The first quarter of 2012 has seen a new record for Saskatchewan's non-residential construction according to a report released by Statistics Canada today. Construction totalled $407.4 million in the first three months of 2012, a 7.6 per cent increase over the same period in 2011 and the highest value on record for the first quarter period in Saskatchewan (seasonally unadjusted).
"There is a high demand for trades' people and construction workers in our province because businesses are building and growing in order to capitalize on the opportunities here in our province," Enterprise Minister Jeremy Harrison said. "It bodes very well for the province that we are at record levels in the first few months of this year when we know there are more large projects coming on stream as the year progresses."
On a seasonally-adjusted basis, investment in non-residential construction in Saskatchewan increased by 7.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2012, compared to the fourth quarter of 2011. In terms of percentage change, Saskatchewan ranked second among the provinces.
"The economic health of our province is the envy of many jurisdictions," Harrison said. "With the only balanced provincial budget in the nation to date, a growing population, record investment and a strong economy, we are poised for more good news in the remainder of 2012."
