XPost: can.general, can.jobs, can.politics 
 From: abc@123.cl 
  
 Building permits rise in June 
  
  
 August 6, 2009 
  
  
 Construction on the Le Germain boutique-hotel in downtown Calgary. 
 Building permits rose in June. 
  
 Construction on the Le Germain boutique-hotel in downtown Calgary. 
 Building permits rose in June. 
 Photograph by: Todd Korol/Reuters, Reuters 
  
 OTTAWA -- Building permits were up unexpectedly in June, rising 1% to 
 $5.2-billion, Statistics Canada said Thursday. 
  
 €The increase was attributable to gains in both residential and non- 
 residential construction intentions,€ the federal agency said. 
  
 Economists had expected permits to decline by about 3% in June. The May 
 increase in permit values was revised to 17.5% from the agency€s 
 previous estimate of 14.8%. 
  
 Statistics Canada said gains were recorded in seven provinces, with 
 some of the biggest increases coming in British Columbia (up 30.3%) and 
 Quebec (up 11%), where permits were issued across all sectors. 
  
 The biggest declines were in Saskatchewan (down 29.3%) and Alberta 
 (down 24%), mainly due to weaker non-residential intentions. 
  
 Among major centres, the biggest gains came in Montreal (up 36.9%) and 
 Hamilton (up 289.3%). The value of permits declined in Calgary by 33%. 
  
 €Since the beginning of 2009, the value of permits has fallen by 26.2% 
 compared with the same period a year earlier,€ the agency said. €The 
 institutional component of the non-residential sector was the only 
 component that posted a gain compared with the first six months of 
 2008.€ 
  
 The value of residential permits rose 0.5% to $2.7-billion in June -- 
 the fourth straight monthly increase in the sector -- led by Quebec. 
  
 Non-residential sector permits increased 1.5% to $2.5-billion during 
 the month. 
  
 Charmaine Buskas, senior economics strategist at TD Securities, said 
 the €the continued strength of the building permit data bodes well for 
 the Canadian construction market.€ 
  
 €It is clear that domestic considerations will remain a key driver for 
 the economy, as the external sector remains under pressure,€ she said. 
  
 Canwest News Service 
  
 TABLE 1 -- Value of building permits by province (% change June from 
 May): 
  
 Newfoundland and Labrador +13.6 
  
 Residential +12.1 
  
 Non-residential +21.3 
  
 Prince Edward Island -17.9 
  
 Residential -17.4 
  
 Non-residential -18.8 
  
 Nova Scotia +3.1 
  
 Residential -1.9 
  
 Non-residential +7.9 
  
 New Brunswick +26.6 
  
 Residential +6.5 
  
 Non-residential +65.1 
  
 Quebec +11.0 
  
 Residential +12.3 
  
 Non-residential +8.8 
  
 Ontario +4.3 
  
 Residential -12.0 
  
 Non-residential +29.1 
  
 Manitoba +18.6 
  
 Residential -11.7 
  
 Non-residential + 73.3 
  
 Saskatchewan -29.3 
  
 Residential -13.3 
  
 Non-residential -37.7 
  
 Alberta -24.0 
  
 Residential +10.9 
  
 Non-residential -38.6 
  
 British Columbia +30.3 
  
 Residential +13.7 
  
 Non-residential +49.7 
  
 TABLE 2 -- Value of building permits by city (% change June from May): 
  
 St. John€€s, N.L. +11.0 
  
 Halifax -18.5 
  
 Saint John, N.B. +31.5 
  
 Quebec City -8.0 
  
 Montreal +36.9 
  
 Gatineau -22.4 
  
 Ottawa -7.6 
  
 Toronto +1.2 
  
 Hamilton +289.3 
  
 Windsor -62.2 
  
 Winnipeg +11.1 
  
 Regina -13.9 
  
 Saskatoon -10.9 
  
 Calgary -33.0 
  
 Edmonton -2.4 
  
 Vancouver -1.1 
  
 Victoria -9.9 
  
 Source:Statistics Canada 
  
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