OTTAWA — Statistics Canada says the value of building permits issued rose 7.5 per cent to $6.5 billion in February, following an 11.4 per cent decline in January.
The agency says the February rise was the result of an increase in the non-residential sector, which offset a decrease in the residential sector.
The value of non-residential permits increased 36.2 per cent to $2.5 billion, after falling 20.6 per cent in January.
The increase resulted from higher non-residential construction intentions in seven provinces, with most gains coming in British Columbia, Quebec and Alberta. The value of residential permits declined to $3.9 billion, down 5.3 per cent from than in January, mainly due to lower construction intentions for single-family and multi-family dwellings in Ontario. There were declines in five other provinces, with gains in Alberta, Quebec and British Columbia.