March 3 (Reuters) - Canada’s commodity-heavy main stock index fell on Wednesday, as a decline in bullion prices and material stocks offset gains in oil prices and optimism over an economic rebound from vaccination rollouts and a U.S. fiscal package. * At 9:53 a.m. ET (14:53 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index was down 79.22 points, or 0.43%, at 18,342.38. * The value of Canadian building permits rose by 8.2% to a record level of C$9.9 billion ($7.8 billion) in January from December, Statistics Canada said on Wednesday. * Eight of the index’s 11 major sectors were lower, with mining stocks falling the most. * The materials sector, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, lost 2.1% with gold futures falling 1.2% to $1,713 an ounce as rising U.S. bond yields and firm equities dull its appeal. * Osisko Mining Inc fell 5.4%, the most on the TSX. The second biggest decliner was Torex Gold Resources Inc , down 4.7%. * The energy sector climbed 2.1% as U.S. crude prices were up 1.7% a barrel, while Brent crude added 1.4%. * The financials sector gained 0.2%. The industrials sector fell 0.1%. * On the TSX, 81 issues were higher, while 134 issues declined for a 1.65-to-1 ratio to the downside, with 34.19 million shares traded. * The largest percentage gainers on the TSX were Laurentian Bank of Canada and Sleep Country Canada Holdings , which jumped 6.1% and 5.4% respectively after earnings beat. * The most heavily traded shares by volume were The Supreme Cannabis Co Inc, down 5.2%; Suncor Energy, up 2.9% and Rogers Communications Inc, down 0.4%. * The TSX posted 11 new 52-week highs and no new lows. * Across all Canadian issues there were 39 new 52-week highs and 4 new lows, with total volume of 73.06 million shares. (Reporting by Devik Jain in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)