Building permits for new homes, home renovations and garages were up substantially in March compared to one year earlier, according to new figures released by the City of Medicine Hat's planning and building services office.--NEWS FILE PHOTO
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
Steady new residential construction, garages and a glut of other home improvement projects are pushing current building permit figures 50 per cent higher than in early 2020, figures released by the city’s planning department show.
New spending by businesses as well bolstered permits issued last month and had a total attached value of $6.16 million, up from $3.4 million in March 2020, which was the last month before the COVID pandemic began affecting projects and permit numbers.
In the recent month, permits for new single-family homes numbered five, one fewer than last year, but with comparable total budget, and duplex and apartment projects moved the new residential sector higher.
Smaller permits for residential alterations, like extensions, substantial remodelling and upgrades, nearly tripled from $311,000 to just under $1 million for the month year-to-year.
For the first three months of 2021, such permits numbered 132 worth $2.21 million, just less than twice the $1.14-million total from the first quarter of 2020. That comes with a higher average budget estimate.
The drive to permit new garages was more pronounced. Eight permits in March made 16 for the year, compared to just three garage permits through the first three months of 2020.
That relatively small sector contributed $261,000 to the current year’s cumulative total of $13.65 million across all classes.
That figure is 50 per cent higher than the $9.09 million recorded to March 31, 2020.
No new commercial, industrial or institutional projects were permitted during the month, but nine commercial alterations, worth $2.23 million, were let after a slower start to the year, marking a 25 per cent increase year over year.
