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October 07, 2015BUILDING PERMITS AUGUST 2015 
After a large decrease the previous month, Nova Scotia building permits, seasonally adjusted, decreased 1.2 per cent compared to July 2015 to $100.6 million. Permits values for the month were 13.5 per cent higher compared to August 2014. Permits for residential construction were down 26.5 per cent from the previous month, but were 18.4 per cent higher than in August 2014. Non-residential permits were up 63.3 per cent compared to last month to $46.9 million the highest level since September 2014.
On a year-to-date basis (Jan-Aug. 2015 vs. Jan-Aug. 2014) , permits were 11.1 per cent higher, totaling $847.7 million for January-August 2015 period. An increase in residential permits (+23.3%) was partially offset by lower non-residential permits (-10.7%). Measured by number of housing units, permits are down for singles (-10.7%) but up for multiples (+48.5%) on a year-to-date basis. Non-residential permit values are down 10.7 per cent for the January to August period, with declines in industrial (-27.7%) and institutional (-34.9%) but up for commercial (5.2%). Permit values in the commercial sector (unadjusted for seasonality) for the first eight months of 2015 compared to same month in 2014 are up for office buildings, service stations, recreation, and new minor commercial projects.
Halifax building permits were down 14.0 per cent compared to July 2015 but higher by 17.9 per cent compared to August 2014. On a year-to-date basis, permits are up 27.5 per cent in the Halifax region with residential permits increasing 46.1 per cent and non-residential permits decreasing 7.0 per cent.
In Canada, building permits were down 3.7 per cent to $7.5 billion following a 15.5 per cent in June and a 0.7 per cent increase in July. Intentions were lower for both residential (-5.1%) and non-residential (-1.3%). In the residential sector, there were large declines in multi-family dwellings in British Columbia and smaller declines in Alberta and Nova Scotia. Single-family dwellings were down 1.9 per cent, the first decline in three months with lower intentions in Ontario and Alberta. The non-residential sector had declines in industrial(-7.9%) and institutional(-4.3%) construction intentions.
On year-to-date basis, residential permits for Canada were 6.6 per cent higher with increases in four provinces: Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Ontario and British Columbia. Non-residential permits are down 6.2 per cent in Canada with a decline in commercial (-7.9%) and institutional and governmental (-4.3%) accounting for the decline.
Sources: Residential Permits, CANSIM 026-0006; Non-residential Permits, CANSIM 026-0005
Statistics Canada Cat. No. 64-001-X