According to Statistics Canada, contractors' prices for new non-residential building construction rose 0.6 percent in the third quarter compared with the previous quarter. Prices have increased across industrial, commercial and institutional building structure types since the fourth quarter of 2015.
Prices for new non-residential building construction were up in all seven census metropolitan areas (CMA) surveyed. Prices rose the most in Vancouver and Montréal (both up 1.0 percent). Contractors working in Vancouver reported a rise in the costs for architectural and structural building components due to higher material costs and a shortage of skilled labor.
Contractors' prices for new non-residential building construction increased 2.9 percent over the four quarters ending in September, led by higher prices in Vancouver (+5.4 percent) and Montréal (+4.2 percent).