VICTORIA — British Columbia’s construction industry says its workforce numbers have improved in recent years, but persistent labour shortages are putting “extreme pressures” on employers. The BC Construction Association says the shortage of qualified workers has pushed the average annual wage in the sector to just short of $75,000, up 21 per cent in the last five years. It says the average entry-level wage for construction workers is now at more than $22 an hour, 25 per cent above minimum wage in the province. …The association says companies also face persistent uncertainty when it comes to getting paid for their work, with contractors possibly having to “wait months for payment.” “They experience significant financial risk and take on the increased cost of debt, which can put them in danger of bankruptcy,” the statement says. “They are put in the position of ‘financing’ construction projects, including the housing B.C. desperately needs.”