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    Construction

    Construction, Covid19, News

    TrueNorth Labour Covid19 Response – Employee Update

    True North Labour Inc.
    COVID-19 – Employee Update
    Date: March 19, 2020

    Dear TrueNorth Employees, 

    We understand that due to current events around the COVID-19 situation, there is cause for concern.  We want to assure the team, our clients and our workers that everyone’s health and safety is of our top most concern and priority.  This is the time for us to pull together, to serve each other and to serve the community. 

    We strongly urge those who are feeling sick, taking care of those who are sick, affected by COVID-19 to self-isolate and to complete our COVID-19 Self-Assessment at https://bit.ly/33BszKI for the best course of action.

    The government of Canada has issued an Economic Response Plan (https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html) taking immediate, significant and decisive action to help Canadians facing hardship as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

    On March 18, 2020, the Prime Minister announced a new set of economic measures to help stabilize the economy during this challenging period. These measures, delivered as part of the Government of Canada’s COVID-19 Economic Response Plan, will provide up to $27 billion in direct support to Canadian workers and businesses.

    What does this mean to us here at True North Labour, you, our clients and employees?

    TRUE NORTH WORKERS

    Those who wish to stay home and protect their family or are unable to work, we understand you.   Effective immediately, all workers which are unable to work due to being sick, quarantined or forced to stay home to care for family due COVID-19, you must stay home or follow the BC Covid Self-Assessment Guide https://bit.ly/33BszKI.  There are several government programs in place and more coming down the pipe offering temporary income support.

    • EI Sickness Benefit – Waived one-week waiting period and medical certificate requirements.
    • Emergency Care Benefit

    There are 3 ways to apply:

    • Accessing CRA MyAccount secure portal
    • Accessing My Service Canada Account
    • A toll free number equipped with an automated application process will be made available to the public

    Those who are looking to work, please feel free to reach out to us. We at True North Labour are continuing our operations providing Safety / First Aid Training  as well as labour and cleaning services to best serve our community in need.  

    Workers being placed at job sites must complete our COVID-19 Self-Assessment at https://bit.ly/33BszKI for a record of assessment prior to the start of your shift.  Please wash your hands with soap frequently and avoid touching your face.

    Workers currently on job sites, feeling unwell, please contact us at 778-398-1111 to notify us at your earliest convenience.  

    TRUE NORTH CLIENTS

    True North Labour is continuing to partner with and offer our services to our clients and community at this time of need.  To ensure the safety of our workers, clients and our community at this time of need, steps are in place to ensure the safety of all those involved. Our workforce must complete a self-assessment prior to being placed.

    1. Partnering with our clients who are onboarding new team members, we are continuing to provide Safety / First Aid training and certification.   Off and on-site training is available.
    2. General and skilled labourers are available to augment and fill in the current workforce which are taking time to care for themselves and their family.
    3. Cleaning staff are available to clean up job sites.

    We are re-assessing the situation every 24 hours to best serve our team and community.

    Please stay tuned and Stay True.

    Sincerely Yours,

    Alexander Wong | COO 

    ▲ True North Labour Inc.

    Map: 115-3855 Henning Dr, Burnaby BC, V5C 6N3

    Office: 778-398-1111   |   Mobile: 604-338-5295

    E: alexander@TrueNorthLabour.com 

    W: www.TrueNorthLabour.com

    Manpower staffing
    Construction

    Employment Agencies Play A Crucial Role In The Success of A Business

    An employment agency is an essential factor for the success of the organization. Employers face difficulties in hiring professionals for their companies. Employees need someone to step up in evaluating them and to grant them job opportunities related to their field. It is done with the help of employment agencies. It is a firm which is hired by the company to fulfil the company’s staff needs. The firm is responsible for finding out the candidates to fill all the positions of jobs. It means that you need to hire an employment agency for the success of your business. 

    To hire new employees may be a tough task for you. It is a costly and time-consuming process. You should assign this task to someone else who is professional in this field. It means that they hire the right candidates for your organization, and those candidates play a vital role in the success of a business. What matters the most is the selection of the employees? The employees must be able to drive the company in the right directions. They must put efforts to meet the objectives and goals of the organization. All these things help in the success of the business. Sometimes employers need hiring strategies to hire the candidates therefore they hire employment agencies to recruit the right candidate for them. The agencies help employers in finding the employees according to the needs of the organizations. You need to trust the employment agencies to hire professionals for your organization. You can even employ temporary employment agencies by finalizing a contract with them. 

