Bill Lang of the Saugeen economic development corporation says 3rd quarter numbers show a surprisingly strong local economy.
Unemployment numbers were down compared with a year ago and car sales were actually up.
The number of manufacturing jobs dropped but Lang says that is mainly because of layoffs at Durham furniture.
Lang says building permits in the third quarter in Mid-Western Ontario surpassed 22 million dollars worth of work, virtually equal to the amount of new construction in the 3rd quarter of 2007.
The only real negative number came in real estate sales.
House sales fell 22% from the level of a year ago but the average price for a home in Saugeen was up close to 2% at 205 thousand dollars.
4th quarter numbers are not in yet, but Bill Lang expects the local economy to hold it’s own for the most part, since the area does not have significant ties to the auto industry, which he says will be a big drag on other communities.
