The DDAP funded campaign is called Life Unites Us, which is a people-forward, research-driven initiative that leverages social media to share individual success stories, the stories of family members, and those of allies who advocate for those with substance use disorder. Part of the effort is dedicated to normalizing that recovery is possible, you are not alone, and support is available.

“Reducing the stigma associated with the disease of addiction is at the crux of DDAP’s work, and that work requires us to meet people where they live and work,” said DDAP Deputy Secretary, Sarah Boateng.

KCA is a membership organization with around 100 construction company partners representing general contractors, construction managers, specialty contractors, roofers, masons, and other industry professionals for one of the state’s largest sectors. The goal is to improve the industry through safety, education, and training.

With the acknowledgement that construction professionals face challenges in the workplace that have a higher propensity to lead to SUD, the industry is coming together to ensure there is access to SUD and mental health resources. “At the Keystone Contractors Association, we feel it is our responsibility to provide resources and education to construction employers to promote safer pain management, reduce stigma, equip job sites with naloxone, and foster recovery-friendly job sites—ultimately saving lives in an industry that has been hit hard by the opioid epidemic,” said Jon O’Brien, KCA Executive Director.

Two individuals from Philadelphia’s construction industry joined the announcement to share their stories of their lived experiences with active substance use and recovery. “I’ve taken my experience with substance use disorder and turned it into an opportunity to help others find their pathway to recovery by sharing my struggles, particularly during my time in the building trades,” said Randy Winder, University of Pennsylvania Center for Addiction Medicine and Policy Substance Use Navigator. “Initiatives like Life Unites Us play a huge part of reducing stigma that goes along with substance use disorder in the construction industry by creating an outlet for me and others to speak out and remind anyone who may be struggling that they’re not alone.” “I came from a place of losing everything when I was an ironworker and suffering from substance use disorder—my tools, my truck—everything,” said Brad Meck, University of Pennsylvania Center for Addiction Medicine and Policy Clinical Research Coordinator. “I’m proud today to say that I am a certified recovery specialist helping others who are coming from very similar situations as mine and the Life Unites Us campaign allows me to spread the message to others that help is available and recovery is possible.”

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In addition to the $13 billion price tag to build the campus, an additional $4.6 billion is expected to be spent on a new gas-fired electricity generating plant to power it, a project being built by Pembina Pipeline, Kineticor Asset Management, and other project partners. The estimated costs do not include the additional costs related to the high-tech chips required to power these AI-focused facilities, which means the figure will be remarkably higher. According to a recent report by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies, for every $1 spent on data centre infrastructure, approximately 54 cents is allocated for computer chips.

“It’s our first in Canada. It’s also pretty unique in the sense that it’s a pretty large deployment—we’re looking at a one gigawatt-scale data centre development,” said Gary Demasi, Meta’s Vice President of Data Centre Strategy and Development.

The facility is the company’s thirty-third, will boast just under three million square feet of space, and will be “on par” with other large-scale projects Meta has announced this year in the United States.

Construction is expected to commence soon, though an official date has yet to be announced. The project timeline is expected to take a couple of years, as projects of this magnitude do.

The project, which will be fully funded by Meta, is expected to create 3,000 construction jobs and 300 operating jobs and will lead to an estimated $250 million in annual benefits for Alberta through taxes and increased natural gas royalties tied to power generation and industry levies. The province will also benefit from the company’s expenditure of $60 million in local infrastructure improvements required to support the facility.

While Alberta can guarantee the energy capacity required by the campus, which will use a combination of grid-connected power and new onsite gas-fired generation, Meta has a goal to match its energy consumption with clean energy and is seeking clean energy projects in the region as potential offsets. Meta will also pay about $100 million annually in transmission fees for its power draw.

The Pembina Pipelines, Morgan Stanley Infrastructure Partners, and Kineticor project is a $4.6 billion investment in a 932-megawatt gas-fired power generation facility that will be constructed in Sturgeon County. The Greenlight plant is expected to begin operations in the second half of 2030. The facility has approval from regulators to double capacity to more than 1,800 megawatts based on the understanding that it has the capacity to initiate more than $75 billion of total data centre-related capital spending over time.

The data centre will also require high-speed fibre connections into the United States, which the company plans to build.

The land that has been secured for the project is zoned heavy industrial and officials believe that there will be no disruption to residents in the area, though opposition to the project exists.

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In agreement with Cypress Creek Energy, which will invest in and receive energy from the facility, Google will serve as an anchor investor and purchaser from Steel River Energy Center, a combined solar and storage project that has already broken ground in Mississippi County, Arkansas.

Google signed a power purchase agreement to receive energy from the first two phases of the project. The project will be built in three phases, with the first two expected to result in 1.6 gigawatt hours of direct current and 1.9 gigawatt hours of battery storage. Once complete, the project is expected to have a capacity for 2.5 gigawatt hours of direct current of solar and 2.9 gigawatt hours of battery storage. Referred to as a “game changer” by Google, the operation will pair the solar arrays with advanced battery storage systems.

The facility is expected to be online in 2029 and will be demonstrable proof that there is strength in the domestic solar supply chain. It will create 700 jobs during construction and bring in an estimated $300 million in local tax revenue over the project’s lifespan. Google also committed $5 million for local energy affordability initiatives to benefit residents in the area while Cypress Creek will add $3 million community investment, starting with a $400,000 contribution to construct a new playground in a nearby school district.

