OLDS — The number of building permits issued by the Town of Olds and the total value of projects planned rose slightly over 2022 figures.
According to the municipality's 2023 statistics, 109 building permits were issued for projects with construction values worth a total of $15.16 million.
That’s up over 2022 when 106 permits were issued for projects worth a total of $14.84 million.
Last year, 20 permits were issued for commercial projects worth a total of $2.97 million. Two permits were issued for industrial projects worth a total of $1.71 million and four permits were issued for projects in the institutional category worth $153,000.
In 2022, 17 permits were issued for commercial projects worth a total of $2.81 million. Seven were issued for industrial projects worth $1.15 million and four permits were issued for projects in the institutional category worth $2.42 million.
The town's chief administrative officer Brent Williams said that growth is underlined by the way commercial spaces are being filled up.
“You think of places like Mountain View Plaza and the various strip malls around town,” he said.
“In 2023, we had 75 total new business licences issued.
And you can see certainly with the infill development in vacant commercial, those results are palpable.”
Housing
“Housing development seems to be very popular as a concept. Still waiting on that developer to be the first pull the trigger at a large scale,” Williams said.
Last year, 13 permits were issued for detached homes worth a total of $5.96 million. In 2022, 12 permits were issued for homes worth a total of $4.49 million.
Last year, 12 permits were issued for duplexes worth a total of $2.74 million. In 2022, 10 permits were issued for duplexes worth a total of $2.55 million.
In 2023 one permit was issued for a two-unit complex worth $130,000 under the multi-unit residential category. No such permits were included in 2022 stats.
