The trend in housing starts was 207,768 units in September 2018, compared to 213,966 units in August 2018, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). This trend measure is a six-month moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rates (SAAR) of housing starts.
“The national trend in housing starts stood at a 19-month low in September, following declines in four of the last five months,” said Bob Dugan, CMHC’s chief economist. “The slowdown in the pace of new residential construction activity in recent months is a result of both lower single-detached and multi-starts activity and brings new residential construction closer to its long-run average from the elevated levels registered in 2017.”
Total Toronto housing starts trended higher in September, as the decline in the single-detached starts trend was more than offset by rising multi-unit starts. Multi-unit starts were strong across unit types, led by semi-detached units saw the most starts for the month of September since 2004. The relative affordability of these higher-density units continues to fuel their demand.
CMHC uses the trend measure as a complement to the monthly SAAR of housing starts to account for considerable swings in monthly estimates and obtain a more complete picture of Canada’s housing market. In some situations analyzing only SAAR data can be misleading, as they are largely driven by the multi-unit segment of the market which can vary significantly from one month to the next.
The standalone monthly SAAR of housing starts for all areas in Canada was 188,683 units in September, down from 198,843 units in August. The SAAR of urban starts decreased by 5.9% in September to 175,653 units. Multiple urban starts decreased by 8.9% to 122,656 units in September while single-detached urban starts increased by 2.0% to 52,997 units.
Rural starts were estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 13,030 units.
As Canada’s authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers objective housing research and information to Canadian governments, consumers and the housing industry.
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Preliminary Housing Start Data in Centres 10,000 Population and Over |
||||||||||
Single-Detached |
All Others |
Total |
||||||||
September |
September |
September |
September |
September |
September |
|||||
2017 |
2018 |
% |
2017 |
2018 |
% |
2017 |
2018 |
% |
||
Provinces (10,000+) |
||||||||||
N.-L. |
63 |
60 |
-5 |
24 |
20 |
-17 |
87 |
80 |
-8 |
|
P.E.I. |
42 |
22 |
-48 |
51 |
50 |
-2 |
93 |
72 |
-23 |
|
N.S. |
141 |
152 |
8 |
306 |
418 |
37 |
447 |
570 |
28 |
|
N.B. |
97 |
68 |
-30 |
218 |
105 |
-52 |
315 |
173 |
-45 |
|
Atlantic |
343 |
302 |
-12 |
599 |
593 |
-1 |
942 |
895 |
-5 |
|
Qc |
751 |
750 |
0 |
4,212 |
3,421 |
-19 |
4,963 |
4,171 |
-16 |
|
Ont. |
2,602 |
1,973 |
-24 |
3,853 |
4,644 |
21 |
6,455 |
6,617 |
3 |
|
Man. |
267 |
188 |
-30 |
210 |
545 |
160 |
477 |
733 |
54 |
|
Sask. |
176 |
129 |
-27 |
113 |
126 |
12 |
289 |
255 |
-12 |
|
Alta. |
1,209 |
877 |
-27 |
1,184 |
949 |
-20 |
2,393 |
1,826 |
-24 |
|
Prairies |
1,652 |
1,194 |
-28 |
1,507 |
1,620 |
7 |
3,159 |
2,814 |
-11 |
|
B.C. |
1,003 |
806 |
-20 |
2,263 |
1,432 |
-37 |
3,266 |
2,238 |
-31 |
|
Canada (10,000+) |
6,351 |
5,025 |
-21 |
12,434 |
11,710 |
-6 |
18,785 |
16,735 |
-11 |
|
Metropolitan Areas |
