INSIGHTS INTO THE CONSTRUCTION ECONOMY.

Data-driven analysis, expert commentary, and clear economic signals to help construction leaders plan ahead and make confident decisions.

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Clear, Practical Economics for Builders and Business Leaders

The ICBA Economics team tracks the trends, forecasts, and policy decisions influencing construction and the broader provincial economy. From labour market changes to major project investment to government policy shifts, we break complex issues down into practical insights you can use.
2 min read

ICBA EconoBot | Meta Bets $13B on Alberta — 3,000 Construction Jobs Coming

Jordan Bateman: Jul 9, 2026

TOP STORY Meta Bets $13 Billion on Alberta — and 3,000 Construction Jobs Come With It Meta will spend more than $13 billion to build a one-gigawatt AI data centre in Sturgeon County, northeast of Edmonton — its first in Canada, the largest...
3 min read

Storing Up Trouble: Financial Trends at WorkSafeBC

Jock Finlayson: Jul 7, 2026

By Jock Finlayson, ICBA Chief Economist WorkSafeBC is the province’s occupational health and safety regulator as well as the main provider of compensation and other benefits to workers injured on the job. It is one of the most important...
2 min read

ICBA EconoBot | Record Exports Push Trade Surplus to Four-Year High

Jordan Bateman: Jul 7, 2026

TOP STORY Record Exports Push Canada’s Trade Surplus to a Four-Year High Canada’s merchandise trade surplus widened to $4.2 billion in May — a third consecutive monthly surplus and the largest in four years — as exports rose 0.9% to a...
Policy And Regulation
Policy and Regulation

Breakdowns of new provincial rules, permitting changes, procurement shifts, and labour legislation.

Major Projects Update

Major Projects Updates

Tracking the progress, delays, and opportunities in B.C.’s largest construction and infrastructure projects.

Economic Trends-1

Economic & Labour Trends

Workforce demand, wage pressures, market forecasts, and what they mean for contractors.
Regional Impacts
Regional Impacts

Insights tailored to the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island, Interior, and Northern B.C.

About Jock Finlayson

Jock Finlayson is the Chief Economist for the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association (ICBA), the first to hold the role in the organization’s 50-year history. He provides analysis, forecasts, and policy insight for B.C.’s construction sector and advises ICBA on economic trends and strategic issues.

Jock previously served as Executive Vice President and Chief Policy Officer at the Business Council of British Columbia, and before that as Vice President of Research at the Business Council of Canada. He holds degrees from UBC and Yale, along with an honorary Doctor of Laws from Royal Roads University.

A widely published economist, Jock has authored two books and more than 50 articles and commentaries, and is a frequent contributor to Business in Vancouver, the Globe and Mail, Black Press, and other media.

He has served on the Board of Directors of the Bank of Canada, the National Statistics Council, and several national research and policy organizations. Jock is a Senior Fellow at the Fraser Institute and a Fellow of Royal Roads University.

Jock Finlayson

 

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