Latest Articles

I thought of myself four to five years ago coming out of high school with no particular idea of what I wanted to do for a profession. After studying three years at CEGEP I realized that school was not my forte. Not that I wasn’t good, I was average. Simply, sitting on school benches did not make me any better.

Total investment in building construction increased 6.3% to $19.9 billion. Residential construction investment performed strongly in April, rising for a 12th consecutive month. In contrast, non-residential construction has not fully returned to pre-COVID-19 levels. However, it increased by 0.9% this month.

When Electro-Federation Canada (EFC) partnered with provincial regulators, certification agencies and other safety partners earlier this year to build an industry portal to promote online electrical safety, the motto “Before you add to cart…check for the certification mark!”

My objective is to develop an ongoing series of marketing articles consisting of two parts, the first focusing on questions I have been asked and the second on concerns I have. I have lots of both, so it is impossible for me to put them into one communication.

In our workplaces we’ve likely heard a lot about how women are underrepresented in the electrical industry, particularly when it comes to trades and technical occupations. We don’t have to look very far to see that this is true (although it is changing slowly, and we have seen some amazing progress and commitments from sector companies).

Business Openings - February 2021 In February, as public health restrictions were eased in many provinces, the number of business openings increased 6.1%, of which the majority (62.4%) was due to the number of reopening businesses, unchanged from last month.

Economy Real gross domestic product grew 0.4% in February, after having grown 0.7% in January. This 10th consecutive monthly increase continued to offset the steepest drops in Canadian economic activity on record in March and April 2020. However, total economic activity was about 2% below the level observed in February 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Office Space The global COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching impacts. Among them was the almost-overnight shift to working from home. Organizations throughout the world closed offices and sent office employees home to work.

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 ...

Changing Scene

Peers & Profiles

Copper $US Dollar price per pound