    Benefits of Employment Agencies:

    If you are concerned about why you should hire an employment agency, then here are the few benefits of hiring these agencies that can help you to hire professionals. 

    Ability to Identify Talent:

    For the success of a business, you have to make sure about the talent of the candidates. The candidates must possess various skills, and they must be able to solve the problems. In the organization, the solution of the issues matter the most, and this can be done if the candidates have problem-solving skills and techniques. You need to hire an employment agency so that they could search out talented candidates for your organization. These agencies know how to avoid hiring bad candidates, and they are experienced in this field. It is the benefit of the employment agencies that they have extensive knowledge about the talent that is available in specific communities. With the help of experts, they target the right candidate for you, and it all starts with an interview after the submission of CV and Resume. You should focus on employment agencies if you want your business to grow at a rapid pace. 

    Advertisement to reach out the right candidates:

    Being an employer, you receive the applications of high calibre from the candidates. You may find difficulty because employers are looking for experienced employees with the required skills but they receive requests that do not meet the requirements. In this case, you need to hire an employment agency so that they could advertise the roles effectively. Sometimes, higher calibre employees could not be able to see the advertisement. An employment agency makes sure that the right candidates are getting the opportunities to fill the vacancies in an organization. They make direct contact with the candidates as well, after evaluating the candidates, they forward the applications to the employers. In this way, agencies provide the benefits to an organization in hiring the professionals, and to boost the business. 

    Employment Agencies and the Success of a Business:

    For the success of the business, the performance of the employees’ matter. The employers are always looking for those candidates that can meet the objectives and goals of the organization. The evaluation of a candidate before hiring him/her is the most critical stage for the success of a business. If you hire a candidate with talents and skills that help your business to grow rapidly. Here are the few factors which show that capable candidates help the company. 

    Hire Successful employees to achieve goals:

    The performance of the employees determines the success factor of the business. With the help of employment agencies, you have to make sure about the selection of the right candidates with compelling performances. It means that you can achieve your company’s goals with the help of employment agencies such as the performance of construction workers play a vital role in the success of construction projects. You may find it challenging to complete the project if the workers are not working correctly. 

    Positive Work Environment:

    The environment of the organization is an essential factor in success. The employees should work in a situation in which they could do their jobs effectively. The employment agencies ensure that the selected candidates help to create a positive work environment by performing effectively. Positive work environment results in the success of the business. 

    You need to consider an employment agency somehow if you want success in your business. Employment agency helps you to find an appropriate candidate for your company to grow it well. 

    construction workers
    Construction

    Why Outsource Staffing Is More Preferable For The Projects

    Projelerde Dış Kaynak Kullanımı; Dış kaynak kullanımı, geleneksel olarak şirketin çalışanları ve personeli tarafından şirket içinde gerçekleştirilen yardım ve malları üretmek için bir şirket dışından bir taraf tutma sistemidir. Her şeyi denemek ve üstesinden gelmek cazip gelse de, bu genellikle işinizin büyümesini engelleyebilir. Dış kaynak kullanımı, genellikle şirketler tarafından maliyet düşürücü bir önlem olarak üstlenilen bir yöntemdir.

    İş yükünüzü azaltırken giderleri azaltabilir. Personel yardımını dışarıdan temin etmenin faydaları, ihtiyaç duyduğunuzda geçici işçiler bulmanın her zamankinden daha kolay olmasıdır. Geçici işçileri işe aldığınızda, sürekli istihdamın finansal taahhüdü olmadan mevcut gereksinimlerinizi karşılayabilirsiniz. 

