September 22, 2026
Investment in Canadian building construction increased 1.2% in July 2026 to $23.6 billion, according to Statistics Canada, with strong non-residential activity helping drive the monthly gain.
Total investment increased by $270.9 million from June and was 8.1% higher than July 2025. Non-residential construction investment rose 3.2% during the month, while residential investment increased 0.3%.
On a constant-dollar basis, with 2023 as the reference year, total building construction investment reached $21.2 billion, up 1.0% month over month and 4.7% year over year.
Canadian non-residential building investment increased by $226.9 million to $7.4 billion in July.
Institutional construction recorded the largest increase, rising 7.4% to $2.3 billion. Ontario accounted for most of the gain, with investment increasing by $151 million as new hospital construction contributed to activity in the province.
Institutional investment increased by $159.3 million nationally. Gains in Ontario and three other provinces were partially offset by declines elsewhere, including an $8.9 million decrease in Alberta.
The figures highlight the role major public and institutional projects can play in Canada’s broader construction investment.
Industrial building construction also strengthened during July, increasing 2.8% to $1.5 billion.
Saskatchewan led the increase with a $20.3 million gain, followed by British Columbia at $12.5 million. Four other provinces and two territories also recorded increases.
Industrial construction encompasses facilities supporting manufacturing, processing and other industrial activities, making the category an important indicator of capital investment across the Canadian economy.
Investment in commercial building construction increased 0.8% to $3.5 billion in July.
Six provinces and one territory collectively recorded $42.6 million in gains. However, these increases were partially offset by a $14.6 million decline in British Columbia.
Overall, the institutional, industrial and commercial components all contributed to the month’s increase in non-residential building construction.
Residential building investment increased by a modest $44 million to $16.2 billion in July, but the headline number masks significantly different trends between housing types.
Single-family construction investment increased 3.5%, while multi-unit investment declined 2.6%.
Investment in single-family construction rose $265.2 million to $7.8 billion, with increases recorded across every province.
Ontario led the gains with an increase of $93.5 million, followed by Alberta at $68.6 million.
Multi-unit residential investment moved in the opposite direction, falling $221.2 million to $8.4 billion.
British Columbia recorded the largest decline at $76.7 million, followed by Quebec at $70.9 million and Ontario at $43.9 million.
The decrease in multi-unit investment offset much of the growth recorded in single-family construction, leaving overall residential building investment only slightly higher for the month.
The July 2026 figures point to continued growth in Canada’s overall building construction market, but the underlying activity varies considerably by sector and region.
Non-residential construction provided most of the monthly increase, with institutional investment—particularly hospital construction in Ontario—emerging as the strongest contributor.
Residential construction presented a more mixed picture. Single-family investment increased across every province, while declines in multi-unit construction in British Columbia, Quebec and Ontario restrained overall residential growth.
With total building construction investment up 8.1% year over year, July’s results demonstrate continued construction activity across Canada while also highlighting the changing mix of projects driving investment.
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