Ontario has approximately $200 billion worth of confirmed construction projects in its development pipeline, according to new figures cited by the Ontario Construction Secretariat (OCS).

Katherine Jacobs, director of research for OCS, said during the group’s recent State of the Industry and Outlook conference in Toronto that the figure—calculated by BuildForce Canada—represents projects that have already been approved and are expected to proceed, Construction Connect reported. Roughly half of that total, about $100 billion, is located in the Greater Toronto Area, driven largely by transit, power-generation and healthcare developments.

During the conference, results from the latest contractor survey also revealed mixed expectations for the year ahead.

Nearly half of contractors surveyed expect the Ontario construction market to remain stable or grow in 2026, while a similar proportion expect it to decline. At the same time, 36% of respondents expect higher revenues and 33% anticipate doing more business than they did in 2025.

Jacobs said the contrasting views reflect broader economic uncertainty even as many firms remain confident in their own project backlogs, Construction Connect reported.

Meanwhile, 58% of the respondent reported that one or more of their projects had been delayed or cancelled, citing escalating material costs, lack of financing, trade-war uncertainty and high interest rates as the main causes.

Despite those pressures, half of contractors expect the hiring of skilled labour to become more difficult in 2026, and seven out of 10 firms now employ apprentices, up from previous years.

OCS CEO Brian Barron said the unionized construction sector can help manage workforce demands by sharing labour pools across the province, Construction Connect reported.

Jacobs also noted that institutional investment, particularly in hospitals, has been a major driver of industrial, commercial and institutional (ICI) construction activity, while the high-rise residential sector remains weak and may take years to recover, according to Construction Connect.

Pictured: Darlington nuclear project in Clarington, Ont.

Image: OPG