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June 2010 (Previous release)

The value of building permits totalled $6.6 billion in June, up 6.5% from May and a 24.9% increase from June 2009. The gain in June was due to the non-residential sector, which more than offset the decline in the residential sector.

Total value of permits

In the non-residential sector, the value of permits increased 23.5% from May to $3.0 billion in June. This increase was largely attributable to higher commercial and institutional construction intentions in Ontario and higher commercial construction intentions in Alberta.

In the residential sector, the value of permits fell 4.5% from May to $3.6 billion in June, as a result of a drop in single-family housing permits. This was the third consecutive monthly decrease.

The total value of permits was up in six provinces, led by Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador and British Columbia. Saskatchewan posted the largest decrease.

Note to readers

Unless otherwise stated, this release presents seasonally adjusted data, which eases comparisons by removing the effects of seasonal variations.

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.

Revision

Preliminary data are provided for the current reference month. Revised data, based on late responses, are updated for the previous month.

Non-residential sector: Increases in both institutional and commercial components

In the commercial component, municipalities issued $1.5 billion worth of permits in June, up 39.0% from May. The increase was primarily due to higher construction intentions for hotels, restaurants and conference centres in Ontario and for recreational facilities in Alberta.

The institutional component increased 41.7% from May to $966 million in June. The increase was largely due to higher construction intentions for educational institutions in Ontario.

After five consecutive monthly increases, the value of industrial building permits fell 18.0% from May to $566 million in June. Ontario had the largest decrease, while Newfoundland and Labrador posted the biggest gain.

Residential sector: Lower intentions for single-family dwellings

The value of building permits for single-family units declined for the third consecutive month, falling 8.3% from May to $2.2 billion in June. The decline in June was a result of decreases in every province except Newfoundland and Labrador.

Municipalities issued $1.4 billion worth of building permits for multi-family dwellings in June, 2.0% more than in May and a second consecutive monthly increase. British Columbia was by far the province with the largest gain in the value of multi-family permits, offsetting declines in six provinces.

Municipalities approved the construction of 17,729 new dwellings in June, up 2.0% from May. This was due to a 12.1% increase in the number of multi-family dwellings to 10,216, despite a 9.2% drop in the number of single-family dwellings to 7,513.

Residential and non-residential sectors

Increases in six provinces

In June, the value of building permits was up in six provinces.

Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador and British Columbia posted the largest advances. The increase in Alberta was attributable to all components in the non-residential sector. In Newfoundland and Labrador, the value of permits tripled relative to May as a result of increases in every component except institutional buildings. In British Columbia, the gain was due to the commercial and industrial components, and permits for multi-family dwellings.

Saskatchewan had the largest drop with decreases in every component. Ontario posted a small decline as a result of increases in the institutional and commercial components, which did not entirely offset decreases in the other components.

Increases in the census metropolitan areas

The total value of permits rose in 15 of the 34 census metropolitan areas.

In Kitchener, the value of permits doubled as a result of gains in all non-residential components and in multi-family dwellings. The value of permits was up in Edmonton and Ottawa because of increases in the three components of the non-residential sector. The value of permits in St. John's was pushed upward by all components except institutional or government buildings.

In contrast, Toronto and St. Catharines–Niagara posted the largest declines. In Toronto, the decrease was attributable to the residential sector and permits for industrial buildings. The decrease in St. Catharines–Niagara stemmed from every component in the non-residential sector.

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

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 2802.

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

The July building permit data will be released on September 8.

To order data, contact Joanne Bureau (toll-free 1-800-579-8533; 613-951-9689; 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.

