OTTAWA — The value of building permits increased 12.2 per cent in March to $6.3 billion after four months of decline.
Statistics Canada reports the figure was 38.9 per cent higher than year earlier, mainly on the strength of multi-family and industrial building permits. Construction intentions increased 13.9 per cent in the residential sector to $4.2 billion, thanks to a substantial gain in permits for multi-family dwellings, particularly in Ontario and British Columbia.
In the non-residential sector, municipalities issued $2.1 billion worth of permits, up 9.1 per cent from February mainly as a result of higher construction intentions in the industrial and institutional components.
The total value of construction intentions rose in all provinces, except Quebec.