why ia canada always looking for operators. is it that bad up there or to cold?

Canada didn't get hit as hard by the recession.  We bounced back in a short period of time, and the economy is growing at a decent pace right now.  A lot of the pumps that got sold in the US in the last 3 years came up here, maybe the new (previously non-pump) owners are starting to realize that a guy that can get by running a bobcat, maybe can't handle a concrete pump.  It is cold in certain places during the winter.  (But were I am is warmer than some places in Florida right now ;~)  )  

I second that pumpjockey, other than a little bit of a slow down we (at least where I am) didnt feel it that hard, we have had problems finding people for the past 2 years as they are still able to walk accross the street for $1.00 more an hour.  Just flip through the help wanted area in the news paper, its full of employers looking to grab someone.

Ive known very good cement truck drivers that have tryed to operate a pump and they cant handle it, they should of done it when it was really crazy 10 plus jobs a day.

Alot of it boils down to wage and trying to find a capable operator. Running a pump isn't for everyone and some people just don't seem to have a aptitude to learn.

Pump Jockey nailed it, and others also, main reasoning is in the vancouver area we have some 250 pumps running around.

It is a competative market also, so finding operators with knowledge can be tough also. The one or two pump companies need experience to keep the machines in running shape.

West Coast or Vancouver is the same as Seattle Wash, if you can picture the climate, actually better, we are more prtected by coast mountains and seem to be warmer in most cases. They get snow we get rain. We pump all year round, maybe two weeks of cold, this year is warm warm.