Sign installation is more than just mounting a structure—it’s a balancing act of precision, compliance, and quick problem-solving. But what’s the biggest challenge installers face today? Sign Media Canada turned to industry leaders and hands-on professionals to find out. Their answers reveal a labyrinth of complexities that installers face.

Here, experts share their top concerns.

‘The unknown’

Despite careful planning, installations don’t always go as expected. Unforeseen obstacles can complicate all kinds of jobs. This is what the Montreal, Que.-based installer for Access Signs, Jeremie Ouellet, sees as the greatest obstacle on the job. “Our biggest challenge is the unknown. Despite detailed surveys and planning, installation day is always a variable—harsh weather, hidden obstructions, cars parked in inopportune places. You need to be resilient and resourceful. (Notre plus grand défi est l’inconnu. Malgré des sites surveys et une planification détaillée, le jour d’installation est toujours une variable. Temps rigoureux, obstacles cachés, voitures garées dans des endroits inopportuns. Il faut être résilient et inventif.),” he says.

The weather

No matter where you are in Canada, winters can often be rough. Heavy snowfall, icy roads, frigid temperatures, and shorter days create constant challenges. While sign installations come with obstacles year-round, 25-year industry veteran Mike LeBlanc sees one factor as the most significant challenge: the winter weather. LeBlanc, partner and head of installations at LED Solutions in Hamilton, Ont., explains, “The elements that are out of your control pose the most significant challenges. This held especially true this past January and February, when Southern Ontario experienced a great deal of extreme weather, leading to a big topic of conversation at the office.”  He adds, “Outside of the obvious things, such as poor driving conditions to the site, cold temperatures, and high winds, we have been facing record snowfall with massive snowbanks that impeded our access to set the boom and reach our signs. Recently, we were at a Cineplex and couldn’t find the hidden trap door to access power supplies buried under feet of snow on a large canopy.”

These kinds of obstructions can complicate and even delay installations. “The side effects of weather can be costly—multiple trips, rearranging schedules, and moving equipment,” LeBlanc adds. Terence Davis, owner of Elevated Signs in Brantford, Ont., echoes this concern. “Signage installation often faces challenges due to unpredictable weather conditions. High winds, rain, or extreme temperatures can delay projects, impact safety, and require additional precautions to ensure secure and efficient installation,” he says.

LeBlanc concludes positively, observing that “the good thing about winter is knowing that spring is around the corner.”

Pricing

Pricing installation jobs accurately is an ongoing challenge in the Canadian signage industry. While printing and fabrication can be relatively straightforward, installation costs can be tricky. Carl Weger, president and CEO of Sleek Signs, affirmed this when he said, “Price, price, price… Printing and fabrication are the easy parts; installation costs are the real challenge. How do you price scoping, quoting, orientations, safety checks, or project management—all before even winning the job? Then, add in schedule changes, obstacles, weather, time constraints, and risk. Sustainable or competitive… choose one.”

Logistics

Co-ordinating permits, equipment, and installation teams is no small feat. “One of our biggest challenges with sign installation is managing unpredictable site conditions, permits, and logistics while ensuring precision and safety—all within tight deadlines to meet client expectations,” says vice-president of sales and marketing at Steel Art Signs, Boris Kaminsky.

Labour

In installations and beyond, a key concern in the field today is attracting and retaining passionate employees. “The biggest challenge in the sign industry,” Robert Ascenzi Jr. points out, “is finding qualified employees. You need to find that drive. I find too many candidates out there looking for the money first instead of the knowledge that comes with making signs. This is especially true for installers—everyone wants to make top money but not learn how the job is supposed to be done.”  The chief operating officer of Spectra Advertising suggests that flexibility is crucial: “One of the things we do to help find good people is flexing our hours to accommodate different schedules. Not everyone can work 9-to-5 or 7-to 3.”  By offering more accommodating schedules, companies may be able to tap into a wider pool of talent, including skilled installers.

Sign installers today face an evolving set of challenges. But as these industry professionals demonstrate, it is resilience, adaptability, and creative problem-solving that keep projects moving—one sign at a time.