P.E.I. is looking at another year of double digit growth in the construction sector despite rising costs and difficulty finding workers.

Building permits issued through the first five months of 2021 show an increase in value of more than 50 per cent, as compared to 2019.

“Construction continues to grow, you know, almost on a daily basis,” said Sam Sanderson, general manager of the Construction Association of P.E.I.

“The demand for commercial and residential construction continues to increase.”

The reason for the growth is straightforward, said Sanderson. P.E.I.’s population has been growing faster than anywhere else in the country for years. In 2019, P.E.I. was targeting a population of 160,000 by 2022. Even with the pandemic, P.E.I. hit that target in April.

Those people need places to live and work, and that means new construction.

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