The value of building permits issued in Canada rose C$1.1 billion, or 8.8%, from July to C$13.6 billion in August. Residential permits led the increase, while non-residential permits showed little change, Statistics Canada reported.
Residential permits gained C$1.1 billion, or 15.3%, from July to C$8.5 billion. Single-family permits edged down C$0.7 million from July to C$2.6 billion. Multi-unit permits climbed C$1.1 billion, or 23.8%, from July to C$5.8 billion. Canada authorized 21,800 multi-unit dwellings and 4,000 single-family dwellings in August, with total authorized units up 12.8% from July.
Non-residential permits edged down C$29.8 million, or 0.6%, from July to C$5.1 billion. Commercial permits fell C$380.0 million, or 14.8%, from July to C$2.2 billion. Industrial permits advanced C$317.3 million, or 39.1%, to C$1.1 billion. Institutional permits added C$32.9 million, or 1.9%, to C$1.8 billion.
Ontario led the multi-unit gains with C$696.0 million, followed by British Columbia with C$189.8 million and Alberta with C$115.9 million. Alberta led the single-family decrease with C$32.7 million, followed by the Northwest Territories with C$10.9 million and Manitoba with C$7.9 million. Quebec led the commercial decrease with C$317.4 million, followed by British Columbia with C$122.0 million, while Alberta tempered it with a C$95.4 million gain. Alberta and Quebec led the industrial gains with C$169.3 million and C$134.8 million, respectively. Quebec and British Columbia led the institutional gains with C$188.5 million and C$68.3 million, while Ontario tempered the increase with a C$211.2 million decrease.