The Portage la Prairie Planning District saw a drop in permits issued during 2016.

Kinelm Brookes, Development Officer/Building Inspector for the Portage Planning District, says they're doing the year-end tallies comparing last year's numbers to 2015.

Brookes (2016)

"We had 315 permits in 2016, worth a value of about $33-million. We had 360 in 2015, worth a value of about $37-million. So we're down about $4-million but with the number of permits (issued) last year, we feel we're in pretty good shape."

Brookes says the new pea plant heading to Portage la Prairie should help boost their numbers once all the details and plans are worked out.