The rate of new homes being built in Winkler continues to accelerate.

Despite a strong year in 2018 with new single-family dwelling units reaching 57, the latest stats provided by planning district MSTW show that number grew to 73 in 2019. The value of work was also up from $12 million in 2018 to $16.2 million.

Multi-family units jumped from two to nine last year, while new duplex projects doubled from five to 10.

"There's so much opportunity for employment in this area and everyone needs a place to live," MSTW Manager Glen Wieler explains. "And there's different options available from affordable housing, condos, apartments... it's great to see."

New commercial construction saw permits down slightly from 11 to nine, but value of work was significantly higher at $9.6 million compared to $2.6 million in 2018.

Total permits in Winkler were actually down from 253 to 243 in 2019, with the value of permits dropping from $87.5 million to $49.2 million.

However, Wieler explains the 2018 stats were boosted by the Pine Ridge Elementary School and Meridian Exhibition Centre projects with a combined value of $40 million.

"We don't have that every year," he says. "So the value of work is down from a year ago, but take those projects out and actually Winkler is up in construction compared to 2018."

Wieler says exciting construction is also taking place in Morden, with new single family dwellings holding steady at 21 and valued at $4.3 million. While multi-family permits were down one with a total of four in 2019, new duplexes saw a jump from two to five last year.

However, he notes new commercial construction didn't see as much activity in 2019, down from 16 projects with a value of $12.6 million to eight permits with a value of $2.8 million in 2019.

Total permits in Morden came in at 113 with a value of $17.3 million compared to 132 with a value of $28.2 million in 2018.

In the RM of Stanley numbers remain steady with 24 new single family dwellings, up slightly from 21 in 2018.

New commercial projects were down from nine to five, with value of work down from $6.3 million compared to $830,000 in 2019. Wieler notes there was a couple of bigger projects that happened last year like the TerraPoint Agribusiness Centre.

"There was no project of that magnitude in the corridor last year, so that can skew the numbers."

Total permits in the rural municipality hit 112 with a value of $16.3 million compared to 145 permits and $20.9 million the year before.

In the Rural Municipality of Thompson, permits totaled 11 with a value of $685,500, down from 18 the year previous with a value of $1.5 million.

Multi-family units jumped from two to nine last year, while new duplex projects doubled from five to 10 in Winkler