OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says the value of building permits issued in September fell 13.2 per cent to $6.5 billion after a jump of 9.5 per cent in August.
The agency says the September decline was mainly due to a 30.8 per cent drop in the non-residential sector, following a 27.7 per cent increase in August.
The value of permits in the institutional component fell 44.5 per cent to $586 million, permits for industrial buildings fell 52.1 per cent to $320 million and commercial construction permits were down 11.8 per cent to $1.3 billion.
Ontario and Quebec accounted for most of the decline at the national level, while non-residential construction intentions rose in four provinces, led by British Columbia and Nova Scotia.
In the residential sector, the value of permits edged up 0.4 per cent to $4.2 billion, following two consecutive monthly decreases.
Increases reported in four provinces offset declines in the others with Ontario and Quebec posting the largest rises.
