Building permits down in January

OTTAWA ― Municipalities issued building permits worth $6.4 billion in January, StatCan reported, a decline of 9.8% from the previous month. This decline, which followed a 7.7% increase in December, was largely due to lower construction intentions for multi-family dwellings in British Columbia and Ontario and, to a lesser extent, institutional buildings in Quebec and Alberta. The value of residential building permits fell 12.5% to $4 billion in January, following an 11.5% increase the previous month. Declines were posted in seven provinces, led by Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta. Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan and New Brunswick recorded advances. Municipalities issued $2.4 billion worth of non-residential building permits in January, down 4.8% from a month earlier.