MCA Canada continues to be very active on social media. To keep up with the latest trends, projects, educational courses, programs and services keep an eye open for our social media activity. Check us out on Facebook @MechanicalContractorsAssociationofCanada, LinkedIn @Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada, and Twitter @MecConCA.

The Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada is among six industry associations that have signed on to sponsor this fall’s CIPHEX West trade show. Also on board are the American Society of Plumbing Engineers, the Canadian Hydronics Council, the Canadian Water Quality Association, MCA Alberta and the Thermal Environmental Comfort Association. This year’s show is scheduled for November 7–8 in Calgary, AB.

NRCan is hard at work adapting the ENERGY STAR certification process for use in Canada so that you can earn recognition for your top-performing energy-efficient buildings. We are less than two months away from the launch of this highly anticipated program.

Finance Minister Bill Morneau will introduce the federal government’s next budget on Feb. 27 as the country faces persistent uncertainty around trade and competitiveness.

Tax fairness for small businesses and the need for greater clarity around a suite of proposed tax changes are top of mind for business owners across the country heading into the 2018 budget, writes the Coalition for Small Business Tax Fairness in a new letter to Finance Minister Bill Morneau.

The Canadian government needs to shave a bit off the corporate tax rate and provide financial incentives for investments in artificial intelligence and robotics following U.S. tax reforms, says a leading tax expert.

In another suspenseful day in Canada-U.S. relations, two top Trump administration officials lobbed fresh threats at Canada, even as the White House distanced itself from the president's latest border tax bluster.

Aecon Group Inc.’s proposed $1.5-billion acquisition by a Chinese state-owned company hit a snag Feb. 12 when the federal government announced it is stepping up its national security review of the proposed takeover.

This spring's Gold Seal and Blue Seal accredited CEC Project Management Program is selling out quickly. As of today, only four spaces remain. So if you or any of your staff are interested in participating, register today!

As always, the program is offered in partnership with the University of Waterloo. Participants learn valuable skills, including how to improve their company’s bottom line, how to take a project from bid to final payment and how to sharpen their project management skills—among many others.

The program takes place over a 10-day period and is split into two five-day sessions. Week one is scheduled for March 22 to 26, and week two from April 12 to 16. This year marks the 40th session offered with nearly 900 industry managers graduating from the program.

The Lean Construction Institute of Canada’s 2018 training day and conference will be held in Vancouver, BC April 24 to 26. This year’s training day includes sessions from previous years such as Advanced Lean Boot Camp, Choosing by Advantages and Value Stream Mapping/Target Value Delivery.

Jonas Software is the leading provider of enterprise management software solutions to the club, leisure fitness & sports, salon & spa, foodservice, construction, attractions, metal service centers, moving & storage, education, radiology/laboratory information systems, consumer product licensing and retail industries. Within these vertical markets, Jonas boasts 52 distinct brands, all of which are respected and longstanding leaders within their own domain.

1547: Edward VI is crowned King of England at Westminster Abbey.
1792: The Postal Service Act, establishing the United States Post Office Department, is signed by President George Washington.
1816: Rossini's opera, The Barber of Seville premieres at the Teatro Argentina in Rome.
1872: The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met) opens in New York City.
1877: Tchaikovsky's ballet, Swan Lake premieres at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow.
1893: Parliament passes Fair Wages Act and Eight Hour Day Act covering workers in federal jurisdictions.
1933: The U.S. Congress proposes the 21st Amendment to the Constitution that will end Prohibition.
1945: Government issues Canada's first Family Allowance cheques.
1959: Diefenbaker Government cancels the Avro Arrow Fighter Program.
1962: While aboard Friendship 7, John Glenn becomes the first American to orbit the earth.
1986: The Soviet Union launches its Mir spacecraft which remains in orbit for 15 years.

• March 12–15: CCA Conference, Banff, AB
• March 15: MCA Saskatchewan AGM, Regina, SK
• March 25–29: MCA America Convention, San Antonio, TX
• April 18: MCA Manitoba AGM, Winnipeg, MB
• April 22–29: MCA Ontario Conference, St. Lucia
• May 3–6: MCA British Columbia Conference, Whistler, BC
• May 7–9: MCA Canada Midyear Meetings, Ottawa, ON
• May 8: MCA Canada & CIPH Day on the Hill, Ottawa, ON
• May 31–June 3: MCA Alberta Conference & AGM, Kananaskis, AB
• June 4–5: 24th Skills Canada Competition, Edmonton, AB
• June 10–15: UA National Skills Competition, Edmonton, AB
• June 17–19: CIPH Annual Business Conference, Whistler, BC
• July 11: CEC Annual Golf Tournament Fundraiser, Milton, ON
• September 7–9: MCA Toronto Conference & AGM, Muskoka, ON
• September 19–22: MCA Canada Annual National Conference, Whistler, BC

MCA Canada is pleased to offer your Membership Advantage Program, Park’N Fly Canada. As an MCA Canada member, you, your employees and families are entitled to a number of incentives including our new corporate discount off parking rates, 24 hour shuttle services and so much more!

If you’ve ever wondered about how Operation Eyesight works or the extent to which their work makes a difference in the lives of people in the developing world, then look no further than the group’s blog. Updated regularly, the page provides updates on all kinds of news and information on subjects like clean-water initiatives, the communities they serve and how your donor dollars are used.