The City of Morden is leading the region in the value of building permits for the first quarter of 2017.

In the first three months, MSTW reports Morden saw 18 permits with a value of work pegged at nearly $4.3 million.

Last year during the same time period an identical number of permits were taken out in the city but valued at $2.5 million.

The evidence can be seen in the city's East end with a number of commercial condos under construction.

Three apartment blocks are coming up in the same area, behind Boston Pizza.

"Definitely bringing up the dollar value of the construction projects in the City of Morden," Glen Wieler, General Manager with MSTW Planning District (Morden Stanley Thompson Winkler) says. "And it just sounds like it's going to continue, there are other projects being discussed and hopefully that continues throughout the year."

Meanwhile, around the region, the R.M of Stanley is nearly identical to last year with 22 permits valued at $2.5 million.

Winkler is down slightly at 26 permits compared to 37 during the first quarter of 2016.

The value of work is also down at $3.5 million compared to $4.1 million the first quarter of 2016.

"There hasn't been anything big started in Winkler the first few months this year," Wieler says, adding a number of major projects began in late 2016 including the new Icon Technologies facility.

However, more projects on the horizon for the city include the Meridian Exhibition Centre addition to the Winkler Arena.

The Province has also announced Winkler is at the top of the list for a new school.

Overall, Wieler says there's a lot of buzz among local contractors in the MSTW area, especially when it comes to the residential sector.

"There's lots of new housing in the MSTW and that's good to see," he says.

Three apartment blocks are coming up behind Boston Pizza

Commercial development continues on Morden's East end