The Canadian Press

Contractors took out $6.2 billion in building permits in December, up 2.4% from November and 32.6% than a year earlier.

Statistics Canada attributes the increase entirely to a rise in the non-residential sector, while the upward trend in the total value of construction intentions in 2009 was largely due to the residential sector.

Municipalities issued permits worth $2.3 billion in non-residential permits, 6.8% more than in November and 13.3% more than in December 2008.

The value of residential permits remained steady at $3.9 billion as declines in Ontario, Alberta and Manitoba were offset by a gain in British Columbia.

The total value of construction intentions rose in seven provinces in December, led by Alberta and British Columbia.

Manitoba posted the largest drop in December, due to declines in both the non-residential and residential sectors.

Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador posted declines resulting from their non-residential sectors.

The total value of permits fell in 19 of the 34 areas surveyed.