VICTORIA - The provincial government's Major Projects Inventory, which tracks the growth in the number of large-scale construction projects in B.C., shows the number of total major projects in the province has increased again, with record-breaking numbers. This marks the 15th straight quarter the inventory has grown, with every region in the province experiencing growth from this time last year.

According to the Major Projects Inventory, March 2007 edition:

* Eight hundred and four major capital projects, worth an estimated record $124.2 billion, were planned or underway in B.C. between January and March 2007.
* This is an increase of 13 per cent in the number of major capital projects and an increase of 37 per cent in estimated value from this time last year, when there were 711 major capital projects planned or underway worth an estimated $90.6 billion. This is a dramatic increase from December 2001, when there were 315 projects planned or underway worth an estimated $45.7 billion.
* The capital cost of all major projects listed as under construction in B.C. is estimated at $48.7 billion, up from $46.5 billion in the last quarter of 2006. This is a marked increase from December 2001 when the capital cost of all major projects under construction was worth an estimated $17.3 billion.
* Twenty-nine major projects started construction in the last quarter valued at approximately $3 billion.
* Nineteen projects completed construction in the first quarter valued at approximately $1 billion, the largest being the $172 million UBC Life Sciences Centre.

Published quarterly by the Ministry of Economic Development, the Major Projects Inventory lists all major projects that are proposed, planned and underway in the province.

The inventory includes projects with a capital cost of at least $20 million within the Lower Mainland and projects valued at $15 million or more in the rest of B.C.

The March 2007 edition of the Major Projects Inventory is available at www.gov.bc.ca/ecdev online.