Investment in non-residential building construction increased in the second quarter

Investment in non-residential building construction increased 0.2% to $12.6 billion in the second quarter, following five consecutive quarterly declines. Nationally, the growth was a result of higher spending on the construction of commercial buildings and, to a lesser extent, industrial buildings.

Overall, investment was up in four provinces, with Ontario registering the largest gain, followed by British Columbia and Manitoba.

In Ontario, the advance was largely the result of higher investment in the commercial and industrial components. In British Columbia, increased spending on commercial buildings accounted for the advance, while in Manitoba, commercial and industrial projects were responsible for the gain.

The largest declines occurred in Alberta and Quebec. Investment in Alberta continued its downward trend, with a fifth consecutive quarterly decline, largely the result of lower spending for commercial and industrial buildings. In Quebec, the decrease was attributable to lower institutional investment.

Source: Statistics Canada