MISSISSAUGA, Ontario - The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada (HRAI) has released its annual statistics forecast for the year 2004. The organization projects that both residential air conditioning and residential furnace shipments will increase by 2 percent, and commercial air conditioning shipments by 7 percent over the projected 2003 figures.

Actual shipments of commercial air conditioning in 2002 in Canada were 40,108. The projected year-end figure for 2003 shows a 7 percent drop to 37,300, while the forecast for 2004 increases by 7 percent to 40,100.

For residential air conditioning shipments, compared to the actual 2002 shipments of 270,918, the projected 2003 figure decreases by 10 percent to 244,800. However, the 2004 forecast increases over 2003 by 2 percent to 250,200.

For residential furnaces, the actual 2002 shipments were 291,142. At year-end 2003, shipments are projected to decrease by 5 percent to 277,900. The forecast for 2004 increases over 2003, again by 2 percent to 283,700.

For more information, visit www.hrai.ca.

Publication date: 11/03/2003