Truss company fire predicted to have 'substantial impact' on P.E.I. construction industry

A fire this week at one of P.E.I.'s major truss manufacturers will be felt in the province's construction industry, says the head of an industry association. 

The blaze at Valley Truss and Metal in Kensington on Tuesday evening destroyed the company's main manufacturing building. 

Valley Truss is one of the Island's four manufacturers of engineered floor and roof trusses for use in construction projects. 

"Any time you take a major player out of the process, it certainly has a substantial impact," said Sam Sanderson, the general manager of the Construction Association of P.E.I. "Lucky enough that we do have a number of other facilities that I'm hearing are stepping in and stepping up in traditional Island fashion." 

This week's fire filled the sky with smoke as fire departments from Kensington, Summerside and New London battled the blaze. 

The company's owners were expected to fly into P.E.I. sometime this week to assess the damage. 

Sanderson said trusses are the "bones" of roofing systems that provide structural stability. They're needed for basically any structure built in the province — from single-family homes to boathouses to potato warehouses. 

P.E.I.'s housing shortage has been described as being in a crisis since 2019, and Sanderson said any interruption to a key part of the supply chain will slow things down even further. 

"It'll certainly add a little pressure to everybody for sure to try and meet the needs of the customers and to try and support the industry as a whole," he said. 

"Many builders and many manufacturers and suppliers are … continually under the gun in today's environment. As the demand for housing … increases daily, so does the pressure on those suppliers to get that product out the door."

A spokesperson for the Prince Edward Island Fire Marshals Office told CBC News that the blaze at Valley Truss is still under investigation.