Cutbacks in China of the production of key parts for fluorescent and LED lights has led to building delays in Nova Scotia, says a manufacturer's representative for electrical equipment in the province.

ELP Marketing Ltd. project manager Stacey Hicks said there's a global shortage right now of the part that turns fluorescent lights on. The American building slump led China to cut production of a lighting component called "electronic ballast," he said

"Ninety-nine per cent are made in China, and it's really driven by the U.S economy. Rather than four plants that makes these components, now there's two," he said.

That shortage of lights has led to a delay in finishing the new Waverley Memorial Elementary School.

"The cafeteria is due to be completed this week and will be ready for use," Kim Cook, provincial project manager, said. "The main issue in there was the lighting, which we couldn't get delivered in time."

The supply of parts is running six to eight weeks behind.

Hicks said that while manufactures have known about the shortage for a month, the builders of stores and hospitals are just finding out now. He said that at least 50 per cent of commercial projects will be affected.

"There is a fluorescent ballast in every fixture, and every commercial job pretty well has fluorescent fixtures in it," he said. "So, in one way or another, it's going to affect everything."

Hicks said the part was once made in North America, but that's no longer the case. The shortage is expected to last at least into next year.

"It has changed the way we do business. We're struggling with it because it's almost like people don't fully believe us yet. End users now are just starting to see it within the last month — 'I can't open my building now because I can't get your fixtures because I can't get the components to build the fluorescent ballast,'" Hicks said.

"We're really just feeling what's happening in the U.S. — the U.S. economy isn't coming back as fast."