OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 16, 2025 /CNW/ - Nationally, actual 2024 housing starts were up 2% in centres of 10,000 population and over, with 227,697 units recorded, compared to 223,513 in 2023, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Combined with an estimated 17,423 actual rural housing starts, the total for all areas in Canada in 2024 was 245,120, also up 2% compared to 2023. This increase is primarily explained by historically high rental construction levels and overall increased starts in Alberta, Québec, and the Atlantic provinces.

Annual and monthly housing starts are now available.

Canada's six largest Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) saw a combined 3% year-over-year decrease from 2023 (Table 1), driven by lower starts levels in Vancouver, Toronto, and Ottawa where multi-unit starts fell due to weak pre-construction condominium sales. Calgary, Edmonton, and Montréal saw higher starts activity in 2024, particularly in the multi-unit segment, driven by high rental starts.

Monthly housing starts:

The six-month trend in housing starts was flat (-0.7%) in December at 242,637 units. The trend measure is a six-month moving average of the seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of total housing starts for all areas in Canada.

The total monthly SAAR of housing starts for all areas in Canada decreased 13% in December (231,468 units) compared to November (267,140 units).

Canada's centres with a population of 10,000 or greater saw 16,531 actual starts in December, pushing the 2024 total up to 227,697. This compares to 223,513 for the same period in 2023, a 2% increase.

Quote:

"Canada's urban centres saw an uptick in housing starts in 2024 compared to last year, marking the third-highest year on record." said Mathieu Laberge, CMHC's Chief Economist and Senior Vice-President, Market Insights. "While this annual increase shows some signs of progress, Canada still needs significantly higher supply growth to restore affordability in urban centres. Last Spring, we estimated Canada could build up to 400,000 new housing units annually, based on current resources devoted to residential construction."

Key Facts:

  • The monthly SAAR of total urban (centres 10,000 population and over) housing starts was 14% lower (214,000 units). Multi-unit urban starts decreased 15% (168,515 units), while single-detached urban starts decreased 10% (45,485 units).
  • The rural starts monthly SAAR estimate was 17,468 units.
  • Monthly Housing Starts and Other Construction Data are accessible in English and French on our website and the CMHC Housing Market Information Portal.
  • Housing starts data is available on the eleventh business day each month. We will release the January housing starts data on February 17 at 8:15 AM ET.
  • CMHC uses the trend measure as a complement to the monthly SAAR of housing starts to account for considerable swings in monthly estimates and to obtain a clearer picture of upcoming new housing supply. In some situations, analyzing only SAAR data can be misleading, as the multi-unit segment largely drives the market and can vary significantly from one month to the next.
  • Definitions and methodology to better understand the foundations of the Starts and Completions and Market Absorption surveys.

Housing starts facilitate the analysis of monthly, quarterly, and year-over-year activity in the new home market. The data we collect as part of our Starts and Completions and Market Absorption surveys helps us obtain a clearer picture of upcoming new housing supply and is used as part of our various housing reports.

CMHC plays a critical role as a national convenor to promote stability and sustainability in Canada's housing finance system. Our mortgage insurance products support access to home ownership and the creation and maintenance of rental supply. We actively support the Government of Canada in delivering on its commitment to make housing more affordable. Our research and data help inform housing policy. By facilitating cooperation between all levels of government, private and non-profit sectors, we contribute to advancing housing affordability, equity, and climate compatibility. 

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Related Links:

  • Housing starts for November 2024
  • Housing starts for 2023
  • 2024 Rental Market Report
  • Fall 2024 Housing Supply Report
  • Higher rates hindered housing starts in 2023
  • Canada's potential capacity for housing construction

Housing Starts in Canada - All Areas (CNW Group/Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC))

Housing starts up 2% in 2024 from 2023 (CNW Group/Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC))

 











Housing Start Data in Centres 10,000 Population and Over














January - December 2023 - 2024







Area

Single-Detached



All Others



Total



Province











2023

2024

%

2023

2024

%

2023

2024

%

N.L.

455

644

42

161

370

130

616

1,014

65

P.E.I.   

199

267

34

598

1,067

78

797

1,334

67

N.S.   

1,521

1,609

6

4,785

5,054

6

6,306

6,663

6

N.B.   

909

974

7

3,065

4,013

31

3,974

4,987

25

Atlantic

3,084

3,494

13

8,609

10,504

22

11,693

13,998

20

Que.  

4,162

4,537

9

28,428

36,684

29

32,590

41,221

26

Ont.   

15,089

13,161

-13

70,681

58,957

-17

85,770

72,118

-16

Man.   

