Building permits fall in December

The value of building permits decreased 1.9 percent to $11.2 billion in December, according to new StatCan data. Declines were reported in both the residential and non-residential sectors, with the former falling 2.7 percent to $7.7 billion after a strong November gain. Construction intentions for single-family homes were up 1.3% to $3.6 billion, led by Quebec, the third consecutive monthly increase.