Increase in 2012 building permits a good sign in RDCK
By Nelson Daily Staff
by Suzy Hamilton, The Nelson Daily
It’s not exactly a boom, but it’s better than last year. As of November, building permits in the Regional District of Central Kootenay have exceeded 2011 totals by nearly nine per cent.
Last year, 772 building permits were issued and as of November 30, 835 building permits have been issued throughout the regional district this year.
Regional District Chair John Kettle says he sees this as an indication of a slight upward trend economically, but “we will need to see what happens south of the border, we’re so tied into it.”
He adds optimistically, “ but anytime people are building they have faith in the economy.”
Kettle is concerned that Albertans are driving up the market.
“They move in and think they will cut a fat hog and five years later they leave, there’s no work.”
In his own riding of Area B, the rural area around Creston, Kettle says the demographics average close to 60 years of age.
“All of our children have to go to work in the oil sands. They commute from Cranbrook, 10 days on, 10 days off.”
Regionally he is concerned that unemployment is up.
“We’ve seen a significant downturn over the past few years. It’s got to be okay to have industry. We have to balance it with the environment. We can’t always be against things.”
He is also concerned that the Canadian dollar is at par with the American dollar.
“We have higher wages, it’s more expensive to live here. The Canadian dollar should be set at 75 cents to the American dollar. Our dollar at par has shut down the manufacturing sector.
We have a one province economy, and that’s Alberta.”
Among the municipalities of Kaslo, Nakusp, Salmo, New Denver, Silverton and Slocan, Kaslo and Nakusp have issued the most building permits this year. In the rural areas, Kettle’s Area B and Area E (Balfour to Blewett) are in the lead.
Although the number of permits are up, construction values for 2012 lag behind the $46.7 million in 2011, but year end totals may catch up.
In Nelson, building permits are down slightly as of November, from 144 in 2011 to 120 at the end of November.Permits are issued for anything from small renovations to house construction.
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