While many other major cities appear to be seeing construction work slowing down, Toronto continues to not only lead the latest edition of the Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) Crane Index, but also record the greatest increase in cranes.

The index is a semi-annual report on the number of tower cranes in use in 14 major cities across North America.

While the total number of cranes in use across those cities has held steady since the last report in the third quarter of 2024, a closer look at the numbers shows that only two cities (Toronto and New York) saw crane counts increase, five saw no changes, and seven saw decreases of 20% or more.

The findings, say RLB, reflect “the market’s overall hesitation to move forward with major construction projects due to economic uncertainty.”

With 106 tower cranes currently active on sites around the downtown core, Toronto continues to lead among the 14 surveyed cities.

Toronto’s crane count grew by 28% (23 cranes) between August 2024 and February 2025, signaling a strengthening construction market.

The residential sector leads the growth with the most significant increase in cranes, while mixed-use developments remain the second most active sector. Education and healthcare projects have introduced new cranes where there was minimal previous activity, and the commercial and cultural sectors show signs of revival.

Calgary is the only other Canadian city surveyed in the RLB report. At 24, the city’s crane count held steady from the previous RLB report.

The city saw residential building permits growing by 12% in 2024, with nearly half of those starts allocated to apartment units. Meanwhile, non-residential building permits dropped 8%.

Calgary’s economy is projected to grow by 2.8% in 2025, outpacing the national average of 1.5%, driven by the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and continued strength in warehousing, transportation, and distribution.