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Non-residential Building Construction Price Index

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The Daily


Friday, November 14, 2008
Third quarter 2008 

The composite price index for non-residential building construction increased 2.4% from the previous quarter to 179.8 (1997=100) in the third quarter, mostly as a result of construction material price increases

Compared with the third quarter of 2007, the composite price index for non-residential building construction stood 12.4% higher.

Calgary recorded the highest quarterly change (+3.7%), followed by Edmonton (+2.6%), Ottawa–Gatineau, Ottawa part (+2.3%), Montréal (+2.2%), Halifax (+1.9%), Toronto (+1.8%) and Vancouver (+1.7%).

Calgary also had the largest change (+17.5%) from the third quarter of 2007, followed by Edmonton (+14.6%), Toronto (+11.6%), Ottawa–Gatineau, Ottawa part (+10.8%), Vancouver (+10.1%), Montréal (+8.2%) and Halifax (+6.9%).

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 Ottawa 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 third quarter 2008 issue of Capital Expenditure Price Statistics (62-007-XWE, free) will be available in February 2009.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or 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.

Tables. Table(s).