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BC can feel like a place where everything is needed and nothing gets built. Housing affordability gets worse, major infrastructure takes forever, and even when demand is obvious, shovels stay out of the ground. I wanted to understand why, so I sat down with Chris Gardner, President of the ICBA, to talk through what he’s seeing from the front lines of British Columbia’s construction industry.

We dig into the uncomfortable numbers behind BC’s finances and why deficits and exploding debt matter to everyday life: fewer dollars for roads, schools, hospitals, and the infrastructure that makes a competitive economy possible. Chris connects that fiscal reality to what contractors and tradespeople are feeling right now, from weaker housing starts to delayed capital projects. We also get specific on the policy mechanics that drive costs: constant building code changes, slow permitting, and project approvals that can take years or even decades.

From there, the conversation widens to the investment climate and the talent drain. We talk about why capital looks for regulatory certainty, why big opportunities like LNG and critical minerals can slip away, and why Alberta keeps pulling workers and businesses with lower taxes and more attainable housing. We also challenge the popular narrative that developers are the root problem, and instead trace how taxes, fees, development charges, and procurement choices can inflate prices and reduce competition.

If you care about BC construction, housing affordability, skilled trades, project approvals, and the real steps to build more, build faster, and build affordably, this one is for you. Subscribe, share this with someone who works in building or policy, and leave a review with one change you’d make first.

PODCAST INFO:
the Site Visit Website: https://www.sitemaxsystems.com/podcast
the Site Visit on Buzzsprout: https://thesitevisit.buzzsprout.com/269424
the Site Visit on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/the-site-visit/id1456494446
the Site Visit on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5cp4qJE5ExZmO3EwldN1HH

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