Counter Talks

Bonny is back on Counter Talks with crucial information on changes to various federal and Ontario pandemic relief programs. Overall, eligibility is tightening, but some new programs are on the horizon. We also chat about how effective these efforts have been and what is likely to happen to them going forward.

The city of Toronto is looking at a ban or restrictions on two-stroke leaf blowers and other lawn equipment, joining other jurisdictions around the continent. Might be a good time to look at upgrading your fleet and retiring these noisy old beasts. Veteran lawn equipment supplier Mark Peart joins CounterTalks to discuss the latest in light lawn care engine technology and the pros and cons of four-stroke and lithium battery-powered options that will get the job done without waking up the neighbours.

Pandemic response expert Suzanne Bernier rejoins CounterTalks to tell us what we’ve learned in six months of pandemic about the virus, how it spreads and what businesses should do to combat it. We touch on some of the controversies around masks and lockdowns and whether surfaces are primary vectors for COVID-19. Suzanne looks ahead to the winter and the prospects for a vaccine – and the news is not all good.

Keith Tyson joins Counter Talks to look over the rental rate numbers for the first half of 2020 and evaluate what effect if any the pandemic has had. The news is overall better than we might have feared, but there have been some unusual movement. Tyson talks about what categories of machinery have done better and worse, where the most movement has been and the possible outlook for the rest of the year and beyond.

The urgency of attracting a new young workforce to the construction trades is looming ever larger. We’ve known for a while that the retiring Baby Boomer generation will leave a big hole in the workforce – one that Millennials seem reluctant to fill with their preference for technology-focused employment. Now the pandemic has created a huge new need for economic stimulus that will probably be met with infrastructure spending by governments. But who will do the work? Kris Troppman is an expert in construction technology who thinks the coming new world of machine control, 3D site imaging, drones, AI, automation and other advanced machine tech could make construction cool again…if Canada’s contractors and rental stores embrace it.

Edmonton is home to one of the world’s foremost designers of virtual reality simulators for construction applications – Serious Labs. CEO Jim Colvin joins Patrick Flannery to discuss the company’s origins in the gaming industry, the present capabilities of VR, its uses as a training and safety tool and what we should expect in the future when it comes to remote control and simulations.

Canadian Rental Service At Your Service columnist Russ Dantu gets at the things that keep your customers coming back. He and Pat discuss big box versus Mom and Pop approaches, automation, relationship building and more. Everyone says they have the best service in the business…but they can’t all be right, can they?

Suddenly we seem to be able to power just about anything using lithium batteries. Excavators, lifts, loaders, utility vehicles, breakers – the old restraints on power output that used to restrict lithium to lighter roles have vanished. Mike Owen, product manager for Milwaukee Power Tools, joins Counter Talks to explain how this technology has evolved, why it’s taken this step forward and what its strengths and weakenesses are.

Pandemic response expert Suzanne Bernier joins Canadian Rental Service editor Patrick Flannery to look back at the chaotic last couple months, assess our response to the coronavirus and forecast where the health authorities will go from here. Bernier has helped craft Ontario and the U.N.’s response to previous epidemics – there is no better person to educate us about this crazy time.

Government funding guru Bonny Koabel updates listeners on the most recent announcements from Ottawa about federal support for small businesses. Changes and clarifications to the Canadian Emergency Wage Subsidy, including when it will become available and how to apply. Also, discussion of the Canada Emergency Student Benefit, the Canada Student Service Grant and the Canada Summer Jobs program – all new or changed programs to help you take on summer students or help the ones you can’t.