Though demand remains high for construction work in B.C., getting paid on time is said to be the biggest issue facing job sites, according to new survey results from the B.C. Construction Association (BCCA). 

Eighty-two per cent of contracting companies, regardless of size, were paid late for “substantially completed work” at least once this past year, according to the April 17 survey.

The survey also revealed that payment was late 25 per cent of the time within the same period for companies with 100 employees or more. Smaller companies with 20 employees or fewer reported late payment 30 per cent of the time.

Labour shortages, safety and permitting red tape were among other top issues survey respondents reported. These pressures are “undermining development” throughout the province in a time when housing and rental stock are in short supply, and profit margins have been dwindling, according to the survey. 

“It’s true that labour shortages and the cost of materials are constant challenges. But industry can manage these pressures – it’s what we do. The biggest hindrances to building housing and other infrastructure today are the associated operations of the authorities having jurisdiction, from Crowns to Ministries and Municipalities,” said Chris Atchison, president of the BCCA, in a statement.

The construction industry’s contribution to provincial GDP is up 4 per cent compared with last year. Roughly 250,000 British Columbians rely on construction for a pay cheque, making it what the BCCA described as the No. 1 employer in the province’s goods sector.

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