On 22 February 2011, Canterbury and its largest city Christchurch experienced its second major earthquake within six months. The region is facing major economic and organisational challenges in the aftermath of these events. Approximately 25% of all buildings in the Christchurch CBD have been “red tagged” or deemed unsafe to enter. The New Zealand Treasury estimates that the combined cost of the February earthquake and the September earthquake is approximately NZ$15 billion[2]. This paper examines the national and regional economic climate prior to the event, discusses the immediate economic implications of this event, and the challenges and opportunities faced by organisations affected by this event. In order to facilitate recovery of the Christchurch area, organisations must adjust to a new norm; finding ways not only to continue functioning, but to grow in the months and years following these earthquakes. Some organisations relocated within days to areas that have been less affected by the earthquakes. Others are taking advantage of government subsidised aid packages to help retain their employees until they can make long-term decisions about the future of their organisation. This paper is framed as a “report from the field” in order to provide insight into the early recovery scenario as it applies to organisations affected by the February 2011 earthquake. It is intended both to inform and facilitate discussion about how organisations can and should pursue recovery in Canterbury, and how organisations can become more resilient in the face of the next crisis.
A gutter on Avonside Drive filled with leaves and a broken road cone.
A view across Manchester Street to the National Library of New Zealand building.
Metal bracing that has been applied to the side of a building on Gloucester Street.
An excavator demolishing the historic Manchester Courts on the corner of Hereford and Manchester Streets.
A road sign on the corner of Bracken Street and Avonside Drive in Avonside.
Cracks in the mortar of the brick Kaiapoi War Memorial building on Charles Street.
Cracks in the mortar of the brick Kaiapoi War Memorial building on Charles Street.
Cracks in the mortar of the brick Kaiapoi War Memorial building on Charles Street.
The letterbox of a property on Avonside Drive. Someone has written "EQC" on it.
A view down Charles Street in Kaiapoi. Sections of the footpath are covered with gravel.
Some flowers in the garden of a house on Galbraith Avenue in Avonside.
A crack in the concrete wall of a block of shops in Kaiapoi.
Cracks in the road seal on Avonside Drive from the 4 September 2010 earthquake.
A pothole marked by spray paint and road cones on Acland Avenue in Avonside.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Businesses with signs declaring 'we are open'".
A road sign on the corner of Robson Avenue and Maling Street in Avonside.
Cracks in the plaster on the ceiling of the Durham Street Methodist Church.
A house on Avonside Drive showing large cracks in its foundations and siding.
The letterbox of a property on Avonside Drive. Someone has written "EQC" on it.
Photograph captioned by BeckerFraserPhotos, "Provincial Council Chambers - Armagh Street tower".
The letterbox of a property on Avonside Drive. Someone has written "EQC" on it.
The letterbox of a property on Avonside Drive. Someone has written "EQC" on it.
A pile of bricks and masonry in the car park of the Music Centre of Christchurch.
Cracks in the road seal on Avonside Drive from the 4 September 2010 earthquake.
A photograph of liquefaction inside a building in the Christchurch central city.
A photograph of a pile of rubble and scaffolding on Manchester Street.
A photograph of truck towing a Civil Defence rescue trailer.
A footpath on Avonside Drive showing cracking from the 4 September 2010 earthquake.
A footpath on Avonside Drive showing cracking from the 4 September 2010 earthquake.