Home improvement movement in Burlington -- City sees 45% increase of renovation permits

Thestar.com
April 4, 2022
Roland Cilliers

The pandemic has had a number of unexpected effects.

On March 28, the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC) showed that there was a 45 per cent increase in the quantity of permits issued in Burlington for Residential Renovation and Additions in 2021 versus the previous year. In 2021, 293 permits were issued versus just 202 the previous year.

The local increase is part of an Ontario-wide trend that saw a sizable increase in home improvement activities over the last two years.

“COVID-19 restrictions were likely a major factor again, with people focused on their home because they were spending so much more time there,” said Carmelo Lipsi, MPAC Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. “In every category of home improvement -- additions, renovations, swimming pools, garages, decks and sheds -- the numbers were up, in many cases by double digit percentages.”

MPAC, which tracks property data across Ontario, reports residential home improvement permits were up by 18%, to nearly 70,000. These permits were for home improvements including renovations/additions, swimming pools, sheds, garages and decks.

“This is an interesting trend to watch, to see if it continues once pandemic restrictions have been lifted for good,” Lipsi said. “Many indicators suggest that working from home will be more prevalent than it was pre-pandemic, and we’ll see if that continues to translate to more spending on the home.”