The decade spanning from 2005 to 2014 redefined how the electrical industry operates today. With a push for renewables and clean energy, widespread shifts toward further automation and robotics, and advancements in electric vehicles, the world was becoming more connected and efficient than ever before, and the industry celebrated major milestones, including the first mass-market electric vehicles becoming available in Canada (2010), the mainstreaming of consumer IoT (2013), and the mass adoption of LED technology (2014).

Throughout these years, EFC maintained its role as an industry compass, helping members navigate technological disruption, economic challenges, and regulatory complexities, proving to be a steady hand guiding the industry through these significant shifts.

Prioritizing education and knowledge transfer

Although the 2007-2008 global financial crisis created economic turbulence, EFC helped members find their footing, using this time to rethink approaches and strengthen core business models. The initiatives during this period were designed to strengthen the industry’s resilience and foster innovation despite challenging market conditions, launching a legacy of commitment to education and professional development. These efforts included a series of educational courses sponsored by the Supply and Distribution Council as part of the 2006 University of Industrial Distribution program, and educational partnerships like the Industrial Distribution Leadership Certification Program (IDLCP) at Mohawk College in Ontario and the British Columbia Institute of Technology, in collaboration with the Power Transmission Distributors Association (PTDA), as part of the broader Industrial Careers Pathway Initiative in 2008. EFC expanded its educational reach in 2012 with the Electrical Products Education Course (EPEC) Bronze Level Program in French in partnership with National Association of Electrical Distributors (NAED), ensuring that training resources were accessible to professionals across the country.

Recognizing the valuable market insights and insider knowledge held within the organization, EFC prioritized industry research throughout this decade, publishing several reports both individually and through partnerships. EFC’s Click and Order: Examining Online Research & Purchasing Trends of Canadian Electrical Customers report, published in 2014, laid the groundwork for several more industry research reports to come in the following years, including Digital Supply Chains in the Electrical Industry (2018), Talent for an Emerging Workforce (2020) and Decarbonizing Canada via ‘Electrification’ (2023).

A spotlight on safety

Safety innovation became another hallmark of this decade, with the Child Safety Outlet initiative launching in 2009 in direct response to the industry’s concern over electrical-receptacle-related injury research. This commitment to consumer protection demonstrated EFC’s leadership in proactively addressing emerging safety concern, recalls Jim Taggart of Legrand Canada, who served as chair in 2009 and president from 2010-2017.

“EFC has done a great job in pushing forward the adoption of electrical safety products, such as ground fault and arc fault circuit interrupters,” he says. “Those products have saved lives and saved people from getting burned and injured.”

The following year, EFC launched an anti-counterfeiting campaign called “Don’t Be Shocked. Buy Authentic,” in conjunction with Electrical Safety Awareness Month, which 2005 chair Grant Buchanan of S&C Electric remembers as a key accomplishment. “EFC has done a lot of good work on supporting codes and standards within Canada, working on anti-counterfeiting measures and ensuring that product safety through anti-counterfeiting and codes and standards is first and foremost,” he says.

Establishing a powerful industry and advocacy voice

Understanding the importance of policy influence, EFC initiated lobbying efforts with the federal government in Ottawa in 2005, supported by board members acting on behalf of the industry – a great effort, especially for an association in such early stages, Buchanan says. “A lot of companies with U.S.-based leadership were already lobbying, so we had to coordinate efforts so that we didn’t step on each other’s’ toes,” he recalls.

Despite the challenge, the power of collective advocacy would prove invaluable in the decades to come, says Tim MacDonald of Ideal Supply, who served as chair in 2002: “EFC having a presence in Ottawa and having Ottawa days and meeting with cabinet ministers and MPs and bureaucrats that have some influence on our industry – I think that’s one of the most positive things that over the years we have done.”

These capabilities proved particularly valuable in 2010 when EFC led a successful push for an amendment to the Buy American Act of 2009, which eased the clause allowing Canadian exporters access to state and local public work projects under the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act along with additional barrier reductions and fast-track provisions for dispute resolutions.

“This deal solidifies the importance Canadian companies play in the U.S. economy and allows our industry to once again access opportunities that will only strengthen both the U.S. and Canadian economies,” says Milos Jancik, who served as president of EFC from 2005 to 2010, regarding the Buy American Act amendment initiative.

A foundation for future success

From lobbying efforts and safety campaigns to educational programs and industry research, EFC’s leadership through years of uncertainty and change helped position its members for long-term success.  Navigating the years between 2005 and 2014 wasn’t merely about surviving change – it was about embracing it and channeling it toward greater industry prosperity.

“EFC has really been the glue of the industry through good times and bad,” reflects Kevin Mallory of Hubbell Canada, who served as chair in 2013. “It’s certainly one of the strongest avenues for communication about what’s going on in the industry and all the players; they’ve really stepped up especially in recent years as a rallying point for communication and causes.”