ICBA Press Release | December 11, 2025
SURREY – B.C.’s construction market has turned a dangerous corner, with contractors now more worried about finding work than finding workers, according to the Independent Contractors and Businesses Association’s (ICBA) 2026 Construction Survey of its members.
Expectations for 2026 have softened markedly: while 40% of contractors expect more work, one in five companies expect less – with those anticipating a drop forecasting an average 25% decline in work.
“The story has radically changed in just one year – contractors are no longer scrambling for workers, they’re scrambling for work,” said Chris Gardner, ICBA President and CEO. “This survey is a loud wake-up call for governments that keep piling costs, red tape, and uncertainty onto builders. When confidence collapses like this, projects don’t get built, jobs disappear, and the housing and infrastructure people are counting on simply don’t materialize.”
The uncertainty is already showing up in staffing decisions. Nearly half of contractors (45%) are unsure what 2026 will mean for their workforce, while 23% have made or are planning layoffs. Among those cutting staff, an average of 22.5% of their workforce are at risk of being laid off.
And contractors are not holding out much hope that provincial and federal decision-makers are coming to the rescue – only 6% of respondents say government is on the “right track” in dealing with businesses like theirs, highlighting a lack of confidence in the ability of government to turn things around in the short-term.
The top challenges for 2026 underline the shift: for the first time in years, securing new projects (46%) now leads the list, followed by declining margins (42%) and people shortages (39%). The residential market is a particular concern, with a majority of contractors expecting the slowdown to either stay slow (34%) or get worse (28%), and only 12% expecting any improvement this year.
“Construction is a key driver of B.C.’s economy and has been a bright spot for years, but governments took it for granted and have made it very difficult and very expensive to get anything built,” Gardner added. “We need faster permitting, less red tape, predictable approval processes, far better financial management of provincial spending, and a clear commitment to taking the costs out of construction and to getting shovels in the ground on major projects. If governments keep making it harder to invest and build, the slowdown we’re seeing now will turn into something much worse.”
For more information or to access the ICBA Construction Survey report, click HERE.