Building permits, March 2016

May 10 2016

The total value of building permits issued by Canadian municipalities was down 7.0% to $6.9 billion in March, marking the second decline in three months. The decrease, which followed a 15.3% gain in February, was largely the result of lower construction intentions for commercial buildings in Alberta, Ontario and British Columbia.

Chart 1  
Total value of permits

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the non-residential sector, the value of building permits was down 22.8% to $2.4 billion in March, following a 32.6% increase the previous month. Declines were reported in half the provinces, with Alberta responsible for most of the drop, followed by British Columbia and Ontario.

The value of residential permits rose 4.8% to $4.4 billion in March, a second consecutive monthly increase. Gains were posted in seven provinces, led by Ontario, British Columbia and Nova Scotia. The largest decline in residential construction intentions was reported in Alberta.

Non-residential sector: Lower construction intentions for all three components

All three components of the non-residential sector decreased in March, led by commercial buildings.

The value of permits for commercial buildings was down 27.7% to $1.5 billion in March, partially offsetting the 56.6% increase in February. At the national level, the decline was mainly the result of lower construction intentions for recreational facilities and retail complexes, which recorded large increases the previous month. Decreases were posted in five provinces, led by Alberta, followed distantly by Ontario and British Columbia.

In the institutional component, the value of permits was down 12.2% to $591 million in March, after posting an increase of 17.5% the previous month. The decrease resulted mostly from lower construction intentions for secondary schools, other government buildings and health clinics. Declines were posted in five provinces, most notably Alberta, Quebec and Saskatchewan. Ontario registered the largest advance in the component.

The value of industrial building permits was down 17.1% to $395 million in March, a second consecutive monthly decline. Lower construction intentions for maintenance-related buildings, utilities buildings and manufacturing plants were responsible for much of the decrease. The decline was spread among five provinces, led by Manitoba. The biggest increase was recorded in Alberta.

Chart 2  
Residential and non-residential sectors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Residential sector: Higher construction intentions for multi-family dwellings

Construction intentions for multi-family dwellings rose 12.1% to $2.0 billion in March. Gains were reported in every province, except Alberta. Ontario posted the largest advance, followed by British Columbia and Nova Scotia.

The value of permits for single-family dwellings edged down 0.5% to $2.4 billion, following a 10.0% increase in February. Declines were spread among five provinces, led by British Columbia. Ontario recorded the most notable increase.

Municipalities approved the construction of 15,674 new dwellings in March, down 1.4% from the previous month. The decline resulted from single-family dwellings, which fell 7.9% to 5,623 new units. Conversely, multi-family dwellings were up 2.6% to 10,051 new units.

Provinces: Alberta records the largest decline

The total value of building permits was down in four provinces in March, with Alberta posting the largest decrease, followed by British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

In Alberta, the value of building permits dropped 41.3% to $931 million, following a 43.3% increase in February. Construction intentions declined in every component, except industrial buildings. Commercial buildings and multi-family dwellings accounted for most of the decrease.

The value of building permits in British Columbia was down 5.2% to $1.1 billion in March, registering a third consecutive monthly decline. The drop was the result of lower construction intentions in every component, with the exception of multi-family dwellings. Commercial structures accounted for the majority of the decrease.

In Saskatchewan, the value of building permits fell 27.8% to $127 million, a third consecutive monthly decline. The decrease came from a drop in construction intentions for institutional buildings, which were at their lowest level since October 2014, and single-family dwellings.

Census metropolitan areas: Edmonton posts the largest decrease

In March, the value of building permits was down in 14 of the 34 census metropolitan areas. The decline was mainly attributable to lower permit values in Edmonton, Oshawa and Victoria.

The value of building permits in Edmonton fell 64.8% in March, following a record high in February. The decrease was the result of lower construction intentions for commercial buildings and, to a lesser degree, multi-family dwellings and institutional structures.

In Oshawa, the decline was attributable to lower residential construction intentions, mainly single-family dwellings, while in Victoria, multi-family dwellings and commercial buildings were responsible for the decrease.

