Statistics Canada reports that the total value of building permits in Canada increased 11.9% in August to $12.5 billion. Both the residential sector (+12.0% to $8.4 billion) and non-residential sector (+11.8% to $4.0 billion) saw strong gains, with Ontario causing much of the increase.

Residential permits in August increased 12.0% to $8.4 billion nationally. Gains in Ontario offset losses posted in seven provinces.

Construction intentions in the single-family homes component edged up 0.4%.

The value of building permits in the multi-family component sharply increased by 22.2%, largely due to Ontario (+85.3%). A $480 million permit for a luxury skyscraper in Toronto along with several other permits for apartments resulted in the largest recorded monthly value for the province.

The total permit value of the non-residential sector increased 11.8% to $4.0 billion in August.

The value of building permits in the industrial component rebounded with an increase of 18.1%. Saskatchewan sharply increased by 77.7% with three permits over $5 million. Nova Scotia also had a notable increase with a variety of smaller permits.

Institutional permit values sharply increased by 39.1%, mainly due to Ontario (+224.2%). Permits for a new school in Hamilton and a new building for the George Brown college in Toronto were behind much of the increase.

Construction intentions in the commercial component decreased 1.4%, largely due to Alberta and Saskatchewan. Conversely, Manitoba saw notable growth in August due to a $50 million permit for an office building in Winnipeg.

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