June 2006

The value of building permits dropped only slightly in June, but would have been much worse it not for a sharp increase in industrial projects in Alberta.

Overall building permits declined 1.4% from May to $5.3 billion. Even so, the value of permits surpassed the $5.0 billion mark for the seventh consecutive month, and it was 1.0% higher than the average monthly level recorded since the beginning of the year.

Alberta was a huge driving force in the number of permits issued, in fact, if Alberta figures were removed, the total value of building permits would have declined 7.2%.

Nationally, the total value of residential permits declined 1.3% to $3.2 billion. A decline in the value of multi-family permits more than offset a gain in single-family. After peaking at the end of 2005, the value of residential permits has been on a soft declining trend.

Construction intentions in the non-residential component fell 1.4% to $2.1 billion. A strong gain in the industrial component was more than offset by declines in both the commercial and institutional components.

The July building permit estimate will be released on September 7.

Previous release on building permits.

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