Ontario’s ICI Permits Decline in Q2 Despite Small Increase in Commercial Sector
Ontario’s total ICI permit values were down by 17% in the second quarter of 2018 compared to Q2 2017. Commercial permit values in the province increased by 4% in the second quarter, amounting to just over $1 billion. The overall ICI decline was led by institutional permit values, down by 41% in the quarter compared to last year, and industrial permit values, down 21%. Despite the second quarter decline, industrial permit values in Ontario for the first half of 2018, are up slightly compared to the first half of 2017.
Total ICI permit values increased in six of Ontario’s sixteen metropolitan areas in the second quarter year-over-year: Barrie (+27%), Greater Sudbury (+61%), London (+55%), Oshawa (+136%), Peterborough (+216%), and Windsor (+23%). Total ICI permit values in the second quarter fell by double-digits in the remaining metro areas. In Greater Sudbury, London, Oshawa, and Peterborough, permit values increased in all three sectors in the second quarter year-over-year. Permit values declined in all three sectors in Hamilton (-37% overall), St. Catharines-Niagara (-58%), Ottawa (-47%), and Thunder Bay (-50%).
The only metro areas with industrial permit value growth in the second quarter year-over-year were Greater Sudbury (+16%), Kingston (+130%), London (+326%), Oshawa (+85%), and Peterborough (+39%). Eleven of Ontario’s metro areas had increases in commercial permit values in the second quarter: Barrie (+37%), Belleville (+17%), Brantford (+55%), Greater Sudbury (+2%), Guelph (+50%), Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (+18%), London (+1%), Oshawa (+128%), Peterborough (+543%), Toronto (+7%), Windsor (+77%). Institutional permit values increased in seven metro areas: Barrie (+33%), Brantford (+44%), Greater Sudbury (+123%), London (+81%), Oshawa (+164%), Peterborough (+105%), and Windsor (+11%).
*Note: Statistics Canada recently changed its data processing methodology for municipal building permits. As a result, building permit statistics by region are not yet available. Until Statistics Canada begins publishing regional building permit data, the OCS will be reporting Ontario-wide quarterly statistics by province and metropolitan area.
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FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT:
Ian Worte
Research Analyst,
ianw@iciconstruction.com
Ontario Construction Secretariat (OCS)
180 Attwell Drive, Suite 360, Toronto, ON M9W 6A9
P 416.620.5210 ext. 241
F 416.620.5310