St. John’s is already $20 million ahead of last year’s total for building permits issued, according to numbers released by the city yesterday.

And council’s lead on housing says it debunks the theory that the city is anti-development.

Ron Ellsworth says he was taken aback by the numbers, which show almost $60 million in permits issued so far this year, compared with about $40 million for all of 2023.

“For a city that’s been characterized by some as being anti-development, I’m shocked at the numbers we’re seeing in the permits that are coming through,” he said, adding development in the city is “on fire.” “We’re looking at roughly 800 additional residential units coming forward, and we’ve already approved $20 million more than we did all of last year and we’re only in the first quarter.”

The city has also already approved 17 permits for one and two-family homes compared to just 14 for all of 2023.

However, they’re not approving every housing application, despite the desperate need.

A bid to turn the first floor of the former Stoggers Pizza building on Harvey Road into a residential unit was rejected by council, as recommended by city staff.

It was noted that that area, which is across from Tim Horton’s, still has promise as a commercial strip, and throwing a potential Airbnb into the mix could impede that progress.