b'to major public transportation andwaters with no experience to fall backput in place. Interestingly enough, infrastructure, utility, liquefied naturalon, states John Mollenhauer, presidentdespite construction being a prominent gas, pipeline and health services projectsand CEO of TCA. Our companiescontributor to the Ontario economy, case country-wide.operate on the provisions dictated inlaw has not determined a legal precedent project contracts and none appear tofor how costs involved with construction The new reality based on the effects ofhave clauses concerning governmentdisruptions should be handled. the pandemic is that the future is difficultwork stoppages.to predict and the demand for workers isBecause of this, each construction declining. When we began our research,PREPARATION contract is viewed as unique. This leads we could not have known how drasticallyThe best advice that Mollenhauerto potentially different solutions for every the world would change in such a shorthas for the construction industry is tocontract on issues such as liquidated time, said Asite CEO Nathan Doughty.prepare as much as possible for thedamages, delayed holdback payouts, This change and the COVID-19 outbreakchallenges ahead. He strongly suggestsproductivity losses and a wide range of have impacted our findings and willthat construction companies carefullyother issues.continue to shape our industry long afterre-read their project contracts so they the pandemic has passed. are fully aware of the terms containedIt would be an understatement to say within. For example, determine whatthat the construction industry is ill-Anticipating the far-reaching impact thatcompensation your company is entitledprepared for what is to come. On average, this virus is having on the Canadianto, how demobilization and remobilizationwe are undercapitalized heading into this construction industry was impossibleare handled and how increasing costsperiod of legal review. And it may take to predict. Strong political leadershipassociated with productivity losses willyears for clarity concerning who ought to and tough decisions had to be made tobe compensated. be entitled to what and how businesses curb the spread of COVID-19 in Canada.get paid when entitlements far exceed Equally strong industry leadership isStrategize on proposals to sort outavailable funding, says Mollenhauer.going to be needed to move throughspecific issues. Temporary site closures the minefield of challenges facing thecould simply be a process of combiningThe TCA president goes on the say that industry at this time. demobilization and remobilizationTCA members will have a difficult time costs. Potential solutions includedealing with up to five years of dispute Because of the governments COVIDhaving owners bear the cost or havingresolution when the outcomes will orders, the industry is entering uncharteda legal, regulated cost recovery processmost likely be insufficient from every 12Quarter 2 2020 BUILDERSDIGEST'