    Dış kaynak kullanımı, bir görevi, projeyi ve süreci bitirmek için sözleşme yapmak veya görünür kaynakları kullanmaktır. İnsanlar, dış kaynak kullanımını gerekli masrafları azaltmak için bir yöntem olarak düşünmeye yönlendiriyor. Dış kaynak kullanımının yalnızca fiyatları değil, aynı zamanda profesyonel uzmanlık, zaman ve maliyet verimliliği ve rekabetçi teslimat gibi birçok faydası vardır. Dış kaynak kullanımı, yerinde veya tesis dışında veya her ikisinin bir karışımını gerçekleştirebilir. Proje tabanlı model, esnekliği ve tek bir projeye tam bağlılığı nedeniyle artan bir eğilim göstermektedir. Dış kaynak şirketi, baştan sona projenin tüm sorumluluğunu sağlamanın yanı sıra gereksinimleri belirleme, değerlendirmeyi kabul etme ve uygun teknoloji ve becerileri uygulamalıdır. Bu yaklaşımda, müşterinin devam eden süreci ve dağıtımı son ürünün kendisinde ayarlaması gerekmez. 

    Herhangi bir kuruluş, personelinden daha iyidir. Ekibiniz iş başarısı elde etmek için hayati öneme sahip olduğundan, en iyi insanları işe aldığınızdan emin olmak için en iyi personel hizmetlerine ihtiyacınız var. Dış kaynaklı personel alımı, bir şirketin doldurulması gereken pozisyonlar için aday bulmak üzere bir istihdam veya personel ajansı kullanmasıdır. Bunlar genellikle kalıcı yerleştirme ile sonuçlanabilecek kısa vadeli veya uzun vadeli atamalardır. Görevi ve ilgili pozisyonu yerine getirmek için gereken süreyi azaltarak insan kaynakları departmanına ve işe alım yöneticisine yardımcı olur. Bir istihdam şirketi adayları belirleyecek, kimlik bilgilerini değerlendirecek ve yer için gerekli doğrulamaları ve geçmiş kontrollerini yapacaktır. Uygun bir aday seçimine sahip olduklarında, onları görüşme için şirkete sunabilir veya geçici çalışan olarak verebilirler.

    Dış kaynak kullanımı, bireylerden çok hizmetlere ve süreçlere odaklanmayı başarır. Her ne kadar projenin başarısı için tüm sorumluluk şirkete ait olsa da. İşveren tarafından sağlanan tam yönetim ve yönlendirme ve kararlılık genellikle bireysel görevler değildir. Ancak hizmet seviyesi anlaşmalarına uymak yerine, dış kaynaklı personel alımı stratejik olmaktan çok taktiksel olmayı başarır. Geçici personel kullanan firma sayısı ve halihazırda geçici işlerde çalışan işçi sayısı her zaman yüksektir. Geçici personel ajansları ihtiyaç duyduğunuz sürece çalışacak değiştirilebilir personele izin verin. Bu personel ajansları, geçici çalışanlara, işler iyi giderse kalıcı bir çalışan olma fırsatı verir. Birçok şirket için geçici personel alımı, genel iş stratejilerinin gerekli bir parçasıdır. Geçici acente, gönderdikleri işçileri bir şirkete vermekle yükümlüdür. Şirketten yüzde aldıkları saat başına belirli bir miktar ücret alıyorlar. Geçici acente ayrıca geçici işçinin ücretinden vergi toplamakla yükümlüdür. Geçici personel, alt satırları için çok önemlidir. İşverenlere faydalar gibi maliyetlerden tasarruf etme yetkisi verir. Uyarlanabilir, işin gerekli bir parçasıdır. Çok yönlü iş gücünden yalnızca işverenler faydalanmakla kalmaz, aynı zamanda müşteriler daha iyi hizmetin karşılığını da alır. geçici işlere hizmet eden çalışanlar da yardımcı oluyor. Ainşaat işçisiiyileştirilmiş ortamın ve tabanının fiziksel yapımında çalışan bir el işçisidir. İnşaat işçisi unvanı geniş ve evrensel bir terimdir ve çoğu inşaat işçisi büyük ölçüde yaptıkları işin seviyesi ve türüyle temsil edilir. İnşaat işçileri, bir şantiyedeki tüm çevre projelerini yönetir. Siteler köprüler, evler, otoyollar, fabrikalar ve diğer çeşitli yapıları kapsar. Yapım aşamasında olan çeşitli görevler sert ve tehlikelidir. İnşaat işi tam zamanlı enerji değildir; zaman, yer ve programda varyasyonlara izin verir. Beyaz yakalı bir işin aksine, bir bina operatörü programı esnektir. Mevcut bir proje için dış kaynaklı çalışanlar seçebilir ve mevcut ekiplere yardımcı olmak için görevler alabilirler. Dış kaynaklı bir ekiple çalışırken karşılaşılan en kapsamlı zorluklardan biri iletişimdir. Mevcut organizasyon için araçları etkili ve sorunsuz hale getirmek için ilk günden itibaren uygun iletişim yöntemleri ve kanalları oluşturulmalıdır. Dış kaynak kullanımının faydaları, işi minimum masrafla yürütmeyi mümkün kılar. Bazen, belirli görevler için dış kaynak kullanımı finansal açıdan çok anlamlıdır. İşletme karlılığını optimize etmeye ve bir işletme sahibinin çalışması gereken saat sayısını azaltmaya yardımcı olur. Dış kaynak kullanımı, özellikle personelini uygun maliyetle büyütmeye çalışan şirketler için mükemmel bir seçenektir. belirli görevleri dış kaynaktan temin etmek, finansal açıdan çok anlamlıdır. İşletme karlılığını optimize etmeye ve bir işletme sahibinin çalışması gereken saat sayısını azaltmaya yardımcı olur. Dış kaynak kullanımı, özellikle personelini uygun maliyetle büyütmeye çalışan şirketler için mükemmel bir seçenektir. belirli görevleri dış kaynaktan temin etmek, finansal açıdan çok anlamlıdır. İşletme karlılığını optimize etmeye ve bir işletme sahibinin çalışması gereken saat sayısını azaltmaya yardımcı olur. Dış kaynak kullanımı, özellikle personelini uygun maliyetle büyütmeye çalışan şirketler için mükemmel bir seçenektir.

