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March 08, 2021BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, JANUARY 2021 Total residential and non-residential construction
Investment in Nova Scotia building construction increased 0.9% in January 2021 (seasonally adjusted) compared to December 2020. Halifax monthly building construction increased 3.3% and outside the city building construction decreased 3.2%in January 2021.
Nationally, investment in building construction increased 2.8% in January 2021. In January 2021, this increase was mainly attributed to residential construction. All provinces showed monthly increase except Manitoba (-1.4%), with the largest increases in Saskatchewan (+14.7%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (+4.7%).
In January 2021, building construction investment (seasonally adjusted) was up 26.2% in Nova Scotia over January 2020. Halifax construction activity was up 38.3% and outside the city construction activity was up 8.5%. National building construction investment was up 6.1% with all provinces reporting increases except British Columbia (-2.0%) over January 2020. The largest increases over this period were reported in Newfoundland and Labrador (+57.8%), New Brunswick (+27.3%), and Nova Scotia (+26.2%).
Total Nova Scotia building construction investment was $358.7 million in January 2021. Halifax building construction totaled $232.9 million in January 2021, while there was $125.8 million in building construction outside the city. There has been a notable acceleration in building construction investment towards the end of 2020, particularly residential construction investment in Halifax.
Residential construction
In January 2021, residential construction investment (seasonally adjusted) in Nova Scotia increased 0.2% to $309.4 million. Halifax residential construction increased 3.6% to $208.3 million. Outside the city residential construction decreased 6.2% to $101.1 million.
National residential construction increased 3.9% month-to-month as all provinces reported higher residential construction investment except Manitoba (-1.1%) in January 2021. The largest increases were reported in Saskatchewan (+21.2%) and Alberta (+6.7%).
In January 2021, residential construction investment (seasonally adjusted) was up 35.9% in Nova Scotia over January 2020. Halifax's residential construction was up 48.5%. Outside the city, residential construction was up 15.8%.
National residential construction was up 14.8%. All provinces reported higher residential construction investment for the period. The largest increases were reported in Newfoundland and Labrador (+86.9%), New Brunswick (+71.1%), and Saskatchewan (+49.3%).
Higher renovations in Halifax was the largest factor in the increase compared to January 2020. In January 2021, new construction was up both for singles and multiple dwelling units in Halifax and outside the city compared to January 2020.
Non-residential construction
In January 2021, non-residential building construction was up 6.0% to $49.3 million in Nova Scotia (seasonally adjusted). In Halifax, non-residential construction was up 1.0% to $24.6 million. Outside the city, non-residential construction was up 11.6% to $24.7 million.
National non-residential building construction edged up 0.2% in January 2021. Six provinces reported increases, with the largest increase in Newfoundland and Labrador (+10.4%) and Nova Scotia (+6.0%). The largest declines were reported in Manitoba (-2.1%) and Alberta (-1.5%).
In January 2021, Nova Scotia's non-residential construction (seasonally adjusted) was down 13.1% over January 2020. Halifax's non-residential construction was down 12.4%. Outside the city, non-residential construction was down 13.7%.
National non-residential construction investment decreased 11.3%. The largest declines were reported in Saskatchewan (-35.5%) and New Brunswick (-34.0%). Non-residential construction increased in Prince Edward Island (+16.2%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (+9.7%).
In January 2021 vs January 2020, Nova Scotia non-residential building construction decreases were concentrated in Halifax commercial but were partially offset with higher Halifax industrial and institutional/government project spending.
Statistics Canada. Table 34-10-0175-01 Investment in Building Construction
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