13.75°C Vancouver

Sep 14, 2020 10:24 PM -

Office furniture shortages loom as Canadians stay home this fall

Share On
office-furniture-shortages-loom-as-canadians-stay-home-this-fall
A sign advertises office space available for rent in Ottawa's downtown core in Ottawa, Monday, Aug. 31, 2020. Canadians should brace for a shortage of office furniture, such as desks and chairs, as people continue to study and work from home this fall. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

Canadians should brace for a shortage of office furniture, such as desks and chairs, as people continue to study and work from home this fall.

Ikea Canada spokeswoman Kristin Newbigging says the company has seen an increase in demand for office furnishings and other gear needed for work-from-home setups.

This comes as a looming second wave of COVID-19 means many Canadians are not returning to the office or school just yet.

At the same time, she says the company is experiencing the impacts of overseas suppliers still being closed for business, making it hard to meet demand.

And when those suppliers reopen, they are receiving orders significantly above the normal levels of demand.

Ikea has about 1,000 home furnishing suppliers in 50 countries around the globe, with top suppliers in China, Poland, Italy, Lithuania, Sweden and Germany.

Latest news

BCJul 08, 2026

RCMP marine unit rescues 11 people after canoe overturns in Burrard Inlet

Eleven people, including several youths, were rescued from the waters of Burrard Inlet after a large canoe overturned near Ambleside Beach on Saturday afternoon, according to the BC RCMP. Police said officers with the RCMP Tactical Marine Operations Group (TMOG), who were conducting patrols in Burrard Inlet, received a distress call over Marine VHF Channel at about 3:30 p.m. on July 5 reporting an overturned canoe off Ambleside Beach. Four TMOG vessels were dispatched to the scene. According to the RCMP, officers arriving at the location found all 11 occupants clinging to the overturned canoe.
AlbertaJul 08, 2026

Report says Alberta has widest gender pay gap in Canada

Women in Alberta continue to earn less than men than in any other province, according to a new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA). The report found that women in Alberta earn 64 cents for every dollar earned annually by men, compared with a national average of 72 cents. Looking at weekly earnings, women in the province earn 71 cents for every dollar earned by men, while the national average is 80 cents, according to the report. Katherine Scott, a senior researcher with the CCPA, said Alberta has ranked at or near the bottom nationally for years. She said the provinc
family-distracted-store-staff-while-children-swiped-jewelry-calgary-police
AlbertaJul 08, 2026

Family distracted store staff while children swiped jewelry: Calgary police

Police say six family members, including children, worked as a team to pull off a jewelry store heist in Calgary. They say the family went into the store at CF Market Mall last month. Police allege that while adult family members spoke with staff, an eight-year-old and a 16-year-old swiped nearly $4,000 worth of jewelry. An employee called police and officers located the family members, some of whom were in a stolen truck, and stolen items were found. Police say two boys, ages 8 and 9, were returned to their father, who isn't involved in the case. Four others face several theft charges
u-s-tourist-in-critical-condition-after-cyclist-strikes-couple-in-downtown-vancouver-crosswalk
BCJul 08, 2026

U.S. tourist dies after cyclist collision at downtown Vancouver crosswalk

A 72-year-old man from the United States has died after being struck by a cyclist while crossing a downtown Vancouver street, according to the Vancouver Police Department. Police said the collision happened on June 29 at the intersection of West Cordova and Richards streets. Investigators said the man and his wife were crossing in a marked crosswalk and had the right of way when they were hit by a cyclist. The man was taken to hospital in critical condition and underwent emergency surgery following the crash. Police confirmed he died in hospital on Sunday. His wife suffered minor injuries and
CanadaJul 08, 2026

WSO welcomes Operation Hard Ball arrests, says questions remain about alleged role of Indian authorities

The World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO) has welcomed Operation Hard Ball, a joint law enforcement initiative by authorities in the United States, Canada and Europe targeting the Lawrence Bishnoi network and other India-based organized crime groups. In a statement, WSO President Danish Singh said the arrests made through the operation represent an important step but argued that questions remain about how Lawrence Bishnoi was allegedly able to operate an international criminal network while in custody in India. Singh also called for scrutiny of whether any Indian officials played a role in f

Related News