The numbers support what labourers have been telling us. Windsor is in the midst of a construction boom, just not in housing.
Statistics Canada says non-residential construction rose by 17.2% in the second quarter over the first three months of the year, and by 53.8% from a year ago.
By the end of June 2016, Windsor had $55.2-million worth of projects underway. By the end of last month, that total had grown to $84.9-million, the second highest percentage increase in Canada.
LiUNA 625, the union that represents labourers in Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent told BlackburnNews.com last month it needed 500 new skilled trades workers just to keep up all the projects in the region. It held job fairs in Windsor, Leamington and Chatham.
Only the Niagara area saw a bigger increase. In St. Catharines-Niagara, nonresidential construction ballooned 80%, from $74.5-million in the first two-quarters of 2016 to $134.1-million.
Across the country, the value of non-residential projects only rose 0.3% in the second quarter, and 0.02% for the year to date.
Last month on the residential side, the number of projects slightly shrunk as work got underway on 158 homes compared to 163 last June. The Canada Housing and Mortgage Corporation reported a 3% decrease month over month. So far this year, ground broke on 8% fewer homes compared to January to June last year.
The Windsor-Essex County Association of Realtors report for June says sales were virtually flat last month compared to June 2016, but the average price to buy a home in Windsor-Essex continued to rise by leaps and bounds.
Compared to June 2016, prices jumped 18.5% to $274,789. So far this year, they have increased 19.44%.