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Building permits rise in June
 
 
August 6, 2009

 
Construction on the Le Germain boutique-hotel in downtown Calgary. 
Building permits rose in June.
 
Construction on the Le Germain boutique-hotel in downtown Calgary. 
Building permits rose in June.
Photograph by: Todd Korol/Reuters, Reuters

OTTAWA -- Building permits were up unexpectedly in June, rising 1% to 
$5.2-billion, Statistics Canada said Thursday.

�The increase was attributable to gains in both residential and non-
residential construction intentions,� the federal agency said.

Economists had expected permits to decline by about 3% in June. The May 
increase in permit values was revised to 17.5% from the agency�s 
previous estimate of 14.8%.

Statistics Canada said gains were recorded in seven provinces, with 
some of the biggest increases coming in British Columbia (up 30.3%) and 
Quebec (up 11%), where permits were issued across all sectors.

The biggest declines were in Saskatchewan (down 29.3%) and Alberta 
(down 24%), mainly due to weaker non-residential intentions.

Among major centres, the biggest gains came in Montreal (up 36.9%) and 
Hamilton (up 289.3%). The value of permits declined in Calgary by 33%.

�Since the beginning of 2009, the value of permits has fallen by 26.2% 
compared with the same period a year earlier,� the agency said. �The 
institutional component of the non-residential sector was the only 
component that posted a gain compared with the first six months of 
2008.�

The value of residential permits rose 0.5% to $2.7-billion in June -- 
the fourth straight monthly increase in the sector -- led by Quebec.

Non-residential sector permits increased 1.5% to $2.5-billion during 
the month.

Charmaine Buskas, senior economics strategist at TD Securities, said 
the �the continued strength of the building permit data bodes well for 
the Canadian construction market.�

�It is clear that domestic considerations will remain a key driver for 
the economy, as the external sector remains under pressure,� she said.

Canwest News Service

TABLE 1 -- Value of building permits by province (% change June from 
May):

Newfoundland and Labrador +13.6

Residential +12.1

Non-residential +21.3

Prince Edward Island -17.9

Residential -17.4

Non-residential -18.8

Nova Scotia +3.1

Residential -1.9

Non-residential +7.9

New Brunswick +26.6

Residential +6.5

Non-residential +65.1

Quebec +11.0

Residential +12.3

Non-residential +8.8

Ontario +4.3

Residential -12.0

Non-residential +29.1

Manitoba +18.6

Residential -11.7

Non-residential + 73.3

Saskatchewan -29.3

Residential -13.3

Non-residential -37.7

Alberta -24.0

Residential +10.9

Non-residential -38.6

British Columbia +30.3

Residential +13.7

Non-residential +49.7

TABLE 2 -- Value of building permits by city (% change June from May):

St. John��s, N.L. +11.0

Halifax -18.5

Saint John, N.B. +31.5

Quebec City -8.0

Montreal +36.9

Gatineau -22.4

Ottawa -7.6

Toronto +1.2

Hamilton +289.3

Windsor -62.2

Winnipeg +11.1

Regina -13.9

Saskatoon -10.9

Calgary -33.0

Edmonton -2.4

Vancouver -1.1

Victoria -9.9

Source:Statistics Canada