1,685

1,714

2

4,450

4,450

-

6,135

6,164

0

Sask.   

1,052

1,337

27

3,156

2,654

-16

4,208

3,991

-5

Alta.   

12,339

15,696

27

22,884

30,936

35

35,223

46,632

32

Prairies

15,076

18,747

24

30,490

38,040

25

45,566

56,787

25

B.C.   

5,540

4,444

-20

42,354

39,129

-8

47,894

43,573

-9

Canada

42,951

44,383

3

180,562

183,314

2

223,513

227,697

2

Metropolitan Areas




















Abbotsford-Mission

232

182

-22

928

1,001

8

1,160

1,183

2

Barrie

763

453

-41

1,545

1,052

-32

2,308

1,505

-35

Belleville - Quinte West

221

229

4

259

158

-39

480

387

-19

Brantford

409

207

-49

456

152

-67

865

359

-58

Calgary

5,875

7,100

21

13,704

17,269

26

19,579

24,369

24

Chilliwack

186

149

-20

430

501

17

616

650

6

Drummondville

164

171

4

481

889

85

645

1,060

64

Edmonton

5,032

6,976

39

8,152

11,408

40

13,184

18,384

39

Fredericton

289

317

10

713

432

-39

1,002

749

-25

Greater Sudbury

80

131

64

188

523

178

268

654

144

Guelph

84

63

-25

1,196

389

-67

1,280

452

-65

Halifax

619

816

32

4,186

4,265

2

4,805

5,081

6

Hamilton

303

416

37

3,398

2,211

-35

3,701

2,627

-29

Kamloops

96

88

-8

426

542

27

522

630

21

Kelowna

453

361

-20

2,517

3,429

36

2,970

3,790

28

Kingston

293

239

-18

1,121

776

-31

1,414

1,015

-28

Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo

850

376

-56

3,862

3,035

-21

4,712

3,411

-28

Lethbridge

179

272

52

64

443

##

243

715

194

London

514

564

10

1,674

3,607

115

2,188

4,171

91

Moncton

251

279

11

1,867

2,718

46

2,118

2,997

42

Montréal

1,021

1,107

8

14,214

16,463

16

15,235

17,570

15

Nanaimo

194

169

-13

352

860

144

546

1,029

88

Oshawa

614

425

-31

1,239

1,166

-6

1,853

1,591

-14

Ottawa-Gatineau

1,858

1,916

3

10,135

9,633

-5

11,993

11,549

-4

  Gatineau

323

401

24

2,425

3,254

34

2,748

3,655

33

  Ottawa

1,535

1,515

-1

7,710

6,379

-17

9,245

7,894

-15

Peterborough

188

134

-29

75

179

139

263

313

19

Québec

542

589

9

4,467

6,316

41

5,009

6,905

38

Red Deer

79

96

22

110

258

135

189

354

87

Regina

214

288

35

963

935

-3

1,177

1,223

4

Saguenay

190

226

19

667

682

2

857

908

6

St. Catharines-Niagara

912

648

-29

1,835

1,095

-40

2,747

1,743

-37

Saint John

229

230

0

313

537

72

542

767

42

St. John's

347

548

58

141

323

129

488

871

78

Saskatoon

786

977

24

1,862

1,679

-10

2,648

2,656

0

Sherbrooke

226

315

39

1,165

1,617

39

1,391

1,932

39

Thunder Bay

95

92

-3

158

208

32

253

300

19

Toronto

4,721

4,723

0

42,707

32,995

-23

47,428

37,718

-20

Trois-Rivières

174

196

13

1,146

1,488

30

1,320

1,684

28

Vancouver

2,832

2,176

-23

30,412

25,936

-15

33,244

28,112

-15

Victoria

385

298

-23

4,607

3,887

-16

4,992

4,185

-16

Windsor

302

486

61

906

1,671

84

1,208

2,157

79

Winnipeg

1,425

1,434

1

4,029

3,717

-8

5,454

5,151

-6

Total

34,227

36,462

7

168,670

166,445

-1

202,897

202,907

0







1Data for 2021 and 2022 based on 2016 Census Definitions and data for 2023 and 2024 based on 2021 Census Definitions.






Source: CMHC Starts and Completion Survey, Market Absorption Survey






 

Housing Start Data in Centres 10,000 Population and Over


Single-Detached

All Others

Total



December
2023

December
2024

%

December
2023

December
2024

%

December
2023

December
2024

%

Provinces (10,000+)










N.-L.

48

54

13

22

40

82

70

94

34

P.E.I.   

