St. John’s Area August Housing Starts – Press Release from CMHC

September 10, 2009 · Filed Under CMHC Reports, Market Trends and St. John's Real Estate 

Urban housing starts decreased during the month of August, according to preliminary data released today by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). August’s housing starts totaled 151 throughout the St. John’s real estate area versus 249 starts in August of 2008. An additional 18 starts were recorded in other urban areas across the province, for a total of 169 provincial starts compared to 316 the previous August. For the January to August 2009 period, the St. John’s area posted 1,026 housing starts versus 1,079 starts during the same period last year, while provincial starts totaled 1,180 compared to 1,312 a year ago.

“Despite August’s decline, the local residential construction sector has posted solid year to date results,” said Chris Janes, senior market analyst with CMHC in Newfoundland and Labrador. “Employment and population growth throughout the St. John’s area this year continues to bode well for residential construction activity,” added Janes.

For Canada’s urban centres, total housing starts fell 27 per cent with 12,187 recorded in August compared to 16,807 during August of 2008. Single-detached starts decreased 26 per cent to 5,211, while multiple starts of 6,976 represent a 28 per cent decline from a year ago. Throughout Atlantic Canada, there were 835 urban housing starts posted versus 879 the previous August, a decline of 5 per cent.

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