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February 10, 2020BUILDING PERMITS, DECEMBER AND ANNUAL 2019
The monthly value of building permits (seasonally adjusted) issued in Nova Scotia declined 15.5 per cent in December, following a (revised) decrease of 22.7 per cent in November. Nova Scotia's residential permits decreased 9.0 per cent while non-residential building permits decrease 28.0 per cent. Monthly results for building permits are highly volatile.
The six-month moving average of residential permits trended modestly upwards through 2017 and then declined in early 2018. Afterwards, residential permits resumed an upward trend before flattening out over the 2019. The six-month moving average for non-residential permit values remained relatively flat from mid-2017 to late 2018. Since early 2019, non-residential permits have trended upward but have peaked at the end of the year.
The trend in Nova Scotia building permit values largely reflects the trends in the Halifax market. The value of Halifax building permits declined 7.0 per cent in December, reflecting a 8.2 per cent decline in residential permit values and a 3.8 per cent decline in non-residential permit values.
The six-month moving average for residential permits in Halifax has been rising since mid-2016 except for a decline in the fall of 2017 and early 2018. Since then, Halifax residential permits trended upward before flattening out over the 2019. Non-residential permits in Halifax trended down starting in June 2017, though they have trended upward since the spring of 2019.
Outside the Halifax market, building permit values declined 25.4 per cent in December 2019, reflecting a decline in residential permits (-10.2 per cent) and a decline in non-residential permits (-47.0 per cent). Non-residential permits trended upward outside of Halifax from mid-2017 to mid-2018 but have remained relatively flat since then. Residential permits have trended upward at a modest pace since mid-2017.
In 2019, the value of Nova Scotia building permits (unadjusted annual total) was up 18.8 per cent compared to 2018. Residential permits are 26.4 per cent higher and non-residential permits are up 3.0 per cent for year. The increase in non-residential building permits reflects rise in commercial permit values by 12.7 per cent. There is decline in industrial (-21.9 per cent) and institutional/government (-8.4 per cent) permit values.
Halifax building permits were up 27.1 per cent in 2019 on strong gains in the residential sector (+40.2 per cent), while building permits outside of Halifax were up 7.2 per cent.
Building permits in Nova Scotia's five economic regions totaled $1.77 billion (unadjusted) in 2019. The largest contributor was the Halifax region, with a combined residential and non-residential permit value of $1,098.0 million. In 2019, the total value of residential and non-residential permits was up in all regions except North Shore.
In 2019, the number of residential dwelling-units created (unadjusted for seasonality) in Nova Scotia was up by 1,091 units compared to the previous year. The number of single and multiple units created was up for both Halifax (+1,006) and Nova Scotia outside of Halifax (+85).
Nationally, residential building permit values (seasonally adjusted) were on an upward trend in 2016 but have levelled off since early 2017. National residential building permits were up 6.8 per cent in December. Non-residential building permit values rose through 2017 and peaked toward the end of the year, remaining relatively flat through 2018. Since the end of 2018, non-residential permits have risen modestly. National non-residential permit values were up 8.3 per cent in December.
Comparing 2019 with 2018, national residential building permit (unadjusted for seasonality) values were down 1.3 per cent, with increases in five provinces. Prince Edward Island (+33.0 per cent) showed the largest gain in residential permits in percentage terms, followed by Nova Scotia (+26.4 per cent). Newfoundland and Labrador (-22.0 per cent) showed the largest decline, followed by Saskatchewan (-19.5 per cent).
National non-residential permits (unadjusted for seasonality) are up 9.4 per cent in 2019 compared with 2018. Manitoba had the largest gains in non-residential building permits (+35.1 per cent) followed by Quebec (+20.2 per cent). Newfoundland and Labrador (-30.8 per cent) reported the largest decline, followed by Alberta (-18.3 per cent).
In 2019, the national value of total (residential and non-residential, unadjusted) building permits was up 2.6 per cent compared to 2018. Total building permit values were up in six provinces in 2019, led by Prince Edward Island (+23.4 per cent) and Nova Scotia (+18.8 per cent). Newfoundland and Labrador reported the largest decline over this period (-27.4 per cent), followed by Alberta (-13.4 per cent).
Source: Statistics Canada Table 34-10-0066-01
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