Facing our challenges: Canterbury Employers’ Chamber of Commerce

The devastating weather events in the North Island have shown us once again the full force of mother nature.

Our thoughts are with those who have lost family members and friends, and whose lives have been upended so quickly, and without warning.
Our experiences in Canterbury following the earthquakes have provided a blueprint in rebuilding, recovering from a crisis, and recharging the economy.

A decade on and now Canterbury is the strongest and most robust regional economy in New Zealand, outperforming our big city counterparts on almost every economic measure.

Our economy is growing, our visitor numbers are increasing, and we are building more businesses and houses. There is also a growing confidence and willingness to invest among business owners that provides a sense of cautious optimism for the year ahead.

It won’t be easy as the New Zealand economy continues to struggle to regain the momentum it once had – partly due to the changing global landscape and local challenges such as rising interest rates, as well as a central bank that wants to engineer a recession.
Add to that the cost of rebuilding following the cyclone and the country is up for a challenging year.

But the point remains – Canterbury is prepared and ideally positioned to ride out these challenges and make the most of myriad opportunities on the horizon.