Prince George, B.C. –  Last year was definitely a more challenging one for the local construction industry than 2010, according to a Development Permit summary included in this evening’s Council agenda…

According to the City’s Manager of Subdivision, Infrastructure, and Building Inspection, both the value and number of permits issued were down considerably in 2011, compared to the year before.

Donald Parent says construction values dropped from $131-million dollars in 2010 to $98-million last year.  Although there was an increase in commercial and industrial construction values, he says large declines in residential and institutional construction values outstripped those gains.

The total number of building permits issued in 2011 was 545, 105 fewer than the 650 issued in 2010.  Donald Parent says the decrease is attributed to fewer residential and industrial permits being pulled.  The number of permits for single-family dwellings was off 2010’s pace by 20, with a total of 101 permits pulled.

As for the month of December, itself, there were three significant permits pulled – one for $700-thousand dollars for rebuilding the Boston Pizza on West Central Street, ad two permits for two, four-unit Townhouses – at a value of $400-thousand dollars each – at 1699 7th Avenue.