"Astronomical numbers."
That is how Ritchot Mayor Chris Ewen is describing what he witnessed during the first six months of the construction season in his municipality.
Ewen says they got off to a bit of a slow start in 2025, after what he predicted would be a strong year. But then things changed. At the midway point of 2025, Ritchot was head and shoulders above 2024 in terms of building permits.
From January 1st through June 30th this year, the municipality issued 132 permits, worth a combined $29.7 million. By comparison, at the same point in 2024, Ritchot had issued 94 permits for $21.3 million.
"We're starting to see major builds happening for homes, a little bit of commercial, and just people doing things around their house," explains Ewen. "It's great to see so much going on in Ritchot and the activity that's coming here."
Ewen says he thinks that residents will be pleasantly surprised by all of the new things going on in the next six to 12 months.
Ewen says when it comes to the growth of their municipality, there is a healthy blend of newcomers and lifelong residents expanding their families. He notes they are seeing people from the big city wanting a smaller town feel, like they can find in Ile des Chenes, St. Adolphe, Ste. Agathe or Grande Pointe.
"They are wanting to be part of a smaller community, and it turns out that they want to stay longer," he says.
Ewen credits the many great programs and opportunities developed by their recreation department and administration.
"I think people really appreciate everything that our municipality has to offer," he says. "They develop a relationship with the neighbourhoods and they are staying a long time."
Ewen says part of what is drawing people to move to Ritchot is the affordable housing option. He notes that with average house prices in the $400,000 to $500,000 range, developers are deciding to create other opportunities for people who may want to start with a rental and then, as their family grows, they opt to build a new home.
"It's great to see people become residents here and longstanding residents too," he says. "They develop a relationship with the neighbourhoods and they are staying a long time."
Meanwhile, Ewen says he also credits Ritchot's former councils and administrations. He notes Ritchot has a history of strong councils and administrations that had the foresight to ensure that the necessary infrastructure and plans would be in place to allow their communities to grow.
"Kudos to every Council before me for ensuring that the residents of each community in Ritchot will be well taken care of for a very long time," says Ewen.