OTTAWA — The value of building permits issued by towns and cities across the country topped the $50-billion mark in 2003 for the first time, says Statistics Canada.

“In total, municipalities issued $50.8 billion in building permits, up 7.5 per cent from the previous record of $47.3 billion set in 2002,” the agency said Thursday.

“It was the eighth consecutive year in which the value of permits increased. The torrid demand for new housing drove construction intentions to their new peak.

“Permits in the housing sector hit a record of more than $32 billion, up 8.3 per cent from the previous high of $29.6 billion, also set in 2002. Municipalities authorized 223,106 new dwellings in 2003, the highest since 1988, when 234,132 units were authorized.”

In the non-residential sector, builders took out $18.8 billion worth of permits, up 6.3 per cent from 2002.

Records were smashed in every province except Prince Edward Island and Alberta in 2003, the agency said.

Among 28 metropolitan areas surveyed, Toronto and Montreal were tops in annual growth calculated in dollars.

“Projects for industrial and commercial buildings were behind the gain in Toronto, while in Montreal the increase came from the very strong demand for new dwellings. The metropolitan areas of Oshawa, Ont., Winnipeg and Quebec also posted sizable gains.”

The agency also said that for 2003:

– Institutional construction intentions rose 1.5 per cent to $5.8 billion.

– Commercial intentions rose 7.8 per cent to $9.3 billion, their highest level since 1989.

– The industrial component rose 10.7 per cent to $3.6 billion.

– The greatest growth in dollar value was recorded in Toronto, where permits hit $4.2 billion.

– Non-residential permits in Calgary reached $1.0 billion.

© The Vancouver Sun 2004