Top 10 and trend graph-July 2012

08/14/2012 by Alex Carrick

The accompanying table records the 10 largest construction project starts in Canada in July 2012. Also included is the latest trend graph on starts. This looks at 12-month moving totals of the two major non-residential building categories in Canada − total ICI starts and engineering work. ICI stands for industrial, commercial and institutional.

There are several reasons for highlighting upcoming large projects. Such jobs have often received a fair amount of media coverage. Therefore, people in the industry are on the lookout for when job-site work actually gets underway. And, as showcase projects, they highlight geographically where major construction projects are proceeding.

Also, total construction activity is comprised of many small and medium-sized projects and a limited number of large developments. But the largest projects, simply by their nature, can dramatically affect total dollar and square footage volumes. In other words, the timing and size of these projects have an exaggerated influence on market forecasts.

Top 10 projects of the month - July 2012
REGION
(East to
West)
TYPE OF
CONSTRUCTION
DESCRIPTION
Sq. Ft.
000s
Dollars
000,000s
Quebec:
Montréal Residential Évolo phase deux 300 $65
(30 storeys; 260 units; 1 structure), ch du Golf, will be LEED certified
La Corporation Proment
Témiscouata Engineering Autoroute 85 * $53
Ministère des transports du Québec
         
Ontario:
Etobicoke Residential Westlake Condominiums, Phase Two 600 $88
(44 storeys; 500 units; 1 structure), 2200 Lake Shore Boulevard West
Onni Group of Companies
         
Sudbury District Engineering Highway 69 * $61
Ministry of Transportation of Ontario
         
Milton Commercial Lowe's Distribution Centre, Escarpment Business Park West 625 $59
(1 storey; 1 structure), James Snow Parkway, Campbellville Sideroad
JH Architecture
         
Bradford West Gwillimbury Residential Northgate Greens Townhouse Development, Phase One 348 $51
(30 storeys; 174  units; 30 structures), Professor Day Drive
and Eighth Line
Solmar Homes
         
Clarington  Engineering Port Darlington Water Pollution Control Plant, Phase Two * $47
Regional Municipality of Durham
         
Alberta:
Cold Lake Engineering Foster Creek Oil Sands SAGD Project, Phase F * $1,000
Cenovus Energy
         
Lethbridge Institutional Chinook Regional Hospital Redevelopment Project 205 $80
(6 storeys; 1 structure), 960 19 Street South
Alberta Health Services
         
British Columbia:
Vancouver Residential Granville at 70th Condominium and Townhouses and Safeway Grocery Store 406 $95
(19 storeys; 312 units; 3 structures), 8495 and 8555 Granville Street, will be LEED Certified
Westbank Properties Corporation
         
TOTALS:     2,484 $1,599

*A square footage measure does not apply for alteration and engineering work.
Trend lines of construction starts in Canada – July 2012
Moving totals of the latest 12 months* (CanaData Figures)
Trend lines of construction starts in Canada – July 2012
*For example, the July 2012 figure is the sum of the monthly numbers for Auguat 2011 through July 2012.
†ICI is the sum of industrial, commercial and institutional.
The prominent jumps in the engineering curve reflect such mega project starts as Horizon Oil Sands work in Alberta (March 2005), the Eastmain 1-A hydroelectric power project in northern Québec (June 2007), the Kearl Oil Sands Project in Alberta (April 2010), the Firebag 4 SAGD Oil Sands project in Alberta (June 2011) and the Voyageur heavy oil processing plant Alberta (August 2011). In May 2010, the ICI curve shot upward due to the McGill University medical centre project in Montreal. In March 2012, Alcan's modernization project in Kitimat was initiated.
Data source and chart: Reed Construction Data – CanaData.