Jerry Cook Editor, MPP jcook@clbmedia.ca

Canada should avoid falling into recession

Despite continuing turmoil in global financial markets and falling oil prices that have further dampened the outlook for the Canadian economy next year and forced the Conference Board of Canada to downgrade its forecast for 2009, Canada should be able to avoid slipping into a recession in 2009, according to the board’s new forecast.

“High resource prices have bolstered Canadians’ real income for six years, including 2008. In 2009, this source of strength will evaporate,” the Conference Board warns.

As a result, in response to the turmoil in global financial markets and the impact on oil prices and exchange rates, the Conference Board of Canada has revised its previously-released Autumn, 2008 forecast.

“While there is still momentum in Canada’s domestic economy, our near-term economic outlook has been revised down,” the board says.

According to the Conference Board’s revised forecast, the board now expects Canada’s economy to grow by 0.7% in 2008 and by just 1.5% in 2009 (compared to 2.2%), as a recession-plagued U.S. economy negatively impacts Canada’s economy.

“Still, Canada is expected to skirt a recession in 2009. Although the economy in general is slowing, it is still growing,” the board states.

In particular, the board notes that Canadian auto exports are being hit hard. A real decline of 19% is expected this year, in line with a steep drop-off in U.S. vehicle sales, the Conference Board says.

At the same time, the Conference Board forecasts real GDP growth in the U.S. to be just 0.5% in 2009.

“Due to the effect of low consumer confidence, combined with significant losses in wealth following the drop in home prices and stock values, real U.S. household spending will contract for five consecutive quarters, until late 2009,” the report says.

However, the report warns that its outlook for 2009 could be further impacted by the continuing financial crisis in the U.S.

“Despite the massive banking sector bailout by thye U.S. Treasury, the U.S. financial crisis adds downside risk to the forecast. U.S. households and businesses could retrench further and for longer than we have assumed in this outlook,” the report concludes.

Training facility enhances skills in sheet metal industry

The Ontario Sheet Metal Workers Training Center includes an extensive range of equipment including 20 welding booths for such processes as MIG, TIG, and SMAW.

A unique training facility that opened last year in Oakville, ON is dedicated to delivering improved skills training for apprentices and journeymen in Ontario’s sheet metal industry.

The Ontario Sheet Metal Workers Training Centre is focused on training, upgrading, and improving the skills of sheet metal workers in Ontario, says Kevin Rabishaw, executive director of the centre.

“The Ontario Sheet Metal Workers Training Centre delivers both in-class apprenticeship training and upgrade training for journeymen in the sheet metal trade,” says Rabishaw. The centre is also a Canadian Welding Bureau certified test centre.

Key areas that the centre focuses on include providing an upgraded apprenticeship training program for sheet metal; training for sheeters/deckers; upgrade training for journeymen including mobile or satellite programs; and customized training for specific markets and projects.

According to Rabishaw, the centre is jointly sponsored by the Ontario Sheet Metal and Air Handling Group and the Ontario Sheet Metal Workers’ and Roofers’ Conference. The Ontario Sheet Metal Workers Training Centre is funded by the Provincial Sheet Metal Workers Training Trust Fund which was established in 2001. Essentially, the fund is a joint venture between unionized sheet metal workers and their employer counterparts in the industrial, commercial and institutional sector of Ontario’s construction industry.

The $6 million state-of-the-art facility is 30,000 sq. ft. and comprises three large shop areas including 20 welding booths for such processes as MIG, TIG, and SMAW, a balancing and testing room, computer programming room, and four classrooms.

At present, the facility is training 270 apprentices a year, says Rabishaw, adding that the centre has the capacity to train up to 450 apprentices a year depending on scheduling. In addition, the centre provides skills upgrade training for another 300 to 400 journeymen. The facility has an impressive array of state-of-the-art equipment including an extensive lineup of welding equipment, a plasma cutting system, a Lincoln Electric/Fanuc robotic welding cell, CNC press brakes, CNC shear and more. Rabishaw states that all of the equipment was purchased in order to respond to the needs of industry and enhanced training.

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September 2008 Digital Edition

Special Features

• CNC Machine Tools
• Cutting/Sawing
• CMM/Quality Control

Product Spotlight

• Cutting Tools/Toolholding
• Fabricating/Forming

Regular Features

• Software Solutions
• Welding Zone

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Canadian Machine Tool Distributors Association - A resource for Canadian machine tool distributors.
www.cmtda.com

Canadian Tooling & Machining Association - Information resource for the Canadian tooling & machining industry.
www.ctma.com

Canadian Welding Association - Information resource for the Canadian welding industry.
www.cwa-acs.org