    Construction Workers
    Construction

    Why is it essential to have a skilled workforce for a successful project

    To have a skilled workforce for a successful project; Ask any successful business owner, and they will inform you that the most critical component of their company is their human resources. That’s because any business ‘ success or failure depends heavily on the standard of labour at its disposal therefore every company requires professional workforce. In this instance, many companies are becoming more competitive, and there are significant changes taking place on a regular basis. Exposure to well-trained, adaptable and competent workers in their positions means that you can maintain high-performance levels, irrespective of what the industry’s current challenges may be.

    There are several explanations for this why it is important for your company to have a skilled workforce. Here we’re going to look at the top five. These are as follows:

    Higher productivity. In order to achieve its maximum output, you need the people who can manage the different workstations having the necessary skills to perform their tasks. Workers are not going to waste hours fumbling around trying to figure out systems which they should have already learnt about. The more professional the workers are, the more effective they are, and the more successful they can be.

    Improved innovation and creativity.  Workers with the experience to perform the task assigned to them will spend less time worrying about how they will do it. That, in effect, will free their minds to find better ways to get the job done. As a result, skilled workers will be able to come up with creative ideas for new challenges because of their confidence in their abilities to work more efficiently and effectively in a particular sector.

    It’s saving money for you. This may sound more like a myth, as skilled workers usually draw higher salaries than their unqualified counterparts, but it is not, in reality. Workers with very little knowledge will be doing the things that make a lot of mistakes. Every sector the company is in, you should accept that employee errors cost money – and could even damage customer relationships if they are not identified and rectified in time. Using a skilled workforce, though apparently it will cost more, would help to reduce the number of errors and even help you to keep your customers happy with the extension. Therefore, you may save a lot of money.

    Increased profitability and stronger growth. All businesses want their productivity to be maximized aiming to sustain robust growth. Having a skilled workforce rather than an unqualified one means that with the same number of employees, you can get more output and desired results.This will help to boost your profitability and your bottom line as a result. With a more profitability, you’ll have more funds to invest back in your business by purchasing latest equipment, improving or buying services, spending more on advertisements, and maintaining better relationships with suppliers as you are buying more from them.

    Improved health and wellness in the workplace.  If you’ve ever tried to do something that you don’t know then you may realize how stressful it can be. Unqualified workers may struggle daily to perform tasks (more complex tasks) that can stress them out. Your staff will always feel drained, nervous, and stressed in general. The tension would gradually overtake their ability to cope and will start damaging their minds and bodies. As a result, employees will be going to ask for more sick leaves, and employee turnover could also rise – these eventualities will further raise workplace stress levels.

