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March 07, 2019BUILDING PERMITS, JANUARY 2019 
The value of building permits (seasonally adjusted) issued in Nova Scotia increased 35.4 per cent in January, following a (revised) decrease of 17.2 per cent in December 2018. Residential permits increased 68.4 per cent while non-residential building permits decreased 30.7 per cent. Monthly results for building permits are highly volatile; the six-month moving average of residential permits trended modestly upwards through 2017 and then declined in early 2018. Residential permits have since re-established an upward trend. The non-residential permits' six-month moving average has remained relatively flat since mid-2017.
The trend in Nova Scotia building permit values largely reflects the trends in the Halifax market. In January, the value of Halifax building permits was up 97.0 per cent, reflecting an increase of 122.3 per cent in residential permits, and a decline of only 0.5 per cent in non-residential permits, month to month. The six-month moving average for residential permits in Halifax rose from mid-2016 through 2017 and then declined in the early months of 2018. Since the spring of 2018, residential permits have been trending upward. Non-residential permits in Halifax have trended down since June 207.
Outside the Halifax market, building permit values were down 23.8 per cent in January 2019, as non-residential permits were down 43.8 per cent and residential permits were down 7.2 per cent. Non-residential permits have been trending upward outside of Halifax since mid-2017, while residential permits have trended upward at a more modest pace.
In January 2019, the value of Nova Scotia building permits (unadjusted annual total) was up 63.4 per cent compared to January of last year. Residential permits are 155.6 per cent higher, and non-residential permits are down 40.6 per cent year over year. The decline in non-residential building permits reflects declines in industrial (-71.2 per cent) and commercial (-40.1 per cent), while institutional and government permits were up 61.3 per cent. Halifax building permits were up 116.5 per cent in January 2019 compared to last January on strong gains in the residential sector, while building permits outside of Halifax were up 1.6 per cent.
Nova Scotia's five economic regions combined for a total of $174.7 million (unadjusted) in residential and non-residential building permits in January 2019. The largest contributor was the Halifax region, with a combined residential and non-residential permit value of $149.8 million.
The total value of permits was up in the North Shore, and Halifax regions. Total value of permits declined in Cape Breton, the Annapolis Valley and Southern regions, compared to January 2018.
In January 2019, the number of residential dwelling-units created (seasonally adjusted) in Nova Scotia was up by 542 units compared to January 2018. Across the province, the number of multiple units created was up while singles were down.
Nationally, residential building permit values (seasonally adjusted) were on an upward trend in 2016 but have levelled off since early 2017. Residential building permits rose 1.6 per cent in January. Non-residential building permit values rose through 2017 and peaked toward the end of the year, remaining relatively flat through 2018. Non-residential building permits decreased 15.8 per cent in January.
Comparing January 2019 with January 2018, Nova Scotia (+155.6 per cent) reported the largest gain in residential permits (adjusted for seasonality), in percentage terms. Newfoundland and Labrador (-40.9 per cent) showed the largest decline, year over year.
In January 2019, New Brunswick had the largest gains in non-residential building permits (+64.5 per cent, seasonally adjusted) while PEI reported the largest decline (-67.0 per cent).
Total building permits values (seasonally adjusted) were up in four provinces in January 2019, with Nova Scotia (+63.4 per cent) and New Brunswick (+27.4 per cent) reporting the largest gains (in percentage terms). Newfoundland and Labrador reported the largest decline over this period (-51.3 per cent) followed by Prince Edward Island (-26.8 per cent).
Source: Statistics Canada Table 34-10-0066-01
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