According to Statistics Canada, the composite price index for non-residential building construction rose 0.1 percent in the fourth quarter compared with the previous quarter. This change was mainly the result of a slight increase in material prices.
Of the seven census metropolitan areas (CMAs) surveyed, Toronto (+0.5 percent) and Montréal (+0.3 percent) reported quarterly increases. These gains were offset by declines in Vancouver and Ottawa–Gatineau, Ontario part (both down 0.3 percent).
Year over year, the composite price index for non-residential building construction was up 1.4 percent. Of the CMAs included in the survey, Halifax (+2.0 percent) and Toronto (+1.9 percent) recorded the largest year-over-year increases, while Calgary (+0.7 percent) recorded the smallest gain from the fourth quarter of 2013.