A federal study into corruption in the construction industry didn't get far because few people were willing to talk about it.

Public Safety Canada commissioned a report on the industries in Quebec and British Columbia in 2010 following stories of rampant corruption.

The organization leading the probe approached 35 organizations to give input, but only six agreed to take part.

The report, which was released Monday, suggests people stayed silent for fear of reprisals and some even believed the study authors were working with the police.

The report was completed with feedback from just 17 participants.

It concludes the Canadian commercial construction sector is at a moderate to high risk of corruption and organized crime.

The study also notes that there's almost no data proving organized crime links to the industry.

Public Safety Canada has said it could not immediately comment on the final report.