While it hasn’t been a banner year for construction so far in Warman, Martensville and Corman Park, the numbers are still looking pretty good.
All three municipalities are seeing healthy levels of building activity in the first six months of this year, despite the economic slowdown brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The City of Warman issued a total of 139 building permits between January 1 and July 3, 2020. That’s exactly the same number issued for the same period in 2019.
According to statistics tabled by the City of Warman Planning and Development department during a city council meeting on July 13, the building permit numbers for commercial, residential and miscellaneous construction were almost identical in each category for both years:
* 21 commercial permits in the first six months of 2020 compared to 22 for the same period in 2019;
* 16 single and multi-family dwelling permits so far in 2020 compared to 14 in 2019;
*103 permits for garages, decks, basement development and additions so far in 2020 compared to 103 for the same period in 2019.
The difference, though, is in the value of construction in Warman.
In the first half of 2019, the permits were worth $16,085,803. Commercial building permits made up about half that amount at $8,414,000; residential construction was valued at $4,816,200.
During the first six months of 2020, the total value of building permits in Warman was $10,476,640; with commercial permits amounting to $3,977,600. Residential construction was $4,732,800.
The pace of construction in Martensville actually picked up during the first half of 2020 compared to 2019. Figures from the city’s planning department show increases in both the number and value of commercial and residential construction.
So far this year, Martensville has issued 96 building permits worth a total of $6,761,913, including 14 single-family dwellings, 8 multi-family units, 59 residential additions, 13 commercial-industrial buildings, and two institutional-government units.
Last year at this time, Martensville had issued 74 permits worth a total of $4,658,310; including 6 commercial-industrial, one multi-family building, 2 institutional-government units and 65 residential additions.
The RM of Corman Park saw a decline in both the number and value of construction so far in 2020. Statistics tabled at the Corman Park council meeting on July 13 showed a total of 75 permits issued so far this year worth a total of $17,405,397.
For the same period in 2019, the RM of Corman Park issued 111 permits worth a total of $53,491,053.
The largest agricultural permit was for $1.250,000 (grain dryer and bins); the largest residential permit was $1,300,000 for a home in Greenbryre Estaes; and the largest commercial permit was $1,500,000 for an intensive horticulture facility for cannabis plant production.