The Hammer

Following the environmental concerns raised in the Montreal and Kyoto protocols, spray foam companies were challenged to act proactively. They have emerged perhaps stronger than ever with new chemistry that does not harm the ozone layer or contribute to climate change. And, happily, the new formulations may actually make spray foam insulation easier to apply. We spoke with Simon Baker and Doug Brady about the new possibilities of spray foam insulation, it’s effectiveness as residential and commercial insulation and the need for proper training and certification for spray foam contractors.

With the retirement of founder Nancy Peterson, there are new stars in the HomeStars sky. Shir Magen and Megan Oldfield have taken over and they have big plans to expand Canada’s largest online contractor directory service. We talk about how HomeStars works to verify their database of 60,000 trusted contractors and connect the right contractor to the right job. The touchy topic of online reviews is broached, and Shir and Megan have some good tips for contractors looking to use the internet to overcome some of the obstacles of the pandemic.

Casey Edge, executive director of the VRBA, joins Canadian Contractor editor Patrick Flannery to talk about his new Leading Edge column in the magazine, affordable housing, municipal regulations, building codes, climate change mitigation, the B.C. market and more. Casey knows his stuff and isn’t afraid to share – buckle up for some spicy opinions!

How do we get young people interested in the trades? Ian Howcroft has some ideas and the organization he leads, Skills Ontario, is working hard in schools and through its Skills Challenge competition to seed the ground for our future workforce. In this episode, Canadian Contractor editor Patrick Flannery talks to Howcroft about how they’ve modified their programs to operate in the pandemic, possible future directions for apprenticeships, what draws kids to the trades and more.

We’re changing how we do things on jobsites: keeping workers apart, providing PPE and installing handwashing stations. But one of the big ways that coronavirus gets spread is just through people moving around. And with curbside deliveries only, the lineups and delays at the store can be significant. Luckily, there are site delivery services that can keep your crew on the job and away from the general public. Eamonn O’Rourke is the founder of one of these, and he told The Hammer how it works and how it helps.

Pandemic response expert Suzanne Bernier joins Canadian Contractor 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.

Bonny Koabel from AKR Consulting joins Canadian Contractor editor Patrick Flannery to tell us what federal programs are out there to help you, who can use them and how to access them. Bonny has been helping small businesses get government funding for many years and we need her talents now more than ever. Learn about CERB, CEWS, CEBA and other things that don’t even start with C.