B.C.’s construction sector came out the other side of the COVID-19 pandemic bigger in some ways, smaller in others, more diverse and paying higher wages.

According to a recent survey by the BC Construction Association (BCCA), the total value of construction in B.C. is up a whopping 79% over a five-year period to $134 billion, and up 17% from pre-pandemic levels.

Wages are up too. The average yearly wage has increased 14% over a five-year period to $66,591 a year. Since the beginning of the pandemic, wages increased 8%.

Construction is one sector of the economy that was deemed an essential service during the pandemic.

“The industry has responded incredibly well,” BCCA president Chris Atchison told BIV. “So while we’ve been able to… keep our momentum going with construction, a number of accommodations needed to be made. But it was more of a pivot than it was a shutdown.”

The industry has plenty of work, thanks to multi-billion mega-projects from the private sector and government-sponsored public works projects. The number of construction companies in B.C. has grown over the five-year survey period. While there are more companies, they are smaller.

The five-year trend has seen an 11% increase in the number of construction companies in B.C., but the number of construction trades workers actually shrank. The number of workers in the industry declined by 9% compared to pre-pandemic levels (2019), though workers are getting more skilled.

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