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Wholesale Sales - June 2021 Wholesale sales fell 0.8% in June to $71.5 billion, ending three consecutive monthly increases with only the third decline since May 2020. June’s sales reflect sharp declines in the building material and supplies, as well as the machinery, equipment and supplies subsectors.

Over the past couple of years, more distributors have commerce-enabled their websites and distributors are reporting an increase in the percentage of sales that web-ordering represents.

Each year, EFC reviews industry input on game changers to help steer strategic plans and to identify the topic of our annual research report. In the summer of 2020, it was no surprise that COVID-19 topped the list of game changers, followed by talent, emerging digital technologies and supply chains.

OPC Horsman & Son E.B. Horsman & Son’s Terrace, BC branch has moved down the street to a new building located on 2915 Molitor Street, Terrace. The newly constructed 20,000 square foot building was custom-built to replace the previous 7,200 square foot location on 5000 Pohle Avenue. The building also offers three commercial spaces for lease to local businesses.

A few weeks ago I talked about some of the lessons I learned during my onboarding as a Chief Digital Officer (CDO) of a global company during the height of the pandemic. This time, I’ll be talking about sustainability and fighting climate change.

Climate A new report by the Pembina Institute concludes that a national renovation wave of deep retrofits could generate more than $48 billion in economic development, while creating up to 200,000 jobs and significantly lowering carbon emissions.

Value of Building Permits - June 2021 The total value of building permits rose 6.9% to $10.3 billion in June. Seven provinces contributed to the gain, led by Ontario, which jumped 22.7%. Construction intentions in the residential sector were up 9.1%, while the non-residential sector advanced 2.2%.

In the time that I joined the electrical industry almost four years ago, and the EFC team in June 2019, the pattern of season professionals embarking on the next chapter of their lives has become more evident.

The Canadian Data Governance Standardization Roadmap tackles the challenging questions we face when we talk about standardization and data governance. It describes the current and desired Canadian standardization landscape and makes 35 recommendations to address gaps and explore new areas where standards and conformity assessment are needed.

Vallen After operating out of a small branch in Fort St. John, BC for 4 years, Vallen has moved to a larger branch more suitable to its growing operations. With local success Vallen has invested in a longer-term branch location with lots of room to grow.

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Monthly Estimates of Business Openings and Closures, May 2021

Statistics Canada There were slightly fewer active businesses (-0.1%; -1,208) in May compared with a month earlier, marking the first time since May 2020 that the number of closures outpaced openings.

The number of business openings decreased by 11.5%, the largest percentage decrease since December 2018 and the second consecutive month with negative growth (Chart 1). The number of business closures declined by 2.9%, following a 2.5% increase in April. The decline in the number of business openings in May was largely driven by fewer entrants (-16.4%). The number of entrants in May was below the 2015-to-2019 average for the first time since August 2020.

488 Days: Thoughts on the COVID Period — March 17, 2020 to July 17, 2021

By John Kerr

Looking back to early 2020, the industry entered the first quarter with a sense of a solid year ahead, one that would easily eclipse 2019, and then in mid-March the brakes went on and relatively quickly.

On both the supplier and distribution sides, many took a reactionary stance and then quietly planned their next moves. Thinking differently, adding stock and doubling down on inventory, looking at alternative shipping methods and figuring out how to stay close to the customer are among the attributes of those that pivoted well and have come out of the dark in great shape.

Non-Mortgage Borrowing From Chartered Banks in March 2020 Shattered the Previous Record

Non-Mortgage Borrowing from Chartered Banks in March 2020 The outstanding credit debt of private non-financial corporations doubled from the height of the financial crisis in 2008 to early 2020. At the onset of the pandemic in March 2020, businesses added a record $52.1 billion in credit debt to their balance sheets. However, according to a new study, as other sources of financing became available and businesses adapted to the pandemic, outstanding loan balances with banks declined for eight consecutive months.

The study Trends in Canadian business debt financing: Before and during COVID-19 looks at the types of credit debt private non-financial corporations incurred prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and examines how they used that liquidity to weather the economic turbulence during this period.

Investment in Building Construction Dipped 1.9% in May

Investment in building construction cooled slightly in May, decreasing 1.9% to $19.4 billion. This was the first drop in seven months. Residential construction investment (-2.7%) was down for the first time since April 2020, while non-residential construction increased slightly.

On a constant dollar basis (2012=100), investment in building construction declined 2.7% to $14.8 billion in May.

By David Gordon

As we transition from the pandemic many wonder about the future of sales, meaning, “What will the sales process (sales model) look like in the future,” and, essentially, “What is the role of / for outside salespeople?”

In reality, this question was asked pre-pandemic as management lamented that Sales wasn’t being as productive as they desired. Companies are always seeking to improve their processes, whether it is having salespeople better penetrate accounts, identify and call on new customers, use a different (new?) sales method...

EiKO Global, LLC Announces Expansion Through the ...

Premise LED Inc. is a Canadian based lighting manufacturer and market leader dedicated to supplying ...

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