New home construction in Grande Prairie has dropped significantly since last year.
Housing starts in the City of Grande Prairie were down 67 per cent year-over-year for the month of June, with construction started on four single-family homes and two multi-unit buildings. In June 2019, there were 20 single-family and six multi-family starts.
The downturn doesn’t appear to just be a city-specific issue, however, as starts across the entire region have seen a significant tumble as well. The Grande Prairie region saw 42 single-family starts and 18 multi-family housing starts in the second quarter, compared to 87 single-family and 104 multi-family starts from the same period last year.
Overall, the decrease represents a 68.6 per cent drop year-over-year.
The overall value on construction projects has dropped as well, with $8 million in value coming from 75 project permits. The totals represent a 30 per cent drop in total permits, and a 22 per cent decrease in value in the city, as well as a 51 per cent drop in value in the region.
