Investment

In 2010, the total building permit value for the South Central region stood at $234.3 million, making up 2.1% of the provincial total.  In 2010, the total building permit value for the South Central region decreased by 26% from 2009, but was 4.2% higher than the 2005 level.  The decrease between 2009 and 2010 can be attributed to a very large drop in institutional permits of 76% to $23.9 million and a 32% decrease in commercial permits to $58 million.  Over the same period, industrial permits jumped by 187%, while residential permits increased by 5% to $129.5 million.  Between 2005 and 2010, residential permits increased by 19%.

The total number of dwelling units for which building permits were taken out in the South Central region in 2010 was 950.  This was an 11% increase from the previous year but was a 1% decline from 2005 levels.  Over that five-year period, the number of multiple family dwelling units fell by 7% to 273 units in 2010.  Over the same period, the number of single dwellings increased by 2% to 677 units.

In 2010, the number of urban housing starts1 totaled 770 in the Lethbridge Census Agglomeration (CA), a decrease of 15% from 2009’s 907 starts.  This decrease was the result of declines of 10% and 27%, respectively, in the numbers of single-family and multi-family units between 2009 and 2010. 

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-2448