Building intentions up, residential remains weak

OTTAWA — Building permits rose in September for the first time in three months, as strength in the non-residential sector outweighed a lag in the residential sector. According to StatCan, the value of building intentions reached $7.9 billion, up 3.8% from the previous month. A 1.7% decrease in the residential sector was offset by a 13.9% increase in the non-residential sector. Ontario posted the largest decrease in residential permits, mainly due to lower construction intentions for apartments.