Feb 16, 2021

Maybe it’s the unprecedented drama and political theatre in the United States that’s been dominating the news cycle lately, but I feel like our attention has not been on Canada, or on what the summer of 2021 may deliver.

In Ontario, lockdowns feel like they just keep getting extended and COVID cases are not coming down fast enough to see a light at the end of the tunnel. Vaccine roll-out news is disappointing as well. In the last few editions of Boating Industry Canada News Week Digest, we sent out a brief survey to learn how our readers across Canada were feeling and how COVID was effecting their businesses.

Last week I wrote that we should start a Canadian Conversation. I believe that our market and our customers are not the same as in the United States – similar maybe – but not the same. Canada’s reactions to COVID were also different and I’d suggest that typically, Canadians are reacting to the ongoing pandemic differently too.

The survey we ran attracted a small response, but there were still some important results and comments that I want to share with you. Roughly 60% of respondents were from Ontario and 23% from BC. Boat dealers, marinas and repair yards were 54% of the responses.

While a little over 15% said their business was flat versus the previous year, 23% were down yet 61% were up and 45% were up more than 10%. That’s a pretty strong result I’d say.

On the other hand, 77% identified that they were experiencing supplier or material disruptions, so those positive results could have been higher. It seems like the sales momentum is there so the question becomes, can we capitalize on the opportunity that COVID is very likely to hand us this summer?

One telling comment that was offered was that we needed more Canadian manufacturers and Evinrude back. If nothing else, that at least signals to me that other engine brands should be moving to fill that gap.

I invite your comments or input and I welcome your ideas about how we can prosper as we gear up for what looks like a very strong summer.

Andy Adams – editor