Statistics Canada reported Monday that Canadian investment in non-residential building construction was up 2 percent in Q4 from the previous quarter-the third consecutive quarterly increase. The value of construction was C$10.5 billion (US$ 10.6 billion) in Q4, as spending in the industrial sector increased slightly, while investment in the institutional sector edged down.
Commercial projects led the gain as investors spent $6.1 billion (US$ 6.2 billion) on commercial projects, a 3.6 percent increase from Q3 and the fourth consecutive quarterly gain, while investment in industrial projects rose 0.4 percent from the previous quarter, totaling C$1.1 billion (US$ 1.1 billion) in Q4.
Investment in the institutional sector declined 0.3 percent in Q4, totaling C$3.4 billion (US$ 3.45). It was also the fourth consecutive quarterly decline.