Canterbury's economy is finally falling back from a post-quake high.
The ReStart container mall in Christchurch. Photo: RNZ / Diego Opatowski
The latest economic update from the Canterbury Development Corporation (CDC) shows economic growth in the region is easing but is still higher than what it is nationally.
Christchurch had growth of almost 4 percent in the past 12 months, compared to 3 percent for the whole of the country.
CDC chief executive Tom Hooper said the easing in GDP growth was always inevitable but the outlook remained positive.
"I think we'll have a longer extended period of high activity and then a more gradual fall-off in activity."
He said Christchurch's economy was now 10 percent bigger than it was before the quakes and the region's share of national GDP was at an all-time high.