BUILDING PERMITS RISE OVER LAST FEBRUARY

Saskatchewan's building permits were up considerably between February 2010 and February 2011 (seasonally adjusted) according to a report released by Statistics Canada today.

Building permits were up by 43.1 per cent in February 2011 over last February, the second highest percentage increase among the provinces. Non-residential construction was up 51 per cent while residential construction was up by 37.9 per cent.

"The construction industry has certainly picked up over the last year, which is not surprising, given the fact that our population is up and the growth of our economy continues to lead the country," Enterprise Saskatchewan Minister Jeremy Harrison said. "In addition, business confidence is on the rise, signaling we can expect the growth to continue."

Nationally, building permits were up only 6.5 per cent over the same period.

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For more information, contact:

Deb Young
Enterprise Saskatchewan
Regina
Phone: 306-787-6315
Email: Deb.Young@enterprisesask.ca