OTTAWA - Contractors took out just over $4.6 billion worth of building permits in July, 11.4 per cent fewer than in June.
Statistics Canada says an important factor in the decline was the strike by civic workers in Toronto, which shut down municipal offices for most of the month.
Municipalities issued about $2.6 billion in residential permits in July, down 4.1 per cent, and just over $2.0 billion in non-residential permits, a 19.3 per cent drop.
Excluding Toronto, the total value of building permits declined by 1.8 per cent, the value of residential permits increased 7.4 per cent instead of declining and non-residential permits declined 11.6 per cent instead of 19.3.
The value of building permits fell in four provinces in July: Ontario, Alberta, Quebec and British Columbia, with Ontario recording the largest slide at 27.5 per cent to $1.4 billion.
Municipalities issued $1.8 billion in single-family permits in July, up 5.2 per cent and a fifth straight monthly increase.
