Kamloops residential construction continues to grow

KAMLOOPS – Kamloops continues to be a leader in single family building permits for 2014, up by about 65 per cent over the same time period last year.

There was a slight gain in permit numbers in April over last year, up to 14 from 12. The year to date numbers sit at 48 this year, up significantly from the 29 permits issued in the same time period last year.

Multi family units continue to be below last year’s mark though, attributed to the 154 apartment units approved in April 2013 alone. To date only 49 multi family units have been approved this year, down from 184 over the same period last year.

The difference in multi-family units also means the value of permits is down overall for both April ($6 million compared to $18 million) and year to date ($26 million compared to $31.8 million.)

These numbers continue to be better than the provincial average, which climbed 9.4 per cent in March before a 16.3 per cent drop in February. In B.C. housing starts slipped 5.2 per cent in April following a 19.9 per cent rise in March, while across Canada starts jumped 24.4 per cent thanks to very large growths in Prince Edward Island and Manitoba.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infotelnews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infotelnews.ca or call 250-718-2724.