Canadian building permit values declined 4.1% to $12.9 billion in September, pulled down primarily by contractions in the residential sector.
The total value dropped by $552.8 million during the month, according to Statistics Canada. Residential construction intentions accounted for the bulk of the downward pressure, falling $475.7 million to reach $7.8 billion.
Multi-family construction drove the residential slump, decreasing $529.3 million down to $5.1 billion. British Columbia led the provincial declines in this category with a $292.1 million drop, followed by Alberta at $186.8 million. Overall, eight provinces and one territory contributed to the multi-family decrease.
At the same time, the single-family component registered a modest gain of $53.6 million, bringing it to $2.7 billion. Ontario largely anchored this increase by adding $103.3 million, though declines in six provinces and two territories—led by British Columbia’s $20.0 million drop—tempered the gains.
The non-residential sector added to the national downward trend, dropping $77.1 million to settle at $5.1 billion. Institutional building intentions fell $171.5 million to $1.6 billion, led by a $95.5 million decrease in Quebec and further reductions in Saskatchewan and Alberta.
The industrial component climbed $90.9 million to $1.3 billion, following a $299.2 million jump in Ontario and a $128.1 million increase in Nova Scotia. Meanwhile, seven provinces pushed the commercial component higher, with Alberta leading at $50.6 million.
Newfoundland and Labrador fell 30.5% to $0.1 billion, Prince Edward Island dropped 30.3% to $0.0 billion, and Manitoba slipped 20.6% to $0.4 billion. Saskatchewan dropped 13.0% to $0.3 billion, Alberta fell 15.3% to $1.7 billion, and British Columbia decreased 10.3% to $1.8 billion. Quebec dropped 8.3% to $2.6 billion, while New Brunswick fell 6.7% to $0.2 billion. Ontario and Nova Scotia stood as exceptions, rising 6.6% to $5.3 billion and 23.8% to $0.3 billion, respectively.
During the third quarter of 2026, the total value of building permits decreased $1.5 billion to $38.8 billion, marking a 3.6% drop from the previous quarter. Non-residential construction drove this quarterly downturn, falling $1.7 billion to $13.8 billion in what marked the largest quarterly decline since the second quarter of 2020.
Residential construction intentions remained virtually flat during the third quarter at $21.0 billion. A minor contraction in the single-family component was mostly offset by growth in multi-unit projects. Nationwide, authorities authorized 71,300 single-family and multi-family units for construction in the third quarter, down from 78,500 units during the same period in 2025.
| Sector / Component | September 2026 Value | Monthly Change |
|---|---|---|
| Total Building Permits | $12.9 billion | -4.1% |
| Residential Sector | $7.8 billion | -5.8% |
| Multi-Family Dwellings | $5.1 billion | |
| Single-Family Dwellings | $2.7 billion | |
| Non-Residential Sector | $5.1 billion |
In Texas, municipal reports highlighted varied commercial activity, where two indoor golf simulator projects—Birdies at $100,000 and The Back 9 Golf at $450,000—stood out among September building permits in San Angelo, as San Angelo Live reported.
Statistics Canada will release building permit data for October on December 11.
