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September 12, 2025BUILDING PERMITS, JULY 2025 Monthly (seasonally adjusted, July 2025 vs June 2025)
Changes in monthly building permit values are typically very volatile, with large swings from one month to the next.
Nova Scotia's total building permits (residential and non-residential) rose 7.4% to $365.2 million, the largest gain among provinces. Halifax permits declined 4.4% to $195.2 million while permits outside the city rose 25.1% to $170.0 million. National permits fell 0.1% to $11.86 billion. Total building permit values were down in eight provinces, led by New Brunswick.
Nova Scotia's residential building permits fell 17.8% to $219.9 million. Halifax residential permits dropped 21.7% to $138.0 million. Outside the city, residential permit values decreased 10.2% to $81.9 million. National residential building permit values rose 3.8% to $7.29 billion despite declines in seven provinces. Residential permit values were up in Ontario, Alberta, and Newfoundland and labrador. New Brunswick reported the fastest decline in residential permit values.
Nova Scotia's non-residential building permits doubled (+99.9%) to $145.3 million, the second fastest gain among provinces. Halifax permits rose 104.2% to $57.2 million. Outside the city, non-residential permit values rose 97.2% to $88.1 million. National non-residential building permit values declined 5.8% to $4.57 billion. Non-residential permit values declined in seven provinces, led by Newfoundland and Labrador. Prince Edward Island reported the fastest increase in non-residential permit values in July.
Year-to-date (January-July 2025 vs January-July 2024)
Nova Scotia's total building permits (residential and non-residential) were up 10.0% in the first seven months of the year comparing with the same period in 2024. Halifax permits declined 1.9% and outside the city permit values increased 29.0%. National permits were up 4.5%. Building permit values were up in six provinces, with Saskatchewan reporting the fastest increase. Prince Edward Island reported the fastest decline.
In the first seven months of 2025, Nova Scotia's residential building permits rose 2.0% compared to the same period in 2024. Halifax residential permits rose 2.3% and outside the city residential permit values increased 1.4%. National residential building permit values increased 6.8%. Residential permit values were up in eight provinces, with the fastest increases in Saskatchewan and New Brunswick. Ontario and Prince Edward Island reported declines in year-to-date residential building permits.
Nova Scotia's non-residential building permits rose 29.0% in the first seven months of 2025 (compared with the same period in 2024), the second fastest rise in non-residential permit values among provinces. Halifax permits declined 11.6% while non-residential permits outside the city almost doubled (+97.5%). National non-residential building permit values rose 1.0%. Non-residential permit values were up in five provinces, led by Alberta. Prince Edward Island reported the steepest decline.
Growth in total permits in the first seven months of the year was concentrated outside of Halifax. Residential permits rose across the province. Higher non-residential permits outside of Halifax were partially offset by lower non-residential permits in Halifax.
Permit values for single dwelling units were down in Halifax and up in the rest of Nova Scotia. Multiple unit permits rose across the province.
Non-residential permit values were up due to notable growth in commercial and institutional/government permits outside of Halifax. Industrial permit values were up in Halifax and down in the rest of Nova Scotia resulting in a slight decline in industrial permit value in Nova Scotia.
Trends
Overall building permit values have generally been on a rising trend for several years, though there have been periods of declining values over this period. Rising permit values are mostly driven by higher residential permits within Halifax, as well as outside the city, to a smaller degree.
After trending down in late 2022 and early 2023, residential permit values started to rise again (due to growth in Halifax) in the middle of 2023. Residential permits then grew at a slower pace through the first half of 2024 before declining in the second half of the year. In recent months, residential permits have trended modestly upward as contributions from outside the city offset declines in Halifax.
Nova Scotia's non-residential building permit values started to rise in early 2023 before reaching a plateau through the end of the year. Non-residential permits have trended up in recent months due to notable growth outside the city.
Trends in residential permit values reflect the differences in housing markets for Halifax and the rest of the province. In Halifax, growth in permit values for multi-unit dwellings has outpaced growth in single-dwelling unit permits. Outside the city the situation is reversed, where single dwelling unit permits are more common than permits for multi-unit structures. Residential permits trended down in the second half of 2024 due to the decline among multiples in Halifax and lower permits for single unit dwellings. In recent months, residential permits have trended modestly upward on fluctuating permits for multiples in Halifax and higher overall residential permits outside of Halifax.
Non-residential building permits have lower values than residential permits. In Halifax, non-residential permits reached a trough and have trended upward in recent months due to rising trend in all categories. Outside the city, permits have exhibited a rise in recent months due to growth in institutional/government permits.
Source: Statistics Canada. Table 34-10-0292-01 Building permits, by type of structure and type of work (x 1,000)
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