Swift Current records bounce back 2020 construction year

Swift Current bounced back from a challenging 2019 construction year with improved building construction totals this past year.

“Overall it has been promising. From 2019 to 2020 we’re up in total about 138 per cent. Of course I’ve got to stipulate the 2019 was no banner year, but we’re on the right trend,” Marty Salberg, Director of Business Development at the

City of Swift Current, reported at the January 11 Swift Current City Council meeting.

“2019 was a challenging year in itself for construction. And this past year 2020 it’s no surprise its been challenging for everybody, and more particularly for our small business community. But I think we’ve been able to see how our business community has been able to adapt and change and innovate and do what they can to keep the doors open and their employees employed. And that’s quite remarkable in this really uncertain times.”

Salberg reported there was a mix in year over year statistics when comparing residential and business development.

“Just based on statistics compared to 2019, in 2020 we’re down a little bit on the residential side. We’re down about 14 per cent. Most of our residential construction was renovations and additions, and decks and garages and those types of things,” he explained.

“When you look at the commercial and the industrial and institutional side we’re up about 400 per cent. That’s been largely attributed to our ag sector, its been really strong and we’ve seen some really significant investment in a pulse processing facility or large ag processors. We’ve seen new restaurants from a new construction like Popeyes, to changes of uses like a doctors office to Urban Cellars Liquor Store, a lot of different changes of uses, additions, expansions.”

Salberg noted that with some good investment in the community during 2020, things are also starting off optimistically for 2021.

“When you look at some of the development permits we’re working with, there’s some good interest in development this upcoming year. We look forward to working with investors from outside of Swift Current and our local business community and see how we can keep developing Swift Current. And hopefully once this pandemic gets resolved that we can continue to have a renewed sense of optimism and confidence. I’m really looking forward to 2021 just like everybody else is.”