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

  • December 9, 2016
    Analysis reveals increase in UK government infrastructure and construction pipeline
    Analysis by KPMG has revealed a US$49 billion (£38.9 billion) jump in the value of the UK Government infrastructure and construction pipeline since March 2016. It also revealed that 60 per cent of the US$633.8 billion (£502.3 billion) in pipeline value is predicted to be spent by 2020. The report, National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline – KPMG Analysis, reflects a total allocated value of US$633.8 billion (£502.3 billion), from US$584.6 billion (£463.4 billion) in March 2016. It highlights t
    Read More
  • February 28, 2014
    Solid growth and improved profitability for IRD in 2013
    International Road Dynamics (IRD) has announced solid growth for the three months and year ended 30 November 2013, with revenue up 14.7 per cent in the fourth quarter and 5.0 per cent for the year. The company says increasing service revenue contributed to improved profitability and stability of cash flows, while its China XPCT investment contributed strong earnings in the fourth quarter and the year. Revenue in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013 rose 14.7 per cent to US$12.6 million compared to US$11.0 m
    Read More
  • July 25, 2014
    UK infrastructure pipeline announced
    The UK Government has published its updated National Infrastructure Pipeline, which shows that planned infrastructure investment has now increased to £383 billion up to 2020 and beyond. The Pipeline, which is converted in to an interactive map format by leading construction intelligence specialists Barbour ABI, has increased from more than £375 billion when it was last updated in December. It is designed to increase the visibility of future infrastructure investment in both the public and private sectors
    Read More
  • June 20, 2016
    Thales builds on Canadian connection for transit R&D
    The Canadian province of Ontario is continuing to benefit from its ongoing investment in transit R&D. David Crawford looks at the impact of new investment. Developing the next generation of urban rail signalling solutions worldwide, with the emphasis on transit security and efficiency, is the goal of a recently-created business partnership between the government of the Canadian province of Ontario and Thales Canada. The wholly-owned subsidiary of the France-HQ'd global defence, aerospace and transportation
    Read More

Highlighted Content