Table 1

Dwelling units, value of residential and non-residential building permits, Canada
  June 2009 April 2010 May 2010r June 2010p May to June 2010 June 2009 to June 2010
  Seasonally adjusted
  number of units % change
Total dwellings 13,120 17,909 17,383 17,729 2.0 35.1
Single1 5,955 8,733 8,271 7,513 -9.2 26.2
Multiples 7,165 9,176 9,112 10,216 12.1 42.6
  value in $ millions % change
Total 5,254.5 6,707.5 6,160.7 6,561.8 6.5 24.9
Residential 2,750.0 3,864.6 3,737.9 3,570.0 -4.5 29.8
Single1 1,729.6 2,552.5 2,367.1 2,171.7 -8.3 25.6
Multiple 1,020.4 1,312.1 1,370.9 1,398.3 2.0 37.0
Non-residential 2,504.5 2,843.0 2,422.7 2,991.8 23.5 19.5
Industrial 324.4 437.8 690.8 566.2 -18.0 74.5
Commercial 1,256.9 1,525.3 1,050.0 1,459.4 39.0 16.1
Institutional 923.2 879.8 682.0 966.2 41.7 4.7
revised
preliminary
Included in this category are the following types of dwellings: single-detached, mobile home and cottage.
Note(s):
Data may not add to totals as a result of rounding.

Table 2

Value of building permits, by province and territory
  June 2009 April 2010 May 2010r June 2010p May to June 2010 June 2009 to June 2010
  Seasonally adjusted
  $ millions % change
Canada 5,254.5 6,707.5 6,160.7 6,561.8 6.5 24.9
Residential 2,750.0 3,864.6 3,737.9 3,570.0 -4.5 29.8
Non-residential 2,504.5 2,843.0 2,422.7 2,991.8 23.5 19.5
Newfoundland and Labrador 60.6 103.2 61.4 204.0 232.1 236.4
Residential 49.3 79.3 47.3 54.4 15.1 10.5
Non-residential 11.4 23.8 14.2 149.6 956.7 1,215.5
Prince Edward Island 11.6 16.1 29.2 23.6 -19.2 103.2
Residential 7.7 10.0 20.1 12.4 -38.0 62.4
Non-residential 4.0 6.0 9.1 11.2 22.1 182.1
Nova Scotia 135.1 293.5 120.6 142.8 18.4 5.7
Residential 61.3 93.6 82.5 92.2 11.8 50.4
Non-residential 73.8 199.9 38.1 50.5 32.6 -31.5
New Brunswick 92.8 123.2 106.0 127.0 19.8 36.8
Residential 51.0 57.2 59.3 40.6 -31.5 -20.5
Non-residential 41.8 65.9 46.7 86.4 84.9 106.8
Quebec 1,186.8 1,300.2 1,286.7 1,316.1 2.3 10.9
Residential 751.5 863.7 851.9 872.1 2.4 16.0
Non-residential 435.3 436.5 434.8 444.0 2.1 2.0
Ontario 1,887.7 2,661.0 2,402.6 2,401.8 0.0 27.2
Residential 966.8 1,398.8 1,306.3 1,094.1 -16.2 13.2
Non-residential 920.9 1,262.3 1,096.3 1,307.7 19.3 42.0
Manitoba 142.0 164.0 153.9 152.0 -1.2 7.0
Residential 78.6 125.3 99.0 89.7 -9.4 14.1
Non-residential 63.4 38.6 54.9 62.3 13.5 -1.7
Saskatchewan 136.7 192.3 230.3 127.2 -44.8 -7.0
Residential 57.2 108.7 112.8 82.1 -27.2 43.7
Non-residential 79.5 83.6 117.5 45.0 -61.7 -43.3
Alberta 912.2 1,149.8 1,007.4 1,185.3 17.7 29.9
Residential 391.8 640.1 663.0 606.9 -8.5 54.9
Non-residential 520.4 509.7 344.5 578.4 67.9 11.1
British Columbia 645.3 673.9 747.1 860.2 15.1 33.3
Residential 321.4 480.1 485.1 612.2 26.2 90.5
Non-residential 323.9 193.8 262.0 248.0 -5.4 -23.4
Yukon 5.3 15.1 7.7 11.7 53.2 123.4
Residential 2.9 6.7 6.0 6.3 5.1 120.8
Non-residential 2.4 8.4 1.6 5.4 230.6 126.5
Northwest Territories 19.5 3.7 7.5 4.8 -35.9 -75.2
Residential 1.7 0.9 4.7 2.1 -56.1 23.7
Non-residential 17.8 2.8 2.9 2.8 -2.7 -84.4
Nunavut 18.9 11.6 0.2 5.3 2,266.7 -71.8
Residential 8.9 0.1 0.1 4.8 6,330.7 -45.8
Non-residential 10.0 11.5 0.2 0.5 234.7 -95.0
revised
preliminary
Note(s):
Data may not add to totals as a result of rounding.

