Ritchie Bros. Q2 2026: Canadian construction prices jumped, trucks softened
Industry news · Published October 16, 2026 · By the Machinery One team · How we count
Ritchie Bros. publishes a quarterly look at what used equipment actually sold for at its auctions. The latest one covers the second quarter of 2026, and the Canadian numbers are worth a read.
Here's the short version, in our words.
What the report says about Canada
- Construction equipment prices rose about 11% compared with the first quarter of 2026. Ritchie Bros. calls it a notable spike.
- Transportation prices were about flat quarter over quarter.
- Canadian auction pricing was weaker than the U.S., with mixed results across earthmoving and general construction categories.
- Truck tractors fell in price on lower volume.
- Boom lifts went the other way. Prices rose even though average usage declined.
Auction prices aren't dealer asking prices
This is the part people mix up. Ritchie Bros. reports what machines sold for at auction. Machinery One shows what dealers are asking. They're two different numbers, and they can sit a fair way apart.
Auction prices tell you where a machine cleared on a given day. Asking prices tell you where a dealer wants to start the conversation. Looking at both gives you a better picture than either one alone. We wrote about that gap earlier this month.
What it means if you're shopping
We don't predict prices, and one quarter doesn't make a trend. But a few practical points follow from the report.
- Check the category you're buying. An 11% jump in construction equipment overall doesn't mean every excavator went up 11%. Compare the specific type, age and hours.
- Look at more than one price source. Use the auction results, the dealer asking prices, and a valuation for the exact unit.
- Truck tractors softened at auction, on lower volume. If you're shopping, compare what dealers ask today, but one quarter's auction results don't tell you where dealer prices will go. Start with trucks on Machinery One.
As of October 16, 2026 we tracked more than 8,000 machines from 118 Canadian dealers. The market snapshot shows the median and range of asking prices by machine type and province, updated as dealers update their stock. For a number on one specific machine, Fair Market Valuations (our sister site) gives a free range.
Sources
- Ritchie Bros., July Market Trends Report: Q2 2026 construction and transportation pricing, published August 2026. All Ritchie Bros. figures above come from this report; read it for the full category detail.
- Machinery One dealer listings, October 2026.