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January 12, 2021BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, NOVEMBER 2020 Total residential and non-residential construction
Investment in Nova Scotia building construction increased 12.3% in November 2020 (seasonally adjusted) compared to October 2020. Halifax monthly building construction increased 16.0% in November 2020.
Nationally, investment in building construction edged down 0.1% in November 2020, a third consecutive monthly decline. In November 2020, this decline was attributed to small declines in both residential and non-residential construction. Six provinces showed monthly decrease, with the largest decreases in New Brunswick (-9.5%), Newfoundland and Labrador (-9.2%), and Manitoba (-6.1%). The largest increases were reported in Nova Scotia (+12.3%) and Prince Edward Island (+3.1%).
Year-to-date (Jan-Nov 2020 vs Jan-Nov 2019, seasonally adjusted), building construction investment was down 5.3% in Nova Scotia. Halifax construction activity was down 4.8%. National building construction investment was down 2.7% with six provinces reporting declines over Jan-Nov 2019. The largest decreases over this period were reported in Saskatchewan (-18.9%), British Columbia (-8.8%), and New Brunswick (-7.2%). Increases were reported in Manitoba (+10.7%), Prince Edward Island (+9.9%), Ontario (+2.3%), and Newfoundland and Labrador (+0.1%).
Total Nova Scotia building construction investment was $317.3 million in November 2020. Halifax building construction totaled $183.7 million in November 2020, while there was $133.6 million in building construction outside of Halifax.
Residential construction
In November 2020, residential construction investment (seasonally adjusted) in Nova Scotia increased 15.2% to $271.1 million. Halifax residential construction increased 19.0% to $158.7 million.
National residential construction edged down 0.1% month-to-month as five provinces reported lower residential construction investment in November 2020. The largest declines were reported in New Brunswick (-12.5%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (-10.9%). The largest increase was reported in Nova Scotia (+15.2%).
Year-to-date (Jan-Nov 2020 vs Jan-Nov 2019, seasonally adjusted) residential construction investment was down 6.0% in Nova Scotia. Halifax's residential construction was down 6.3%.
National residential construction was down 3.4%. Four provinces reported lower residential construction investment for the period. The largest declines were reported in Saskatchewan (-17.9%) followed by British Columbia (-10.6%), and Quebec (-8.8%). The largest increases were reported in Manitoba (+10.5%), Newfoundland and Labrador (+7.7%) and Prince Edward Island (+7.2%).
Lower new construction for multiple dwellings in Halifax was the largest factor in the decrease compared to Jan-Nov 2019. In Jan-Nov 2020 renovations were lower in Nova Scotia. In Jan-Nov 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 November 2020, non-residential building construction decreased 2.0% to $46.2 million in Nova Scotia (seasonally adjusted). In Halifax, non-residential construction was up 0.1% to $25.0 million.
National non-residential building construction was approximately stable in November 2020. Six provinces reported declines, with the largest declines in Newfoundland and Labrador (-2.8%), Saskatchewan (-2.7%), and Nova Scotia (-2.0%). The largest increases were reported in Prince Edward Island (+8.9%) and New Brunswick (+2.6%).
Year-to-date (Jan-Nov 2020 vs Jan-Nov 2019) Nova Scotia's non-residential construction (seasonally adjusted) was down 2.2%. Halifax's non-residential construction was up 3.3% year-to-date.
National non-residential construction investment decreased 1.1%. The largest declines were reported in New Brunswick (-24.8%) and Saskatchewan (-20.5%). The largest growth was reported in Prince Edward Island (+19.4%) and Manitoba (+10.9%).
Year-to-date (Jan-Nov 2020 vs Jan-Nov 2019) Nova Scotia non-residential building construction decreases were concentrated in outside of Halifax industrial and commercial but are partially offset with higher Halifax commercial project spending.
Statistics Canada. Table 34-10-0175-01 Investment in Building Construction
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