Statistics // Highlights from ‘Building Permits, April 2024’

Month-over-Month (April vs March 2024)

Note: Changes in monthly building permit values are typically very volatile, with large swings from one month to the next.

• Nova Scotia’s total building permits (residential and non-residential) rose by 44.2% to $344.3 million.
• Nova Scotia’s non-residential building permits grew 51.3% to $99.8 million.
  • Halifax permits rose 87.1% to $65.5 million.
  • Outside the city, non-residential permit values rose 10.8% to $34.3 million.
• National non-residential building permit values increased 19.6% to $4.80 billion.
  • Non-residential permit values were up in 6 of 10 provinces, with British Columbia reporting sharp increase. Prince Edward Island reported the steepest decline.

Year-to-Date (January – April 2024)

Nova Scotia reported notably high building permit values in January, February, and April except a decline in March.

• Nova Scotia’s total building permits (residential and non-residential) were up 35.9% in comparing the first four months of the year with the same period in 2023.
  • Halifax permits increased 48.8% and outside the city permit values increased 19.6%.
  • National permits were up 6.8%. Building permit values were up in 8 of 10 provinces, led by New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
• Nova Scotia’s non-residential building permits rose 4.1% in the first four months of 2024 (compared with the same period in 2023).
  • Halifax permits decreased 8.9% while non-residential permits outside the city rose 26.1%.
• National non-residential building permit values rose 3.3%.
• • Non-residential permit values were up in 9 of 10 provinces, led by New Brunswick. Quebec reported the only decline.