According to a recent report by Statistics Canada, first-quarter investment in non-residential building construction totaled $10.2 billion, which reflects a 0.7 percent decline from Q4 2009 and a 5.7 decline below spending for the same period a year ago.
Quebec had the largest decrease in spending, followed by the province of Manitoba. British Columbia, New Brunswick, Alberta and Ontario, however, recorded gains in non-residential construction spending.
These numbers reflect lower investments in the commercial and industrial building construction segments. Institutional construction spending, however, continues a steady climb, with spending for institutional projects having risen 3.4 percent to $3.7 billion in the Q1 2010. This is largely attributable to higher investment in the construction of government buildings in seven provinces and educational buildings in five provinces