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<\/a><\/p>\nDoug Ford at the 2025 ORBA convention. (Photo by On-Site Staff)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Ontario Premier, Doug Ford, has been officially endorsed in the upcoming provincial election by the Ontario Road Builders\u2019 Association. Following Ford\u2019s speech at this week\u2019s ORBA convention in Toronto, the association\u2019s chief executive officer, Walid Abou-Hamde, along with 2024 ORBA president Andrew Weltz and 2025 ORBA president Malcolm Croskery, presented Ford with a Lifetime Membership Achievement Award, recognizing the premier\u2019s commitment to building provincial infrastructure.<\/p>\n
With the province being in the midst of an election, ORBA\u2019s CEO then went a step further to announce the organization\u2019s official endorsement of both Doug Ford and MPP David Piccini, who has been serving as Ontario\u2019s Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training & Skills Development since 2023, and was in attendance at this year\u2019s conference.<\/p>\n
Along with notes about tariffs and the potential cross-border trade war, Ford\u2019s comments during the event focused on construction activity in the province.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s construction happening everywhere in this province\u2026 what we are going to do is accelerate it,\u201d he stated, adding, \u201cThere\u2019s no better place to spend money than on infrastructure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Held at the Fairmont Royal York, the 2025 the 98th edition of the annual ORBA Convention and AGM featured additional commentary from Doug Porter, chief economist from BMO Financial Group, and John Gibson, chief commercial officer at Faculty, a British technology company that provides software, consulting, and services related to AI, along with breakout sessions, awards presentations and panel discussions.<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nJon Montgomery auctions off an Amazing Race Canada ticket for charity at the 2025 ORBA convention. (Photo by On-Site Staff)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Keynote speaker, Jon Montgomery, made famous by his historic Olympic gold medal skeleton run at the Whistler Olympics, and host of the Amazing Race Canada, shared insights into preparing for success, as well as the infrastructure that his television career depends upon.<\/p>\n
\u201cRoads are Canada\u2019s circulatory system,\u201d he stated. \u201cThis infrastructure that binds us is Canada\u2019s lifelines. It\u2019s also what makes the Amazing Race Canada even possible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Montgomery, who brought his gold medal and invited attendees to \u201cadd their fingerprints to it,\u201d discussed building towards success, finding the confidence to tackle new challenges, and the work that\u2019s needed to become a leader or champion.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe biggest differentiator between saying something and doing something is believing that it is possible,\u201d he stated. \u201cOur beliefs are our boundaries.\u201d<\/p>\n
Perhaps indicating the quality of his forecast, BMO Group\u2019s Porter addressed the pending cross-border trade war, stating, \u201cThey might not last until 3 p.m. this afternoon.\u201d Sure enough, by later that day, a 30-day reprieve was announced, but his comments to attendees may yet prove helpful going forward.<\/p>\n
\u201cNobody wins from a trade war,\u201d he stated, adding that the implementation of tariffs on both sides of the border would have a greater impact on Canada\u2019s economic growth prospects than those of the United States, although anticipated growth for Canada would move from a forecasted two per cent growth to zero, or a flat curve.<\/p>\n
Moving to more general economic advice, he added that infrastructure spending is a very good way to support long-term economic growth.<\/p>\n
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