13

26

100

24

82

242

37

108

192

N.S.   

148

144

-3

468

315

-33

616

459

-25

N.B.   

86

63

-27

281

336

20

367

399

9

Atlantic

295

287

-3

795

773

-3

1,090

1,060

-3

Qc

223

309

39

2,503

2,332

-7

2,726

2,641

-3

Ont.   

1,053

942

-11

4,328

4,003

-8

5,381

4,945

-8

Man.   

130

123

-5

370

269

-27

500

392

-22

Sask.   

84

111

32

367

154

-58

451

265

-41

Alta.   

1,189

1,251

5

2,302

2,234

-3

3,491

3,485

0

Prairies

1,403

1,485

6

3,039

2,657

-13

4,442

4,142

-7

B.C.   

350

325

-7

4,604

3,418

-26

4,954

3,743

-24

Canada (10,000+)

3,324

3,348

1

15,269

13,183

-14

18,593

16,531

-11

Metropolitan Areas










Abbotsford-Mission

5

13

160

11

117

##

16

130

##

Barrie

84

31

-63

17

548

##

101

579

473

Belleville - Quinte West

18

23

28

4

5

25

22

28

27

Brantford

42

11

-74

54

2

-96

96

13

-86

Calgary

538

514

-4

955

1,203

26

1,493

1,717

15

Chilliwack

10

11

10

70

86

23

80

97

21

Drummondville

20

16

-20

60

52

-13

80

68

-15

Edmonton

513

568

11

1,244

877

-30

1,757

1,445

-18

Fredericton

29

23

-21

2

4

100

31

27

-13

Greater/Grand Sudbury

1

9

##

2

35

##

3

44

##

Guelph

6

6

-

136

11

-92

142

17

-88

Halifax

94

78

-17

385

250

-35

479

328

-32

Hamilton

28

31

11

606

453

-25

634

484

-24

Kamloops

3

3

-

155

2

-99

158

5

-97

Kelowna

52

16

-69

329

3

-99

381

19

-95

Kingston

38

32

-16

8

451

##

46

483

##

Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo

47

27

-43

1,460

636

-56

1,507

663

-56

Lethbridge

20

22

10

7

4

-43

27

26

-4

London

32

50

56

40

412

##

72

462

##

Moncton

26

17

-35

216

271

25

242

288

19

Montréal

39

52

33

1,690

988

-42

1,729

1,040

-40

Nanaimo

5

6

20

13

54

315

18

60

233

Oshawa

22

18

-18

19

4

-79

41

22

-46

Ottawa-Gatineau

130

192

48

690

623

-10

820

815

-1

  Gatineau

14

36

157

6

182

##

20

218

##

  Ottawa

116

156

34

684

441

-36

800

597

-25

Peterborough

29

5

-83

32

0

-100

61

5

-92

Québec

21

12

-43

80

145

81

101

157

55

Red Deer

9

7

-22

0

5

##

9

12

33

Regina

20

18

-10

184

82

-55

204

100

-51

Saguenay

12

45

275

200

102

-49

212

147

-31

St. Catharines-Niagara

39

25

-36

31

24

-23

70

49

-30

Saint John

22

15

-32

44

47

7

66

62

-6

St. John's

39

42

8

20

29

45

59

71

20

Saskatoon

58

90

55

163

72

-56

221

162

-27

Sherbrooke

13

28

115

98

111

13

111

139

25

Thunder Bay

5

11

120

4

0

-100

9

11

22

Toronto

329

328

0

1,107

652

-41

1,436

980

-32

Trois-Rivières

4

7

75

17

128

##

21

135

##

Vancouver

154

156

1

3,208

2,234

-30

3,362

2,390

-29

Victoria

27

36

33

617

481

-22

644

517

-20

Windsor

15

43

187

12

57

375

27

100

270

Winnipeg

104

109

5

305

162

-47

409

271

-34

Total

2,702

2,746

2

14,295

11,422

-20

16,997

14,168

-17









Data for 2023 and 2024 based on 2021 Census Definitions.








Source: CMHC










## not calculable / extreme value










 

Housing Start Data - Seasonally Adjusted at Annual Rates (SAAR)


Single-Detached

All Others

Total


November
2024

December
2024

%

November
2024

December
2024

%

November
2024

December
2024

%

Provinces (10,000+)










N.L.

997

646

-35

568

556

-2

1,565

1,202

-23

P.E.I.   

120

293

144

36

984

##

156

1,277

##

N.S.   

