Cody Townend has been with Hay River’s Home Building Centre for about 16 years and he has never seen it so busy.
“We are flat out right now, it is so extremely busy,” he said in an interview on Oct. 15. “I’ve never seen an October like this before. It’s good. In fact it’s really good.”
The 2021 season follows an even stronger 2020, he added.
“Last year I would say we saw six to seven, even eight times, more business than we usually have. This year, it has been the same thing, but probably five times busier than usual with sales and customers walking in the door.”
Townend, who has been manager of the store for the last five years, said the building centre has in part seen an upsurge in demand for supplies and materials from government-funded construction projects taking place around town late into the season.
Among them include the new fish plant, the new Family Resource Centre on Riverview Drive and ready to move housing projects being developed by Arctic Construction Canada for replacement in Jean Marie River in November.
“The government can be known for delaying or waiting to the last minute to start construction projects,” he said chuckling. “But right from about the summer up until now we’ve been extremely busy with contractors.”
Townend said on top of those projects, it has seemed that homeowners have spent more money for local needs when in normal times they might put those funds toward travel.
“If you think about a summer vacation with a family of two to four kids, a mom and a dad, I would say you could easily spend five to 10 grand going south,” he said. “Due to COVID and not being able to travel I think a lot of people were using that money to put towards home renovations, whether that be inside or outside.”
Demand from projects and individuals in the town proper only adds to the Home Building Centre’s service to the wider region, Townend added. The store continues to be a vital source of materials as far north as Fort Providence and as far south as Fort Smith,even with a Home Hardware of its own.
“There are a lot of other communities that depend on us because we’re really the only lumberyard around - three hours going south and five hours going north,” he said.
Some of the demand has put pressure on being able to find a stable supply of workers as pandemic benefits have been provided by the federal government.
“Definitely ever since Covid-19 happened with people collecting the (Canada Emergency Response Benefit), it is harder to find people to work,” he said. “It hasn’t been so bad this year as it was the last two years.
“We were looking for cashiers and yard guys and there were times we would absolutely have nobody apply.
“It’s getting a little better now, but I wouldn’t say there is a labour shortage because we also try to always find the right person and the right fit.”
Much of the changing times come as the Home Building Centre sees a transition of ownership.
Earlier this year Charles Corothers who owns Yellowknife’s Home Hardware store sold his Hay River store to Scot Halvorson of Manning, Alta.
Halvorson owns the Empire Home Building Centre in the Alberta town.
Townend said he is looking forward to working with Halvorson who has an understanding of the type of operation and clientele served in Hay River.
“The biggest significance is that Scot and his wife Gail are both small town people and they understand small town business,” he said. “They’re great people, really down to earth and community-oriented and so I think that will be significant to both the organization and the community as a whole.”