Investment in non-residential construction in B.C. increased 2.9% in the first quarter of 2010 compared with the fourth quarter of 2009.
Statistics Canada released data this morning that showed B.C. as one of only four provinces to record gains in the first quarter, which it said were primarily due to more spending in institutional building construction.
The other provinces to record gains were Ontario, New Brunswick and Alberta.
Total non-residential investment in B.C. was approximately $1.25 billion in the first quarter of 2010, of which $743 million was commercial, $454 million was institutional and $60 million was industrial.
Despite the quarterly increase, total non-residential investment in B.C. was down 7.1% in the first quarter of 2010 compared with the same period in 2009.
In Vancouver, investment in non-residential building construction was down 22.1% year over year.