September heralds rise in building permits

OTTAWA — Contractors took out $6.5 billion worth of building permits in September, up 1.7% from August and the seventh monthly advance since the beginning of the year. However, there has only been a slight upward trend in the total value of building permits over the nine-month period. The September increase came from the residential sector, mainly in Alberta and Quebec. The total value of residential building permits rose 3.3% to $4.1 billion, following a 4.8% decline in August. Residential construction intentions increased in five provinces, led by Alberta and Quebec.