BUILDING PERMITS, APRIL 2021

With April reference month results, year-over-year (Apr 2021 vs Apr 2020) and year-to-date (Jan-Apr 21 vs Jan-Apr 20) are beginning to show the rebounds in economic activity from the unprecedented declines observed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Highlights:
  • Month over month — Nova Scotia’s non-residential building permits increased 18.8% to $26.8 million.
    • Halifax permits increased 9.0% to $7.4 million. Outside the city, non-residential permit values increased 23.1% to $19.4 million.
    • National non-residential building permit values increased 17.4% to $3.39 billion.
  • Year to Date — Nova Scotia’s total building permits (residential and non-residential) decreased 0.7% to $550.0 million.
    • Halifax permits decreased 33.3% to $224.5 million.
    • Outside the city, permit values increased 49.6% to $325.5 million.
    • National permits increased 36.7% to $42.66 billion. Building permit values were up in 8 of 10 provinces, led by Prince Edward Island and Quebec. Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia reported declines.
  • Year to Date — Nova Scotia’s non-residential building permits decreased 34.9% to $114.3 million.
    • Halifax permits decreased 68.3% to $32.0 million.
    • Outside the city, non-residential permit values increased 10.1% to $82.3 million.
    • National non-residential building permit values increased 11.3% to $12.58 billion. Non-residential permit values were up in 5 of 10 provinces, led by Prince Edward Island and Quebec. Newfoundland and Labrador and Nova Scotia reported the largest declines.

LEARN MORE: Find more information from this data set here.