Number of Black-Market Transactions in Canada Up Over 30% Since 2016: StatCan

A construction worker shingles the roof of a new home in a housing development in Ottawa, in a file photo. The residential construction business is the largest contributor to the underground economy, Statistics Canada says. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick

The number of black-market transactions in Canada grew by more than 30 percent over the five-year period between 2016 and 2021, according to a new report by Statistics Canada, which says residential construction is the largest contributor to underground activity.

“The gross domestic product (GDP) at market prices for underground economic activity in Canada was estimated to be $68.5 billion, or 2.7% of total GDP, in 2021,“ wrote the agency in its report, titled ”The underground economy in Canada, 2021,” as first reported by Blacklock’s Reporter.