While demand increases for multi-family home permits in Prince Albert, single family home construction continues to slump. (Nigel Maxwell/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Construction concerns

MLA’s respond to Prince Albert’s housing slump

Jan 29, 2020 | 5:25 PM

A new report from the Saskatoon and Region Home Builders’ Association (SRHBA) confirms 2019 was a much slower year for the construction industry.

From 2018 to 2019, single family home permits in Prince Albert decreased from 85 down to 10. Looking as far back as 2014, there were 156 related permits issues in that year. Prince Albert Northcote NDP MLA Nicole Rancourt read the report and explained to paNOW the bigger picture is fewer permits means fewer people working.

“I read a report here that 3,400 people in Saskatchewan that are unemployed in the industry and when we have people looking for work, potentially outside of our province and losing these trained individuals, that’s troubling,” she said.

According to this week’s report from the Saskatoon and Region Home Builders’ Association, none of the SRHBA regions posted growth on the number of building permits for single family homes. With the provincial budget due out in March, Rancourt said she hopes the government will consider assisting the construction industry. One suggestion she gives is the obvious return of certain PST exemptions.

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“Families are struggling and we need to start putting people first,” she said.

Prince Albert Carlton MLA Joe Hargrave acknowledged the increase to the PST was a factor in the slowdown to the industry, but added was not the only reason.

“There’s a slowdown overall in potash, mining, uranium, and the oil and gas industry which affected a lot of people in our area,” he said.

While acknowledging the slowdown in one area of housing construction, Hargrave cited the numerous projects by Habitat for Humanity, as well as the Canadian Mental Health Association, as examples of positive job creation. Looking ahead to 2020, Hargrave said he anticipated more construction jobs coming from the builds of the aquatic centre, the two rinks, and the new hospice in the spring.

“We hope to be making the final announcement on the hospital very shortly, which will bring a ton of construction jobs to the city of Prince Albert,” he said.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell