Saugeen Shores reports record number of building permits, high construction value in 2021

Building permits and construction value in the Town of Saugeen Shores reached all-time highs in 2021 with 526 permits approved and a total construction value of $154 million. This surpasses the Town’s previous record of $120 million achieved in 2019 and is well above the five-year average of $106 million. The 2021 total includes residential, commercial, agricultural, and other new builds as well as renovations, additions, and demolitions.

2021 results were presented to the Committee of the Whole on Monday, January 24 as part of the 2021 Building Report.

“Saugeen Shores is one of the fastest growing communities in Canada,” said Luke Charbonneau, Mayor of the Town of Saugeen Shores. “Record high construction value and building permit numbers reported in 2021 tell us that people want to live in our community. Council is focused on leveraging this growth to increase housing affordability and improve quality of life in our Town.”

Despite the challenges of the ongoing pandemic and resulting supply chain issues, Saugeen Shores added 207 new single-family homes in 2021, surpassing the previous record of 132.

Over the past several years, the Town has worked with builders to encourage new forms of development. With new lands now serviced and ready to build, there are many new areas for growth in Saugeen Shores. With the high demand for new homes in all forms and the availability of building lots, it is expected that 2022 will be another strong year for residential housing.

The high volume of building permits means more housing supply in Saugeen Shores, including rental units. Higher density units, such as apartments, townhomes, and duplexes can help improve affordability and provide more options than the single-detached units that currently dominate the market.  

The Town has been working with developers to negotiate items that promote affordability and accessibility, including developments with a percentage of rental/below-market units, units with three and four bedrooms, features such as accessible entrances and amenities as well as support for the development of alternative forms from single-family houses.

The Town has also received larger commercial projects in recent years.  It is expected that 2022 will be another strong year for commercial construction.