According to Statistics Canada, investment in non-residential building construction totaled $12.3 billion in the first quarter of 2017, down 0.5 percent from the previous quarter. This marked the sixth decrease in seven quarters. Nationally, the decline largely reflected lower spending on the construction of institutional buildings and, to a lesser extent, on the construction of industrial buildings.
In the institutional component, investment fell 1.7 percent to $3.4 billion. The national decrease was due to the decline in investment in educational buildings and health care facilities, which more than offset increased spending on nursing homes.
Investment in industrial projects decreased 0.4 percent to $1.7 billion in the first quarter. At the national level, the decline was attributable to lower investment in the construction of farm and maintenance buildings, which offset growth in investment in manufacturing plant construction.
Spending on commercial buildings remained stable at $7.2 billion in the first quarter. While spending on the construction of recreation centers, office buildings and warehouses increased, it was offset by a decline in investment in shopping centers and restaurants.