On April 12, 2024, the federal government released Solving the Housing Crisis: Canada’s Housing Plan, which aims to help solve the housing crisis. The plan, which is a significant part of the 2024 budget, features various measures to help address housing affordability through investments in programs that will increase housing supply, protect renters, and more. “This plan acknowledges the diverse needs of Canadians, including Indigenous people, racialized communities, newcomers, seniors, persons with disabilities, those fleeing gender-based violence, Canadians across the income spectrum, and t ..read more

Wood Home Framing Abstract At Construction Site. While workforce numbers have improved over the past five years, it may not be enough for employers in BC’s construction industry who continue to face extreme pressures, according to statistics reported in the Spring 2024 BC Construction Association (BCCA) Construction Industry Stat Pack and BCCA’s annual BC Construction Industry Survey Report. Demand for construction remains high in British Columbia, with major projects currently underway at an estimated value of $160 billion, which, according to the report, is an increase of $3 billion ov ..read more

A recent economic report by the Ontario Construction Secretariat (OCS) revealed that permit value increased in each ICI sector from January to February, with substantial increases in the institutional sector. According to the report, total ICI permit value increased a substantial 47.3 per cent, from $1.37 billion in January to $2.01 billion in February. Increases were seen across all sectors, but the institutional sector jumped significantly from $215.5 million to $665.8 million, rising a staggering 208.9 per cent. The report noted that permit value in the commercial sector was up 1 ..read more

Photo by PhotoMIX Company from Pexels According to the latest findings from Arcadis’ 2024 International Construction Costs Index, Canada’s construction landscape is set for a subtle journey in the midst of evolving market conditions. The 2024 Arcadis International Construction Costs Index, covers 100 major cities worldwide and provides insights into the global construction landscape. The index assesses twenty different building types across residential, commercial, and public sectors and offers a comparison of construction costs relative to Amsterdam, indexed against the USD. Canada expe ..read more

BuildForce Canada released its residential employment outlook for 2024-2033 on April 11, which predicts that in order to reach the 5.8 million housing starts over the next 10 years needed to address housing affordability, Canada’s residential construction workforce would need to grow to over 1,030,000 workers – a whopping 83 per cent above the status quo. “Reaching the Government of Canada’s target of 5.8 million new homes will require nearly doubling housing starts. While that increase in starts should have begun two years ago, the current economic challenges for prospective new home buyers ..read more

International property and construction consultancy firm Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) has released its latest Crane Index and Quarterly Cost Report. Together, the two documents provide an eye-opening perspective on the North American construction industry in 14 key markets. According to the Crane Index, the beginning of 2024 has shown a continued downward trend in cranes counts, as many projects approach completion at a slower rate than new projects are breaking ground. The report noted that the majority of the cranes continue to be stationed at residential or mixed-use projects, mak ..read more

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announces the new federal budget in Ottawa on April 16, 2024. The Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) and the Residential Construction Council of Ontario (RESCON) have issued statements in response to the 2024 Federal Budget that was released earlier this week. On April 16, Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, released Budget 2024: Fairness for Every Generation; a plan to build a Canada that “works better for every generation, where younger generations can get ahead, where their hard work pays off, and where they can buy o ..read more

Photo by Mikael Blomkvist from Pexels I started my career in Structural Engineering in the residential sector. While I was aware early on that engineering was a male-dominated profession, I had little preparation for the inequities I ultimately faced once I entered the workforce. I was lucky to have a supportive community of mentors of all genders in my corner, but it wasn’t always sufficient to eliminate the gender biases and systemic barriers I was exposed to. For example, I once attended a coordination meeting with myself and the architect for a project where I was the lead Project Enginee ..read more

Photo by Life Of Pix from Pexels British Columbia’s seventh annual Construction and Skilled Trades Month aims to recognize excellence across the industry in two areas of priority: culture change, and leadership. This year’s celebration highlights the importance of the industry’s mentors in shaping the new generation of construction workers, and marks five years of Builders Code culture training, policies and commitments, making construction a more inclusive career choice. “Construction Month allows us to shine a bright light on the impact our industry has on the lives of British Columbians ..read more

A recent economic report by the Ontario Construction Secretariat (OCS) revealed that total ICI building construction investment dropped 1.8 per cent from December to January, mainly due to a -2.7 per cent monthly change in the commercial sector. According to the report, industrial and institutional sector investment also saw small declines but were up in comparison to January 2023. The report noted that both headline and core CPI dropped below 3 per cent in Ontario. The Industrial Product Price Index showed inflation declines in energy products, lumber products, fabricated metal pro ..read more