Why It's Important The value of non-residential building permits issued is an important measure of a jurisdiction's economic activity and attractiveness to investors. Note: *Regional BC includes the Abbotsford and Kelowna CMAs.

Regional Indicator Six measures the dollar value of permits issued by municipalities and regional districts for non-residential buildings. It includes industrial, commercial and institutional construction, as well as new government buildings. Also included are alterations, renovations and additions to non-residential buildings.

Although Regional BC generates 30 percent of the value of non-residential permits in BC and Vancouver generates 60 percent, most of the 2008 decline was in Regional BC.

Without adjustments for inflation and population, the value of non-residential building permits fell by $278 million in 2008. The bulk of this ($243 million) was in Regional BC; Vancouver was down by $58 million and Victoria was up $35 million.

After three years of strong growth the real per capita value of non-residential building permits in Vancouver fell by eight percent in 2007 and by a further six percent in 2008.