A big pullback in Alberta sent the total value of building permits issued in Canada down by 4.5% in March to $5.6 billion, Statistics Canada said Tuesday.

March’s decrease was the fourth decline in five months.

Both residential and non-residential sectors slipped during March, Statistics Canada said.

Residential construction intentions for March declined to their second-lowest value in 13 months as they retreated 5.7% to $3.6 billion. Declines were seen in both single-family and multi-family construction permits.

Statistics Canada said the overall number of residential units approved has been on a downward trend since the summer of 2007.

In non-residential construction, industrial building permits dropped 21.9% to $318 million, the third decline in four months and the lowest level since February 2007. Institutional construction permits fell 4.7% to $454 million. Only commercial building permits rose, increasing 5.3% to $1.2 billion.

For the first quarter of this year, the total value of permits reached $17.3 billion, down 8.2% from the fourth quarter of 2007 and a third consecutive quarterly retreat.

A sharp pullback of 32.9% in building permits issued in Alberta was the reason for the drop in the national figures. Excluding Alberta, the value of building permits would have increased by 5.1% instead of declining 4.5% nationally.

With both residential and non-residential sectors in retreat in March, the total value of construction intentions in Alberta was below the $1 billion mark for the first time in 13 months.