Spending on new housing construction in Canada totaled C$4.4 billion (US$3.4 billion) in June, up 8.7 percent from the same month a year earlier, according to Statistics Canada.
The increase at the national level was due to higher investment in all dwelling types, except semi-detached houses, which recorded a year-over-year decline for the 14th consecutive month.
Spending on apartment and apartment-condominium building construction was up 16.7 percent in June from the same month a year earlier. Investment in single-family dwellings rose 5.3 percent from June 2015, while spending on row house construction increased 8.1 percent.
Provincially, construction spending rose in seven provinces. Ontario posted the largest advance, followed by British Columbia and Quebec.
In Ontario, investment in new residential building construction, which has been on an upward trend since the summer of 2014, grew 25.9 percent year over year in June. The increase was the result of higher investment in the construction of all dwelling types, with single-family dwelling construction, and apartment and apartment-condominium building construction accounting for much of the growth.
In June, British Columbia consolidated its place as the second largest provincial contributor of new housing construction investment. Spending in the province rose 33 percent compared with June 2015. The gain was led by higher investment in apartment and apartment-condominium buildings, and single-family dwellings.
In Quebec, spending on new housing construction rose year over year for the seventh consecutive month, up 5.2 percent in June. The increase was mainly due to higher investment in the construction of apartment and apartment-condominium buildings.
Investment in new residential construction decreased in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador.
In June, Alberta's contribution as a proportion of total investment in new housing construction reached its lowest level since June 2009, during the economic recession. Construction spending fell 30 percent in June compared with the same month a year earlier. Although decreases were recorded in all four dwelling types, the decline in the province was mainly attributable to lower investment in single-family dwellings and apartment and apartment-condominium buildings.