    If there is a need to hire staff for permanent or casual work, taking advantage of a specialist recruiting company’s experience will ensure that you always get professional staff with the specific skills you need. For all your staffing needs, Temporary employment agencies play a vital role. True North Labor, is your one-stop. It is a recruiting agency for construction that promotes project-oriented organizations and provide Construction workers. True North Labor has been started by an immigrant and a few French Canadians to respond to the problems plaguing our construction industry. Upon request, True North Labor can provide the following security staff: For your project, traffic control persons (TCP), level 2 or level 3 First Aid Attendants or Building Security Officers (CSO). True North Labor positions skilled labour workers at your work site helping you to achieve your targets on time and within a set budget. The crew is supervised by a team leader who ensures timeliness, regulatory compliance, and weekly completion of toolbox meetings. We think the right people are needed to do the job well. For short-term, seasonal, high volume and exclusive contract solutions, TNL supports you. We can also provide traders with the opportunity to recruit the staff as permanent employees for project-based support. We ensure your company with efficiency, expertise, temporary and permanent staff to help you to develop the skill sets you need with minimal delay.

    safety training at work
    Architecture & Building, Construction, House Renovation

    New Technology Changing How Steel Studs Are Used in Construction

    New Technology Changing How Steel Studs ; A startup wants to shake up the traditional timber frame industry in the Lower Mainland with steel technology and methods from New Zealand.

    LifeTec uses FRAMECAD, a cold-formed steel framing system that allows studs to be designed fully digitally and then shaped by a custom machine.

    “Essentially, we build the entire house by stitching it into a virtual space,” said Krishna Joliffe, head of LifeTec.

    The data is then entered into a machine that transforms the steel into wall panel, floor joist and truss roof parts by cutting, punching and roll stretching. The assemblers then screw the pieces together.

    The team can produce approximately 1,500 to 2,000 square feet of wall panels per day for an average home project. Parts are packed on pallets, delivered and then assembled on site; this takes about a week for the average home.

    “When it comes to the construction industry, the elements that provide a lot of time eliminate a lot of human errors and traditional construction misconceptions,” said Jolliffe. “90 percent of the description ends to go to the construction site.”

    He noted that LifeTec’s frame structures have a variability of only half a millimeter, unlike the traditional wooden frame that moves and swells. This means that working with steel windows or other items do not have to wait to load. -New Technology Changing-

    Source: https://www.buildsteel.org/why-steel/innovation/new-technology-change-how-steel-studs-are-used-in-construction

    https://www.buildsteel.org/why-steel/innovation/new-technology-change-how-steel-studs-are-used-in-construction

    Tallest House Tower
    Architecture & Building, Construction

    Vancouver’s 60-storey building would be world’s Tallest House Tower

    World’s Tallest House Tower; As reported on the Vancouver Courier, Rick Gregory, vice president of Henson Developments, turns the conversation upside down when asked about the company’s plans to build a 60-story tower on Nelson Street.

    “You can build whatever buildings you want, but the planet is on fire…” the organization told spring open house Courier, before drawing attention to its plan to earn Passive House certification, which they see as a key feature of the proposal. .

    Passive House is an international energy supply standard that focuses on creating an airtight structure with high quality windows, super ventilation and good ventilation.

    “You are either part of the solution or part of the problem. I think it’s part of a compilation so far. I rent a car every day, I heat my house with natural gas, so they complete their meeting to do my part for the return of a big problem they are facing within themselves.”

    “Expectations that we don’t want this to be preachy, but that’s what you look at [work of building according to Passive House practices] and it’s really around you, and it drives this from both my perspective and the company’s point of view.”

    Home project for a site at 1059 to 1075 Nelson St. The Thurlow Street corridors in Vancouver’s West End, if approved, will be among the tallest buildings in the city and also promise to be the tallest Passive House tower in the world. Vancouver’s 60-storey building would be world’s Tallest House Tower.  

    source: https://constructionlinks.ca/news/vancouvers-proposed-60-storey-building-would-be-worlds-tallest-passive-house-tower/

    https://constructionlinks.ca/news/vancouvers-proposed-60-storey-building-would-be-worlds-tallest-passive-house-tower/

    True North Labour
    Construction

    Big construction projects to drive big migration to B.C. in 2020

    Let’s talk about big construction projects; Forestry, housing to slow growth, says credit union forecast. 