 Source: Statistics Canada; www.statcan.gc.ca/daily-quotidien/160505/dq160505a-eng.htm

Related Articles


Latest Articles

  • Light and Life: Discover Innovations at Hong Kong’s Premier Lighting Events This October

    Light and Life: Discover Innovations at Hong Kong’s Premier Lighting Events This October

    October 7, 2024 REGISTER HERE At the end of October, the Hong Kong Trade Development Council will host two major events in the lighting industry: the Hong Kong International Lighting Fair (Autumn Edition) and the Hong Kong International Outdoor and Tech Light Expo. Under the theme “Light and Life,” these fairs will present a wide… Read More…

  • NETCO 2023 Leadership Excellence Award Winner – Geordie Walsh IBEW 625 Halifax, Nova Scotia

    NETCO 2023 Leadership Excellence Award Winner – Geordie Walsh IBEW 625 Halifax, Nova Scotia

    October 7, 2024 Leaders and experts from the electrical industry gathered in Victoria, BC, September 5-6th, at the picturesque Inn at Laurel Point for the annual National Electrical Trade Council (NETCO) educational conference and trade show. As part of the event, NETCO presented their 2023 Leadership Excellence Award to Geordie Walsh of IBEW 625 Halifax,… Read More…

  • EFC: A Captivating Quebec Economic Forecast

    EFC: A Captivating Quebec Economic Forecast

    October 7, 2024 On September 19, nearly 50 members of the Quebec section of the Canadian Electro-federation had the opportunity to attend a highly strategic evening with none other than Valérie Beaudoin, Analyst and speaker specializing in American politics to talk about the issues that the upcoming US election decisions will have on the Canadian/Québec… Read More…

  • BC Hydro: Business Energy Saving Incentives

    BC Hydro: Business Energy Saving Incentives

    October 7, 2024 Get funding for energy-efficient equipment upgrades By focusing on what uses the most energy in your business, you can make energy-efficient upgrades for the greatest impact on savings.  The offer Business customers can upgrade any of the equipment listed below with eligible, energy-efficient models and BC Hydro will provide funding to cover… Read More…


Changing Scene

  • Sonepar Canada and Bullfrog Power Collaborate to Expand Green Energy Access

    Sonepar Canada and Bullfrog Power Collaborate to Expand Green Energy Access

    October 7, 2024 Sonepar Canada has partnered with Bullfrog Power to advance its commitment to sustainability by sourcing renewable energy. This collaboration marks a significant step toward reducing Sonepar’s carbon footprint and supporting a cleaner future for Canada by choosing green electricity for its Canadian operations. Bullfrog Power’s generators supply 100% clean, pollution-free electricity to… Read More…

  • PCL Aims for Zero Incidents Under New Deal with Safety Software Company HammerTech

    PCL Aims for Zero Incidents Under New Deal with Safety Software Company HammerTech

    October 7, 2024 PCL Construction (PCL) has signed a multi-year deal with safety intelligence software company HammerTech to help make job sites safer and boost efficiencies across global operations. PCL, one of the largest construction firms in North America, has built a strong culture of accountability, measurement and innovation – delivering over $10 billion-dollar CAD of annual construction… Read More…

  • Electric Avenue Offers Free EV Charger to Enel X Commercial Customers Following Market Exit

    Electric Avenue Offers Free EV Charger to Enel X Commercial Customers Following Market Exit

    October 4, 2024 In response to Enel X’s recent decision to exit the North American market, leaving over 170,000 EV chargers orphaned, Electric Avenue is stepping up to support affected commercial customers with a limited-time offer. Electric Avenue will provide a free Watti Pro Lite 48A commercial EV charger to every Enel X commercial customer… Read More…

  • Leviton Receives Two Gold Cabling Innovators Awards

    Leviton Receives Two Gold Cabling Innovators Awards

    October 4, 2024 Leviton announced that it was recognized among the best in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry by the 2024 Cabling Installation & Maintenance Innovators Awards. Two Gold Awards were given in recognition of Leviton Network Solutions’ carbon neutrality and sustainability initiatives, and for new Leviton OPT-X™ SDX Splice Modules. The third-party… Read More…