regional Initiatives – photo 250News
Prince George, B.C. – The Independent Contractors and Business Association of B.C. (ICBA) opened up their wallets this morning.
The ICBA donated $25,000 to the College of New Caledonia (CNC) for technological advancements and five year naming rights to a room at the college.
“It’s a significant donation and will pay for scholarships and bursaries here,” said CNC President Henry Reiser. “It’s wonderful, it’s amazing how well connected CNC is not only to Prince George but the entire region.”
“We’re a construction association so we believe in this kind of investment,” added Gord Stewart, ICBA’s Senior Vice-President. “It’s wonderful for us to get some profile in the community but it wasn’t about that, it’s about supporting the trades program up here.”
Several dignitaries were also on hand for today’s announcement, including MLAs Mike Morris, Shirley Bond, and Prince George Mayor Lyn Hall.
Comments
those dignitaries could open their wallets too.
25K is cheap advertising for an association dedicated to breaking established construction unions.
This donation feeds the illusion that the association is “invested” in skills training for construction trades.
Mr. Reiser et. al. are apparently convinced, I mean they get naming rights for 5 years for a mere 25K?
The ‘i.c.b.a.’ used to be called “c.l.a.c.’
metalman.
Actually CLAC is still CLAC. They now have a spinoff called Canada West Construction Union, which has the same directors as CLAC.
I.C.B.A. is totally anti-union. For some reason they think it’s fine for the companies to join their organization, but it’s not alright for their workers to organize.
Thank you for the clarification my2bits, you are correct.
I. C.B.A. also do not have any qualms about hiring skilled trades from union ranks, they know they are probably getting the skills without having to support existing training regimes the unions put in place and the union employers pay for.
The thing is, B.C. construction unions are all on board with skills training, a lot of those unions actually operate their own training facilities in B.C, ensuring that correct skills are taught. This inevitably leads to and supports a higher standard of excellence.
Unionized construction companies in B.C. generally support this concept as mandated training produces better trades persons.
The worst thing that our leader Christy could have done was to ally her government with icba-clac.
This maneuver pretty much ensures the exclusion of B.C. union companies from the construction of Site C.
Said companies employ unionized trades people, who earn a decent wage, and probably spend that in B.C. and guess what, pay a lot of B.C. taxes in the process, along with their B.C. based employers.
Letting the work to out of province and out of country employers ensures that less money will flow back to B.C. government coffers.
Smooth move Exlax (Christy).
metalman.
The 25,000 came from government through the training dollars back door people.
A big thank you to Independent Contractors and Business Association of B.C. for this much needed 25K in funding to CNC. Every year CNC does not receive enough funding from the government to cover inflation, and other more direct operating costs. So CNC has had to repeatedly raise tuition fees, undertake more than 30 layoffs, reducing counselling services, cut daycare spending and removing several courses, including the dental hygiene program’s intake until at least Sept. 2016.
“The early budget scenario for the 2013/14 year paints a picture of a $1 million dollar shortfall if no action is taken to curb costs. The shortfall, says Penny Fahlman, CNC’s Vice President of Finance and Administration, is the result of funding not keeping pace with rising costs “Once again the college is facing unavoidable higher costs due to the impact of inflation and increases in costs for building and equipment maintenance, software, utilities, and more.”
www. 250news.com/2013/01/25/cnc-faces-budget-shortfall/
Perhaps MLA’s Mike Morris and Shirley Bond can champion the need for more CNC funding when they are in Victoria?… but that does take significantly more effort than just showing up and smiling at a photo op.
Actually, this organization was created due to the success that protestors are having with all major infrastructure projects. The contractors are getting pissy because of the success of these protest events.
There is a story on cbc radio last week or the week before explaining this.
get the podcast from cbc to hear what they have to say.
ICBA was around long before most of the protesters were born.
This is an anti-union association determined to lower wages and benefits of construction workers, to the benefit of their companies. The know pretty much what the union companies are going to bid, as their contracts are public knowledge. So they bid a tiny amount less, and pay their workers a lot less. So where does the extra money go?? Take a guess. Glad CNC are getting a smidgeon of it.
The union companies are also getting “pissy” about the protests, but are not associated with the ICBA.
That’s all fine and dandy but why isn’t Mayor Hall in there for his photo op too !!
Great, shill money, and a paltry sum too. Wonder what they’re paying Mike the hired mouth.
Comments for this article are closed.