Contractors took out building permits worth $6.5 billion in March, up 8.6 percent from February and the third consecutive monthly advance, according to a report from Statistics Canada. The March increase came mostly from the non-residential sector in Ontario and Alberta.
The value of non-residential building permits rose 19 percent to $2.8 billion, a second consecutive monthly gain. Ontario and Alberta were behind most of the growth at the national level. Declines were recorded in four provinces, with Quebec and Manitoba posting the largest decreases.
In the residential sector, the value of permits increased 1.7 percent to $3.6 billion. The advance came in the wake of an 8.1 percent decline in February. Despite this growth, residential construction intentions remained on a downward trend that started in mid-2012. The increase in March was attributable to building permits for multi-family dwellings. The value of residential buildings permits was up in seven provinces, led by Alberta. Quebec posted the largest decline.