• As compiled by ConstructConnect, the dollar volumes of construction ‘starts’ year to date in Canada so far this year, versus their levels in January-May 2019, have been as follows: ‘grand total’, -33%; residential, -34%; nonresidential building, -41%; and heavy engineering/civil, -23%. Provincially, the steepest declines have occurred in Quebec (where the coronavirus has struck hardest), -54%, and Alberta (where the energy sector has been under siege, although oil prices have now recovered above $30 USD per barrel), -44%. The comparable year-to-date U.S. starts statistics, which are published in the Industry Snapshot, have been: ‘grand total’, -20%; residential, -11%; nonresidential building, -33%; and heavy engineering/civil, -7%.

• With re-openings underway, workers returning to some locations are being met with: (1) temperature screenings; (2) hand sanitizer stations at entranceways and throughout departments; (3) plexiglass partitions at reception desks; and (4) requests that they sign a liability waiver. The legal community is saying that litigation against a company if one (or several) of its employees contract the coronavirus won’t become as common as one might suppose. It will be too hard to prove where an individual picked up the disease. It could have been while walking down the street; while shopping in a grocery store; etc.

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