Saskatchewan building permits rose 32.5 per cent between August 2025 and August 2026, the second-highest year-over-year growth rate among the provinces, according to figures released Oct. 14 by Statistics Canada and highlighted by the provincial government.
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The data, seasonally adjusted, also showed a 15.9 per cent month-over-month increase in permit values from July to August, the province said in a release.
What the Numbers Measure
Building permit values represent the dollar amount of approved construction applications for both residential and non-residential buildings. Statistics Canada treats the figure as a leading indicator of upcoming construction activity, material demand and employment.
Trade and export development minister Warren Kaeding said the increase reflects investor confidence in the province.
“Rising building permits are another sign that Saskatchewan remains a place where people want to invest, build their futures and grow their families,” Kaeding said. “Every new office, facility expansion and housing project represents confidence in our province. This momentum helps create jobs today, while funding the programs and services that will keep our communities strong long-term.”
Part of a Broader Growth Trend
The permit increase follows a string of recent provincial economic reports. Saskatchewan’s real GDP hit an all-time high of $85.4 billion in 2025, a 2.2 per cent increase that outpaced the national average of 1.7 per cent, according to the province.
Private capital investment in the province grew 12 per cent last year to $13.6 billion, ranking first among the provinces, a figure the government attributes in part to its Securing the Next Decade of Growth investment attraction strategy.
The permit data builds on a pattern reported earlier this year, when Saskatchewan led Canada in building permit growth and when housing starts doubled across the province amid a broader construction boom.
Local Implications for Lloydminster and CVR
For the Border City and the County of Vermilion River, sustained provincial permit growth typically signals continued demand for residential lots, trade labour and building materials in the months ahead.
Local housing and commercial activity in the region has tracked provincial trends in recent reporting periods, including earlier coverage of Saskatchewan’s building permits hitting a new high in the spring.
The province’s low unemployment rate, reported at 5.4 per cent in recent labour force data, is also cited by economists as a factor supporting construction and skilled trades employment across the Lloydminster region.
More information on provincial investment data is available at InvestSK.ca, according to the Government of Saskatchewan release.
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