Canada’s housing building and construction pattern stayed mainly the same in February, even as monthly starts ticked greater, according to brand-new data from the Canada Home Mortgage and Housing Corporation.CMHC reported that
the six-month pattern in housing starts– measured as the six-month moving average of the seasonally changed yearly rate(SAAR)– edged up 0.4%in February to 256,005 systems.”The six-month pattern in housing starts was
basically flat, suggesting that the trend in new construction activity remains relatively steady despite ongoing regular monthly volatility,”said Kevin Hughes, Deputy Chief Financial Expert at CMHC.” Looking ahead, we anticipate increased levels of service unpredictability and construction costs to weigh on the rate and pattern of real estate starts in the near-to-medium term.”On a monthly basis, the total SAAR of housing starts across all locations in Canada
increased 4.5%in February to 250,900 units, compared to 240,148 systems in January.Actual housing starts in centres with populations of 10,000 or greater increased 10% year-over-year,
reaching 15,886 systems in February compared to 14,420 units during the very same month in 2025. Year-to-date starts totalled 31,974 units, up 5%from the very same duration last year.According to CMHC, the year-to-date increase was driven by more powerful starts in British Columbia and Ontario. Greater activity across those provinces has actually up until now offset declines in the Toronto region.Among Canada’s 3 largest metropolitan areas, February results different significantly.Housing begins in Montréal increased 18%year-over-year, supported by boosts in both multi-unit and single-detached building. In Vancouver, begins climbed 60 %compared to February 2025, likewise driven by greater multi-unit and single-detached activity.Meanwhile, starts in Toronto decreased 28%year-over-year due to lower levels of both multi-unit and single-detached construction.CMHC also reported that the rural starts monthly SAAR estimate was 20,400 units.As part of its Modernizing Housing Data initiative, CMHC said brand-new housing completions information for centres with populations of 10,000 or more, together with absorption data for centres with populations of 50,000 or greater, is now available through the organization’s Real estate Market Information Portal.Housing begins information, which is launched on the eleventh company
day of every month, is collected through CMHC’s Starts and Completions Survey and is utilized to track activity in the new home market and provide insight into upcoming real estate supply. The next release, covering March real estate starts, is set up for April 17.