Statistics Canada says that the total value of building permits decreased 4.1% in December, following a month during which several high value permits were issued. Gains in seven provinces were largely offset by a significant decrease in Ontario. Three provinces recorded month to month decreases in the total value of building permits. Saskatchewan was one of the rest that bucked that trend. Here, the value rose 41.8 per cent. That was surpasses only by Newfoundland and Labrador which recorded a whopping increase of about 120 per cent in December from the month before. In Saskatchewan, the total value of permits stood at $168.4 million.