Building permits

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Following four months of decline, the value of building permits increased 12.2% in March to $6.3 billion. This was 38.9% higher than the level in March 2009. The increase came mainly from multi-family and industrial building permits.

In the residential sector, construction intentions increased 13.9% to $4.2 billion, thanks to a substantial gain in permits for multi-family dwellings, particularly in Ontario and British Columbia.

In the non-residential sector, municipalities issued $2.1 billion worth of permits, up 9.1% from February. This increase occurred mainly as a result of higher construction intentions in the industrial and institutional components.

The total value of construction intentions rose in all provinces, except Quebec.

Residential sector: Higher intentions for multi-family permits

Municipalities issued $1.5 billion worth of multi-family permits in March, up 53.6% from February, its highest level since July 2008. Ontario and British Columbia accounted for most of the increase, although six other provinces showed higher intentions for the construction of multiple dwellings. In contrast, Quebec posted a large decline following an increase in February.

The Canada value of building permits for single-family dwellings remained unchanged at $2.7 billion. Provincially, increases in eight provinces offset declines in Alberta and Ontario. Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador posted the largest advances in single-family construction intentions.

Nationally, municipalities approved construction of 19,469 new dwelling units in March, up 21.1%. The gain was largely attributable to multi-family dwellings, which rose 46.0% to 10,038 units. This was the first time since July 2008 that the number of multiple units surpassed 10,000. The number of single-family dwellings approved increased 2.5% to 9,431 units.

Non-residential sector: Gains in industrial and institutional components

In the industrial component, the value of building permits advanced 56.9% to $423 million, the third consecutive monthly increase. Alberta and Ontario led six provinces that posted higher values. These gains mainly came from projects related to transportation buildings in this component.

In the institutional component, municipalities issued permits worth $523 million, up 18.1%. Ontario and Alberta posted increases as a result of higher values of building permits for government administration and religious purposes. In British Columbia, the increase originated from higher educational building projects.

The value of commercial building permits totalled $1.2 billion, down 4.5%. The decline was mainly due to construction intentions for hotels and office buildings in Ontario. However, the value of commercial permits increased in Saskatchewan and British Columbia, as a result of higher construction intentions for warehouses and office buildings.

Permits up in all provinces except Quebec

The value of building permits was up in March in all provinces except Quebec.

The most significant increases were in Ontario and British Columbia. In Ontario, the increase in the value of permits came mainly from multi-family dwellings. British Columbia's gain was due to both the residential and non-residential sectors.

Following a strong gain in February, Quebec registered the only decrease in March, mostly as a result of construction intentions for the multi-family and institutional permits.

Permits up in most census metropolitan areas

The total value of permits increased in 26 of the 34 census metropolitan areas.

The largest gains were in Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary. Vancouver posted increases in all types of buildings. In Toronto, the increase came mainly from multi-family permits. In Calgary, it was a result of all components of the non-residential sector.

The largest declines occurred in Edmonton and Windsor, the result of decreases in the residential and non-residential sectors.

Available on CANSIM: tables 026-0001 to 026-0008 and 026-0010.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 2802.

The March 2010 issue of Building Permits (64-001-X, free) will soon be available.

The April building permit data will be released on June 4.

To order data, contact Jasmine Gaudreault (toll-free 1-800-579-8533; 613-951-6321; bdp_information@statcan.gc.ca). For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Nicole Charron (613-951-0087), Investment and Capital Stock Division.