Reno shows help drive record spending

TORONTO — Canadians are spending more than ever on home improvement, according to a new report, and part of the explanation comes from the small screen. Real estate consultants at Altus Group told Financial Post that the bumper of enthusiasm is partially attributable to “the HGTV” effect, with many Canadians having renovation envy after seeing the projects featured on the station’s shows and others like them. Renovation spending, which has climbed for 15 successive years, hit a record $63.4 billion last year, making up 3.7% of Canada’s total GDP.