||||||||||
Abbotsford-Mission |
40 |
25 |
-38 |
134 |
13 |
-90 |
174 |
38 |
-78 |
|
Barrie |
39 |
35 |
-10 |
16 |
17 |
6 |
55 |
52 |
-5 |
|
Belleville |
60 |
37 |
-38 |
10 |
7 |
-30 |
70 |
44 |
-37 |
|
Brantford |
36 |
15 |
-58 |
0 |
0 |
– |
36 |
15 |
-58 |
|
Calgary |
465 |
280 |
-40 |
449 |
554 |
23 |
914 |
834 |
-9 |
|
Edmonton |
453 |
370 |
-18 |
631 |
227 |
-64 |
1,084 |
597 |
-45 |
|
Greater Sudbury |
17 |
22 |
29 |
6 |
12 |
100 |
23 |
34 |
48 |
|
Guelph |
19 |
12 |
-37 |
38 |
19 |
-50 |
57 |
31 |
-46 |
|
Halifax |
76 |
84 |
11 |
280 |
338 |
21 |
356 |
422 |
19 |
|
Hamilton |
70 |
147 |
110 |
78 |
296 |
279 |
148 |
443 |
199 |
|
Kelowna |
91 |
36 |
-60 |
338 |
31 |
-91 |
429 |
67 |
-84 |
|
Kingston |
32 |
38 |
19 |
47 |
21 |
-55 |
79 |
59 |
-25 |
|
Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo |
101 |
70 |
-31 |
385 |
276 |
-28 |
486 |
346 |
-29 |
|
Lethbridge |
44 |
57 |
30 |
20 |
13 |
-35 |
64 |
70 |
9 |
|
London |
175 |
171 |
-2 |
182 |
73 |
-60 |
357 |
244 |
-32 |
|
Moncton |
34 |
18 |
-47 |
118 |
48 |
-59 |
152 |
66 |
-57 |
|
Montréal |
310 |
283 |
-9 |
2,713 |
2,068 |
-24 |
3,023 |
2,351 |
-22 |
|
Oshawa |
90 |
136 |
51 |
411 |
33 |
-92 |
501 |
169 |
-66 |
|
Ottawa-Gatineau |
318 |
328 |
3 |
489 |
464 |
-5 |
807 |
792 |
-2 |
|
Gatineau |
73 |
60 |
-18 |
56 |
128 |
129 |
129 |
188 |
46 |
|
Ottawa |
245 |
268 |
9 |
433 |
336 |
-22 |
678 |
604 |
-11 |
|
Peterborough |
26 |
13 |
-50 |
8 |
23 |
188 |
34 |
36 |
6 |
|
Québec |
64 |
68 |
6 |
869 |
520 |
-40 |
933 |
588 |
-37 |
|
Regina |
56 |
31 |
-45 |
96 |
36 |
-63 |
152 |
67 |
-56 |
|
Saguenay |
17 |
12 |
-29 |
8 |
32 |
300 |
25 |
44 |
76 |
|
St. Catharines-Niagara |
86 |
34 |
-60 |
85 |
204 |
140 |
171 |
238 |
39 |
|
Saint John |
18 |
15 |
-17 |
63 |
40 |
-37 |
81 |
55 |
-32 |
|
St. John’s |
49 |
45 |
-8 |
15 |
17 |
13 |
64 |
62 |
-3 |
|
Saskatoon |
95 |
85 |
-11 |
6 |
73 |
## |
101 |
158 |
56 |
|
Sherbrooke |
22 |
56 |
155 |
41 |
144 |
251 |
63 |
200 |
217 |
|
Thunder Bay |
17 |
17 |
– |
24 |
0 |
-100 |
41 |
17 |
-59 |
|
Toronto |
1,080 |
509 |
-53 |
1,900 |
3,061 |
61 |
2,980 |
3,570 |
20 |
|
Trois-Rivières |
22 |
33 |
50 |
15 |
30 |
100 |
37 |
63 |
70 |
|
Vancouver |
501 |
404 |
-19 |
1,072 |
839 |
-22 |
1,573 |
1,243 |
-21 |
|
Victoria |
62 |
73 |
18 |
538 |
190 |
-65 |
600 |
263 |
-56 |
|
Windsor |
66 |
67 |
2 |
24 |
31 |
29 |
90 |
98 |
9 |
|
Winnipeg |
225 |
151 |
-33 |
189 |
519 |
175 |
414 |
670 |
62 |
|
Total |
4,876 |
3,777 |
-23 |
11,298 |
10,269 |
-9 |
16,174 |
14,046 |
-13 |
|
Data for 2017 based on 2016 Census Definitions. |
Preliminary Housing Start Data – Seasonally Adjusted at Annual Rates (SAAR) |
||||||||||
Single-Detached |
All Others |
Total |
||||||||
August |
September |
August |
September |
August |
September |
|||||
2018 |
2018 |
% |
2018 |
2018 |
% |
2018 |
2018 |
% |
||
Provinces (10,000+) |
||||||||||
N.L. |
530 |
572 |
8 |
252 |
250 |
-1 |
782 |
822 |
5 |
|
P.E.I. |
313 |
199 |
-36 |
276 |
600 |
117 |
589 |
799 |
36 |
|
N.S. |
1,364 |
1,398 |
2 |
3,642 |
4,810 |
32 |
5,006 |
6,208 |
24 |
|
N.B. |
685 |
582 |
-15 |
433 |
1,082 |
150 |
1,118 |
1,664 |
49 |
|
Qc |
5,569 |
6,651 |
19 |
23,068 |
26,384 |
14 |
28,637 |
33,035 |
15 |
|
Ont. |
20,218 |
21,776 |
8 |
41,760 |
53,426 |
28 |
61,978 |
75,202 |
21 |
|
Man. |
2,489 |
2,144 |
-14 |
6,036 |
6,540 |
8 |
8,525 |
8,684 |
2 |
|
Sask. |
1,118 |
1,324 |
18 |
