The value of building permits issued by the City of Red Deer is up over last year.
To the end of August, 571 permits of all kinds of construction worth $105.6 million have been issued. Through eight months last year, 742 permits worth $82.2 million were handed out.
The higher numbers have been boosted by a big jump in industrial and public service permit values.
Public service construction values are far ahead of last year at this point. To the end of August, 29 permits worth $29.3 million were issued, compared with 29 permits worth $4.5 million in 2019.
On the industrial side, 21 permits worth $21.3 million were issued, compared with 40 permits worth $4.6 million by the end of August 2019.
Residential construction continues to be softer than 2019. Over eight months, 393 permits worth $13.5 million were issued, compared with 427 permits worth $17.2 million last year.
Commercial construction spending is also down. So far this year, 129 permits worth $41.3 million were handed out, compared with 246 permits worth $58.7 million a year ago.
For the month of August, permit values were also down. Last month, 88 permits of all kinds worth $3 million were issued. In August 2019, 75 permits worth $3.7 million were issued.
Among the projects getting permits were a five-unit apartment building at 4419 48th Ave. at $410,588 and a City of Red Deer collections storage facility at 7425 49th St. valued at $373,151.