New housing starts in the Rural Municipality of Ritchot are way down from a year ago.

Through the first nine months, there were permits taken out for 38 single family dwellings, which is exactly half the total amount for all of last year. St. Adolphe saw permits taken out for 20 housing starts, compared to 6 in Grande Pointe, 6 in Ile des Chenes, 5 in the rural area and 1 in Ste. Agathe.

In 2017, there was a total of 76 permits pulled for new housing starts in Ritchot with 59 of those being for St. Adolphe. But Mayor Chris Ewen says last year was an anomaly. In 2016 there was a total of 40 new housing starts and in 2015 there was 36.

Ewen says things are shaping up for more growth in Ste. Agathe and Grande Pointe. While Ste. Agathe has room for another 20 to 30 homes, Grande Pointe could see considerably more. Ewen says the North Grassie development is gearing up for the addition of between 400 and 450 homes. That development exists between Grande Pointe and Ile des Chenes.