1,908 |
1,512 |
-21 |
3,026 |
2,836 |
-6 |
|
Alta. |
10,777 |
9,720 |
-10 |
21,090 |
11,072 |
-48 |
31,867 |
20,792 |
-35 |
|
B.C. |
8,914 |
8,631 |
-3 |
36,247 |
16,980 |
-53 |
45,161 |
25,611 |
-43 |
|
Canada (10,000+) |
51,977 |
52,997 |
2 |
134,712 |
122,656 |
-9 |
186,689 |
175,653 |
-6 |
|
Canada (All Areas) |
61,199 |
62,973 |
3 |
137,644 |
125,709 |
-9 |
198,843 |
188,683 |
-5 |
|
Metropolitan Areas |
||||||||||
Abbotsford-Mission |
238 |
270 |
13 |
108 |
156 |
44 |
346 |
426 |
23 |
|
Barrie |
1,173 |
596 |
-49 |
132 |
204 |
55 |
1,305 |
800 |
-39 |
|
Belleville |
369 |
381 |
3 |
348 |
84 |
-76 |
717 |
465 |
-35 |
|
Brantford |
645 |
129 |
-80 |
192 |
0 |
-100 |
837 |
129 |
-85 |
|
Calgary |
4,463 |
2,748 |
-38 |
8,316 |
6,648 |
-20 |
12,779 |
9,396 |
-26 |
|
Edmonton |
4,614 |
4,232 |
-8 |
11,652 |
2,724 |
-77 |
16,266 |
6,956 |
-57 |
|
Greater Sudbury |
140 |
166 |
19 |
48 |
144 |
200 |
188 |
310 |
65 |
|
Guelph |
142 |
125 |
-12 |
1,392 |
228 |
-84 |
1,534 |
353 |
-77 |
|
Halifax |
809 |
756 |
-7 |
3,204 |
4,056 |
27 |
4,013 |
4,812 |
20 |
|
Hamilton |
697 |
1,375 |
97 |
1,896 |
3,552 |
87 |
2,593 |
4,927 |
90 |
|
Kelowna |
410 |
381 |
-7 |
3,540 |
372 |
-89 |
3,950 |
753 |
-81 |
|
Kingston |
164 |
412 |
151 |
144 |
252 |
75 |
308 |
664 |
116 |
|
Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo |
645 |
664 |
3 |
1,308 |
3,312 |
153 |
1,953 |
3,976 |
104 |
|
Lethbridge |
287 |
533 |
86 |
408 |
156 |
-62 |
695 |
689 |
-1 |
|
London |
539 |
1,880 |
249 |
468 |
876 |
87 |
1,007 |
2,756 |
174 |
|
Moncton |
241 |
168 |
-30 |
264 |
576 |
118 |
505 |
744 |
47 |
|
Montréal |
1,781 |
2,641 |
48 |
10,066 |
24,512 |
144 |
11,847 |
27,153 |
129 |
|
Oshawa |
1,147 |
1,875 |
63 |
2,112 |
396 |
-81 |
3,259 |
2,271 |
-30 |
|
Ottawa-Gatineau |
3,816 |
3,187 |
-16 |
9,180 |
5,568 |
-39 |
12,996 |
8,755 |
-33 |
|
Gatineau |
521 |
413 |
-21 |
1,692 |
1,536 |
-9 |
2,213 |
1,949 |
-12 |
|
Ottawa |
3,295 |
2,774 |
-16 |
7,488 |
4,032 |
-46 |
10,783 |
6,806 |
-37 |
|
Peterborough |
271 |
200 |
-26 |
180 |
276 |
53 |
451 |
476 |
6 |
|
Québec |
614 |
646 |
5 |
1,980 |
6,240 |
215 |
2,594 |
6,886 |
165 |
|
Regina |
358 |
351 |
-2 |
348 |
432 |
24 |
706 |
783 |
11 |
|
Saguenay |
123 |
141 |
15 |
276 |
384 |
39 |
399 |
525 |
32 |
|
St. Catharines-Niagara |
640 |
417 |
-35 |
444 |
2,448 |
451 |
1,084 |
2,865 |
164 |
|
Saint John |
185 |
144 |
-22 |
0 |
480 |
## |
185 |
624 |
237 |
|
St. John’s |
408 |
426 |
4 |
96 |
204 |
113 |
504 |
630 |
25 |
|
Saskatoon |
576 |
809 |
40 |
1,368 |
876 |
-36 |
1,944 |
1,685 |
-13 |
|
Sherbrooke |
134 |
490 |
266 |
360 |
1,728 |
380 |
494 |
2,218 |
349 |
|
Thunder Bay |
149 |
139 |
-7 |
144 |
0 |
-100 |
293 |
139 |
-53 |
|
Toronto |
5,501 |
5,531 |
1 |
23,652 |
36,732 |
55 |
29,153 |
42,263 |
45 |
|
Trois-Rivières |
143 |
258 |
80 |
24 |
360 |
## |
167 |
618 |
270 |
|
Vancouver |
4,782 |
4,322 |
-10 |
19,956 |
10,068 |
-50 |
24,738 |
14,390 |
-42 |
|
Victoria |
859 |
831 |
-3 |
6,168 |
2,280 |
-63 |
7,027 |
3,111 |
-56 |
|
Windsor |
575 |
676 |
18 |
780 |
372 |
-52 |
1,355 |
1,048 |
-23 |
|
Winnipeg |
2,084 |
1,870 |
-10 |
5,760 |
6,228 |
8 |
7,844 |
8,098 |
3 |
|
Data based on 2016 Census Definitions. |
Photo: Bob Dugan, Chief Economist, CMHC (CNW Group/Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation).
Source: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation