Investment in Canadian non-residential construction shows declines in Q4 2016

According to a press statement, Canadian investment in non-residential building construction totalled $12.3 billion in the fourth quarter, down 0.7 percent from the previous quarter. This was the seventh decrease in eight quarters. Nationally, the decline reflected lower spending on commercial and industrial building construction.
Spending on non-residential building construction was down in 19 of the 34 census metropolitan areas in the fourth quarter.

Spending on commercial building construction fell 0.9 percent to $7.2 billion in the fourth quarter. The decline nationally was primarily attributable to lower spending on office buildings.

Investment in industrial projects was down 2.8 percent from the third quarter to $1.7 billion in the fourth quarter. At the national level, the decline was attributable to lower investment in the construction of farm and utilities buildings.

Spending on industrial building construction decreased 10.5 percent to $220 million in Alberta, a seventh consecutive quarterly decline. The decrease was primarily due to lower investment in utilities buildings.

Investment in institutional building construction rose 0.5 percent from the previous quarter to $3.5 billion in the fourth quarter. Higher spending on the construction of nursing homes and retirement residences was largely responsible for the advance nationally.