Canada. Building Permits Down

Contractors took out just over $4.6 billion worth of building permits in July, an 11.4% decrease from June.

An important factor in the decline was a strike by civic workers in the city of Toronto, which shut down municipal offices for most of the month.

Municipalities issued about $2.6 billion in residential permits in July, down 4.1%, and just over $2.0 billion in non-residential permits, a 19.3% drop.

Excluding Toronto, the total value of building permits declined by 1.8%. The value of residential permits increased 7.4% instead of declining. Non-residential permits declined by 11.6%.

Provincially, the value of building permits fell in four provinces in July: Ontario, Alberta, Quebec and British Columbia. The most significant decrease occurred in Ontario (-27.5% to $1.4 billion), again mainly as a result of the situation in Toronto.

Residential sector: Intentions up for single-family permits, down for multi-family

Municipalities issued $1.8 billion in single-family permits in July, up 5.2% and a fifth consecutive monthly increase. The gain was a result of higher construction intentions in all provinces except Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.

The value of permits for multi-family dwellings declined 19.3% to $824.3 million in July. Excluding Toronto, they increased 8.0%.

Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba and New Brunswick reported decreases in multi-family construction intentions. British Columbia, Alberta and Nova Scotia posted the largest dollar increases.

Municipalities approved the construction of 12,364 new dwellings in July, down 3.8%. The decrease was primarily due to a 15.8% decline in the number of multi-family dwellings, which totalled 5,954 units.

The number of single-family dwellings approved rose 10.8% to 6,410 units, the highest level since November 2008.

The Building Permits Survey covers 2,400 municipalities representing 95% of the population. It provides an early indication of building activity. The communities representing the other 5% of the population are very small, and their levels of building activity have little impact on the total.

The value of planned construction activities shown in this release excludes engineering projects (e.g., waterworks, sewers or culverts) and land.

For the purpose of this release, the census metropolitan area of Ottawa–Gatineau (Ontario/Quebec) is divided into two areas: Gatineau part and Ottawa part.

Non-residential sector: Decreases in all three components

The value of building permits declined in all three components in July. Provincially, Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia reported decreases in all three components.

After two consecutive monthly increases, the value of permits for commercial buildings decreased 18.6% to $1.0 billion. In Ontario, the decrease came mainly from construction intentions for hotels, restaurants and laboratories. In Alberta and Quebec, the decrease came mainly from office and recreational buildings.

In the institutional component, the value of permits decreased 19.7% to $734 million. British Columbia and Alberta accounted for the largest decreases in July, due to declines in educational building projects. Ontario followed with decreases mostly in educational and government buildings.

The value of permits for the industrial component declined by 20.5% to $264 million. This was due largely to a reduction of permits issued in Toronto. Overall, six other provinces also experienced some decline in construction intentions.

Provinces: Largest increase in Saskatchewan

In July, six provinces recorded increases in the value of building permits. Saskatchewan recorded the largest gain (+57.5%), the result of increases in all components.

The value of building permits decreased in the four largest provinces.

In Alberta, the total value of building permits declined 10.9% to $753.5 million, reflecting decreases in all three components of the non-residential sector. In British Columbia, total intentions fell 2.5% to $618.6 million, again the result of declines in all three non-residential components. However, permits in the residential sector of both provinces rose, thanks to strong results for both single- and multiple-family dwellings.

Quebec experienced a decline of 6.1% to $1.1 billion, due to decreases in the residential sector and the commercial component.

Metropolitan areas: Decreases in Toronto, Calgary and Kelowna
The total value of permits decreased in 17 of 34 census metropolitan areas (CMA).

The largest decrease occurred in the CMA of Toronto, where only the institutional component showed a gain. Excluding the city of Toronto, however, the value of permits in the rest of the remaining part of the CMA rose 1.2%, thanks to gains in the single and institutional components.

The CMA of Calgary recorded decreases in all components of the non-residential sector and increases in all components of the residential sector. Kelowna registered decreases in both sectors.

The total value of permits in the Vancouver CMA increased, the result of gains in all components except for industrial permits.

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