Construction consulting firm Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) released its latest Crane Index report Apr. 9 with Toronto still at the top of North American cities.

Contractors across the Greater Toronto Area have 238 tower cranes in use – nearly five times the 51 cranes in second-place Seattle, Washington.

Toronto accounts for over 41 per cent of the total cranes in the air across 14 North American cities surveyed noted in the RLB report.

The overall crane count forToronto has increased by eight cranes, although over the last six months, 31 projects have been closed out.

This most recent crane count includes 37 new projects. The most significant increase in cranes by project type is residential, with an increase of 13 cranes, while cranes on commercial projects dropped by six.

In Calgary, the only other Canadian city surveyed, the crane count is down by just one crane from the previous report.

“Even with skilled labour shortages, high material costs, and limited availability of supplies and equipment, the city continues to flourish, and considerable investments have been made in Calgary’s future,” the report finds. “While the city expects a cooler, more balanced housing market this year, it is still investing in infrastructure to make these places development ready for more than 190,000 people. In addition, a $500 million expansion to the BMO Centre is also underway.”

Denver, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle and Toronto reported more cranes in the latest report and Chicago and New York had decreased numbers.

“Despite continued workforce challenges and economic uncertainties are still concerns for the coming year, we are continuing to see new projects break ground within our key markets,” the report says. “We anticipate the number of cranes to remain high into 2023. Despite uncertain market conditions, construction projects will continue to break ground, albeit at a cost.”,