It seems Leamington's experiment in waiving development charges is returning some positive results.
Mayor John Paterson is happy with what he sees.
"Commercial is still way behind, but the industrial and institutional have just blown the doors off more than we expected," says Paterson. "Residential, which is really probably the impetus behind all of this, is showing signs of growth. We are, in the first five months, ahead of where we were this time last year."
The big number likely blowing away councillors is $7.5-million more in construction approved in Leamington compared to the same time last year.
There have been 77 residential permits issued through May, five more than the same time last year. Four industrial permits have been issued so far this year compared to just one over the same time frame last year and two more institutional permits have been issued this year over last year through May.
To make up for waiving development fees $281,443 has been drawn from reserves from mid-August last year to the end of May. If too much is drawn from reserves, Paterson says council may end the initiative early.
"It's too early to say right now," says Paterson. "I'm very happy with the explosion in the industrial and institutional builds. I'm waiting for the residential builds to happen. We'll know better at the end of the year."
The three-year initiative to waive development charges in Leamington is set to end August 2017.
