According to Richmond’s policy planning division, the city’s population reached 208,000 in 2014. Based on year-to-year growth in the last decade, it is on pace to reach 211,000 this year.
Building permit records show the city’s 1,612 housing starts in 2014 were slightly below average over the last 10 years.
Of those, apartments accounted for 71 per cent. Construction value was pegged at $475 million, slightly below the 10-year average.
In the first quarter of 2015, residential building permits have risen 17 per cent over the same period last year.
Meanwhile, commercial permits were down 15 per cent in the first quarter of 2015.
Of note, in that time construction value was up 185 per cent, largely due to big projects in the Oval Village and West Cambie neighbourhoods.
