Roger Sutton: Economy picking up | Canterbury Opinion | Local Voices from Canterbury, New Zealand

t's a message we as locals need to tell the world rather than just coping after earthquakes, Canterbury's economy is steadily picking up.  

Latest Economic Development Ministry data show the mass exodus that a few commentators predicted after February 22 has not happened, nor has greater Christchurch stagnated business-wise, as was feared by the most pessimistic.  

The Canterbury Economic Indicators reveal manufacturing and exports have grown consistently since February, while job advertisements increased sharply in recent months. Many businesses are managing well, although of course some industries such as tourism and retail continue to struggle.   

Key indicators showed business closures in August were the lowest of any month this year, exports and imports from major ports and the airports improved significantly since February and are higher than in August 2010, manufacturing has expanded since June and in August did so at a rate higher than the rest of New Zealand. Spending remains at 90 to 95 per cent of pre-'quake levels while net migration from the region remains negative but has been  improving since May.  

One of the most optimistic figures comes from the website Trade Me, which has announced a 73 per cent increase in advertised jobs in Canterbury compared to a year ago, fuelled by high demand from employers in the construction, engineering, trades and transport sectors.  

Recent government announcements, especially around residential development, will mean this economic activity picks-up even more. Changes to Canterbury's Regional Policy Statement could pave the way for the building of more than 45,000 new houses. It means Christchurch's urban growth plan has been fast-tracked and large areas of rural land - earmarked for development by 2041  is opened up now, instead of possibly being stalled for two years in  the Environment Court.   

The announcement followed one earlier this month to free up parts of Kaiapoi for around 1000 sections, on land previously under airport noise-control restrictions. Meanwhile all Banks Peninsula, except for 20 properties, have been rezoned from white to green, bringing the total of properties in Canterbury zoned green to more than 175,000, meaning people in these areas can get on with rebuilding, or repairing damaged homes.  

We need to get the word out there that this scale of residential building and renovation is nothing like the small subdivisions of recent years and instead brings to mind a post-World War II boom, when entire new suburbs were laid out, shops, factories and other amenities erected and open-space landscaped.   

In other words, this is not just about relocating people. Tens of thousands of new and renovated houses, together with central city commercial redevelopment, modern sports, cultural and education facilities and work on strengthening, as much as possible, the best of our heritage buildings; all means population growth, extra jobs and an exciting environment to live in.

Let's not be too modest when talking to outsiders. With such good prospects, it's not too  early to say greater Christchurch is still among the best places to live in the world.