There were fewer cranes across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area in the first quarter of 2026 compared to the same time last year, though there were more cranes compared to the last quarter of 2025. 

Map of the regions of the GTHA, and the number of cranes within each. As of April 1, 2026. Data from UTPro.

As of April 1, 2026, there were 242 cranes atop buildings across the GTHA, according to UrbanToronto's UTPro tracking of construction projects. This represents a drop of 44 cranes from our report covering the same period last year, while an increase of 7 cranes from last quarter. 

Historical chart of cranes in the GTA in dark blue, Hamilton in light blue, April 2022 to April 2026. Data from UTPro.

The losses were found in Toronto, Hamilton, and Halton. York, Durham, while Peel saw slight increases in the number of cranes compared to 2025. 

The changes in the number of cranes in each region from the same time last year. Data from UTPro.

Of course, projects can have multiple cranes, so when looking at projects, the story is somewhat more negative when looking at the number of projects with cranes. The only region that saw an increase in the number of projects with at least one crane was Peel; all other regions either decreased the number of projects that had a crane, or remained flat. 

The changes in projects with at least one crane in each region from the same time last year. Data from UrbanToronto Pro..

Across the entire UTPro coverage area (the GTHA plus the regions of Wellington, Niagara, Simcoe, and Waterloo), there are 207 projects using 289 cranes to build 399 buildings. They are contributing to the construction of 93,746 dwelling units. The typical height for a project with a crane is 43.2 metres, roughly 11 storeys. 

Summary table of GTHA projects with cranes as of the end of Q1 2026. Data from UTPro.

The increase in the number of cranes this quarter compared to last is consistent with our recent report indicating an uptick in new construction. As the report tracked new construction from the previous month, it is possible that the number of cranes will increase modestly again next quarter. 

Toronto's Downtown skyline forms the horizon behind a crane in use to build an Ontario Line 3 bridge in the Don Valley, image by UrbanToronto Forum contributor kris

We'll be back again in July with our next quarterly crane count update.

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UrbanToronto research and data service, UrbanToronto Pro, provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area—from proposal through to completion. We also offer Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.​