Building Permits Rise In 2016, Fees Collected Drop

While building permits were up across the region in 2016, permit fees collected were down significantly.

Total permit fees last year hit $408,520 compared to $645,109 the previous year.

However, Glen Wieler, General Manager with MSTW Planning District (Morden Stanley Thompson Winkler) explains large projects often skew the numbers.

"We didn't have any big projects but overall we still had a good year," he says.

While total permits last year were 527 compared to 511 the previous year, fees were down $236, 589. While striking, Wieler notes nearly $218, 000 was accounted for by the Tabor Home project which kicked-off in 2015.

"A lot of large projects in the previous years which we did not have in 2016," he notes, adding in 2014 the Buhler Active Living Centre bumped up the numbers.

The value of work capped at $71.4 million in 2016. The year before saw value of work reach over $109 million.

Despite the lack of major projects, Wieler says growth continues to be steady.

"It's nice to see that the housing and renovation market is slowly climbing," he says. "We're excited and happy that all of our municipalities seem to be doing well in those markets."

In Winkler permits were relatively unchanged at 227 in 2016 (down two from 2015).

In Morden permits rose to 125 last year from 122 the previous year.

The R.M of Stanley increased permits to 156 from 152.

And in Thompson permits jumped to 19 from 8 the previous year.

Looking ahead, Wieler notes they expect to see new schools in both Morden and Winkler in the coming years. The Meridian Exhibition Centre also looms large in Winkler's future.

Looking across a 24 year span, MSTW has collected data from 1991 to 2015.

In 1991, Morden saw 101 permits. in 2015 it was 125.

In Stanley permits were 70 in 1991. That number rose to 156 two years ago.

In Thompson there were 17 permits taken out in 1991. Permits increased to 19 in 2015.

Winkler saw 135 permits in 1991. Permits grew to 227 by 2015.