Table 3

Value of building permits, by census metropolitan area1
  June 2009 April 2010 May 2010r June 2010p May to June 2010 June 2009 to June 2010
  Seasonally adjusted
  $ millions % change
Total 3,846.2 4,851.7 4,572.9 4,721.0 3.2 22.7
St. John's 35.8 60.0 40.5 118.6 192.6 230.9
Halifax 64.8 66.6 56.3 70.2 24.6 8.3
Moncton 19.1 22.7 42.4 16.0 -62.4 -16.6
Saint John 21.1 35.0 11.3 11.1 -1.7 -47.1
Saguenay 28.8 29.5 37.3 24.0 -35.7 -16.5
Québec 145.5 186.4 142.2 142.2 -0.1 -2.3
Sherbrooke 44.4 50.5 36.3 32.6 -10.2 -26.6
Trois-Rivières 35.2 21.3 34.6 31.9 -7.8 -9.4
Montréal 562.7 524.4 617.4 630.0 2.0 12.0
Ottawa–Gatineau, Ontario/Quebec 182.0 214.7 190.9 282.5 48.0 55.2
Gatineau part 34.0 43.4 41.7 47.2 13.1 38.9
Ottawa part 148.0 171.3 149.2 235.3 57.7 58.9
Kingston 13.9 15.0 28.7 13.3 -53.7 -4.4
Peterborough 7.4 12.5 18.4 10.7 -41.8 45.2
Oshawa 14.5 72.8 39.4 105.3 167.1 627.1
Toronto 908.3 1,251.5 1,177.0 996.5 -15.3 9.7
Hamilton 161.6 168.2 171.6 81.2 -52.7 -49.8
St. Catharines–Niagara 25.8 52.2 149.8 37.0 -75.3 43.4
Kitchener 93.1 150.5 105.5 217.0 105.7 133.0
Brantford 5.8 7.7 10.4 28.4 173.6 392.7
Guelph 41.2 30.2 14.8 28.6 92.9 -30.5
London 35.5 96.1 83.0 72.5 -12.6 104.3
Windsor 39.3 114.2 15.6 77.1 395.4 96.1
Barrie 24.1 39.7 24.5 53.5 118.8 122.5
Greater Sudbury 33.1 13.5 24.8 13.2 -46.7 -60.1
Thunder Bay 9.7 7.0 21.9 20.1 -8.3 108.1
Winnipeg 79.8 119.3 86.4 91.2 5.6 14.4
Regina 44.5 59.2 73.2 36.5 -50.1 -17.9
Saskatoon 39.4 85.1 98.4 51.5 -47.6 30.8
Calgary 428.7 333.0 314.8 375.2 19.2 -12.5
Edmonton 235.1 564.4 347.1 457.0 31.7 94.4
Kelowna 163.5 35.9 29.7 26.4 -11.2 -83.9
Abbotsford–Mission 13.7 10.4 20.2 10.1 -50.3 -26.7
Vancouver 248.8 348.3 444.9 501.1 12.6 101.4
Victoria 40.2 53.6 63.4 58.3 -8.0 45.2
revised
preliminary
Go online to view the census subdivisions that comprise the census metropolitan areas.
Note(s):
Data may not add to totals as a result of rounding.