Canada's capital investment in 2013 will slow to its lowest rate of growth since before the recession, with little to no growth seen in the oil-and-gas, mining and other industry sectors. But there is better spending news from public agencies and certain provinces, says a national government survey released on Feb. 27.
Anticipated investment in construction, machinery and equipment will reach $387.5 billion this year, up just 1.7% in current dollars, says the survey by Statistics Canada, the Ottawa-based federal agency that tracks the country's economic growth and other indicators. "This would be the smallest increase since the economic downturn in 2009," says the survey.