The Weekly Review, August 12 to 16, 2024

The total value of building permits in Canada declines in June 2024

The total value of building permits in Canada fell 13.9% to $9.9 billion in June, extending the decline observed in May. Decreases were reported in 11 of the 13 provinces and territories, with both residential and non-residential sectors experiencing reductions.

Source: Building permits, June 2024

Hybrid vehicles more prevalent than pure electric vehicles in 2021

In 2021, just under 9 in 10 Canadian households (89%) had a vehicle that used gasoline or diesel, and 5% of households had an electric vehicle or hybrid vehicle. Hybrid vehicles (3%), regardless of the type, were more frequently reported than pure electric vehicles (2%). Of households that had any type of hybrid in 2021, 76% reported having a non-plug-in hybrid vehicle, while 26% reported having a plug-in hybrid vehicle.

Source: Households and the Environment Survey: Electric and hybrid vehicles, 2021

Over two in five Indigenous children aged 1 to 14 years live in food insecure households in 2022

In 2022, 41% of Indigenous children aged 1 to 14 years (excluding those living on reserve) were living in food insecure households. Food insecurity is a well-documented problem among Inuit, especially for those living in Inuit Nunangat due to the challenges of food access, high food costs and climate change. In 2022, more than three-quarters (77%) of Inuit children in Inuit Nunangat lived in households that experienced food insecurity, compared with 35% of their counterparts living outside Inuit Nunangat.

Source: Indigenous Peoples Survey: First Nations children living off reserve, Métis children and Inuit children and their families, 2022

Wholesale sales (excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain) decrease in June 2024

Wholesale sales (excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain) fell 0.6% to $82.4 billion in June. Sales declined in five of the seven subsectors, with the largest decline coming from the motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and accessories subsector. Wholesale sales were 1.0% higher in June, compared with the same month one year earlier. In volume terms, wholesale sales decreased 0.9% in June.

Source: Wholesale trade, June 2024

Manufacturing sales decline in June 2024

Manufacturing sales decreased 2.1% to $69.6 billion in June, on declines in 17 of 21 subsectors, led by the transportation equipment (-2.9%), chemical product (-5.8%) and primary metal (-2.7%) subsectors. On a quarterly basis, total sales fell 0.3% in the second quarter of 2024, the third consecutive quarterly decline. On a year-over-year basis, total sales decreased 1.8% in June. Total sales in constant dollars fell 2.1% in June, while the industrial product price index was unchanged.

Source: Monthly Survey of Manufacturing, June 2024

Lobster season in Canada

Lobster season in Canada varies from region to region, but during the peak vacation season, it is often enjoyed by tourists and locals alike in coastal areas, such as Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. In fact, Prince Edward Island is the country’s primary producer of farmed shellfish, accounting for 52.9% of the national total production in 2022. 

Source: Lobster roll lovers