b'RCABC UPDATERCABC UPDATEBRYAN WALLNER Chief Executive Officer, RCABC I admitthatmyfirstthought must aboutthiscolumnwastofeature something other than COVID-19anything but COVID-19. I made a list of topics including emerging trends in our industry, apprenticeship training, 2020 business outlook, safety, the RCABC golf tournament, the impact of a hard insurance marketthe list could go on. Butintruth,everythingisdifferent right now because of COVID-19, both at work and in our personal lives. We now accept some things that would have seemed unimaginablejustsixmonthsago.The U.S.A border is closed, no NHL, NBA or MLBgames,casinosareclosed.Youget the picture.WhatIwillnevergetusedtoisthe language used to describe the pandemic in the news and seemingly every companys COVID-19policy.Unprecedentedand uncertain times are overused. I reject the term new normal, as it implies a sense of permanence that makes a lot of people uncomfortable. Strange times or unusual times work better. However, the word essential has taken on a powerful meaning during these strange times. Construction as an essential service was, well, essential to RCABC members, their employees and many stakeholders. But we need to be diligent now, as the economy opens up and the weather gets nicer. This is the time to double down on the best practices that will keep us safe and working. B.C. continues to stand out for how our health professionals communicated to us and how our communities have responded. The B.C. construction community has come together in unprecedented fashion to support the industry and advocate for keeping construction working. The community has also come together to solve problems and advocate on behalf of an industry that employs over 250,000 people in the province. Our challenge now is to double down and keep this going. RCABC encourages everyone to sign on to the BC Builders Code, an initiative supporting safe and respectful worksites for all employees.8lROOFINGBC l SUMMER 2020'