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A 1.6 per cent annual increase is expected for Canada's cement demand.

The world's demand for hydraulic cement is predicted to annually rise by 4.1 per cent over the next three years to 3.5 billion t (3.9 billion ton) in 2013.

According to The Freedonia Group's study, "World Cement," gains will be fuelled by increasing investments in infrastructure among developing countries, driven by economic growth and rising per capita income levels. A climb in construction spending will also benefit demand. However, these gains will be less than previously seen during 2003 to 2008, which had an annual global growth of 7.2 per cent.

During that same period, Canada's cement market increased by 2.6 per cent each year. In 2008, there was a demand of 10.8 million t (11.9 million ton), and production in Canadian facilities reached 13.4 million t (14.8 million ton). The country's cement demand is projected to annually climb 1.6 per cent through 2013 to reach 11.7 million t (12.9 million ton)—a slowdown from previous years.

Other countries expected to have a rise in cement demand include Japan, India, Spain, and Germany.