The November 2024 building permit report reveals a construction landscape in Chilliwack that is keeping pace with last year in overall residential growth, even as the types of housing being built shift significantly. While single-family homes and townhouses have seen a decrease, multi-family developments are on the rise, reflecting broader trends in urban housing solutions.
It’s worth noting that these reports exclude developments on Indigenous land. While more growth is happening than reflected in these numbers, it’s not reflected in City of Chilliwack reports nor is it counted towards the provincial housing target mandate.
Chilliwack’s housing permit numbers for 2024 reveal a leveling off after several years of decline. By November’s end, 570 units had been approved, slightly ahead of 2023’s 550 year to date count. However, these figures are a far cry from the 930 housing units permitted in all of 2021, a high point in recent years, and even lower than the 793 issued by year-end 2022.
To put this in perspective, between 2018 and 2022, Chilliwack averaged over 830 housing unit permits annually. The current pace, while no longer declining, is well below that average and unlikely to meet the provincial government’s ambitious housing targets. This gap highlights the challenge local governments face in scaling up housing supply to align with growing demand.
At the same time, the shift towards multi-family developments suggests that Chilliwack is adapting to these challenges. By focusing on higher-density housing, the city is addressing affordability and land-use efficiency, key considerations in meeting provincial objectives.
While progress has been made in halting the downward trend, meeting long-term housing goals will require continued adjustments and an emphasis on development-ready land and projects.
The commercial construction sector, however, is trailing behind previous years. Year-to-date commercial construction value sits at $22.3 million, a sharp drop from $65.6 million at the same point in 2023. Without significant new permits in December, 2024 could mark the lowest commercial construction value in seven years.
November 2024 might not have delivered any blockbuster projects, but it still saw some noteworthy developments. On the agricultural front, a $750,000 permit was issued for a chicken barn on Chapman Road, marking continued investment in Chilliwack’s farming sector. Meanwhile, healthcare received a boost with an $850,000 renovation project at the hospital on Menholm Road, reflecting ongoing efforts to support essential community services.
Chilliwack’s construction trends reflect a broader move towards higher-density living, with fewer single-family homes and townhouses and more multi-family developments in the works. This evolution aligns with long-term housing strategies to support growth while balancing affordability and sustainability.
