The sound of hammer blows has been less overwhelming almost everywhere in Quebec last September, when the number of residential construction sites continued its slow descent. A downturn of 34 % on average for the whole of Quebec, compared to September of 2007.
These figures have been provided by the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), by means of its monthly poll.
Altogether, 3 575 habitations have been put under construction in September 2008, whereas there were 5 442 of them one year earlier.
The months of last July and August have known a decrease in construction sites. Still, for the period of last month the biggest decrease in new construction sites has been noticed in the CMA (Census Metropolitan Area) of Montreal, a drop of 52 %, with figures passing from 3 492 in 2007 to 1 670 in 2008. It is the component of collective apartments which mainly has caused this important diminution of new construction sites.
Kevin Hughes, chief-economist for Quebec at the CMHC has declared: « Construction in the CMA (the Census Metropolitan Area) of Montreal in September 2007 was abnormally high and the result of an exceptional concomitance of several sizeable projects, in particular residences for elderly people. Last month’s new construction sites inscribe themselves in fact in the context of average activity of the last five years and do thus not constitute any surprise whatsoever. »
Still, in September of 2008, new construction sites have diminished by 39 % in Quebec City and by 20 % in Sherbrooke. Building a residence of more than 200 units for elderly people in Saguenay has allowed to cause an increase of new construction sites of more than 100 %, in this region, in September of 2008 compared to the same period in 2007. Increases have also been noticed in Trois-Rivières (+ 41 %) and more modestly in Gatineau (+ 5 %).