    Pipelines, LNG Canada, the Pattullo Bridge replacement and a new Vancouver subway are all set to drive a big increase in interprovincial migration to B.C. starting next year, Central 1 Credit Union says in its latest economic forecast.

    Coupled with Site C dam construction that is reaching its peak, these major projects are expected to help push interprovincial migration into B.C. from 3,400 people this year to more than 12,000 in 2020, says the organization representing credit unions in B.C. and Ontario.

    B.C.’s economic growth is leading the country, and the pace of growth is expected to slow from 2.7 per cent in 2019 to near one per cent by 2020, according to the forecast

    B.C. economy keeps growing, but more slowly starting next year, @Central1_ says in new forecast #bcpoli #bcleg

    View image on Twitter

    10:55 AM – Aug 15, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacySee Tom Fletcher’s other Tweets

    While internal signs for B.C. are strong, global economic conditions continue to cast a shadow. A U.S.-China trade war with Canada entangled, American trade actions against softwood lumber and turmoil in the European Union with the impending exit of Britain are risk factors in the coming years.

    Housing construction continues at a fast pace, with a record second quarter for B.C. housing starts, but that is mainly a result of pre-sale condos in earlier years, said Bryan Yu, deputy chief economist for Central 1.

    “Home ownership demand, owing to federal mortgage stress tests and provincial government tax measures, has dragged the resale market into recession-like conditions since early 2018, with price levels adjusting lower accordingly, says B.C. Economic Outlook 2019-2022. “Metro Vancouver is at the centre of the market correction, with sales trending at 2012 levels and price declines nearly 10 per cent from peak.”

    Other limiting factors are the ongoing slump in the B.C. forest industry and the availability of skilled labour as people retire in greater numbers. The unemployment rate is forecast to decline to four per cent in the coming years.

    Tom Fletcher@tomfletcherbc

    One moderating factor is skilled labour need #bcpoli #bcleg #LNG #SiteC

    View image on Twitter

    10:56 AM – Aug 15, 2019Twitter Ads info and privacySee Tom Fletcher’s other Tweets

    Are there going to be enough skilled people in the rest of Canada to move to B.C. for jobs? Yu says there are.

    “The economic conditions are relatively slower in Alberta at the current time, and with these major projects we do see a strong labour market in B.C.,” Yu said in an interview with Black Press. “There are always concerns about affordability issues in the [urban] region.”

    Workers and their families are part of a wider trend in B.C. population growth, with international immigrants being the main source. From 2019 to 2021, B.C. is forecast to grow by an average of 60,000 people annually, driving significant demand in retail consumption and housing.

    Source: https://www.vicnews.com/business/big-construction-projects-to-drive-big-migration-to-b-c-in-2020/

    True North Labour
    Construction

    Vancouver Island construction activity climbs upward

    Construction Activity;

    t $648.1 million, building permit activity across Vancouver Island continues to rise.

    The numbers are up six per cent in the second quarter of 2019 compared to the first quarter, with residential permits rising 19 per cent while non-residential dropped 25 per cent.

    “Residential permit activity was higher in most regional districts over the first quarter, led by a 94 per cent increase in the Nanaimo Regional District, followed by a 62 per cent increase in the Cowichan Valley. We also saw robust activity in Strathcona and Powell River with a 49 per cent and 31 per cent increase in residential permits, respectively,” Vancouver Island Construction Association (VICA) CEO Rory Kulmala said.

    Big Nanaimo projects include a $64 million, 110-unit luxury condo building and a $27.8 million, 159-unit affordable housing development. In the Cowichan Valley most issued permits were for single family dwellings.

    Non-residential activity declined by 25 per cent with the largest swing downward in institutional and government permits at 54 per cent after a surge in in the first quarter. Industrial permits also declined 32 per cent from the previous quarter while commercial permits held firm. Total investment spending on non-residential construction in the Victoria Census Metropolitan Area dropped four per cent in the first five months of 2019 compared to the same time period the previous year.

