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Building permits, January 2025 (Source: Statistics Canada, Table 34-10-0285-01, Building permits, by type of building and type of work.)
Year-over-year growth in the January value of building permits was tempered by a dip compared to December, reports Statistics Canada. Canadian municipalities issued $12.8 billion in permits in January, down $425.8 million, or 3.2 per cent from the previous month, but significantly more than the $10.95 billion reported in January of 2024. Ontario was heaviest hit, dropping $771.1 million on the month, while New Brunswick experienced strong growth, coming in $356.8 million ahead of December.
Residential construction intentions decreased by $312.7 million to $8.8 billion in January after increasing by $1.7 billion in December 2024. Overall, the multi-family component declined by $424.2 million in January 2025, while the single-family component increased by $111.4 million.
Ontario’s multi-family component led the decline in January, falling $738.5 million from December, when it had been a significant contributor to residential sector gains. Gains in New Brunswick and Quebec partially offset the residential sector losses in January. The monthly gains in New Brunswick’s residential sector were led by the multi-family component, with concentration in the Fredericton census metropolitan area (CMA) and in the Moncton CMA.
Quebec’s residential sector growth was also driven by the multi-family component, fuelled by gains in the Montréal CMA and supported by the province’s single-family component.
Across Canada, 23,500 multi-family dwellings and 4,900 single-family dwellings were authorized in January, down 3.7 per cent from the previous month, but up 37.4 per cent on a year-over-year basis.
The value of non-residential building permits decreased by $113.0 million to $4 billion in January, a fourth consecutive monthly decrease. The industrial component drove the decline with a monthly dip of $285 million, followed by the institutional component, which was off by $87.4 million. The commercial component found a path to growth, however, adding $259.4 million above the December figures to mitigate the decline in the non-residential sector.
January declines in the industrial component were led by Ontario and Alberta. The decrease in the institutional component in January was driven by British Columbia and Alberta. And gains in commercial construction intentions were led by Alberta and New Brunswick.