New builds continue at strong pace in Windsor
New building construction in Windsor continued at a steady pace despite the COVID-19 pandemic, but city officials say it has slowed slightly due to the inability to get materials.
The city has continued to issue building permits throughout 2020 and 2021.
Chief building official John Revell says it was thanks to a digital transformation that was already in the works a few years ago.
“We were able to pivot and work from home very quickly and very easily,” says Revell. “And a lot of municipalities in Ontario were not able to do that and they essentially had to shut down their operations during COVID. So we were very fortunate that we had initiated that project.”
The city had a record year for building permits in 2019, with 3,400 issued in four categories including residential, industrial, commercial and government and institutional.
Revell says over 3,100 permits were issued in 2020, amounting to more than $392 million worth of construction activity in Windsor.
So far in 2021, the city has issued 1,043 permits. To compare, in 2020 they issued 1,118 permits by the end of May.
Revell says building materials are harder to get in 2021, likely contributing to a slow down."Into 2021, we’re a little bit lower again, but the value of construction has steadily risen,” says Revell.
Revell adds technology has helped them continue working throughout the pandemic.
“Because we were digital our staff were able to start working from home and with their home computer just logging into the city system,” says Revell. “And able to communicate with customers via Zoom or over email.”
Now there’s a new project on the horizon.
“We’re about to roll out sort of a digital 2.0 operation cloud permit, which is going to be even more comprehensive and one stop for customers. It’s going to be planning applications, right away applications and building permit applications all in one spot.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Angst and calls for resting places as Surrey, B.C., pet cemetery development continues
A single headstone is all that remains of dozens of markers for long-buried pets in a subdivision in Surrey’s Newton neighbourhood, where a half-acre parcel bears a large sign announcing the proposed construction of new homes.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.