Project Canterbury report: Christchurch’s growth draws investment and new industries

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WhanganuiAll Manawatū - WhanganuiWhanganuiPalmerston NorthManawatūTararuaHorowhenuaWellingtonAll WellingtonKapitiWairarapaUpper HuttLower HuttNelson & TasmanAll Nelson & TasmanMotuekaNelsonTasmanMarlboroughWest CoastCanterburyAll CanterburyKaikōuraChristchurchAshburtonTimaruOtagoAll OtagoOamaruDunedinBalcluthaAlexandraQueenstownWanakaSouthlandAll SouthlandInvercargillGoreStewart IslandMediaVideoAll VideoNZ news videoHerald NOWBusiness news videoPolitics news videoSport videoWorld news videoLifestyle videoEntertainment videoTravel videoMarkets with MadisonKea Kids newsPodcastsAll PodcastsThe Front PageThe Economy of EverythingThe Prosperity ProjectA Moment in CrimeDesert PiratesNo Such Thing as NormalHeaven's HelplineAsk me AnythingThe Little ThingsCartoonsPhoto galleriesToday's Paper - E-editionsPhoto salesClassifiedsNZME NetworkAdvertise with NZMEOneRoofDriven Car GuideBusinessDeskNewstalk ZBSunliveZMThe HitsCoastRadio HaurakiThe Alternative Commentary CollectiveGoldFlavaiHeart RadioHokonuiRadio WanakaiHeartCountry New ZealandRestaurant HubNZME EventsNZ Herald8 Sep, 2026 02:00 AM3 mins to readChris Keall, NZ Herald Senior Business journalist, talks to Ryan Bridge about Canterbury Aerospace's one-billion-dollar strategy.Canterbury businesses are shrugging off global uncertainty and doubling down on investment and hiring, setting the scene for the New Zealand Herald’s inaugural Project Canterbury special report to be published this Thursday. Fresh data released today shows business confidence in Canterbury has risen sharply, with 72% of firms expecting the