The City of Prince George saw a slowdown in building permits issued in November, compared to the previous two years, according to a report that went before city council on Monday.
The city issued a total of 29 building permits in November, worth an estimated $13.8 million. So far in 2021, up to the end of November, the city has issued a total of 441 building permits worth a combined $201.8 million.
“That is still substantially above what record-breaking numbers were a few years ago,” Coun. Garth Frizzell said.
The city is behind the pace of development set in 2019 and 2020, according to the report. By the end of November 2019, the city had issued 611 permits worth a combined $223.5 million, and 532 permits worth $220.1 million by the same time in 2020.
The pace of new development in the city has been “relentless” throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Frizzell said.
The largest permit issued last month was for a new 35-unit multifamily development, worth an estimated $6.1 million when completed.
The city also issued building permits for 10 new single-family homes, worth a combined $5.1 million, and permits for commercial renovations worth an estimated $1.8 million, along with 14 permits for a variety of residential renovations.
REGIONAL DISTRICT SEES NOVEMBER SLOWDOWN
The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George issued 11 building permits in November, worth a combined $380,000. That’s a significant drop from the 16 permits worth $2.7 million issued in November 2020.
From January to the end of November, the district issued a total of 263 permits worth an estimated $34.6 million. While that’s behind the 289 permits worth $74.1 million the district had issued by the end of November 2020, but it’s still well above the value of 316 permits worth $28.3 million issued by the district from Jan. 1 to Nov. 30, 2019.