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Non-residential Building Construction Price Index
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The composite price index for non-residential building construction increased 6.0% in the second quarter to 175.6 (1997=100) compared with the previous quarter, and stood 11.6% higher compared with the second quarter of 2007. The quarterly increase was mostly the result of higher labour and fuel costs, as well as material price increases, in particular steel.
Calgary recorded the highest quarterly change (+8.7%), followed by Edmonton (+6.5%), Toronto (+5.8%), Vancouver and Ottawa–Gatineau, Ontario part (both +4.9%), Halifax (+3.2%) and Montréal (+2.4%).
Calgary also had the largest change (+16.1%) from the second quarter of 2007, followed by Edmonton (+15.4%), Vancouver (+11.2%), Toronto (+10.3%), Ottawa–Gatineau, Ontario part (+8.9%), Montréal (+6.1%) and Halifax (+5.8%).
Note: The Non-residential Building Construction Price Index provides an indication of the changes in new construction costs in six census metropolitan areas or CMAs (Halifax, Montréal, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver) and the Ontario part of the Ottawa–Gatineau CMA.
Three construction categories (industrial, commercial and institutional buildings) are represented by selected models (a light factory building, an office building, a warehouse, a shopping centre and a school).
Besides the CMA and composite indexes, a further breakdown of the changes in costs is available by trade group (structural, architectural, mechanical and electrical) within the building types.
These price indexes are derived from surveys of general and special trade group contractors. They report data on various categories of costs (material, labour, equipment, taxes, overhead and profit) relevant to the detailed construction specifications included in the surveys.
Available on CANSIM: tables 327-0039 and 327-0040.
Definitions, data sources and methods: survey numbers, including related surveys, 2317 and 2330.
The second quarter 2008 issue of Capital Expenditure Price Statistics (62-007-XWE, free) will be available in October.
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods and data quality of this release, contact Client Services (toll-free 1-866-230-2248; 613-951-9606; fax 613-951-1539; prices-prix@statcan.gc.ca), Prices Division.
Table(s).
