Industry outlook – Contrasting circumstances in eastern and western Canada As show planning moves forward, so too does the reg- ular business of the association. MacLean says he antici- pates 2016 will be an anomaly and the industry is likely to see vast differences coast to coast. “Eastern Canada with its manufacturing centres and re- source rich Western Canada will experience two com- pletely different results. We are seeing more cross provincial trading of fenestration products in the east and a significant interest in selling and marketing fenestration products in the U.S. due to the favourable exchange rate.” He says one of the most significant occurrences may be the acquisition of Canadian manufacturing companies by U.S. and international powerhouses. “Many U.S. window manufacturers shuttered or sold operations during the lat- est U.S. downturn, therefore reducing capacity,” he said. With the slow emergence of the U.S. economy, he says U.S. firms will need to reacquire that capacity and look to ready made Canadian producers to fill the gap. While other industry sectors are abuzz with talk of infra- structure spending announcements, MacLean says he has not heard the chatter and remains undecided on the value of incentives by the government. “It took almost two years for the negative effect of the last round of incentives in On- tario to wear off. The problem is that there is always an in- evitable lull in business after having pushed two or more years of regular renovation spending into a finite time table.” Rather than spending time looking at what may or may not trickle down budget wise, he says Fenestration Canada is focused on practical matters. The association is working with CSA in developing future code changes and will have an influential position on determining them. “We are also working with NRC (National Research Council) regarding the need to modernize the code require- ments that place restrictions on the size and spacing of windows constructed of combustible framing,” he said. Another opportunity for members to come together and to discuss issues of importance is the association’s annual meeting and conference. This year the event is scheduled for June 8 to 11 at the Fairmont Tremblant. MacLean says early estimates suggest roughly 200 fenestration profes- sionals will gather for education and information sessions that will include technical and business issues. “The Annual General Meeting of Fenestration Canada al- lows for the interaction of industry professionals to net- work and develop relationships that are otherwise impractical or improbable.” He says board and committees will meet to strategically plan upcoming initiatives and directives. Networking op- portunities include the Supplier Showcase and the Presi- dent’s Dinner. J JUST T ANO TH ER US ANOTHER C CASE E OF A S W WINDOW ENV Y .Y . NI DOW ENVY. Visit allweatherwindows.com to find allweatherwindows. com out why we stand out from the crowd, from the crowd, and don’t ’t be surprised if your job site don job site attracts more attention. OFFICIAL P PARTNER AR TNER 000816.26. 01. 15 000816.26.01.15 30 – May-June 2016 — The Canadian Design and Construction Report