And so ends another year of Sheet Metal Journal, and a year of volatility for the construction industry across the country. According to a recent report from Statistics Canada, investors in British Columbia only brought $1.22 billion to the nonresidential table in the three months ending September 30, leaving the province to post a 6.3 per cent decline compared to the second quarter, and an eight per cent drop from numbers in the same quarter last year.

Metro Vancouver posted the most concerning numbers—$670 million was spent on commercial and institutional investments in the third quarter, indicating a 12 per cent decline from the second quarter and a 16 per cent drop from third quarter numbers in 2008.

In Alberta, a squeeze on the energy sector has left the province with $1.4 billion invested in commercial construction in Q3 (a 13 per cent decline) and a 20 per cent drop to $216 million in industrial investment between the second and third quarters.

The numbers from Western Canada compare with Q3 national investment in the non-residential sector, which declined four per cent to $10.4 billion compared with the second quarter.

Although B.C. and Alberta have posted the best numbers in the country since the economy took a dive last October, it seems as though the general thought that it was only a matter of time has finally caught up to the region. The good news is that the overheated market that shone brightly for three years prior continues to help mitigate the impact of the economic slump, and most predict that by the end of 2010 things will be on the up and up.

In the meantime, contractor’s aren’t without recourse. Although it may seem overstated, a down time is a good time to look over company policies and operational procedures to find ways to streamline the efficiency of any business. Crucial changes to project management (see page 6) and renewed commitment to good customer service (see page 10) are great places to start.

And check in with us next issue for the annual construction update—a look at the year to come, according to association professionals across Canada. In the meantime, be well and have a safe and happy holiday.

We’ll see you next year. JK