The City of Hamilton recently surpassed $2 billion in construction value for building permits issued in 2025, marking the earliest in the calendar year that the city has ever reached the milestone.
The $2-billion mark was reached on Oct. 8, only five days earlier than the previous record.
The previous record was set on Oct. 13, 2023.
The city reached the $2-billion mark in 2021, 2023, and 2025, but missed out in 2022 and 2024.
The city’s all-time construction value record was set in 2023.
Earlier this year, the city also reached the $1 billion construction value milestone in record time.
That record was broken on Apr. 30.
The city has consistently reached $1 billion in construction value for more than a decade.
The over $2 billion construction value includes 4,038 building permits.
A total of 67 per cent of those permits were residential, 12 per cent were industrial/commercial, two per cent were institutional, and 19 per cent were miscellaneous, including signs, demolitions, fire repair, tents, sewage systems, and protective plumbing.
In terms of construction value, residential accounts for 75 per cent of the total, industrial/commercial accounts for 16.5 per cent, institutional accounts for 7.5 per cent and miscellaneous permits account for one per cent.
Notably, the city has approved 3,417 dwelling units as of Oct. 8, which is the highest number on record by that date.
Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath commented on the achievement, saying, “Hamiltonians are feeling the pressure of the housing crisis – it’s clear we need more homes people can afford, and we need them built faster.”
“At the same time, Hamilton’s strong industrial growth is creating new jobs and strengthening our local economy. By streamlining development processes, removing barriers, and implementing new measures such as development charge exemptions, we’ve unlocked stalled projects and spurred new investment,” she continued.
“Surpassing the $2 billion milestone reflects that momentum; it’s proof that Hamilton is growing, attracting opportunity, and building a city where everyone can thrive.”
City staff also listed five major projects that contributed to the municipality reaching the $2 billion milestone.
First is 163 Jackson St. W., a residential development called “Television City” just southwest of the Hamilton Arena, consisting of two 32-storey towers with a total of 642 units.
The second development listed is the new McMaster student residence, Lincoln Alexander Hall, located at 1190 Main Street West, situated between McMaster Children’s Hospital and the Dalewood Recreation Centre, which features 567 units.
Next is a new 15-storey condo development in Westdale, just east of Dalewood Recreation Centre at 1107 Main Street West, which will have 269 units.
Fourth, Pine Villa Long-Term Care Home at 466 Highway 8 near Dewitt Road is undergoing a large redevelopment.
Fifth is a new IKEA warehouse at 212 Glover Road on Hamilton Mountain near Twenty Road East.
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
