Ontario Construction News staff writer
Statistics Canada reported a weakening in the construction industry in January, with employment falling 1.7 per cent. That means there were about 6,600 fewer jobs last month.
When comparing to one year ago, construction reported a loss of more than 27,000 jobs.
The general national employment picture gained 37,000 jobs in January.
Also, the number of building permits issued fell at the end of the year, with Statistics Canada reporting December’s total value of building permits in Canada fell 14 per cent from November, to $9.2 billion, the lowest monthly level since October 2020.
Drops were reported in residential and non-residential sectors, with the largest declines in multi-family residential and institutional.
The total value of residential permits fell 17.9 per cent to $5.7 billion with a 31 per cent decline in multi-unit construction intentions, the largest monthly drop in the series.