The seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing starts
reached 186,300 units in January 2010. This is an increase from an
annual rate of 176,100 units in December 2009, according to Canada
Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). According to final figures,
actual housing starts for 2009 totalled 149,081 units, with activity
improving as the year progressed.
“Housing starts improved in
both the singles and multiples segments in January,” said Bob Dugan,
Chief Economist at CMHC’s Market Analysis Centre. “These increases are
similar to the ones that occurred in December.”
The seasonally
adjusted annual rate of urban starts increased by 4.4 per cent to
165,200 units in January. Urban multiple starts increased by
5.7 per cent to 76,300 units while single urban starts increased by
3.3 per cent to 88,900 units.
January’s seasonally adjusted
annual rate of urban starts increased by 19.8 per cent in British
Columbia, by 7.3 per cent in Quebec, by 2.3 per cent in Atlantic
Canada, and by 1.5 per cent in the Ontario. In the Prairie region, the
seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts decreased by
4.8 per cent.
Rural starts were estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 21,100 units in January.
