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November 09, 2020BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, SEPTEMBER 2020 Total residential and non-residential construction
Investment in Nova Scotia building construction decreased 4.9% in September 2020 (seasonally adjusted) compared to August 2020. Halifax monthly building construction decreased 5.1% in September 2020.
Nationally, investment in building construction decreased 1.7% in September 2020, after reaching a record high level in August 2020. In September 2020, this decline could be attributed to decline in non-residential construction which is partially offset by an increase in residential construction. Six provinces showed monthly decrease, with the largest decreases in Nova Scotia (-4.9%), Quebec (-3.8%), and Saskatchewan (-3.3%). The largest increases were reported in Manitoba (+14.6%) and New Brunswick (+11.3%).
Year-to-date (Jan-Sep 2020 vs Jan-Sep 2019, seasonally adjusted), building construction investment was down 8.5% in Nova Scotia. Halifax construction activity was down 6.5%. National building construction investment was down 3.7% with seven provinces reporting declines over Jan-Sep 2019. The largest decreases over this period were reported in Saskatchewan (-20.1%), New Brunswick (-10.9%), and Newfoundland and Labrador (-10.5%). Increases were reported in Manitoba (+9.8%), Prince Edward Island (+8.3%) and Ontario (+1.5%).
Total Nova Scotia building construction investment was $271.5 million in September 2020. Halifax building construction totaled $159.1 million in September 2020, while there was $112.4 million in building construction outside of Halifax.
Residential construction
In September 2020, residential construction investment (seasonally adjusted) in Nova Scotia decreased 5.5% to $221.4 million. Halifax residential construction decreased 5.8% to $132.2 million.
National residential construction increased 1.6% month-to-month as seven provinces reported higher residential construction investment in September 2020. The fastest increases were reported in Manitoba (+22.3%) and New Brunswick (+15.4%). Declines were reported in Nova Scotia (-5.5%), British Columbia (-1.9%), and Saskatchewan (-0.9%).
Year-to-date (Jan-Sep 2020 vs Jan-Sep 2019, seasonally adjusted) residential construction investment was down 10.6% in Nova Scotia. Halifax's residential construction was down 8.9%.
National residential construction was down 5.8%. Eight provinces reported lower residential construction investment for the period. The largest declines were reported in Saskatchewan (-22.0%) followed by Quebec (-12.9%), and British Columbia (-10.7%). Increases were reported in Manitoba (+6.7%) and Prince Edward Island (+4.9%).
Lower renovations in Nova Scotia was the largest factor in the decrease compared to Jan-Sep 2019. In Jan-Sep 2020, new construction was up for singles and down for multiple dwelling units in Halifax and down for singles and up for multiple dwellings outside of Halifax.
Non-residential construction
In September 2020, non-residential building construction decreased 2.5% to $50.1 million in Nova Scotia (seasonally adjusted). In Halifax, non-residential construction was down 1.4% to $26.9 million.
National non-residential building construction decreased 8.5% in September 2020. All provinces reported declines with the largest declines in Quebec (-15.2%), Ontario (-9.5%), and Saskatchewan (-7.3%).
Year-to-date (Jan-Sep 2020 vs Jan-Sep 2019) Nova Scotia's non-residential construction (seasonally adjusted) was up 1.4%. Halifax's non-residential construction was up 6.4% year-to-date.
National non-residential construction investment increased 0.8%. The largest growth was reported in Prince Edward Island (+19.6%) and Manitoba (+15.3%). The largest declines were reported in New Brunswick (-22.1%) and Saskatchewan (-17.2%).
Year-to-date (Jan-Sep 2020 vs Jan-Sep 2019) Nova Scotia non-residential building construction increases were concentrated in Halifax commercial but are partially offset with lower industrial and institutional/governmental project spending.
Statistics Canada. Table 34-10-0175-01 Investment in Building Construction
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