1,705

1,687

-1

4,003

3,746

-6

5,708

5,433

-5

N.B.   

1,187

806

-32

4,773

4,021

-16

5,960

4,827

-19

Qc  

5,596

5,862

5

47,757

34,771

-27

53,353

40,633

-24

Ont.   

13,909

12,572

-10

45,602

51,109

12

59,511

63,681

7

Man.   

1,549

1,630

5

6,168

3,228

-48

7,717

4,858

-37

Sask.   

1,566

1,539

-2

3,228

1,848

-43

4,794

3,387

-29

Alta.   

19,061

16,147

-15

40,448

27,154

-33

59,509

43,301

-27

B.C.   

4,594

4,303

-6

44,974

41,098

-9

49,568

45,401

-8

Canada (10,000+)

50,284

45,485

-10

197,557

168,515

-15

247,841

214,000

-14

Canada (All Areas)

63,338

57,626

-9

203,802

173,842

-15

267,140

231,468

-13

Metropolitan Areas

Abbotsford-Mission

124

183

48

912

1,404

54

1,036

1,587

53

Barrie

628

507

-19

384

6,576

##

1,012

7,083

##

Belleville - Quinte West

253

285

13

216

60

-72

469

345

-26

Brantford

159

109

-31

696

24

-97

855

133

-84

Calgary

8,134

6,609

-19

21,972

14,436

-34

30,106

21,045

-30

Chilliwack

133

144

8

133

1,032

##

1,729

1,176

-32

Drummondville

146

236

62

1,680

624

-63

1,826

860

-53

Edmonton

8,947

7,754

-13

16,248

10,524

-35

25,195

18,278

-27

Fredericton

388

296

-24

1,296

48

-96

1,684

344

-80

Greater/Grand Sudbury

370

129

-65

5,052

420

-92

5,422

549

-90

Guelph

67

100

49

384

132

-66

451

232

-49

Halifax

928

735

-21

2,712

3,000

11

3,640

3,735

3

Hamilton

677

492

-27

204

5,436

##

881

5,928

##

Kamloops

76

63

-17

3,408

24

-99

3,484

87

-98

Kelowna

382

138

-64

240

36

-85

622

174

-72

Kingston

171

288

68

108

5,412

##

279

5,700

##

Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo

359

343

-4

588

7,632

##

947

7,975

##

Lethbridge

418

264

-37

336

48

-86

754

312

-59

London

538

619

15

1,632

4,944

203

2,170

5,563

156

Moncton

516

274

-47

2,640

3,252

23

3,156

3,526

12

Montréal

1,154

1,154

-

30,068

12,220

-59

31,222

13,374

-57

Nanaimo

292

105

-64

1,548

648

-58

1,840

753

-59

Oshawa

385

472

23

240

48

-80

625

520

-17

Ottawa-Gatineau

2,392

2,726

14

10,860

7,476

-31

13,252

10,202

-23

  Gatineau

367

546

49

3,816

2,184

-43

4,183

2,730

-35

  Ottawa

2,025

2,180

8

7,044

5,292

-25

9,069

7,472

-18

Peterborough

119

50

-58

612

0

-100

731

50

-93

Québec

665

242

-64

12,132

1,740

-86

12,797

1,982

-85

Red Deer

118

73

-38

24

60

150

142

133

-6

Regina

294

253

-14

204

984

382

498

1,237

148

Saguenay

280

553

98

912

1,224

34

1,192

1,777

49

St. Catharines-Niagara

663

385

-42

2,760

288

-90

3,423

673

-80

Saint John

268

182

-32

552

564

2

820

746

-9

St. John's

768

442

-42

516

348

-33

1,284

790

-38

Saskatoon

1,259

1,303

3

3,012

864

-71

4,271

2,167

-49

Sherbrooke

473

461

-3

2,628

1,332

-49

3,101

1,793

-42

Thunder Bay

106

157

48

72

0

-100

178

157

-12

Toronto

4,643

4,144

-11

21,936

7,824

-64

26,579

11,968

-55

Trois-Rivières

170

185

9

816

1,536

88

986

1,721

75

Vancouver

2,318

2,202

-5

29,736

26,808

-10

32,054

29,010

-9

Victoria

201

401

100

3,528

5,772

64

3,729

6,173

66

Windsor

628

661

5

1,512

684

-55

2,140

1,345

-37

Winnipeg

1,372

1,471

7

5,112

1,944

-62

6,484

3,415

-47









Data for 2023 and 2024 based on 2021 Census Definitions.








Source: CMHC










## not calculable / extreme value










 

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SOURCE Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)

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