John McNicoll, executive director of the 1,300-member Edmonton Construction Association, describes the ongoing slump as a crisis. McNicoll said business has been slow for the local construction sector since oil prices started to plummet in 2015. Lower oil prices have hit the construction sector hard as investors claw back spending on major projects or shelve them altogether. New numbers show Edmonton saw the country's biggest drop in construction permits. City of Edmonton spokesperson Karen Burgess said a "modest" reduction of 1.2 per cent in overall building permits is expected in 2020.

Source: CBC News February 11, 2020 20:18 UTC