According to a report by PCA economic research, 2005 marked the seventh consecutive year of increases in Canadian portland cement consumption. Lead by a 14.1% gain in the Prairie Provinces, overall consumption increased 1.2%, to almost 9.2 million metric tons. Masonry cement consumption in 2005, however, reversed a three-year growth trend with a 3.3% reduction in consumption, despite a 98.3% increase in British Columbia and the Territories. Exports of portland and masonry cement also decreased last year.