Published: Monday September 30, 3019

According to Statistics Canada, the total investment in building construction increased slightly—by 0.5 percent—to $15.2 billion in July. Gains in both the residential and non-residential sectors helped spur the increase. Investment in the residential sector grew by 0.6 percent to $10.4 billion, while investment in the non-residential sector rose by 0.3 percent to $4.8 billion.

On a constant dollar basis, investment in building construction increased 0.8 percent to $12.8 billion.

The multi-unit residential component was the only investment component to post a decline for the month of July, down 1.6 percent to $5.2 billion, mainly as a result of decreases in British Columbia (-$149.9 million) and Saskatchewan (-$43.8 million). Investment in single-unit construction was up 2.9 percent to $5.2 billion, driven by Ontario (+$139.3 million) and Nova Scotia (+$32.6 million). This increase more than offset the decline in investment in multi-unit construction.

The commercial (+0.3 percent to $2.8 billion), industrial (+0.2 percent to $911.1 million) and institutional components (+0.1 percent to $1.1 billion) were all up slightly in July.

On an unadjusted basis, investment in new non-residential building construction grew 3.3 percent to $2.3 billion, led by the province of Quebec (+9.4 percent to $404.7 million). This was attributable in part to projects such as a government building valued at $151.0 million in the newly developing eco-neighborhood of Estimauville in the city of Québec.

Overall construction investment increased in Ontario by 11.6 percent to $6.7 billion. Investment in the province’s residential sector grew by 14.5 percent to $4.9 billion, while investment in the non-residential sector increased by 4.3 percent to $1.7 billion.