In the span of two months, the coronavirus crisis has demanded sweeping changes from the construction industry in North America, and experts say many of them will remain in place even after the outbreak recedes. As contractors prepare to return to work on sites that have been shut down by shelter-in-place initiatives, they will face an industry that has been drastically changed by both public health and economic effects of the pandemic. Here are eight ways that COVID-19 has altered the construction industry for the near future and beyond.
The BC Construction Association provided the following updates on April 22: Health Minister Adrian Dix thanked the industry and recognized Construction Month during the April 22 COVID-19 briefing, acknowledging the thousands of skilled tradespeople across BC working on critical infrastructure, and the significant adjustments that worksites have made to keep workers safe while continuing to operate as an essential service.
The Vancouver Island Construction Association (VICA) has released their first quarter report for building permits on Vancouver Island and Powell River. Total building permits issued in the region during the first quarter of 2019 totalled $610.0 million, up 26 per cent from the fourth quarter of 2018. Building permits were higher in most regional districts except in Alberni-Clayoquot and the Comox Valley. Large gains over the prior quarter occurred in the Nanaimo and Strathcona Regional districts.