Metro Vancouver’s office market registered negative six-month absorption for the first time since 2009, according to a recent report by Avison Young.

Vacancy rates have climbed from 6.7 per cent in 2011, to seven per cent in December 2012, to 7.5 per cent in June 2013.

Surrey, B.C., led Metro Vancouver suburbs in negative absorption, while downtown Vancouver recorded negative absorption for the first time in four years. Vacancy in the downtown core remained at less than five per cent in triple-A, class-A and class-B properties despite a decline in leasing activity.

New Westminster, B.C., showed positive absorption, attributed primarily to TransLink occupying space in the Brewery District. Richmond, B.C., also showed positive absorption.

Almost 2 million square feet of new inventory in Metro Vancouver is scheduled to come on stream in 2014. Oxford Properties’ MNP Tower and Telus Garden will be the first to be completed in 2014.