Housing starts in July mimicked an ongoing upward trend in Prince George for 2016.
That's thanks in large part to a growth in multi-development construction that have already seen 116 starts, compared to 52 last year. That bumps the overall numbers to 210 construction starts this year - a 27 per cent increase over last year's numbers.
Single family construction starts are on par with last year's first seven months, with 94 built to date compared to 95 last year. July has been a busier month, though, on the single-family front with 29 starts, nearly double last year's 14.
"Things have been pretty steady there," said Taylor Pardy, a senior market analyst for Kelowna, the southern interior and northern B.C. with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. "Whereas on the multi-family side there has been a bit of a boost this year."
The big kick has been mostly due to a development of a large condominium apartment that's underway, he said.
At $20 million, this year's largest project is the 173-unit RiverBend seniors housing facility. A permit for that project was taken out in the first quarter of the year and a groundbreaking ceremony was held in July.
Though multi-family starts have pushed 2016 numbers, July was a quiet month, with zero semi-detached, row or apartment starts.
"Generally new construction activity in Prince George is expected to be significantly higher in 2016 as part of jump in multi-unit construction."
That jump is by no means unique to Prince George.
"We are seeing increasing in housing starts across the board in other centres in B.C." Pardy said.
Prince George's 27 per cent increase is small in comparison to Kamloops' 55 per cent jump in housing starts, which had 370 this year compared to 239 last year.
Vernon saw an even higher boost in 2016, with 373 starts compared to 166 last year in the same time frame.
By 2017, Pardy said, it's expected Prince George will return to the five-year average.
-with files from Mark Nielsen
