The construction industry continues to prove its resiliency, despite contractors facing a myriad of challenges and enormous pressure to maintain profitability.
Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA) president Chris Gardner said the majority of member companies expect 2023 to be as busy or busier than last year during his annual industry overview during the CEO Breakfast at Buildex Vancouver 2023.
Top issues remain the same: mental health, supply chain disruptions and an acute labour shortage.
“Last year for the first time in B.C., more people died than were born. We have an aging population and we have more people dying in our province than are born. We’re going over a demographic cliff,” he said. “We need people to come to Canada. It’s about smart immigration.”
Gardner emphasized how red tape and regulations continue to delay project approvals and cripple Canada’s competitiveness with the country consistently ranking at the bottom in the world for economic performance.
Locally, he expressed his optimism for changes with the new direction at city hall with Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim’s commitment to tackling housing, affordability and expediting approvals and the permitting process.
Sim said his team at the city is actively looking at road blocks and asking questions to streamline the approvals process. Most recently, as part of the city’s Permitting Improvement Program (PIP), building permits are now available electronically through the Electronic Plan (ePlan).
“We will do everything we can to speed things up,” he said.
Sim cited some examples of policies that need to be changed, notably the view cone and shadowing considerations currently in place. He emphasized his administration is looking at all opportunities to speed up permitting. For example, instant permits for 3D printed homes. “You can build a 3D printed home in less than five days at two thirds the cost,” he said. “That’s a win on multiple fronts.”
While Sim still had no timeline for his ambitious campaign promise for a “3-3-3-1” permit approval system plan, the initiative has raised hope among many for improvements.
The plan would see home renovations approved in three days; single-family homes and townhouses in three weeks; professionally designed multi-family and mid-rise projects with existing zoning in three months; and high-rise or large-scale projects in a year.
“We need to look at all the missed opportunities. Look at things differently. We want Vancouver to be the best city on the planet again,” said Sim.
Cheryl Mah is managing editor of Construction Business.
