B.C.’s construction industry is celebrating its fourth annual Construction and Skilled Trades Month by offering 100 grants totalling $37,500 to encourage construction employers to treat their crews to a free lunch from a local restaurant. Sponsors hope this will kick off a pass-it-on type challenge and spur lunchtime events on construction sites across B.C. during April.
The initiative, known as the #lunchboxchallenge, was introduced by Scott Construction last spring. The BC Construction Association, initiators of Construction Month and platinum sponsors along with LNG Canada, jumped on board to support Scott Construction’s initiative. This year it is a big part of the official Construction Month activities.
“Our industry was declared essential throughout the pandemic, and while it’s been a tough year, we’re proud of how well we’ve done and keen to give the workforce a bit of recognition,” says Chris Atchison, BCCA president. “We’re grateful that we were able to keep working. The restaurant industry hasn’t been so fortunate, so it’s good do a little something to help the local restaurants who are also working hard in every community.”
Last year, more than 200 employers participated in the #lunchboxchallenge. This year, with the added incentive of 100 starter grants ($250 or $500 maximums depending on size of crew) to kick things off, the sponsors of Construction Month are hoping to see even more lunchtime celebrations across BC.
“It’s wonderful to see B.C.’s construction industry go out of its way to support the wider community and reach out to local restaurants that may be struggling to get through the COVID-19 pandemic intact,” said Ian Tostenson, president and CEO of the BC Restaurant and Foodservices Association. “It’s a generous idea and we’re thrilled to support it by making posters available to all our members so they can put them up in the window or even visit the construction sites near them and make sure they’re aware of the grants and the #lunchboxchallenge.”
In non-COVID times, 35,000 businesses across the two industries employ nearly 400,000 British Columbians and contribute over 10 per cent of the provincial GDP. While construction has been deemed essential and kept working throughout the pandemic, the restauranteurs have been harder hit.
To find out more about Construction Month, access the grant applications, and download a #lunchtimechallenge poster, go to www.constructionmonth.ca
