The industrial sector in Winkler is booming.

New industrial construction permits were up by 14 compared to last year (four in 2016 compared to 18 last year), jumping in value by more than $11 million to $11.8 million.

"It's very exciting," MSTW General Manager Glen Wieler explains. "They're significantly higher than they were a year ago in all categories."

The city also led the region in new single-family dwellings with 69, worth nearly $15 million.

In Winkler total permits for 2017 were 262 (up from 237) and value of work pegged at nearly $40 million.

Wieler expects the pace to continue into 2018 with a new school starting construction this year.

The City of Morden saw permits increase from 128 to 136 in 2017. However, the value of work was down slightly from $20.6 million to just over $18 million.

Wieler notes the city saw a lot of activity in the commercial and multi-family development on the community's eastern edge.

Activity in Morden

"Very exciting to see, and those buildings are getting filled up as soon as they're completed."

New single-family dwellings also increased from 25 to 30.

The RM of Stanley saw a jump in new commercial dwellings, from three in 2016 to 11 in 2017.

However, new single-family dwelling numbers fell sharply from 42 to 25.

Total permits also dropped from 161 to 129, from nearly $18 million to $13.3 million.

The RM of Thompson saw permits nearly double in 2017 from 19 to 30, and value of work was up over a million from $1.9 million to $3.2 million.

Wieler explains the RM had a number of smaller projects and a significant renovation on a local school that helped boost those numbers.

MSTW has also expanded services to the RM of Morris, along with ongoing work in the town of Altona and the RM of Pembina.

The expanding Clover Creek industrial park in Winkler