In Memorium - Ray Curran

It is with great sadness that we announce the recent passing of Raymond (Ray) Curran on January 2, 2022. Ray was President and a Board member, including a founding contractor member, of the Sarnia Construction Association (SCA).

In 1967, the buyers of construction asked Ray and other contractor members to consider a re-organization of the Association as they wanted it to take on a role that would improve the coordination of labour relations and the coordination of manpower utilization on construction projects in the Sarnia area. After extensive discussion with contractors and clients, the Association was organized in its current form where labour relations became its primary function, a Labour Relations Council was established, and staff was hired for the first time. Ray became the first Chairman of the Labour Relations Council. In his capacity as Chair of the SCA Labour Relations Council, Ray was a proponent of sound labour relation practices and a proponent of maintaining good relations with the contractors' counterparts in the Sarnia Building Trades Council. Ray’s efforts to work with government and industry were key to implementing "project agreement" legislation in Ontario.

In the mid 1980s, Ray became Chairman of the Labour Relations Bureau of the Ontario General Contractors Association, now known as the Construction Labour Relations Association of Ontario (CLRAO), a position he held for several terms. He further served as Chairman of the Construction Employers Coordinating Council of Ontario (CECCO). Ray was a founder and the first Chairman of the Joint Labour/Management Committee, a committee that was and is committed to deal with jurisdictional disputes and labour issues in the Sarnia/Lambton region.

In addition to his role in local and provincial labour relations and negotiations, Ray served on many local boards and commissions. He was a director of the Sarnia Lambton Economic Development Commission and the Chamber of Commerce. He also served on the Board of Directors of both Bluewater Power and Lambton College. Over the years, Ray participated in leadership roles in several other prominent community groups, charities and blue ribbon panels involving the petro-chemical industry.

Ray was a true gentleman and he will be missed by his many friends and colleagues. The Association sends its most sincere condolences to Ray’s children, grandchildren and family. For funeral arrangements, please see attached obituary.