The Canadian Press

The value of building permits in Canada rose 18% in October to $6.1 billion, led by gains in the value of non-residential permits and in construction intentions for single-family dwellings.

The total value of building permits increased in six provinces, led by Alberta and Ontario.

Statistics Canada said the value of residential permits climbed 3.8% to $3.4 billion, the third consecutive monthly increase.

Most of this growth came in Ontario and Quebec.

In the non-residential sector, municipalities issued permits worth $2.7 billion, a 42.4% jump after a 9.2% decline in September.

All three components of non-residential construction permits increased in October.

Municipalities issued building permits worth $48.3 billion between January and October, down 20.8% from the same period in 2008.

Intentions increased in every component of the non-residential sector in October.

In the industrial component, the value of building permits doubled to $709 million for a third consecutive monthly increase.

After four months of declines, the value of institutional building permits increased 50.9% to $904 million, largely due to education projects in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec and British Columbia. Ontario had an increase in the value of permits for medical buildings.

The value of commercial building permits rose 15.3% to $1.1 billion, mainly because of construction intentions for office buildings and retail stores in Ontario and warehouses in Saskatchewan.

An increase in the value of building permits for single-family dwellings more than offset a decline in multiple dwelling intentions.

The value of building permits for single-family dwellings increased 10.1% to $2.4 billion. It was the eighth consecutive monthly increase.

Every province except Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island contributed to the growth.

The value of building permits for multi-family dwellings fell 8.2% to $1 billion, after a 34.3% jump in September.

British Columbia, Alberta and Nova Scotia had the largest declines, while Ontario posted the biggest gain in construction intentions for multi-family dwellings.