Building permits spike 7% in August

The value of building permits in Canadatotalled $5 billion in August, up 7.2 per cent from July.

Statistics Canada reports the bulk of the increase came in Ontario and British Columbia.

The agency says the end of the municipal employees strike in Toronto in July contributed to the increase if Toronto is excluded, the total value of building permits rose by 0.8 per cent.

Municipalities issued $2.9 billion worth of building permits in the residential sector, an 11.2 per cent increase, and $2.1 billion in the non-residential sector, a 2.2 per cent advance.

The value of building permits increased in three provinces in August: Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta.

The largest declines came in Saskatchewan, Quebec, New Brunswick, Manitoba and Nova Scotia.