Page 20 - Mar-Apr 21 - Reporter - web optimized

and businesses with wage and rent employees becomes a significant and estimators who would normally
subsidies and grants. Some sectors problem. Also, weather related give a guaranteed time period on a
of the economy were devastated such problems curtail the ability to harvest quote in the past will now not give any
as tourism and sports; however, others trees. This creates bottlenecks and price guarantee on job quotes. As one
were able to rebound and adapt to supply problems throughout the project estimator quipped, “We used
the situation with work-at-home spring, summer and fall of 2020. to guarantee the quote for 30 days,
programs that proved to be effective. now its 30 seconds!”
Many homeowners, not being Fall, 2020
able to spend disposable income by Retailer building supply and Winter, 2020-2021
travelling, decided to invest in their hardware stores were enjoying strong Most procurement sectors of
properties with renovation projects; sales and profitability; however, the supply chain were pulling their
as well, with low interest rates being they were also being inundated with hair out trying to forecast the next
offered by the BOC, a significant frustrated customers who could not 6 months. Demand for product
demand in new housing construction complete projects due to product continued to pressure the supply
became apparent. Federal and shortages. Employees were being chain. It is difficult enough to
provincial governments started to overworked and even finding good forecast during normal challenges
open the economy slowly and took a employees was becoming a critical such as a long winter, longer rainy
regional approach to managing the issue for many building supply/ periods and other weather-related
safety protocols needed to manage hardware stores. pressures; now we have to gauge the
the impact of the virus. Distributors were also busy and effect of the regional lockdowns and
The demand for product far being frustrated in sourcing product the rollout of the vaccine and how it
exceeds the normal spring demand as the mills and treaters were unable will influence consumer decisions to
for renovation projects. Decks, fences, to keep up with demand. Also, trying start travelling and supporting local
renovations and new construction to forecast the demand for product restaurants and sporting facilities.
demands far outreach the supply over the next 6 months has been a Currently, the building supply and
chain's ability to react. Mills are challenge for the procurement process hardware sectors are still enjoying
unable to gear up fast enough and of the supply chain. Lumber, being the strong sales but as the economy
an apparent shortage of skilled commodity that it is, has risen in price opens, we will see the pressure on the

20 LBMAO Reporter - March-April 2021 www.lbmao.on.ca