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The company referred to the program as the largest private-sector commitment to skilled-trades training with a job guarantee in the country’s history and will be available in Indiana, Louisiana, Ohio, and Texas later this year. Participants will earn National Center for Construction Education and Research credentials.

It is a crucial time for companies like Meta as data centre construction is taking off to address growing demand for AI and the infrastructure that supports it. This is subsequently placing additional demand on an already strained skilled talent pool. Demand for electricians, welders, fiber technicians, plumbers, and other skilled trades is at an all-time high, while talent pipelines are running dry.

“The AI infrastructure we’re building today requires an incredible workforce to make it a reality,” Rachel Peterson, Meta Vice President of data centres, said in the release. “America needs hundreds of thousands of skilled tradespeople—electricians, mechanics, fiber technicians and more—and this program creates clear, accessible pathways into those careers.”

Meta has partnered with the Associated Builders and Contractors to deliver training through its own network of education facilities. Studies include site safety, hand and power tools, construction math, and building fundamentals prior to craft-specific training. After the coursework is complete, participants can continue into specialized training programs in electrical, mechanical, and piping trades with the promise of employment on the other end, which makes the program especially unique given the ability to fast-track individuals to a long-term career in the trades.

Once the application process is complete and background checks and drug screenings come back clean, those who meet the training requirements will be eligible for jobs on Meta data centre projects through contract partners.

Meta isn’t the only company taking this route. Google, too, has pledged $50 million for skilled trades training. The financial commitment will support 14 labour unions and four trade and contractor associations, with the goal of reaching 300,000 workers across 20 states. By improving training and outreach, Google hopes to better educate the new cohort of workers to be able to meet the growing demand for skilled labour on construction projects like data centres, by using construction industry partners to close the gap.

Unlike Meta, Google seeks to get people interested in the trades “no matter where they want to work,” Maggie Johnson, global head of Google.org, wrote in the announcement, but either way, both are good examples of private entities doing their part to address the ongoing shortage of skilled workers.

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While Canada has been selected to host the multinational bank, which provides long-term, low-cost financing for defence projects of NATO members and its allies, the exact location has yet to be determined, though the Ontario government claims to have already secured a location for the bank’s headquarters in Toronto. Martin Leblanc, co-founder at Sid Lee Architecture, said the tower project had already been finalized, but what was supposed to be a hotel could have several floors repurposed to accommodate the bank. The project is estimated to cost $200 million, with construction to be completed in 36 months.

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During a recent meeting with labour ministers in Quebec City, Executive Director Sean Strickland emphasized that individual provincial management of safety programs leads to delays and increased costs, reminding ministers of the commitment they made last year to review safety training nationwide in Fall 2026, with the end goal of a harmonized framework.

The initiative has been deemed crucial for enhancing worker safety and productivity as well as ensuring that training received in one region is recognized across all jurisdictions, particularly at a time when the nation has ambitious infrastructure plans.

“We all know that in the current economic and geopolitical context, Canada needs to build a more diverse, resilient and efficient economy,” Strickland said. “Governments, private and public sector organizations, and unions: we all bear part of the responsibility for driving this progress forward. As a result, worker safety will be improved and training received in one region will automatically be recognized in all other jurisdictions, at the highest standard, improving both safety and productivity.”

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Amazon worked with Ameren Missouri, the local utility provider, to ensure the project bears the full cost of connecting to the electrical grid, and has plans to contribute more than $7 million to the community as part of the investment, including $3 million toward public safety infrastructure and the previously mentioned infrastructure improvements.

Amazon will also sponsor the Mongomery County Fair with $1 million to build a new large-scale community gathering space at the fairgrounds, and an additional $3 million will be invested in community programs focused on STEM education, skills development, sustainability, and support for local nonprofit organizations.

“Projects like this create lasting benefits for local communities by supporting critical infrastructure improvements, generating tax revenue for schools and public services, and strengthening the foundation for future economic growth,” said Governor Kehoe in the release.

“Amazon’s announcement in Montgomery County is a testament to what can be accomplished through strong collaboration and a shared commitment to growth,” said Michelle Hataway, director of the Missouri Department of Economic Development, in the release. “This project will help strengthen the region’s capacity for future development while reinforcing Missouri’s position as a destination for innovation and investment.”

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According to CEO John Fish, cost increases and continued labour woes require new solutions, which he hopes to overcome through the initiative. The AI engineers will sit in on project meetings where they can contribute solutions in three core areas: design, schedule, and process. The program builds on Suffolk’s ongoing investments in data and technology.

“We believe Jobsite of the Future and our use of artificial intelligence and data will fundamentally change that trajectory and redefine how America builds for generations to come,” Fish said in the news release.

The program has enabled design review tools that identify drawing conflicts and coordination gaps prior to construction, in addition to an AI-powered procurement and delivery tracking system that optimizes supply chain operations as well as other process improvements.

Jobsite of the Future has enabled Suffolk to build and pilot an AI-powered requisition process for monthly payment applications, which helps to reduce delays caused by missing documentation, approval bottlenecks, and repetition.

Data is an important piece of the puzzle, and from a data collection standpoint, Suffolk has approximately 293 terabytes of structured construction data, the equivalent of roughly 75 billion pages of PDFs which inform decisions and help it deliver projects with greater predictability.

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