Building permits down 12 per cent in May

Ontario Construction News staff writer

The value of building permits issued across Canada fell 12 per cent in May.

According to Statistics Canada, municipalities across the country issued permits worth $11.7 billion last month, down from $13.4 billion in April.

The decline was in British Columbia was more than 50 per cent, after a record-breaking month in April.

Residential building permits were down 16.3 per cent nationally, to $7.1 billion with B.C. recording a 53.7 per cent cut.

In comparison, residential construction in all other provinces and territories fell 3.8 per cent in May with Ontario dropping by 7.9 per cent to $261.2 million) and Alberta totals down 10.9 per cent to $122.4 million.

Municipalities issued 22,700 dwelling unit permits for construction across Canada. In the past year, the number issued is 267,600.

The value of non-residential permits issued in May dropped 5 per cent in May and there were also declines in the institutional (-18.0%; -$236.4 million) and commercial sectors (-7.4%; -$194.1 million)