Northeastern Ontario’s construction sector faces challenges with supply chains and labour as demand continues to grow in the region, said the new executive director of the Northeastern Ontario Construction Association.

Mark Kivinen said it will be important for the industry and all levels of government to work together to find solutions to supply chain and labour challenges, which have increased since the COVID-19 pandemic started.

In Greater Sudbury, new Mayor Paul Lefebvre has said the city needs to increase its population base from around 160,000 people to 200,000 to have a tax base to support demands on services and infrastructure.

Lefebvre said new opportunities in the mining sector, thanks to greater demand for the critical minerals that power electric vehicle batteries, will help the city get there.

“The buildings have to be built. The offices have to be built,” Kivinen said.

“Infrastructure has to be built and we need resources to do that. And we need housing for those workers that are going to build this.”

Kivinen said some products and services for the construction industry are more readily available today, than they were a year or two ago.

But he said there remains a lot of room for improvement regarding global supply chains.

The skilled labour shortage also remains a problem, Kivinen said. But he added there have been some positive developments to encourage young people to get into the trades.

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