August Building Permits: Decreases in Ontario & BC Pull National Results Down Compared to July

October 7, 2021

The total value of building permits in Canada decreased 2.1% to $9.7 billion in August. Although most provinces reported increases, notable declines in Ontario and British Columbia pulled the national results lower compared with July.

On a constant dollar basis (2012=100), the total value of building permits fell 1.3%.

Residential permits continue to trend down since March peak

Residential permits decreased 8.3% to $6.4 billion in August, the lowest level since March. Ontario and British Columbia drove most of the decline.

Construction intentions for multi-family units fell 15.9%, largely reflecting Ontario’s decline (-24.3%). This was despite the approval of high value condominium projects in the city of Toronto.

In contrast, single family intentions were up slightly (+1.2%), led by a 15.7% gain in Quebec. Additionally, Newfoundland and Labrador (+0.7%) reported the first provincial increase in this component after six consecutive monthly declines.

Non-residential permits up in August

Non-residential building permits rose 12.3% to $3.3 billion, led by higher construction intentions in Quebec and Alberta.

Commercial building permits were up 14.9% nationally, supported by Ontario’s third consecutive month of growth. A 10-storey office building permit in the city of North York contributed to Ontario’s gains.

The value of institutional building permits rose 21.9% in August. Much of this growth came from Quebec (+78.0%), largely reflecting a $116 million permit for an expansion of a hospital building in the city of Verdun.

Construction intentions for industrial buildings decreased 7.3% to $543 million in August. Nova Scotia reported the largest monthly percentage decrease (-90.9%), following a strong July which included a $40 million utility building permit issued by the city of Halifax.

To explore data using an interactive user interface, visit the Building permits: Interactive Dashboard.

To explore the impact of COVID-19 on the socioeconomic landscape, please consult the Canadian Economic Dashboard and COVID-19.

For more information on housing, please visit the Housing Statistics Portal.

Statistics Canada has a Housing Market Indicators dashboard. This web application provides access to key housing market indicators for Canada, by province and by census metropolitan area. These indicators are updated automatically with new information from monthly releases, giving users access to the latest data.

Go HERE for more information