B.C. was among the majority of provinces that reported double-digit increases in the value of building permits issued in May, according to Statistics Canada data released Tuesday.
The value of B.C. building permits rose 26.4% to $477.2 million from $377.4 million in April. The bulk of the increase came from the value of non-residential building permits, which rose to $218.8 million from $128.8 million.
StatsCan reported that increases in industrial and commercial building permits in B.C. contributed to much of the improvement in both sectors in May. B.C. and Quebec accounted for most of the increase in industrial permit values across Canada, while B.C., Saskatchewan and Alberta contributed to growth in May's commercial permit values.
Permits issued in Metro Vancouver contributed to the bulk of the increase in B.C. They jumped 42.1% to $246.7 million from $173.6 million. Permit values also rose in Victoria (58.4%), Abbotsford (14.9%) and Kelowna (131%).