Last night's city council meeting in Portage la Prairie highlighted some good news about the jump in planning permits issued between 2016 and 2017. Councillor and Economic Development Chair Liz Driedger shares the details.

"In 2016, the total year was $33,447,725 for the value of 313 permits for the projects that were taken out," says Driedger. "That jumped in 2017 to 370 permits for a value of $50,098,859."

She explains that's good news for the city and indicates we're experiencing an economic boom. Driedger acknowledges a lot of it has to do with large industries moving in, but it's also because of an expansion of that influx toward other businesses and even residential projects.

Driedger adds when the economy goes well, people want to better their homes, add onto them, or buy bigger. Driedger says the January numbers indicate 2018 will be even better.