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In December, the total value of building permits issued in Canada increased $821.3 million (6.8 percent) to $12.8 billion. The increase was led by the residential sector ($533.5 million) and supported by the non-residential sector ($287.8 million). The total value of building permits issued in December grew 6.6 percent from the previous month and was down 6.3 percent on a year-over-year basis.<\/p>\n
Multi-unit permits drive residential sector growth<\/strong><\/p>\n In December, residential construction intentions increased $533.5 million, bringing the total value to $8 billion. Gains recorded in the multi-unit component ($653.2 million to $5.5 billion) were tempered by a decline in the single-family component ($119.7 million to $2.5 billion).<\/p>\n In December, the multi-unit component gains were largely attributed to Ontario ($548.8 million), Manitoba ($236.9 million) and Quebec ($130.7 million), with a total of six provinces and two territories contributing to the increase.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the decline in the single-family component was driven by Ontario ($75.4 million) and Saskatchewan ($32.6 million). Overall, six provinces and one territory contributed to the decline in this component.<\/p>\n Quarterly review: multi-unit residential sector increases in fourth quarter<\/strong><\/p>\n In the fourth quarter, the total value of building permits increased $3.7\u00a0billion to $38.7\u00a0billion, marking the largest quarterly increase since the fourth quarter of\u00a02021. The residential sector was the primary contributor to the growth in the fourth quarter of\u00a02025.<\/p>\n Residential construction intentions rose $2.4 billion to $24 billion in the fourth quarter, with the multi-unit component ($2.3 billion to $16.3 billion) leading the growth.<\/p>\n In the fourth quarter, Ontario (up $994.2 million) led the multi-unit component\u2019s growth, with the Toronto census metropolitan area (up $665.7 million) contributing the most to the province\u2019s increase for the second quarter in a row. Quebec (up $486.6 million) and Alberta (up $445.1 million) also contributed to the component\u2019s increase, along with six other provinces and one territory.<\/p>\n The single-family component\u2019s moderate growth (0.5 percent) in the fourth quarter was also led by Ontario ($66.7 million), followed by Alberta ($36.2 million). Meanwhile, declines in four provinces and two territories, led by Quebec ($63.7 million) and Nova Scotia ($29.2 million), tempered the overall gains.<\/p>\n Annual review of\u00a02025: Weak single family and industrial construction intentions drive declines in residential and non-residential permit values<\/strong><\/p>\n Year over year, the total value of building permits rose $3.3 billion to $149.7 billion in 2025. The total value of building permits declined 1.3 percent from 2024 to $139.6 billion. \u00a0The residential sector decreased $1 billion to $86.6 billion in 2025. This decline was driven by single-family construction intentions, falling seven percent to $29.6 billion, the lowest annual level in the series. Conversely, the multi-family component increased $1.2 billion to $57 billion in 2025, the second-highest level in the series.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the number of units authorized for construction was up 19,100 to 308,600 in 2025, a record high. Gains in authorized multi-unit dwellings (22,600) were moderated by declines in intentions to build single-family homes (3<\/span>,500).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n