Building permits are down for the month of May in North Battleford, but city officials don’t see a big cause for concern yet.
According to the numbers presented to the city’s Planning Committee by administration on Monday night, a total of 16 permits were issued for $1,381.825 last month, compared to 19 for $4,400,500 the same month in 2016.
The drop in values can be attributed to a big decline so far in the “new commercial category.” There were two issued for $3,170,000 in May 2017, but none last month.
That also accounts for a decline in the overall year to year numbers. In total, 48 permits have been issued for $4,118,825, compared to 51 for $8,748,500 the year before.
However, Director of Planning and Development Jennifer Niesink was not particularly concerned. She indicated that a number of new commercial projects in the new commercial category were expected in the coming months.
Those include for a new movie theatre, a new Montana’s, and also two hotels.
City Manager Jim Puffalt also clarified as to the construction of the new Comfort Inn and Suites on Carlton Trail. The hotel units being built are actually modular units being assembled off-site and will be trucked in. Puffalt noted the project is still scheduled for July.
