NATIONAL BUILDING PERMIT VALUES DECLINE IN APRIL

The value of building permits across the country fell 21.1 per cent to $5.3 billion in April, after increasing 16.8 per cent in March and 9.8 per cent in February.
The non-residential and residential sectors both declined in April, with Ontario posting the largest decrease.
In the non-residential sector, the value of permits fell 33.2 per cent to $1.9 billion, after reaching high levels in the previous two months. The decline was due primarily to lower construction intentions for institutional buildings in Ontario. Decreases were also posted in six other provinces.
Construction intentions in the institutional component recorded the largest decline, down 62.8 per cent to $479 million in April. The decrease was largely due to lower construction intentions for educational institutions and medical facilities, primarily in Ontario and Alberta.
In the commercial component, the value of permits fell 10.7 per cent to $1.1 billion. In British Columbia, office buildings had the largest decreases. Ontario followed with declines in a wide variety of commercial buildings, including hotels, warehouses and retail stores.
The value of industrial building permits rose 3.1 per cent to $317 million in April. Quebec and Alberta had the largest gains in construction intentions for utilities buildings. Ontario followed with an increase in construction intentions for primary sector buildings.
In the residential sector, municipalities issued $3.5 billion worth of permits, down 12.6 per cent from March. The decrease was mainly the result of declines in the multi-family component in Ontario.