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November 10, 2021BUILDING CONSTRUCTION, SEPTEMBER 2021 With September reference month results, year-over-year (September 2021 vs September 2020) and year-to-date (Jan-Sep 21 vs Jan-Sep 20) show the rebounds in economic activity from the unprecedented declines observed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Total residential and non-residential construction
Investment in Nova Scotia building construction increased 9.5% in September 2021 (seasonally adjusted) compared to August 2021. Halifax monthly building construction increased 8.2% in September 2021 and outside of Halifax building construction increased 10.6%.
Nationally, investment in building construction decreased 0.7% in September 2021. The monthly decrease is due to decline in residential construction, a fifth consecutive monthly decline following a record peak in April 2021. Monthly building construction was down in all provinces except Nova Scotia (+9.5%) and Saskatchewan (+7.2%), with Prince Edward Island (-9.0%), Newfoundland and Labrador (-8.9%), and New Brunswick (-8.3%) posting the largest declines.
In the first nine months of 2021, building construction investment (seasonally adjusted) was up 21.6% in Nova Scotia over January-September 2020. Outside of Halifax construction activity was up 50.5% and Halifax construction activity was down 0.5%. National building construction investment was up 21.9% with all provinces reporting increases except Newfoundland and Labrador (-9.3%) over January-September 2020. The largest increases over this period were reported in Prince Edward Island (+49.5%) and Quebec (+29.3%).
Total Nova Scotia building construction investment was $365.7 million in September 2021. Outside of Halifax building construction totaled $199.4 million in September 2021, while there was $166.4 million in building construction in Halifax. There had been a notable acceleration in building construction investment towards the end of 2020, particularly residential construction investment in Halifax. In spring 2021 building construction declined in Halifax while it increased outside of Halifax. In recent months building construction is increasing in Halifax.
Residential construction
In September 2021, residential construction investment (seasonally adjusted) in Nova Scotia increased 10.9% to $316.0 million. Outside of Halifax residential construction was up 12.6% to $172.7 million. Halifax residential construction was up 9.1% to $143.3 million.
National residential construction decreased 1.6% month-to-month as all provinces reported lower residential construction investment except Nova Scotia (+10.9%) and Saskatchewan (+9.2%). The largest declines were reported in Newfoundland and Labrador (-16.7%), Prince Edward Island (-10.7%) and New Brunswick (-10.4%).
In January-September 2021, residential construction investment (seasonally adjusted) was up 28.3% in Nova Scotia over the same period in 2020. Halifax's residential construction was up 3.9%. Outside of Halifax, residential construction was up 61.9%.
National residential construction was up 34.2%. All provinces reported higher residential construction investment except Newfoundland and Labrador (-14.8%) for the period. The largest increases were reported in Prince Edward Island (+51.2%) and Quebec (+48.4%).
Higher renovations outside of Halifax was the largest factor in the increase compared to January-September 2020. In January-September 2021, new construction was up both for singles and multiple dwelling units outside of Halifax while new construction was down for singles and up for multiple dwelling units in Halifax compared to the first nine months of 2020.
Non-residential construction
In September 2021, non-residential building construction increased 1.2% to $49.7 million in Nova Scotia (seasonally adjusted). In Halifax, non-residential construction was up 3.1% to $23.0 million. Outside of Halifax, non-residential construction was down 0.3% to $26.7 million.
National non-residential building construction was up 1.8% in September 2021. Six provinces reported increases, with the largest increase in Quebec (+4.6%). The largest decrease was reported in Prince Edward Island (-5.0%).
In the first nine months of 2021, Nova Scotia's non-residential construction (seasonally adjusted) was down 7.3% over the same period in 2020. Halifax's non-residential construction was down 21.5%. Outside of Halifax, non-residential construction was up 7.8%.
National non-residential construction investment decreased 4.0%, year-to-date. The largest declines were reported in Saskatchewan (-26.5%) and Manitoba (-20.7%). Non-residential construction increased in Prince Edward Island (+44.9%) and Ontario (+4.1%) over this period.
In January-September 2021 vs January-September 2020, Nova Scotia non-residential building construction decrease was concentrated in Halifax commercial but was partially offset with higher industrial in Halifax and institutional/government project spending across the province.
Statistics Canada. Table 34-10-0175-01 Investment in Building Construction
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