[The_Bow]

Building permits decline in Halifax
NOVEMBER 13, 2007 According to information recently released by Statistics Canada the value of building permits issued in Halifax decreased 31.6% from August 2007 to September 2007, dropping from $82.6m to $56.5m. The decrease was largely attributed to declines in multi-family permits and non-residential permits.

Halifax was not the only Canadian city to experience a drop in permits. All four Atlantic Provinces incurred double digit declines in the dollar amount of residential building permits issued.

Throughout Canada the largest declines in the value of building permits issued occurred in Quebec (-9.6%) and British Columbia (-9.8%), also blamed on a drop in multi-family permits.

On a positive note, the figures released did show a slight 4.8% increase in building permits issued in Halifax between January and September 2007 when compared with the same period in 2006. This increase was, however, well below that experienced by neighboring cities. Moncton had a 19.6% increase and Saint John a 27.1% increase over the same period.

-MARK BOLTON, Square Feet