Winkler's explosive growth this spring has helped the community lead the region in construction permits at the year's halfway mark.
While overall construction permit numbers were down significantly earlier in the year (from January to April stats were half what they were a year ago during the same period), a strong May and June eventually saw permits jump to 126 by year's halfway point, exceeding last year's 124 permits during the same period.
"It's been amazing," MSTW Planning District General Manager Glen Wieler says. "The commercial and industrial (sectors) have just skyrocketed in Winkler, it's just amazing the number of small businesses investing in their properties."
He notes the impact is wide reaching when small business invests in a community, "it just balloons... everybody is excited because things are moving forward."
Another exciting development is the ongoing installation of an underground high speed Internet network in Winkler by local company Valley Fiber. Construction recently began on their headquarters and data centre this summer.
"Who knows what that's going to bring to our area in the tech world... it's very exciting," Wieler says.
While new single family dwelling projects were almost unchanged (down one to 37) in the first half of the year compared to the year previous, the wave of multi-family and new duplex projects seems to have cooled somewhat.
"They come and go in cycles," he says. "There's a number of years where more of these units are being built, then the market catches up."
From January to June 30 Winkler saw just over $16 million in construction work, down slightly compared to just over $17 million the first half of 2016.
In Morden total permits were nearly identical to the same period last year, up one to 59. However, value of work jumped from $6.2 million to $8.9 million, bolstered by major commercial improvement projects and a trio of new multi-family dwelling builds.
"They've got some very exciting projects on the go," Wieler says, adding new residential single family dwelling projects remained steady, up one to 16 in the first half of the year compared to the same period in 2016.
In the R.M of Stanley, a couple of major projects boosted the commercial category's value of work to $813,000 compared to $86,000 during the same period last year. However, the municipality saw a decrease in new single family residential housing, falling from 29 permits taken out in the first half last year to 16 this year.
"It hasn't been as strong as it was in the first six months (of 2016), but often we see that balance out by the end of the year," Wieler explains.
Overall, Stanley saw 61 permits in the first half of 2017 with a total value of work pegged at nearly $6.8 million compared to $9.8 million during the same period in 2016.
Thompson held steady at 11 permits, seeing total value of work rise from $1.2 million to $1.5 million in 2017 compared to the same time period last year.
"While not our busiest municipality, they definitely hold their own," Wieler says.
Related Article: Morden Leads The MSTW Region In Growth In 2017
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