Yes, retrofitting is certainly in all of the MESH trades, the mechanical, electrical, sheet metal, heating/refrigeration trades. That's a big item for them. Other trades are involved as well, but maybe not to the same extent.
There has been discussion about bundling a lot of these retrofits, especially if they're federal government ones, to the point where the projects get very big. It becomes cumbersome to bid on that, because you have to bid on the whole thing, and it becomes too big. If you're talking about community levels or specific areas, smaller projects, yes, I agree with you, retrofit is a.... Even green construction is a matter of design. We always say, “You design it, and the construction industry will build it”.
However, I don't want to sound critical, but announcing a program isn't the same to trade contractors as having a project that's active. There is a disconnect somewhere. I have been in this industry for over 30 years, and I have asked this question many times of the federal government, provincial government, municipal government, and somewhere in that lineup there, there's a choke point.
Maybe it changes and it's fluid, but that's why it's hard to pin down. There are many projects that have been approved, and then there are many programs with a lot of money still sitting in them. However, a very small proportion of projects have actually been allocated money. Again, approval is a level above where it hits the world that I operate in.