Commercial Real Estate · Historical report

Canada Building Permit Value Rose 10.3% in March as Non-Residential Plans Increased

The value of building permits issued in Canada reached $13.5 billion in March 2026, as growth in non-residential construction intentions outweighed a decline in residential intentions.

By Carter Hayes · Source dated May 19, 2026 · Published July 22, 2026

Non-residential permits drove the March increase

The total value of building permits issued in Canada increased by $1.3 billion in March, reaching $13.5 billion. Non-residential construction intentions increased by $1.5 billion, while residential intentions declined by $270.6 million.

Non-residential building permit value reached $5.5 billion. Institutional permits increased by $817.1 million to $1.8 billion, while industrial permits rose by $473.2 million to $1.5 billion and commercial permits increased by $238.0 million to $2.2 billion.

British Columbia contributed $665.5 million to institutional growth, concentrated in the Vancouver census metropolitan area and associated with newly approved medical-institution permits. Industrial growth was primarily attributable to Ontario, with support from Quebec. Seven provinces and two territories contributed to the increase in commercial permits.

Multi-family permits weighed on residential intentions

Residential construction intentions decreased 3.3% in March to $8.0 billion. The multi-family component declined by $270.9 million to $5.3 billion, while the single-family component showed virtually no monthly change and remained at $2.7 billion.

Ontario and Quebec led the decrease in multi-family intentions, while increases in British Columbia, Nova Scotia, four other provinces and one territory tempered the national decline. In the single-family component, a decrease in Alberta was offset by increases in Ontario, Saskatchewan and British Columbia.

First-quarter permit value increased

For the first quarter of 2026, total building permit value increased by $445.7 million, or 1.1%, from the previous quarter to $39.0 billion. In constant 2023 dollars, the total increased 0.5% to $35.6 billion.

In constant dollars, residential construction intentions rose by $514.5 million, or 2.4%, to $22.2 billion. Single-family intentions increased by $349.8 million to $7.4 billion, while multi-family intentions rose by $164.7 million to $14.6 billion.

Non-residential construction intentions decreased by $347.4 million to $13.4 billion during the quarter. Commercial intentions fell by $813.7 million to $5.8 billion, institutional intentions decreased by $403.9 million, and industrial intentions increased by $870.2 million. Nationwide, 68,500 single-family and multi-family units were authorized in the quarter on an unadjusted basis, compared with 71,000 in the same quarter a year earlier.