A good start to the year for the City of Swift Current as they continue to experience positive building growth.

In a year-over-year comparison building permits for the City jumped 19 percent in March of 2017, with the City also reporting they have nearly double the value of building permits that were issued by the end of April last year.

"Those numbers really do show that our economy is still strong and it really does point to the diversity of our economy," said Marty Salberg Director Community Development with the City of Swift Current. "When you see new construction that means new businesses or expanding businesses, new houses, potentially new residents and that all leads to a growing and healthy economy."

In the month of March, the City handed out $2.8-million in building permits, an increase of $450,000 when compared to March of 2016.

SaskJobs currently has 375 jobs listed in the Swift Current area allowing the City to continue its growth.

"I think anytime you're going to be looking at growth there has to be jobs, I mean that's number one when people want to move to a community there has to be some work for them," Salberg said. "There is 300-400 jobs in this area which is pretty significant. I think when we get rolling on eight cylinders when all the various sectors are going strong, I think we will see another strong push."

The province of Saskatchewan recorded year-over-year building permits jumped by 13.2 percent in March 2017, the highest percentage increase among the provinces, and well ahead of the 1.5 percent posted nationally.

The province's building permits totalled $151.2 million in March 2017, up from $133.6 million in March 2016.