Serving eastern Canada's wall and ceiling industry

By: Don Procter

Will 2010 be the year of recovery for the wall and ceiling industry in Canada? Reports vary from region to region, but industry experts aren’t holding their breath in the Greater Toronto Area, although the Interior Systems Contractors Association of Ontario (ISCA) predicts a turnaround could be starting by year’s end.

In 2009, work was down by about 25 percent from 2008 for ISCA membercontractors, but 2008 was a banner year for many in the industry so the drop-off in ’09 isn’t as bad as it seems.

There were some bright spots in 2009, which will carry over this year for wallers in the GTA. The highrise condo market is an example. But lowrise residential was down a whopping 60 percent in 2009 from 2008 and it is projected to slide again this year.

Overall, work in the drywall industry is projected to drop 10-15 percent this year, points out Hugh Laird, executive director, ISCA. That forecast is largely based on new construction starts in all sectors. As a finishing trade much of the work drywall contractors are doing now was on the books about two years ago, prior to hard times.

Bright future for EIFS

Canada’s EIFS industry, by comparison, is doing well. A number of EIFS contractors and manufacturers have struggled a little, but overall the industry has fared better than expected and the EIFS Council of Canada forecasts better times in 2010 buoyed by the strengthening ICI sector and a steady comeback in residential starts. Longer term projections are positive partly because EIFS fits nicely into the requirements of the new Model National Energy Code. “We’re eagerly anticipating the new energy code to make its way through the various building codes in Canada because it will drive even more architects and owners to our [EIFS] door,” points out John Garbin, president of the EIFS Council.

Other initiatives by the EIFS Council will help prepare the industry for significant market share gains anticipated over the next few years. Chalk that rosy forecast up to the energy efficient and greenfriendly traits of EIFS.

One of the Council’s initiatives is the new EIFS Quality Assurance Program Inc. (EQI), set up in 2009. The EQI – which outlines design, installation, and inspection requirements – underwent a successful beta-test early this year at a 100-unit seniors’ residence in Gravenhurst, Ont. The design, installation, and follow-up auditing procedures have been “first rate,” says Garbin, noting it is “a benchmark to showcase for other projects.”

Since last summer the EIFS Council has been working in earnest on the EQI registration and certification of manufacturers, contractors and their mechanics plus auditors. By the spring there will be sufficient numbers of contractors and mechanics registered to tackle many of the new EQI projects tendered at that time.

To ensure that the building industry is familiar with the EQI, the Council will continue to present a series of cross- Canada educational seminars, targeting not just designers, but also general contractors because they are an integral cog in the EQI’s success, says Garbin.

Another highlight for the EIFS industry this year is the expected completion by late winter of a national standard for EIFS. That is in time for submission as a 2011 amendment to the 2010 National Building Code (NBC). Called ULC S-716, the standard will include materials, installation and design. While it won’t be enforced under the National Building Code until the 2011 amendment, it will provide practical guidelines for designers and installers. It is “a major step forward” for the industry, says Garbin, because it may offer provincial code officials an opportunity to adopt the standards, possibly even prior to the implementation in the NBC.

2010 will certainly be a year to remember for the EIFS industry in Canada.