The problem multiplies by many folds
when novice workers venture off to start
their own company, something Beaucage
has witnessed firsthand. Eager for capital,
oftentimes the lack of experience compro-
mises quality because the rules are being
invented on the go. What is the solution to
this?
“I think the legislation should clamp down
on construction companies. We should
have licences. A guy off the street could
walk into the city and get a business li-
cence and say I’m going to start a construc-
tion company,” Beaucage said. In Quebec,
conversely, construction companies are li-
censed and there is a big difference in the
quality of work, he added. “There are a lot
of good carpenters in Ontario, but the prob-
lem is if you don’t have a certificate, you
can’t really gauge what their experience is.
You don’t know if they were trained prop-
erly.” Beaucage himself has worked in the
industry for 24 years.
Labour force challenges are just one of the
many steep hills and valleys of being the
owner of a business. “It’s a tough battle to
be self-employed,” Beaucage said. There is
always a surplus of work that needs to be
done, so maintaining normal hours is virtu-
ally impossible.
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business elite canada
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SEPTEMBER 2016
