By / Jessica Kirby, Editor, Sheet Metal Journal
The BC construction industry is a fighter. Never prone to lay down their gloves in the face of adversity, the men and women who work in this sector—which is no more immune to interest rate spikes and threats of recession than anywhere else in Canada—keep charging forward. They are accustomed to the boom and bust cycles that have driven their careers for decades. They are firm and tough in their resource industry roots. They are focused. They are driven. But are they prepared for the future?
Because the future we face will require more than grit (although grit is also essential). It will require connection, new thinking, and creativity. Most importantly, we can’t ignore—or worse, brush off—all of that youthful, creative energy the next generation is bringing to the table. We might feel pride in our heads-down-get’er-done work ethic, and so we should, but that doesn’t mean our vision of a strong work ethic can’t expand to include new skills and attributes. Indeed, constant reassurance, task-based feedback, technology that seems to be ev-e-ry where is a lot for the veterans in any field, but if we get caught up in the fear and irritation of change, we will lose out on a tremendous opportunity.
Let’s shift our view a bit. A generation that demands work-life balance is going to save us a lot of dough on sick time. Lots of up-front feedback may save time and cost on rework later. And we all know that technology does, in fact, assist with productivity. Keeping our minds flexible might just help solve the labour issue, and it will at least save employers the heartburn of worrying about “the way things used to be”.
Several landmark projects in the Lower Mainland are wrapping up this year, and at least two more are on the horizon, but is it enough? Housing starts are on the decline, and although that specific market isn’t thre bread and butter of most SMACNA-BC contractor members, it is an important indicator of the general market and the province’s—and Canada’s—overall health. While continually proving they are a resilient bunch, SMACNA-BC contractors will have to keep up the great work on connecting, sharing ideas and labour, and supporting one another whenever necessary. They don’t call it a brother/sisterhood for nothing.
We kick off this issue with an update from SMACNA-BC Executive Director Jeremy Hallman, who outlines the past quarter’s activities and achievements. There is no doubt he is settling nicely into his position, and we have heard great feedback from many of you on his activities so far.
This year’s construction outlook article is focused on the issues we predicted—labour, supply chain, and policy around improving both. We have been talking about the labour and skill shortage for a decade, and although the government and various associations are throwing everything they have at solving this issue, still, the void exists. Since the likelihood is low that a single, golden solution will spawn 80,000 skilled construction workers in from nowhere, recruitment and retention must be a collective effort. Its success must hinge on more creative methods, like labour sharing, creating healthy cultures the workforce wants to stay a part of, and each of us becoming an ambassador to the trades, ekeing in conversations here and there about how rewarding it can be. One statistic that stood out for in me in Robin’s article on page 6 was that the number of female tradespersons is dropping. How can that be? We all need to work double time on reversing that trend or risk losing that potential.
The Sheet Metal Journal Construction Outlook Survey (page 9) is always one of my favourite things to administer and interperet. Truth be told, I am not a statistician, but I do enjoy crunching these numbers and reading the comments respondents leave behind. While the totals we report are verbatim from the survey software, some of the comments are softened—you really are a passionate bunch! Be sure to take a peek and let me know your thoughts. I have shared with SMACNA-BC the items contractors identified as areas where they need support. If you have more suggestions, be sure to reach out to SMACNA-BC or drop me a line, as I could potentially source an article on that topic.
And for our third feature, Ron Coleman gives a light primer on social media, the most popular platforms, and how you can use them to maximize your reach. To be fair, it can be difficult to find the time to develop a social media or digital marketing strategy, and learning how to make a Snap story or a TikTok reel seems a lot more like goofing off than working. However, this is the stuff the future is made of, especially when it comes to creative recruitment. And remember, it doesn’t have to be you sharing, posting, and liking—this is a good job for interns and up-and-comers, especially because it can connect the generations in reciprocal mentorship. Start thinking about it after you read the story on page 11.
Be sure to set time aside for the SMACNA-BC conference, May 4–7 in beautiful Victoria, BC. Most of us have enjoyed the way events are opening up and welcoming guests back to some face-to-face interaction, so let’s keep the momentum going and plan for a fun and exciting weekend in the province’s capital.
In the meantime, keep in touch and don’t be afraid to send me your article ideas, feedback, and gregarious compliments. ■
