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.
1 min read

Canada Has the Energy. It Doesn't Have the Sovereignty.

Jordan Bateman: Sep 11, 2026

ICBA Chief Economist Jock Finlayson has a new paper out, in his role with the Fraser Institute. Jock wrote Strategies to Secure Canadian Energy Sovereignty with Karen Graham, published September 11. We're flagging it here because ICBA...
2 min read

OP/ED: Carney government’s ‘export’ plan relies on Canada’s natural resource sector

Jock Finlayson: Sep 10, 2026

The following piece, by ICBA Chief Economist Jock Finlayson, first ran in The Toronto Sun on September 10, 2026. The Carney government wants to double Canada’s exports to countries other than the United States by 2035 to help reduce...
2 min read

ICBA EconoBot | Tariff Round Three: Cement Gets a Pass, Metal Products Get Hit

Jordan Bateman: Sep 10, 2026

TOP STORY Tariff Round Three: Cement Gets a Pass, Metal Products Get Hit Canada’s $27.6-billion counter-tariffs landed Tuesday and Washington answered within hours: outright bans on Canadian alcohol, whey and motorcycles from September 29,...
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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