Community Benefits Agreement
What was the CBA?
The City of Vancouver and Building Opportunities with Business (BOB), together with Millennium Development Corporation (the developers of Southeast False Creek Olympic Village) were partnered in a Community Benefits Agreement (CBA) to ensure that inner-city residents and businesses shared in the economic benefits associated with the development and construction of the 2010 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games Athletes Village. Part of the CBA included the implementation of an employment and training program to offer entry-level construction jobs for inner-city residents. The Agreement also promoted the purchase of goods and services from inner-city businesses.
The CBA included:
- $750,000 legacy grant by Millennium for pre-employment and skill-development training
- 100 construction jobs for inner-city residents
- $15 million of goods and services purchased from inner city businesses
- Other business opportunities for inner-city businesses.
Who was eligible?
- Inner-city residents (Downtown Eastside, Downtown South and Mount Pleasant), or those connected to inner-city agencies
- Social enterprises
- Inner-city businesses
- Vancouver businesses that are registered with BOB who train and recruit inner-city residents, or who purchase goods and services from inner-city businesses.
What types of jobs were made available?
Entry-level jobs at the Olympic Village construction site were made available to residents of the inner-city. After successfully completing a probation period, new employees were given the opportunity to learn a trade through on-the-job training or apprenticeship programs.
Employees were primarily placed with one of the two known construction companies, ITC and MetroCan Construction and/ or their sub-trades. They were paid a fair and competitive living wage.
Results of the CBA
The results of the CBA met and surpassed the original targets.
- $750,000 legacy grant by Millennium for pre-employment and skill-development training
- 110 inner-city residents were trained but 124 were connected with construction jobs through the CBA
- A 78% success rate was achieved by all those placed
- $41.6 million of goods and services were purchased from inner city businesses
Partners
- Vancouver Regional Construction Association provided the CORE training and job coaching
- Tradeworks, Watari, SUCCESS and Vancouver Community College provided the pre-employment services
Acknoweldgements
BOB would like to extent its thanks and acknowledge all the community agencies who referred clients to the CBA and supported them through the process and the City of Vancouver, Millenium and all general contractors and subtrades for making the program a success.
Current Business and Procurement Opportunities
If you are an inner-city business interested in becoming a supplier for future construction and retro-fits or to access other business supports offered by BOB:
- Register with BOB as an inner-city supplier of a business that supports inner-city businesses
- Join 200+ businesses in the BOB construction directory
- Attend the workshops and open houses organized by BOB to bring together buyers and suppliers.
Future CBAs
Vancouver City Council has amended the Official Development Plan for North East False Creek to include CBAs.
Information
For information on employment and training opportunities contact:
Lani Johnson | Building Opportunities with Business | 778.328.7674 | lani.johnson@bobics.org
Inner-city businesses/ social enterprises interested in procurement opportunities should contact:
Brian Smith | Building Opportunities with Business | 778.328.7668 | brian.smith@bobics.org
Download the CBA brochure here