Open Door Mortgage Group

CALGARY — The Calgary region recorded one of the highest increases in Canada in the value of building permits in August, says Statistics Canada.

The federal agency reported Thursday that building permits soared to $461 million in the Calgary census metropolitan area, increasing by 23.6 per cent from July and by 76.7 per cent from August 2010.

In Alberta, permits of $1.2 billion were up 6.2 per cent on a monthly basis and 37.4 per cent year-over-year.

The residential sector in the province had building permit value of $615.4 million, down 4.3 per cent from the previous month but up 27.1 per cent from a year ago while the non-residential sector was $561.0 million for increases of 20.6 per cent from July and 50.8 per cent from August 2010.

Municipalities issued building permits worth $5.9 billion in August across the country, down 10.4 per cent from July and the second consecutive monthly decline. That total was 3.9 per cent higher than a year ago.

In the non-residential sector, the value of permits fell 16.6 per cent in Canada to $2.3 billion, a second consecutive monthly decrease. But it was up 4.3 per cent from a year ago.

In the residential sector, the value of permits decreased 6.0 per cent in Canada to $3.6 billion after three consecutive monthly increases. Year-over-year it was up 3.6 per cent.

“In Alberta, construction intentions increased the most in the industrial and institutional components,” said the federal agency.

“In Calgary, the advance was primarily attributable to multiple-family dwellings and commercial permits.”

mtoneguzzi@calgaryherald.com