Regional activity
A simple comparison of the total number of pool permit registrations from Statistics Canada shows a dramatic increase year-over-year. However, when looking at the regional break down of these statistics one can clearly see the industry in Eastern Canada was booming, while Western Canada struggled to some degree. It also highlights the teeter-totter effect which occurred over the course of the 2015 and 2016 seasons.
For instance, whereas six out of 10 CMAs in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, and British Columbia reported increases in pool permit registrations in 2015, only two showed growth in 2016. On the other hand, nine CMAs in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland reported increases in 2015, while 21 experienced growth last season.
Every CMA in the Prairies reported losses; however, areas such as Hamilton, Guelph, and Quebec had a stellar year. (See the chart ‘Building Permits Issued for Swimming Pools in Major Urban Centres (2012-2016) below for details on specific municipalities.)
Building Permits Issued For Swimming Pools in Census Metropolitan Areas (2012-2016) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Region | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
| Canada | 12517 | 12052 | 10154 | 10698 | 13054 |
| Abbotsford | 13 | 14 | 10 | 6 | 10 |
| Barrie | 280 | 211 | 170 | 163 | 248 |
| Brantford | 70 | 77 | 31 | 59 | 30 |
| Calgary | 48 | 37 | 36 | 36 | 31 |
| Chicoutimi-Jonquiere | — | — | — | — | — |
| Edmonton | 64 | 25 | 31 | 38 | 31 |
| Guelph | 64 | 82 | 59 | 42 | 245 |
| Halifax | 35 | 32 | 38 | 29 | 36 |
| Hamilton | 481 | 436 | 283 | 187 | 414 |
| Kelowna | 118 | 150 | 140 | 243 | 180 |
| Kingston | 51 | 62 | 42 | 36 | 51 |
| Kitchener/ Cambridge/ Waterloo |
250 | 171 | 146 | 86 | 127 |
| London | 223 | 205 | 153 | 144 | 256 |
| Moncton | 29 | 25 | 20 | 13 | 25 |
| Montreal | 4783 | 4546 | 3763 | 4175 | 4730 |
| Oshawa | — | — | — | — | — |
| Ottawa/Hull/ Gatineau |
165 | 186 | 15 | 170 | 367 |
| Peterborough | 81 | 66 | 46 | 46 | 52 |
| Quebec | 396 | 542 | 447 | 463 | 598 |
| Regina | 6 | 9 | 12 | 11 | 5 |
| Saguenay | 48 | 45 | 84 | 67 | 56 |
| St. Catharines/ Niagara |
209 | 201 | 192 | 179 | 221 |
| Saint John | 10 | 22 | 17 | 15 | 18 |
| Saint John’s | 12 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 97 |
| Saskatoon | 15 | 10 | 10 | 11 | 9 |
| Sherbrooke | 435 | 406 | 397 | 386 | 481 |
| Sudbury | 192 | 150 | 107 | 89 | 159 |
| Thunder Bay | — | — | — | — | — |
| Toronto | 693 | 458 | 228 | 279 | 311 |
| Trois-Rivières | 128 | 147 | 117 | 134 | 181 |
| Vancouver | 155 | 129 | 161 | 171 | 226 |
| Victoria | 13 | 10 | 6 | 13 | 9 |
| Windsor | 100 | 96 | 105 | 106 | 134 |
| Winnipeg | 178 | 125 | 106 | 125 | 101 |
| Total Major Urban Area Permits | 9345 | 8696 | 6994 | 7545 | 9439 |
| The installation of residential swimming pools does not require a building permit in every municipality. Some areas issue permits for inground pools only. These figures are therefore conservative. Statistics Canada combined the Ottawa/Hull/Gatineau statistic. Source: Statistics Canada | |||||
