Finally, a year ends without a building permit record in Kamloops
For the first time in five years, the City of Kamloops did not break a record for building permit values in 2021.
Last year, the city issued 1,565 permits worth $200.3 million The city broke its record permit values for a third straight year in 2020, with $416.2 million worth of permits issued.
City building and engineering development manager Jason Dixon said 2021 was a typical year, noting 2020 was bolstered by a $94.5-million permit for the final leg of the Royal Inland Hospital’s $417-million patient-care tower project, the single-largest building permit ever issued in Kamloops.
Dixon said residential development was strong in 2021, specifically the traditional residential sector.
The city issued 510 residential permits worth $113.3 million. That compares to 501 residential permits worth $173.7 million issued in 2020. There were 104 permits issued for single-family units, compared to 90 in 2020. Permits for secondary suites also increased, with 54, compared to 42 in 2020.
Dixon said changes to city policy that allowed secondary suites in more areas of the city likely prompted more people to go through the proper process. Kamloops has been traditionally known for having illegal suites.
The overall number of residential units, however, was down in 2021 compared to 2020, with multi-family units not as prevalent. In 2021, permits were issued for 234 multi-family units, compared to 769 in 2020.
Dixon said apartment stats were down last year simply because of timing.
Last year saw industry challenges. The price of lumber skyrocketed, resulting in some permits delayed, and the pandemic led to supply chain issues that continue to persist.
The year did, however ended strong. Dixon said applicants rushed in projects before implementation of the BC Energy Step Code, which requires, through BC’s building code, construction to be done to certain energy efficiency ratings.
In December, the city issued 104 permits valued at $31.9 million, compared to 86 permits worth $81.1 million in the same month in 2020.
“I think people were making applications to get ahead of that change in requirements,” Dixon said, noting residential buildings now have to meet phase three of the BC Energy Step Code.
“They need to do energy modelling. They need to meet efficiency targets for the house and then they need to model it and design it to meet a certain efficiency target, and then they need to do some testing at the end of construction to prove that the house is as efficient as they planned.”
The city has in recent years provided incentives to voluntarily build to step code efficiencies. Dixon said the initiative was more successful than any other incentive program in the province, something he attributes to the city working closely with local homebuilders. Still, he noted, some people will likely be surprised by the new changes to construction this year.
“I feel like we’ve done as much as we possibly could to prepare industry for this,” he said.
Of note on the construction calendar
Another notable project to receive a permit last year included a $21.7-million permit issued for a new Parkcrest elementary, after the original building burned down in Brocklehurst in September 2019.
The city also expects to issue permits this year for renovations to the existing Royal Inland Hospital building, as well as for City Gardens, the largest residential development in Kamloops history, which is slated to begin construction downtown this spring and eventually span multiple city blocks.