UrbanToronto is celebrating its 20th anniversary throughout October with stories and images looking back at the last two decades. Today we look to the sky to see a more common sight across Toronto’s various horizons: the crane.
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The world’s cities are growing, and nothing symbolizes a city’s upward growth like the number of cranes you’ll see on every skyline. It’s simply one of those areas where the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA) also boasts the best; No other city or urban region in North America can match the number of cranes in the sky, although Vancouver comes close with its 200s. For enthusiasts, below are the big numbers, both for the total GTHA area we track and broken down by region…
…but we also have some numbers for the statistician and the industry players. That’s why, in our 20th year, UrbanToronto, your destination for comprehensive insight into the GTHA’s urban development, is pleased to introduce an expanded service: Welcome to our quarterly Crane Count, covering the third quarter of 2023.
Cranes raise the city higher. Image courtesy of TTT
UrbanToronto began tracking the number of cranes in the GTA in spring 2021. Our first report was published in June 2021. Although we have not yet posted the updates on our front page, we continue to update our forum with the latest crane numbers on a project-by-project basis across the Toronto area. This summer we expanded our crane count coverage to Hamilton. Additionally, UTPro users now have access to the crane count for each project database file recorded in a new field. This expansion in the scope and scope of our capabilities now allows us to report quickly and reliably on this feature on a regular basis.
Digging without tools: The need for accurate construction data
In the GTHA’s dynamic construction landscape, with 619 projects currently under construction and nearly another 2,500 in the pre-construction phase, the importance of accurate and timely information is critical for many. Developers, investors and urban planners have the task of navigating this complex framework and looking for reliable data for their strategies and decisions. Knowing the level of crane activity can also help you assess the relative strain and health of the local construction industry.
Assembling Insights: Detailed Analysis of Crane Count
For UTPro users, the addition of the Crane Count feature improves structural integrity and allows you to gather a wealth of detailed insights. Now users can track cranes regionally or by project. Together with UTPro’s other data and analytics tools, this feature can be used for lead generation, research and analysis. No one else is able to provide this level of granularity to the data.
Scaffolding Knowledge: Quarterly Reporting for Informed Decision Making
UrbanToronto is committed to reporting on the construction industry, which is why we will provide crane statistics to the public on a quarterly basis.
Raising industry standards
With the release of the Active Cranes Report, UrbanToronto reiterates its commitment to excellence and strives to raise industry standards by providing reliable and comprehensive urban development data. We invite industry experts and enthusiasts to explore the countless benefits of UTPro and use Crane Count to gain unprecedented insight into the GTHA’s evolving construction landscape.
The number of cranes in the third quarter of 2023
Short information:
- As of October 1, 2023, there are 357 cranes along our skyline in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area
- Of the 619 projects under construction in the GTHA, 238 projects have at least one crane (36.5%). This is usually a sign of medium or tall projects
- Of these projects with at least 1 crane, 142 have exactly 1, 71 have 2 cranes, 14 have 3 cranes, and 6 have 4 or more cranes
- These cranes are building projects that will add 55,526 new housing units to the GTHA
- Within the City of Toronto, District 10 has the highest total number of cranes at 23
Map of the regions of the GTHA and the number of cranes in each region. As of: Q3 2023. Data from UTPro.
Summary table of GTHA projects with cranes as of Q3 2023. Data from UTPro.
Pie chart for total cranes by region for Q3 2023. Data from UTPro.
Historical map of cranes in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton area, October 2021 to October 2023. Data from UTPro.
In the final chart above, you can see that the number of cranes in the areas we monitored prior to this quarter is actually down from what we believe to be a historic high this time last year. However, the addition of Hamilton to our tracking, shown in light blue at the top of the Q3 2023 column, shows a higher total when added. Despite the slight decline in the GTA without Hamilton, the number of cranes is relatively stable: note that the baseline for the chart is 300 cranes, not 0!
We’ll be back in January with three months’ worth of changes, but in the meantime you can always keep up with the situation in our crane thread or by checking in on individual project threads.
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UrbanToronto will return soon with another 20TH anniversary story. In the meantime, check back regularly on our homepage and forum to keep an eye on all current and emerging trends. You can also always leave your comments in the box below.
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Thank you to the businesses joining UrbanToronto to celebrate our 20th anniversary.