It’s shaping up to be an “exceptional” year for construction in Thunder Bay.
Through the end of April, the City of Thunder Bay said the value of building permits issued so far in 2025 has hit $123 million, up nearly 75 per cent from the same time last year. Housing permits have jumped 43 per cent from 2025.
Another $60 million in applications is in the queue and undergoing review.
The city said new projects on the horizon include new apartment buildings, redevelopment of the former Lowe’s outlet at the Intercity Shopping Centre, along with public sector investments such as the new Cardio Care Unit at the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
In a news release, Joel DePeuter, the city’s director of Development Services, chalks this increased activity up to the municipality’s focus on setting favourable conditions for growth in the absence of development charges.
“We’ve created the right conditions for growth: unlocking land, keeping costs competitive, and providing expert support to help projects move forward quickly,” said DePeuter in a statement.
“Even with a high volume of applications, we’re keeping approvals fast and efficient, and with record investment through programs like the Housing Accelerator Fund, we’re making it easier and faster to build in Thunder Bay.”
The city said its efforts to free up land for housing and the award more than $8 million in grants, through the Housing Accelerator and Building Faster Funds, is triggering some positive moment to support the building of more than 450 new homes.
The city said it has some new ideas for growth that will be released soon, including:
- a new Growth Community Improvement Plan to encourage high-value job creation and development projects through targeted tax incentives and grants (coming to city council in June);
- an upcoming Call for Proposals to develop high-potential City-owned lands, projected to support over 1,000 new homes;
- the launch of the One Stop Development Shop in July will make the development process both easier and faster than ever;
- the Smart Growth Action Plan, now in development by Task Force Growth.
"Thunder Bay is on an upward trajectory,” said John Collin, the city manager. “Our focus on smart growth, unlocking land for development, and streamlining development is creating a city where people want to live, work, and invest.”
Mayor Ken Boshcoff said the city’s efforts to spearhead growth have spurred a “remarkable transformation.”
“But this isn’t just about construction. It’s about building a stronger, more vibrant community, one that is growing, thriving and attracting new residents, businesses, and long-term opportunities."
