Builders busy in Town of Minto

The value of building construction in the municipality is up more than 100 per cent over last year at the half-way point of 2017.

A report presented by building inspector Stacey Pennington at the Aug. 1 Minto council meeting indicates 121 permits for construction valued at just over $18 million were issued as of the end of June.

Only 92 permits for construction worth about $8.2 million had been issued by the same point in 2016.

The report notes that permit volumes were up by 32% over last year and construction value had increased by 119%.

Multiple family dwellings,  with nine permits issued for more than $5.7 million worth of construction, represented the largest individual segment by construction value in the first half of 2017.

Single family dwellings, with 16 permits issued for nearly $4.3 million worth of construction, were next, followed by agricultural building, with 18 permits issued for just over $4 million in building value.

The year-to-date figures are well above the 10-year average of $8.7 million for construction value.

The year-to-date numbers are up despite a slight downturn in June, when 26 permits were issued for construction valued at $1.4 million. There were 24 permits issued for construction valued at $2.4 million in June of 2016.

Pennington noted the figures were enhanced by a “spike” in activity early in the year.

“January did see a lot of permits, a lot of residential permits primarily,” she stated.