Apartment Building Construction Price Index

The composite price index for apartment building construction rose 1.3% in the second quarter compared with the previous quarter. The quarterly increase can be attributed mainly to higher labour costs and improved market conditions in the building construction market. This was the first quarterly increase since the third quarter of 2008.

The seven census metropolitan areas (CMAs) surveyed reported quarterly increases in the second quarter, with Edmonton (+3.3%) recording the largest quarterly gain.

Year over year, the composite price index for apartment building construction was down 0.6%. Of the CMAs surveyed, Vancouver (-3.2%) and Calgary (-2.3%) recorded the largest declines, while Ottawa–Gatineau, Ontario part (+3.2%), posted the largest increase.

Note: This release presents data that are not seasonally adjusted, and the indexes published are subject to a one-quarter revision period after dissemination of a given quarter's data.

Available on CANSIM: table 327-0044.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey numbers, including related surveys, 2317 and 2330.

The second quarter 2010 issue of Capital Expenditure Price Statistics (62-007-X, free) will be available in October.

The apartment building construction price indexes for the third quarter will be released on November 19.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Client Services (toll-free 1-888-951-4550; 613-951-4550; fax: 613-951-3117; ppd-info-dpp@statcan.gc.ca), Producer Prices Division.