Fast Facts Friday: May 12, 2023

Catch up on the latest facts and read more via the links below in case you missed them this week!

1. Residential building construction costs increased 1.8% in the first quarter of 2023, following a 1.1% growth in the previous quarter. - The Daily — Building construction price indexes, first quarter 2023
2. As of March 31, 2023, total stocks of wheat, canola, barley, oats and soybeans were all up compared with the same date in 2022. - The Daily — Stocks of principal field crops, March 31, 2023
3. In 2022, the value of Canada's annual merchandise exports increased 22.5% to $779.2 billion, while the value of annual imports rose 19.9% to $757.4 billion. - The Daily — Canadian international merchandise trade: Annual review 2022
4. Production of crude oil and equivalent products rose 1.7% to 22.1 million cubic metres in February. - The Daily — Energy statistics, February 2023
5. The total monthly value of building permits in Canada advanced 11.3% in March 2023 to $11.8 billion, led by sharply increasing monthly non-residential growth (+32.0%). - The Daily — Building permits, March 2023
6. In 2021,13.9% of Canada’s ocean and coastal ecosystems were conserved, representing an area of 798,480 km2. - The Daily — Census of Environment: Protected and conserved ocean and coastal ecosystems
7. There were 10,130 people working in the homelessness support sector in 2021, an increase of 60.7% (+3,825) compared with 2016. - The Daily — Homelessness support is a growing sector of the labour force
8. Canadian municipalities reported a 3.9% decrease in wastewater volumes in 2020 to 5 793 million cubic metres, following a 4.7% increase in wastewater volumes in 2019. - The Daily — Municipal wastewater systems in Canada, 2018 to 2020
9. Are you a “legend” in the making? Over one-third of Canadians would say yes! In 2020, 35% reported playing online video games. - The Daily — Canadian Internet Use Survey, 2020