Community Benefit Agreements (CBAs) have seen a variety of construction industry responses, including an initial sector pushback to perceived issues of added costs and implementation inefficiencies. At the same time, segments of the construction industry welcomed CBAs as a means for engaging with community issues, improved project planning, and addressing industry needs to meet skilled labour demand.

In recent research funded by Employment and Social Development Canada, Buy Social Canada found that we may be witnessing an evolution of positive positions and attitudes of the construction sector regarding CBAs.