By David Opinko

Building activities returning to pre-pandemic levels in Lethbridge

Oct 7, 2021 | 2:13 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – Business is picking up in Lethbridge.

The City of Lethbridge has updated its building permit stats to include the full year up to and including September 2021, entailing data for all approved permit applications for residential, commercial, industrial, and government entities.

So far this year, the city has issued 1,146 permits, representing $224,190,794 in total construction value.

Ryan Slovack, with the city’s Building Inspections department, says that number is more in line with what we would expect to see pre-pandemic.

He explained one of the trends we have been seeing lately.

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“We’re seeing a higher volume of small works projects, is what we call them – those are home alterations, decks, detached garages, hot tubs, those kinds of things. Higher permit volumes but lower construction values overall for those projects.”

The new Agri-Food Hub and Trade Centre expansion to Exhibition Park, valued at over $50-million, was a substantial part of this year’s construction value.

Those larger projects are often the biggest factor as to why construction values tend to rise or fall.

2021’s number is a bit higher than the five-year average of $215-million.

2017 and 2018 were the best recent years when it comes to building activity, with $281-million and $255-million respectively at this point of each year.

Those two years saw major initiatives such as the U of L’s Destination Project, the new Cavendish plant, the Lethbridge Regional Park ‘n’ Ride Transit Terminal, and upgrades to the wastewater treatment plant.

In the first nine months 2019, construction values for permits issued totalled $185-million and dropped won to $131-million in 2020.

2019 had a few notable projects, but nothing that Slovack said would significantly move the needle. As for why there was little of note in 2020, that should go without saying at this point.

Building activities can often be an indicator of the wider economy as more people are in positions to take on projects and are optimistic enough to be able to invest in their communities.

While it is difficult to predict the future, Slovack remains hopeful that, as the pandemic reaches its conclusion, things will stabilize and higher construction levels will become the norm once again.

Once construction begins, more jobs are created and supported.

You can access Monthly Building Statistics from the City of Lethbridge here.