Strong start to construction
The Leader-Post February 3, 2010

Crews from Wright Construction Western Inc. work on a $6-million addition to the
Walmart store at 3939 Rochdale Blvd. Though the dollar value of building permits in Regina
is down from last January, activity is still strong, according to the city's building division.
Photograph by: Roy Antal, The Leader-Post, The Leader-Post
Regina's construction activity got off to strong start in January, with $29.6 million in building permits issued, compared with $38.3 million for the same period in 2009, according to the City of Regina's monthly building permit report.
While 22-per-cent below last year's record pace, the city is enjoying a healthy level of building so far this year, said Garry Wasyliw, manager of the city's building division.
"Development appears to be holding fairly consistently from the previous year, and we're looking for a similar year of activity again (in 2010),'' Wasyliw said.
The biggest permits issued in January were for a $7-million multiple-unit development at 2501 Windsor Park Rd., by Northridge Development Corp., and $6.45 million for an addition to the Loblaw Companies distribution centre on 12000 Dewdney Ave.
The $200-million, 500,000-square-foot distribution and warehouse facility, which is part of the global transportation hub (GTH) west of the city, is being built by Carwell Construction.
Rounding out the larger building permits for the month were $1.9 million for renovations to the Ramada Hotel & Convention Centre at 1818 Victoria Ave., and $1 million for a planned group development at 4822 James Hill Rd., by Sage Development.
"It's yet another multi-family dwelling construction project. There's many more to come. It's seems to be an ongoing (trend).''
Wasyliw noted residential construction was close to last year's levels, in terms of permits issued, with 45 permits issued for $15.6 million in January versus 44 permits issued for $24.5 million in January 2009.
Commercial, institutional and government construction activity was virtually the same as last year, with 33 permits issued for $12.7 million last month compared with 29 permits issued for $13 million during the same period in 2009.
Wasyliw said it's too soon to say whether or not Regina will match last year's record of $458 million worth of building permits issued, which shattered the previous record of $342 million set in 2008.
"It's a little early to see a trend up or down at this point,'' Wasyliw said.
"Based on the activity thus far, it looks like the same level of activity we started with last year."
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