ConstructConnect Blog

Due to its complexity, much of the subject matter concerning the economy requires detailed editorial commentary, often supported by relevant tables and graphs.

Due to its complexity, much of the subject matter concerning the economy requires detailed editorial commentary, often supported by relevant tables and graphs.

It would be comforting to think the post-pandemic economic recovery will proceed along the same path as other post-recession recoveries. No doubt there will be some similarities; but there will also be major differences.

High-Tech Giants Step to the Plate ConstructConnect announced today that August 2021's volume of construction starts, excluding residential work, was $33.0 billion (see shaded green box, bottom of Table 8 below) a decrease of -14.2% vs July 2021's level of $38.5 billion (originally reported as $37.6 billion).

The accompanying table records the top 10 project starts in the United States for August 2021.

Clichés are often true and it is the case that a picture can be worth a thousand words.

The accompanying tables show the top 10 major upcoming Midwest and Northwest construction projects in the U.S. They are all in the planning stage and are mainly new projects, but may also involve additions and/or alterations.

The accompanying tables show the top 10 major upcoming educational and medical construction projects in Canada. They are all in the planning stage and are mainly new projects, but may also involve additions and/or alterations.

According to Statistics Canada, the Canadian total jobs count climbed by +90,000 in August to sit at just under 19 million. The year-over-year gain in employment has been only slightly under a million jobs (+958,000). Ontario (+419,000 jobs) and British Columbia (+201,000 jobs) have been the two provinces with the best records in nominal jobs creation over the past 12 months.

U.S. Economy Stumbling Blocks A year and a half into the coronavirus health crisis, the economies of the United States and Canada have been running into some stumbling blocks. In the United States, GDP growth in Q1 and Q2 of this year, at +6.3% and +6.5% respectively (quarter to quarter annualized), was looking pretty good, and not far out of line with the +7.0% forecast figure for the full year adopted by many analysts. But the third quarter has not been looking as sparky.