Heather Wright/The Independent

2025 has not been a good year for construction in Petrolia.

The value of the construction underway so far this year has dropped 70 per cent and the number of new home building permits is down over 90 per cent from 2024.

According to statistics provided by Lambton County’s Building Department there has been just one permit issued to build a new single family home in the first seven months of the year.

That compares with 11 in the same time frame in 2024 and 10 in 2023.

That one home permit in 2025 was valued at $500,000, less than one tenth of the value of the new home building permits issued last year. In 2024, there was $5,960,000 in permits issued. In 2023, there was $5,250,000 in permits granted.

There has been some construction activity in Petrolia’s institutions. Statistics show four alterations and additions were granted permits valued at about $1.4 million – nearly half of all the value of construction in the town so far this year.

There has also been about $560,000 in additions to Petrolia homes.

The bottom line is there is far fewer dollars being generated in the construction field right now.

The total value of building permits to date in 2025 sits just over $3.16 million. 

The value of construction in 2024 was $10,304,38.

In 2023, it was about $7.7 million.

Developers have said there is a lack of building lots available for residential housing. In a report for  the July 14 council meeting, Director of Operations Mike Thompson said there are seven subdivision plans in the works in the community including the next phase of Countryview Estates.

It’s also hoped the $2 million watermain expansion down Petrolia Line over the next two years will open up development lands in the towns southeast quadrant near the former landfill. Construction starts in mid-August.