With the pandemic getting closer and closer to being completely in our rearview, for many of us, this means getting back to work. Whether you work in an office or in construction, we are anxiously awaiting the opportunity to get things back on track and in a big way.
Once such way that this is coming to fruition is through shovel-ready projects. These projects are those that have already received adequate funding and are simply awaiting the opportunity to get shovels in the ground.
COVID-19 has provided a time of reflection and restructuring in the lives of many. As we catch a glimpse of the pandemic’s end on the horizon, a transition is taking place. The time spent on the behind-the-scenes work in each person’s life is morphing into a time of implementing action. Similarly, on a public scale, the time for planning is coming to an end as the opportunities to build new infrastructure and launch new projects present themselves. More specifically, many are finding themselves confronted with the topic of “shovel-ready projects,” and how they believe these plans should be executed.
Doing minimal research on this topic will yield a variety of results. Opinions on shovel-ready projects not only vary from commentator to commentator, but amongst countries as well. For example, Milton Ezrati, Senior Contributor to Forbes.com, expresses his concern regarding taxation. Recalling American history, Ezrati states that, “companies had little to gain from leveraging any opportunities uncovered by the federal infrastructure spending.”
On the other side of the coin, Matthew Halliday, of UniversityAffairs.ca, offers insight. Halliday reports that, “Canadian universities’ deferred maintenance backlog now tallies up to more than $17 billion,” further emphasizing the doubt of Paul Davidson, president of Universities Canada, that such issues will be addressed voluntarily. While the debate over shovel-ready projects is much more extensive, it is fair to conclude that the end goal is the same for everyone; society, and all of its members, are simply looking forward to regaining a flourishing economy in the near future.
Here at Sport Systems, we recognize the opportunities that the current circumstances present. As a result, we eagerly look forward to increasing our involvement in both Canadian and international projects. Whether you are seeking professional assistance in the renovation of a university basketball court, or the installation of a playground at a local park, we are here to meet your needs with both excellence and professionalism.
WORKS CITED
Ezrati, Milton. “Will Biden Repeat One Of Obama's Biggest Mistakes With Infrastructure Bill?” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 29 Apr. 2021,
www.forbes.com/sites/miltonezrati/2021/04/29/will-biden-repeat-one-of-obamas-
biggest-mistakes-with-infrastructure-bill/.
Halliday, Matthew. “$7 Billion of Shovel-Ready Infrastructure Projects Identified across
Canadian Universities.” University Affairs, 17 Mar. 2021,
www.universityaffairs.ca/news/news-article/7-billion-of-shovel-ready-
infrastructure-projects-identified-across-canadian-universities/.