Manufacturing Shipments and Housing Starts Show Strong Increases

Released on March 15, 2021

Saskatchewan First Among Provinces in Urban Housing Starts; Second in Manufacturing Sales

Today, a Statistics Canada release on manufacturing shipments for January 2021 shows Saskatchewan sales were up 10.4 per cent over last year, the second highest percentage increase among the provinces (seasonally adjusted).

Also today, a Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation release on urban housing starts for February 2021 shows Saskatchewan starts were up by 64.3 per cent over last February (seasonally unadjusted), the highest percentage increase when compared with the other provinces.

"Manufacturing shipments and housing starts are important indicators of economic performance, with both up substantially over the previous year," Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison said.  "This shows Saskatchewan is in an enviable position for economic recovery coming out of the global COVID-19 pandemic in the months ahead."

Significant increases in manufacturing sales came from wood products, as well as double-digit gains in food manufacturing and in chemical products, on an annual basis.  The value of manufacturing shipments in January 2021 was $1.28 billion.

Housing starts were up 55.0 per cent, to 93 starts, for single dwellings and 72.5 per cent, to 119 starts, for multiple units on a year-over-year basis.

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