    “Although we are starting to see some highs and lows in our data, the region’s construction industry will remain strong throughout the rest of 2019. Despite a 15 per cent slowdown in residential construction in the Capital Regional District, the residential sector should soon firm up Island-wide in response to lower interest rates and the upcoming federal housing incentive program,” Kulmala said.

    A VICA statement said “Non-residential construction will benefit from market conditions conducive to more investment. Total building permits in 2019 will ease back from 2018’s record high to around $2.25 billion, which would be well above historical averages and comparable to 2017’s level.”

    VICA’s detailed report is available for download.

    Source: https://canada.constructconnect.com/joc/news/economic/2019/08/vancouver-island-construction-activity-climbs-upward

    construction workers
    Construction

    Homebuilder sentiment ticks up slightly, as housing shortage intensifies

    The nation’s homebuilder sentiment should be ecstatic, given the supply of existing homes for sale and falling mortgage rates. Instead, they continue to be just cautiously optimistic, due to several roadblocks in their business.

    Builder confidence for single-family homes rose just one point, to 65, in July, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). Sentiment is well below the July 2018 reading of 68. Anything above 50 is considered positive.

    “Builders report solid demand for single-family homes. However, they continue to grapple with labor shortages, a dearth of buildable lots and rising construction costs that are making it increasingly challenging to build homes at affordable price points relative to buyer incomes,” said NAHB Chairman Greg Ugalde, a homebuilder and developer from Torrington, Connecticut.

    Lower mortgage rates should be helping with affordability, but apparently that’s not enough. The average rate on the popular 30-year fixed mortgage fell sharply at the end of May and continued lower in June. It held steady in the first weeks of July, right around 3.8%, according to Mortgage News Daily. It then began moving higher again last week.

    “Even as builders try to rein in costs, home prices continue to outpace incomes,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “The current low mortgage interest rate environment should be getting more buyers off the sidelines, but they remain hesitant due to affordability concerns.”

    The supply of homes for sale, which had been gaining, is now weakening again, and inventories could hit a new low in October, according to a recent report from realtor.com.

    Of the HMI’s three components, the index measuring current sales conditions rose one point, to 72; sales expectations over the next six months also rose one point, to 71, as did buyer traffic, to 48. Traffic continues to be the only component in negative territory.

    Builders have been trying to increase production of entry-level homes, but high costs stand in the way. Last week, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell told a Senate panel, “You have a shortage of skilled labor, so it’s hard to get people on the job, electricians, plumbers, carpenters and other people. No matter what you pay them, just finding people to do that work.”

    Then he added, “Material costs too have gone up, and some of that is tariffs, for sure. The homebuilders feel almost like they’ve been hit by a perfect storm here.

    Still, lower interest rates should help spur new home purchases in large suburban markets, where approximately one-third of new construction takes place, according to Dietz. Housing starts as well as building permits for single-family homes, however, trended lower in the first half of this year, and sales of newly built homes in May were nearly 4% lower annually, according to the U.S. Census.

    Looking at the three-month moving average, builder sentiment in the South rose one point, to 68, and the West was also up one point, to 72. The Northeast remained unchanged at 60, while the Midwest fell one point, to 56.

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    Construction

    P.E.I. construction industry addressing growing shortage of skilled workers

    P.E.I. construction industry addressing growing shortage of skilled workers

     The release of a career promotional video and new industry-led training programs are strategies the construction industry has embraced in response to growing labour shortages, said the general manager of the Construction Association of Prince Edward Island (CAPEI). 

    Sam Sanderson said the promotional video features testimonials from Islanders working in the construction sector and will air on both television and social media. 

    The video is part of the Island Builder recruitment campaign the industry launched two years ago to respond to growing labour shortages.

    In addition to promoting construction careers, the Island Builder campaign includes industry-run training programs for youth and for First Nations through a partnership with Lennox Island.  

    In total, these programs are providing training to 50 Islanders. 

    A construction training program for newcomers is also set to be launched in the next month.

    “The latest 2019 labour market projections show the industry is in need of 500 workers over the next five years,” said Sanderson. “We have to continually strive to get Islanders from all walks of life into the construction sector by positioning it as a stable field with well-paying jobs.”

    Since the start of the campaign, over hundreds of new employees have been attracted to the sector.P.E.I. construction industry addressing growing shortage of skilled workers

    For more information, visit islandbuilder.ca.

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