Features Association news
What Canada’s Glass Associations have been up to: August 2020

AVFQ
It is with a renewed team in 2019 and a lot of creativity that we have rethought our events. For example, the new AVFQ Omnium Golf Tournament and a much larger version of our annual convention that included the Gala Prix Lumieres. During this evening, seven awards were presented to AVFQ member companies. Sensitive to the needs of our members, we have developed value-added training programs. We believe in the importance of having qualified installers and that is why we have taken the lead. The demand for this training, offered in both French and English, has exploded. To support our members in digital technology, we have launched Building Information Modeling training that will continue this fall. AVFQ has obtained government financing to offer various training courses ranging from health management systems to sales and marketing during the pandemic. The presence of the AVFQ at industry conferences in Canada and the U.S. has certainly played an important role in our growing notoriety. The membership rate has strongly increased and the requests are constantly surging. Despite current constraints, AVFQ continues to perform throughout this period. Our members needed our support and that is what kept our team motivated. Gathering, informing and representing our members was the priority. Our crisis management was generously applauded. We are exploring various avenues to offer attractive and adapted events. Why not a hybrid concept, both virtual and face-to-face? This is a possibility for the Salon Rendez-vous CEBQ-AVFQ that has been postponed to the fall and for the 2021 AVFQ Annual Conference. We continue to keep our members informed of industry innovations and improvements, supporting them with the new challenges they face. AVFQ is present at various events, on industry committees and in political and ministerial circles, determined to defend the interests of its members. We are proud to be the only Quebec association that is an expert in our field, and we will continue to innovate to offer our members professional services, up-to-date information and relevant training.

Fenestration Association of B.C.
It has been a bit of time since we have been able to tell you what FenBC has been doing during COVID-19. On a daily and weekly basis, we have been reviewing notices, newsblasts and other associations’ communications to see what information is relevant to the FenBC membership. We have provided a few webinars from other organizations. Our FenBC hosts, Amy Roberts and Jason Loutet, have been busy recording new podcasts to keep the FenBC membership informed of current industry-relevant topics. We are ensuring that the FenBC membership has the most up-to-date information on protocols to ensure the safety of staff and in offices or on-site in the community. We have engaged the services of Jeff Baker of WestLab to represent the interests of our FenBC membership during discussions on the 2020 National Building Code. FenBC has a new website that is mobile and tablet friendly. We will soon have a members-only discussion page ready that will provide membership with access to all the technical papers, podcasts and recorded conference sessions. FenBC now also has a a Bid Central account so we can monitor new opportunities for bidding. We have added a Government Relations Committee with Anton Van Dyk as the chairperson. FenBC has been working closely with FGIA and is a member of several associations that allow us to participate in key industry conversations. That about brings you mostly up-to-date on what FenBC has been doing. If you want to participate on one of our committees please let Zana know – zgordon@fen-bc.org.

Architectural Glass and Metal Contractors Association
Once again, our AGMCA glazing contractors have risen and met the unprecedented challenges that the global pandemic continues to throw at them. They have successfully identified the risks, determined what controls were needed to create a safe workplace, implemented safety plans, and communicated these actions to their valuable employees and any other people entering their place of business or jobsites.AGMCA member contractors have treated the health and safety of their valuable glazier and metal mechanics as paramount, and take pride in the fact that our industry has one of the lowest infection rates in the province. Our members are inherently a resilient and optimistic group, and they have met the many challenges head-on. From project shutdowns, to supply chain disruptions, to adapting to site meetings via Zoom – all while managing cash flows that have virtually dried up. Our glazier training centres, along with the vital apprenticeship programs they deliver, have re-opened and the warm weather has brought some welcome relief. This battle is far from over, but all AGMCA members should be commended for their outstanding efforts to date. Visit us at agmca.ca.

Ontario Glass and Metal Association
As a member of Prompt Payment Ontario, the OGMA recently distributed a link to members to a guide (Ontario Construction Act – Trade Contractors Guide) for glazing contractors to use to understand the procedures to follow to enhance their chances of being paid for the work they do. You can access a copy on the OGMA website ogma.ca. The COVID-19 pandemic has put a hold on most of the activities we would normally be working on. We cancelled our annual spring golf tournament and have not planned any seminars as yet for 2020. Our fall golf is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 24, at the Country Club in Woodbridge and we sincerely hope to be able to host the event, but time will tell. In the meantime, we will continue to distribute information to our members that we hope is helpful in finding solutions to managing your business and weathering the economic storm. We sincerely hope that you are diligent in safeguarding your health as well as your families, employees, and co-workers and we look forward to seeing you when the circumstances are better.