In April 2026, the total value of building permits issued in Canada declined by 7.6% month-on-month to C$12.5 billion, reversing a 10.6% gain in March and falling short of expectations for a more modest 3.5% decrease.
Non-residential permits fell 10.5% to C$5.0 billion, driven primarily by sharp declines in institutional (-C$388.2 million) and industrial (-C$323.2 million) intentions. These drops were only partly offset by an increase in commercial permits (+C$125.6 million).
Residential construction intentions decreased 5.5% to C$7.5 billion, largely reflecting a contraction in multi-family permits (-C$429.7 million). By contrast, the value of single-family permits was virtually unchanged at C$2.7 billion.
Despite the monthly setback, the total value of building permits in April was still 2.7% higher than in the same month a year earlier.
