Image Credit: CFJC Today
Building Sector

Kamloops construction sector set up for big spring

Mar 3, 2020 | 11:37 AM

KAMLOOPS — A healthy February for the City of Kamloops building department is setting the local construction sector up for a strong spring.

New totals released by the City show $10.3 million in permits issued last month, bringing the year-to-date total to nearly $30 million.

That is nearly double the permit value issued in the first two months of 2019.

“We’ve already noted an uptick in application rates. Talking to our plan checkers, things are definitely starting to pick up,” City of Kamloops Building and Engineering Development Manager Jason Dixon told CFJC Today. “We always get a rush in the spring, and it looks like it’s getting ready to get into that spring season now.”

About three-quarters of the permit activity so far in 2020 has gone toward building and renovating homes for Kamloops residents.

“Residential is off to a really good start,” noted Dixon.” It’s nice to see, looking at the year-to-date numbers, 13 permits for single-family dwellings at $5.1 million compared to eight at $3.2 million last year.”

Dixon says a single, $1 million permit was issued last month to get work started on a much-anticipated project for the Kamloops-Thompson School District.

“That $1 million for site services is the first permit that’s gone out for the addition at Valleyview Secondary School. They have some parking lot and some retaining wall work they’re doing in preparation for the addition to the school, which will likely be issued relatively soon here,” said Dixon, who anticipates work on the school addition will begin this spring.