Brick usage is not as common on the West Coast of Canada as in Central Canada, however the weather, pollution and aging do take their toll. Some brick buildings have required extensive restoration of their exteriors. Many of the bricks used in the early days are not replaceable, hence great care is taken to salvage bricks from obscure areas of the buildings to repair the facades. In addition, great care must be taken to make the colour and texture of the mortar match the existing mortar. In many cases buildings have needed a complete repointing.