Canada Building Permits 2026: Housing Permits Jump 8.8%, But Supply Gap Remains
Canada Building Permits Jump 8.8% to C$13.6 Billion — But Is Housing Supply Actually Catching Up? Canada | October 16, 2026 Canada has just reported one of its strongest monthly increases in building permits this year, but the headline number hides a much more complicated housing story. The total value of building permits issued across the country rose 8.8% in August to C$13.6 billion , Statistics Canada reported on October 14. Residential construction was responsible for essentially all of that increase. The value of residential permits climbed 15.3% to C$8.47 billion , while non-residential permits were almost unchanged at approximately C$5.1 billion. For a country that has spent years debating a severe housing shortage, those numbers initially sound encouraging. But there is an important catch. The surge was overwhelmingly driven by multi-unit housing such as apartments and condominiums , while single-family construction barely moved. And when the data is viewed over a full ye...