Skip to main content

Canada’s infrastructure sector set to be one of the best performing

In their latest findings on Canada’s infrastructure sector, Business Monitor has revised down their outlook for the overall construction industry in Canada for 2013 to 2.2 per cent. This is being driven by a sharper than expected contraction in industry value creation from the residential and non-residential building segment. Despite this, they anticipate a slight pick-up in the second half of the year will ensure that subsector maintains positive growth. On the other hand, infrastructure will post another
November 20, 2013 Read time: 2 mins

In their latest findings on Canada’s infrastructure sector, Business Monitor has revised down their outlook for the overall construction industry in Canada for 2013 to 2.2 per cent. This is being driven by a sharper than expected contraction in industry value creation from the residential and non-residential building segment. Despite this, they anticipate a slight pick-up in the second half of the year will ensure that subsector maintains positive growth. On the other hand, infrastructure will post another year of solid performance, with Business Monitor’s outlook for robust growth in the subsector unchanged.

Although below trend construction industry data has prompted Business Monitor to downgrade their 2013 forecast for industry growth, they are maintaining their view that Canada will be one of the best performing developed markets over the near term. Growth will be supported by high-value infrastructure projects across the transport and energy sectors, as well as social infrastructure, industrial projects, and a housing market that whilst slowing, should remain positive.

One of the strongest sub-sectors over Business Monitor’s 10-year forecast period to 2022 will be railways, where a project pipeline worth US$36 billion will drive annual average industry value real growth of 4.4 per cent between 2013 and 2022. This growth will be driven primarily by urban rail projects, including the CAD8.2bn Eglinton Crosstown Light Rail Transit project, the US$2.6 billion Toronto Subway Spadina line expansion, the US$2.1 billion Ottawa Light Rail project and the US$1.8 billion Edmonton Light Rail project.

There is further upside potential to Business Monitor’s forecast from freight rail projects, however, with the Cóte Nord rail project in Quebec temporarily suspended in February 2013 due to weak demand, they have seen verification for their decision to withhold these projects from their forecast. In November 2012, a railway project to transport crude from Alberta's oil sands to Alaska moved forward. The project has support from first Nations groups and is seeking financing to produce a feasibility study.

Related Content

  • November 7, 2014
    Chile launches ambitious transport plan
    In an effort to boost a weakening economy, Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has announced a nearly US$4.2 billion transport infrastructure plan, including one new metro line in Santiago, cable car systems in three other cities and rail projects. The plan includes US$1.9 billion in new concessions, with the expansion of public-private partnerships (PPPs) to the metro system and US$2.2 billion in works directly funded by the government. In Santiago, the program involves developing feasibility studie
  • June 10, 2016
    Electric vehicle infrastructure market set to grow
    According to a new TechSci Research report, Global Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Market By Type, by Installed Location, by Region, Competition Forecast and Opportunities, 2011 - 2021, the global market for electric vehicle infrastructure is projected to grow at a CAGR of over 27 per cent during 2016-2021, on account of favourable government policies that promote adoption of electric vehicles and growing concerns over harmful effects of air pollution. Additionally, grid integration of electric vehicles
  • October 14, 2016
    Europe ‘accounted for largest share in global TCMS market in 2015’
    According to the latest research by P&S Market Research, the global train control and management system (TCMS) market was valued at US$2,031.6 million in 2015, and it is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.2 per cent during 2016-2022. Researchers indicate that increasing population and urbanisation, growing demand for safe and comfortable rapid transit solutions in developed as well as developing regions, and stringent emission control norms are expected to drive the demand for TCMS over the forecast period.
  • May 21, 2012
    Natural Gas vehicle sales to increase at a healthy pace
    Natural gas vehicles (NGVs) have been available to varying degrees since the 1970s, and earlier in some parts of the world. Despite this long history, adoption varies significantly from region to region, with NGVs used mainly for commercial vehicles in North America and parts of Western Europe and for consumer markets in parts of Asia and the Middle East. The primary growth drivers in these countries are the favorable economics of natural gas, the reduction of oil imports, the environmental benefits of lowe