Investment

In 2010, the total building permit value for the Palliser region stood at a six-year low of $133.0 million, making up 1.2% of the provincial total.  In 2010, the total building permit value for the Palliser region decreased by 13% from 2009, and was 24% lower than the 2005 level.  The decrease between 2009 and 2010 can be attributed to a large decrease in institutional permits of 71% to $11.1 million and an 87% drop in industrial permits to $2.5 million.  Over the same period, residential permits increased by 17% to $79.4 million, while commercial permits increased by 49%.  Between 2005 and 2010, residential permits decreased by 33%.

The total number of dwelling units for which building permits were taken out in the Palliser region in 2010 was 320.  This was a 1% increase from the previous year, but a 70% decline from 2005 levels.  Over that five-year period, the number of multiple family dwelling units fell by 81% to 99 units in 2010.  Over the same period, the number of single dwellings decreased by 60% to 221 units.

In 2010, the number of urban housing starts1 totaled 334 in the Medicine Hat Census Agglomeration (CA), an increase of 16% from 2009’s 287 starts.  This increase was the result of a 58% jump in the number of single-family units between 2009 and 2010.  Brooks CA experienced a notable drop in housing starts of 82% between 2009 and 2010 to 17. 


1 Housing start information is gathered by Canada Mortgage and Housing Commission field offices; building permit estimates are gathered by Statistics Canada from municipalities. A building permit generally precedes the actual start.

Date Updated:
RDP-2445