Investment in building construction on the rise

Investment in non-residential building construction, July 2025. (Source: Statistics Canada, Table 34-10-0293-01—Investment in Building Construction.)

According to the latest report from Statistics Canada, the value of investment in building construction was on the rise in July. The total value across all sectors increased 0.4 per cent compared to June, reaching $22.7 billion as both the residential and non-residential sectors recorded matching 0.4 per cent increases. That put the year-over-year figure at 8.8 per cent higher than July of 2024.

On the residential side, a decline in the multi-unit component moderated growth, but investment still managed a $62.1 million increase to reach $16 billion in July. The single-family component paced that growth with a 2.5 gain for the month as the multi-unit component dipped 1.2 per cent below the June tally.

The $7.1 billion single-family home investment posted in July was primarily attributed to Ontario, which gained $121.5 million over June, followed by Quebec, whose gains were just shy of the $100-million mark. Decreases were recorded in four provinces and in all territories.

Investment in multi-unit construction decreased by $110.9 million, coming in at $8.9 billion for July. The decline was driven by a $176.3-million drop in Ontario. Quebec did its part to offset the decline, posting a $65-million rise over June’s figures.

July’s non-residential building construction values were led by the institutional component, whose 1.9 per cent growth more than offset the 0.8 per cent slide in the industrial segment, and the 0.1 per cent slip in commercial values. Overall across the segments, investment values rose by $25.3 million to reach $6.8 billion.

Investment in the institutional component increased $38.9 million to $2.1 billion in July, led by growth in Alberta and tempered by Quebec. Meanwhile, the industrial component decreased $11.1 million to $1.4 billion in July, with declines recorded in five provinces and three territories, and investment in the commercial component declined $2.5 million to $3.3 billion in July. That decline was led by British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan, but those declines were largely offset by gains in Ontario.

www.statcan.gc.ca