News

City of Greater Sudbury Sees Steady Growth in First Quarter of 2023

The construction industry in Greater Sudbury remains steady in the first quarter of 2023 with a total of $31.8 million in construction value of building permits issued. The construction of single, semi-detached homes and new secondary units registered contribute to diversification of the housing stock across the community.

“Council is committed to encouraging economic development and attracting new investment,” said Greater Sudbury Mayor Paul Lefebvre. “As our population and local economy grow, we must work with our partners to ensure we have the right conditions – including adequate housing accommodations, serviced industrial lands, and best-in-class development services – to seize these opportunities for sustainable growth.”

To support business development and investment attraction, the Employment Land Strategy provides recommendations and improvements to enhance the speed to market of investment opportunities. A new city-wide Employment Land Community Improvement Plan (CIP) is now in development, with community consultation to follow and full implementation to take place later this year. In addition, Council directed the completion of detailed design work for infrastructure needs in five identified areas across Greater Sudbury to ensure our industrial lands are investment ready.

“With our community’s innovation, talent and expertise, Greater Sudbury is ready for new investment opportunities and business growth,” said City of Greater Sudbury Chief Administration Officer Ed Archer. “With our Mayor’s and Council’s leadership, we will continue to bring policies and programs to realize this potential.”

Aligned with efforts to support business development, a new online portal, Pronto, has been piloted to improve the approval process for building applications and permits. The online portal is already available to some developers and will be widely available in the second quarter, enabling developers and residents to submit, track and manage their applications online.

The downtown incubator Innovation Quarters/Quartier de l’innovation hosted a 10-week Venture Bootcamp, with 67 participants receiving learning in key areas for startups and entrepreneurs to help prepare a robust cohort for the Incubation Program. A 12-month Incubation Program will launch in the second quarter of 2023 with several aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage startups.

Greater Sudbury continues to welcome newcomers, with 81 individuals approved through the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot Program (RNIP) in the first quarter of 2023. This represents 158 new residents for our community when spouses and family members are included. The program continues to place Greater Sudbury on the international map to attract talent and address key labour shortages. The demand continues to be strong, with new applications arriving daily.

To learn more about Greater Sudbury’s economic growth in 2023, visit investsudbury.ca/about-us/economic-bulletin. Related information will be shared and reported quarterly.

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