Canterbury economy booming, CERA boss tells MPs

3:16 pm on 7 March 2012

The chief executive of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority says the local economy is booming despite being the devastation caused by the earthquakes.

Roger Sutton has told Parliament's finance and expenditure select committee on Wednesday that most productive businesses have not been affected by the quakes which began on September 2010.

Mr Sutton says despite the damage the quakes have caused, exports through the Port of Lyttelton are the highest they have ever been.

Merivale Mall set to reopen

Merivale Mall could begin reopening within two weeks.

Eighteen shops, two kiosks and a supermarket were closed three weeks ago when engineers deemed a large part of the mall a quake risk.

Earthquake strengthening work has begun to bring it up to new standards.

The mall's managers say that work will be completed on the ground floor within two weeks, while work on the first floor is due to be finished the week after that.