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Fenestration Canada: Expanding activities

Fenestration Canada came out of the gate on a tear for 2023. The level of activity is unmatched by any previous year. The launch of our Commercial Chapter to provide support to the commercial glazier’s sector has shown significant interest as this industry checks us out. We have held a couple of meetings already with Rich Porayko and Jeff Makimoto leading the offerings FenCan is pulling together. With a handful of new members charting the course it appears this new chapter will be an active group.

We’ve also welcomed Ron Edger, of Centennial Windows and Doors to the Fenestration Canada board of directors as second vice-president. Ron has been in the industry for over 30 years and says he considers joining the board an honour and a personal milestone. Also re-joining the association is Jean-Francois Kogovsek who will be helping out with business development on the residential side of the industry. J.F. will be a familiar face to anyone attending WinDoor education sessions in the last decade. He brings a wealth of technical knowledge and deep connections across Canada to the role.  

While the commercial folks get their footing the residential sector remains on high alert as the provinces work on the adoption of the 2020 National Building Code, to be in place countrywide by March 2024. There are several new items in the NBC that are raising questions for our industry. One of particular interest is the details around fall protection. From the session in P.E.I. last spring by Al Jaugelis a task group was created with support from the U.S. Window and Door Manufacturers Association and the Fenestration and Glazing Industry Alliance’s FenBC Region. The group drafted a document outlining the issues with the NBC language and restrictions around what fall-protection devices can be used. Our letter has been provided to all provinces (except Quebec which had already addressed this item in previous code versions) in an effort to clarify the new language issues and support the use of ASTM F2090 window-opening control devices. We continue to follow up with these code developers.

We also saw changes to the requirements for products containing formaldehyde in their adhesive materials, such as fiberboards and plywood. The U.S. has regulated formaldehyde for some time and the new Canadian rules are designed to align with those laws. WDMA and FenCan presented a joint letter to Health Canada to find some clarity in the new labeling for products coming into Canada. We will be following up and providing members with updated information as we receive it. The details from Health Canada are on the Health Canada website: search for “guidance document on the formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products.”

In-person activities are well underway for 2023. We have held lunches in B.C. and education sessions in Edmonton, St-Louis de Blandford and Moncton happened April 6. Interest was high and members were eager to attend in-person activities to reconnect and pick up some new information. As we approach Fenestration Canada’s Spring Conference and AGM in Kelowna, B.C., May 23 to 26, anticipation is running hot with an informative schedule of education, plenty of good food and maybe a glass of wine or two. Spring in the Okanagan should be on everyone’s bucket list. Hope to see you there.  

Terry Adamson is technical director for Fenestration Canada