Statistics Canada reports that the total value of building permits decreased 8.8% to $10.1 billion in January. The residential sector fell 11.6% to $6.7 billion, while the non-residential sector declined 2.7% to $3.4 billion.

On a constant dollar basis (2012=100) the total value of building permits declined 8.2%.

The majority of the drop in the residential sector was in the multi-family component (-18.5%), while intentions for single family homes decreased by 3.8%. Most of the declines for January were in Ontario and British Columbia.

The commercial component decreased by 10.2% in January, pulling the non-residential sector lower. Ontario and British Columbia reported the largest declines in this sector. In British Columbia, the decline signified a return to more normal levels following a strong December.

Nationally, the decline in commercial construction intentions was partially offset by a 15.2% increase in the industrial component.

Construction intentions in the institutional component (-2.6%) were slightly lower in January compared with the value in December. Declines in six provinces were mostly offset by strong growth in Ontario (+68.4%), reflecting a $102 million nursing home permit issued in North Bay.

Nationally, the non-residential sector was down 2.7%.