BURST
The construction sector accounts for close to 10 per cent of the B.C. economy. It sector contributes over $28.5 billion annually and directly supports more than 264,000 jobs.
“Construction is in every aspect of the economy,” says Scott Jacob, president of Jacob Bros. Construction. “And it’s a reflection of the provincial economy.”
The economy in B.C., according to the B.C. Real Estate Association, has been treading water over the past year.
“Seven thousand construction jobs have been lost,” says Chris Gardner, president of the Independent Contractors Business Association. One of the factors is the reduction in the three-year provincial government capital plan by roughly $7 billion, due to the NDP’s pullback on a number of projects.
Other factors contributing to the malaise include a dramatic drop in housing starts, a building code quagmire, project approval delays, added taxation, and development fees.
Jacob joined for a Conversation That Matters about the state of the construction industry in B.C.
Learn More about our guest’s career at careersthatmatter.ca
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