The total value of Canadian building permits fell 1.2% to CA$11.6 billion in August, with residential intentions down 2.4% and nonresidential up 0.8%.
Wood Markets News
NFIB Small Business Optimism Index Falls in September
The NFIB Small Business Optimism Index fell 2.0 points to 98.8 in September, the first decline in three months but above the 52-year average.
Ontario Invests in Daiken North America’s Laminated Board Expansion
Ontario is investing CA$10 million in Daiken North America’s Huntsville plant to expand laminated board production.
US Senate Passes Bipartisan Road to Housing Act
The US Senate passed the bipartisan ROAD to Housing Act within its defense bill, aiming to expand housing supply, reduce barriers, and promote homeownership.
Expo 2025 Osaka Concludes After Showcasing a Vision for a Greener Building Future
Expo 2025 Osaka closed Monday after drawing over 25 million visitors and highlighting timber architecture, green building, and sustainable design innovations.
BC Timber Sales Faces Headwinds Amid Softwood Tariffs and Curtailments
A BC Timber Sales manager warned of potential difficulty selling timber as mills face new US tariffs and weak demand, MyKootenayNow reported.
University of Michigan Releases Preliminary Results of Its Consumer Sentiment Index for October
The University of Michigan Index of Consumer Sentiment fell to 55.0 in October, down 0.2% from September and 22.0% lower than a year ago.
Hybrid Mass Timber Building Proves Resilient in Full-Scale Shake-Table Test
A six-story hybrid mass timber–steel building tested at UC San Diego limited residual drifts to below 0.25% under full-scale earthquake simulations.
Canadian Employment Rises by 60,000 in September; Unemployment Holds at 7.1%
The unemployment rate held steady at 7.1% in September, following a 0.2 percentage point increase in August. Since the start of 2025, the unemployment rate has risen by 0.5 percentage points.
Interfor Indefinitely Shuts Down Grand Forks, BC, Sawmill
Interfor has indefinitely shut down its Grand Forks, BC, sawmill, citing weak markets and new duties, Castlegar News reported.