CaDCR staff writer
Toronto continues to lead the way in Rider Levett Bucknall’s (RLB) latest biannual crane count, with 83 tower cranes currently in operation within the city. This number marks a notable decline from previous reports, which covered a broader area.
The Q3 report is the first to focus exclusively on Toronto’s downtown core, where construction activity is most concentrated. This new analysis encompasses a radius of 3.5 kilometres from the intersection of Bloor St W and Avenue Rd, accounting for approximately 35% of the city’s total crane count.
The Q1 2024 report for the entire city showed more than 220 cranes in use.
Q1-2024-Crane-Index
The current report is a slight increase of three cranes in the past six months. The residential sector remains dominant, with 43 cranes—an increase of 11—while the mixed-use sector saw a decrease to 26 cranes. Growth is also evident in healthcare, education, public assembly, and transportation sectors.
Los Angeles ranks second in the crane count with 42, down eight from the previous quarter. Calgary, the only other Canadian city tracked by RLB, reported a 20 per cent increase to 24 cranes, with significant growth in capital projects including the $1.2 billion Calgary Events Centre and the $1.2 billion Future Energy Park. Also, about $550 million in residential developments are underway across the city.
Overall, the report shows a decrease of 5 per cent (15 cranes) from the first quarter with Boston, Portland, San Francisco, and Seattle experiencing declines of over 20 per cent.
Calgary, Chicago, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Toronto, and Washington D.C. reported increases, while Denver, Los Angeles, and New York City maintained steady counts.
In the third quarter, the majority of cranes – 69 per cent – were at residential and mixed-use projects.