Construction Stats

A selection of data reflecting trends in the Canadian construction industry

GAINS CONTINUE IN BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND NON-RESIDENTIAL SEGMENTS

Statistics Canada is reporting investment in building construction increased on a month-tomonth basis in March, rising by 1.8 per cent over February to reach $20.3 billion. Gains were reported in both the residential and non-residential sectors.

Non-residential investment continues to show strength, rising two per cent over February’s results to reach almost $5.2 billion as the sector posted a ninth consecutive monthly increase.

On the residential side, construction investment rose for a sixth consecutive month, jumping 1.7 per cent to $15.1 billion.

Through the first quarter of the year, the total value of investment in building construction increased 9.2 per cent to $59.7. Almost all of the gains were in the residential sector, which jumped 11 per cent to $44.4 billion. The non-residential sector had a more modest rise of 4.3 per cent, reaching $15.3 billion.

Investment in non-residential construction, March 2022

(in $Millions)

Canada 5,195.6 Newfoundland and Labrador 35.2 Prince Edward Island 20.7 Nova Scotia 67.8 New Brunswick 49.2 Quebec 1,290.3 Ontario 2,114.3 Manitoba 154 Saskatchewan 93.3 Alberta 645.5 British Columbia 704.5 Yukon 10.2 Northwest Territories 3.9 Nunavut 6.7

TABLE: STATISTICS CANADA

BRIDGES IN GOOD CONDITION 57%

ROAD CONSTRUCTION COMPLETED 43,316 km

CANADA’S ROAD NETWORKS RELATIVELY UNCHANGED

The stock and condition of Canada’s roads and bridges remained consistent from 2018 to 2020, according to new results from Canada’s Core Public Infrastructure Survey for 2020, which were recently shared by Statistics Canada.

Construction was completed for 43,316 kilometres (two-lane equivalent) of roads in 2019 and 2020, representing four per cent of the road network. This compares with 48,969 kilometres reported in 2017 and 2018.

Over half of roads in Canada were reported to be in good or very good condition in 2020. A little over one-tenth were rated to be in poor or very poor condition.

Similarly, there was little change in the conditions of Canada’s bridges in 2020, when compared with 2018. About 57 per cent were found to be in good or very good condition and just 11 per cent were rated as poor or very poor.

CANADIAN HOUSING STARTS TREND HIGHER AGAIN

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) reports the trend in housing starts reached 257,846 units in April, an increase from 253,226 units in March. This has the six-month moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates (SAAR) of housing starts remaining at historically high levels.

“On a trend and monthly SAAR basis, the level of housing starts activity in Canada remains historically high, hovering well above 200,000 units since June 2020 and increased from March to April,” said Bob Dugan, CMHC’s chief economist. “The increase in monthly SAAR housing starts in Canada’s urban areas was driven by higher multi-unit and single-detached starts in April.”

The standalone monthly SAAR of total housing starts for all areas in Canada in April was 267,330 units, an increase of eight per cent from March.

Housing Starts in Canada -All Areas

Thousands 350

325

300

275

250

225

200

175

150

April 2020 April 2021

267,300 257,846

April 2022

Housing Starts, SAAR

Housing Starts Trend Line (6-month moving average)