Builders are continuing to find Estevan to be a land of opportunity.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation released the results of its survey of residential construction in Saskatchewan Friday and they show that housing starts are up in the Energy City.
Overall housing starts are up by 40.4 per cent in 2010 when compared to 2009 numbers.
The sharpest increase is in multiple family housing starts - which takes into account buildings like duplexes, condominiums and apartments. Estevan has seen an increase of 53.3 per cent through September, rising to 46 this year from 30 in 2009. Single-family starts are also up, rising by 25.9 per cent. A total of 34 homes are either completed or currently under construction in the city, which is slightly ahead of the 27 new homes at this time last year.
Elsewhere in the province, the numbers were mixed among communities with a population of over 10,000 people.
Lloydminster and North Battleford lead the way in housing starts. North Battleford has experienced an increase of 43.6 per cent while housing starts have more than doubled on Lloydminster. Swift Current, Regina and Saskatoon have also enjoyed increases.
On the other side of the equation, Yorkton, Moose Jaw and Prince Albert have all had declines in 2010. The hardest hit community is Yorkton where starts are down by 16 per cent. That decrease is likely due to the flooding that hit the city in June.
Province-wide, housing starts are up by 68.4 per cent, a number that is in direct correlation to the province's labour market, according to Michael Fabiyi, senior market analyst for CMHC's Saskatchewan office.
"The province's improving labour market continues to attract elevated numbers of migrants into Saskatchewan centres," said Fabiyi. "This is bolstering housing demand and fuelling a pace of starts rarely seen across the province."
"Our strong economy has played a significant factor in the demand for new housing," Enterprise Minister and Minister responsible for Trade Jeremy Harrison said. "The rising population, stronger commodity prices and positive labour market conditions are all contributing to a robust construction industry."
