Canadian investment in new housing construction increased 4.1 percent to C$4.5 billion (US$3.4 billion) in November compared with the same month in 2015, according to Statistics Canada.
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 percent from the same month a year earlier, accounted for over half of the advance in November. Gains were also reported in investment on row houses (+11.6 percent), apartment and apartment-condominium buildings (+1.5 percent) and semi-detached dwellings (+6 percent).
Provincially, increases were recorded in British Columbia (+30.9 percent), Ontario (+12.5 percent) and Manitoba (+2.7 percent). The seven other provinces, led by Alberta (-24.6 percent), recorded a year-over-year decrease in November.
In British Columbia, investment in new housing construction was up 30.9 percent. All dwelling types saw higher spending, led by apartment and apartment-condominium buildings (+50.9 percent) and single-family dwellings (+14.7 percent).
Ontario recorded higher spending on all dwelling types in November, up 12.5 percent. The increase was largely the result of higher investment in single-family dwellings.
In Alberta, total residential construction spending fell 24.6 percent year-over-year in November. The decline stemmed mainly from lower investment in apartment and apartment-condominium buildings, and in single-family dwellings.
