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March 24, 2021

Construction industry representatives accuse union local of trying to intimidate its way into the growing stucco industry

Construction industry groups say a spat between unions over a growing market in homebuilding is causing delays in GTA residential construction, holding up the closing dates for several thousand home buyers.

The situation is a complicated one, involving multiple unions and industry associations, the Ontario Labour Relations Board and workers in multiple professions.

Several industry representatives say one union — Local 183 of the Labourers’ International Union of North America (LIUNA) — is trying to intimidate its way into the growing stucco industry.

LIUNA 183 says its union is the best fit for those workers, and says any delays are the fault of the builders and other parties involved.

David Wilkes, CEO of the Building Industry and Land Development Association (BILD), which represents builders and developers, said the industry is essentially at a standstill.

This is affecting the vast majority of new lowrise residential projects in the GTA, said Wilkes, most of which use a combination of masonry and stucco/EIFS for the exterior. The closing of at least a thousand units is being delayed each month, he said, amidst a “red-hot” housing market and additional pandemic-related delays.

The issue is centred around the growing market for exterior insulation and finish systems (EIFS), colloquially called stucco, though it’s very different from the traditional stucco of decades past.

EIFS is a proprietary system that can be used to replicate a variety of external finishes, from masonry to traditional stucco to wood, explained John Garbin, president and CEO of the EIFS Council of Canada.

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