Statistics Canada : Investment in new housing construction, November 2016

Released: 2017-01-20

Investment in new residential construction totalled $4.5 billion in November, up 4.1% from November 2015.

For the second consecutive month, the increase at the national level reflected higher investment in all types of dwelling.

Spending on single-family dwellings, up 4.5% from the same month a year earlier, accounted for over half of the advance and totalled $2.3 billion in November. Gains were also reported in investment on row houses (+11.6% to $455 million), apartment and apartment-condominium buildings (+1.5% to $1.6 billion) and semi-detached dwellings (+6.0% to $190 million).

Provincially, increases were recorded in British Columbia (+30.9%), Ontario (+12.5%) and Manitoba (+2.7%). The seven other provinces, led by Alberta (-24.6%), recorded a year-over-year decrease in November.

In British Columbia, investment in new housing construction was up 30.9% to $1.0 billion. All dwelling types saw higher spending, led by apartment and apartment-condominium buildings (+50.9%) and single-family dwellings (+14.7%).

Ontario recorded higher spending on all dwelling types in November, up 12.5% to $1.9 billion. The increase was largely the result of higher investment in single-family dwellings.

In Alberta, total residential construction spending fell 24.6% year over year to $627 million in November. The decline stemmed mainly from lower investment in apartment and apartment-condominium buildings, and in single-family dwellings.

Note to readers

Data on investment in new housing construction (including single-family dwellings, semi-detached dwellings, row housing, apartments and condominiums) are not seasonally adjusted, and all comparisons in this release are between November 2015 and November 2016.

Data in CANSIM are available at the national and provincial-territorial levels in both current and constant dollars (base year 2007).

Unless otherwise specified, the highlights refer to current dollars and are ranked in terms of dollar change rather than percentage change.

Contact information

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To enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Monia Bergeron (613-286-5152; [e-mail]), Investment, Science and Technology Division.