Construction employment in the Lower Mainland-Southwest region of B.C. decreased in June, according to the Vancouver Regional Construction Association’s (VRCA) analysis of the Labour Force Survey from Statistics Canada.

June saw 109,900 persons working in construction in the Lower Mainland-Southwest region, down 1.5 per cent, or 1,700 working persons, from 111,600 in May 2013. This is up 2.1 per cent from the figures reported for January to June 2012.

In Metro Vancouver, construction employment decreased 2.8 per cent in June 2013 from May to an estimated 91,900 persons working in the industry. This is down 0.8 per cent, or 700 persons, from the figures reported for June 2012. However, year-to-date employment has increased by 5.1 per cent from January to June 2012, to January to June 2013.

“We will watch the employment numbers closely in the coming months,” says Jan Robinson, interim president of the VRCA. “While it’s likely that the slow growth in regional construction employment will continue for the rest of the year, with more demand for building space and some major construction projects underway and planned for the Lower Mainland, we are hopeful for improvement in 2014.”

Abbotsford construction employment was unchanged at 9,400 persons in June. Year-over-year employment in the Abbotsford area was down 9.6 per cent from last year. Year-to-date employment was down by 1.4 per cent.

Province-wide, B.C.’s seasonally adjusted employment rate slipped 0.3 per cent lower to 189,500 in June, when normal seasonal pattern should have resulted in a gain of approximately two per cent over May. Compared with June 2012, the number of people employed in B.C. construction was down 0.3 per cent, or 600 persons. Year-to-date employment was 1.3 per cent lower than last year.

Seasonally adjusted employment in Canada increased by 0.1 per cent in June. The year-over-year increase was 6.3 per cent, with year-to-date up 3.7 per cent.