SMITHS FALLS — Building activity in Smiths Falls remained largely consistent in 2025, though housing and institutional development saw modest declines, according to a report presented at the March 23 committee of the whole meeting.
Andrew Willows, chief building official, told council that overall permit activity and revenue tracked closely with the previous year.
“Building activity is about the same as last year,” Willows said. “The permit fees are a bit higher than last year, but the stats are similar.”
The report shows a slight dip in residential construction, along with reduced activity in the industrial, commercial and institutional sectors. Those declines were offset by increases in other permit categories, keeping overall figures stable.
“Housing is down a bit,” Willows said, adding that staff are optimistic about the year ahead. “Both subdivisions [are] online and they should be coming together quite well.”
The report also includes mandatory financial disclosures required under the Ontario Building Code Act. Willows noted that some figures may appear inconsistent at first glance due to overlapping revenues from previous years.
“You’ll see there’s numbers that don’t quite add up,” he said, explaining that timing differences account for the variation between reported totals.
To support operations in 2025, the department drew from reserve funds. The remaining balance now sits at approximately $1.8 million.
Council members did not raise concerns during the discussion and expressed appreciation for the department’s work following the presentation.
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