According to the results of the latest monthly survey conducted by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), residential construction increased this past month in Quebec’s centres with 10,000 or more inhabitants. In all, 4,213 dwellings were started in April 2010, compared to 3,180 a year earlier. The seasonally adjusted annual rate of starts for this same month (47,300) was also up from the pace recorded in March (46,800). “It must be recalled that the April total reflects market conditions of the second half of 2009. During this period, financing conditions were particularly favourable and the resale market had become tighter,” said Kevin Hughes, Senior Economist at CMHC for Quebec.
The increase in starts noted in Quebec in April reflected the conditions observed in most census metropolitan areas (CMAs) across the province. In fact, while hikes were reported in Québec (+85 per cent), Montréal (+37 per cent), Sherbrooke and Saguenay (gains of more than 100 per cent in both these centres), construction got under way on fewer dwellings in Gatineau (-5 per cent) and Trois-Rivières (-19 per cent).
Single-detached home building increased in all of Quebec’s CMAs, except Trois-Rivières, with the strongest growth having been recorded in Saguenay. Overall, foundations were laid for 1,317 single-detached homes in centres with 100,000 or more inhabitants, for a gain of 48 per cent.
In the multiple-unit housing segment, residential construction was up in four of Quebec’s six CMAs. In this regard, the Québec, Saguenay and Sherbrooke CMAs stood out with much higher starts volumes.
The survey results also revealed that starts in the larger census agglomerations (CAs) increased significantly year-over-year (from 79 units in 2009 to 240 in 2010). Both single-detached home building (+71 per cent) and multi-family housing construction (gain of more than 100 per cent) accounted for this growth.
As well, a closer review of the data shows that the increase in starts was particularly strong this past April in the case of units intended for the freehold market (+57 per cent) and the condominium segment (+46 per cent). The construction of dwellings intended for the rental market also rose during this period, although to a lesser extent (+28 per cent).
From January to April 2010, housing starts in Quebec’s centres with 10,000 or more inhabitants were up by 37 per cent over the same period last year (rising to 12,578 units in 2010, from 9,148 in 2009). This result reflected the increases in both multiple-family housing construction (+39 per cent) and single-detached home building (+34 per cent).
The increase in starts noted in Quebec in April reflected the conditions observed in most census metropolitan areas (CMAs) across the province. In fact, while hikes were reported in Québec (+85 per cent), Montréal (+37 per cent), Sherbrooke and Saguenay (gains of more than 100 per cent in both these centres), construction got under way on fewer dwellings in Gatineau (-5 per cent) and Trois-Rivières (-19 per cent).
Single-detached home building increased in all of Quebec’s CMAs, except Trois-Rivières, with the strongest growth having been recorded in Saguenay. Overall, foundations were laid for 1,317 single-detached homes in centres with 100,000 or more inhabitants, for a gain of 48 per cent.
In the multiple-unit housing segment, residential construction was up in four of Quebec’s six CMAs. In this regard, the Québec, Saguenay and Sherbrooke CMAs stood out with much higher starts volumes.
The survey results also revealed that starts in the larger census agglomerations (CAs) increased significantly year-over-year (from 79 units in 2009 to 240 in 2010). Both single-detached home building (+71 per cent) and multi-family housing construction (gain of more than 100 per cent) accounted for this growth.
As well, a closer review of the data shows that the increase in starts was particularly strong this past April in the case of units intended for the freehold market (+57 per cent) and the condominium segment (+46 per cent). The construction of dwellings intended for the rental market also rose during this period, although to a lesser extent (+28 per cent).
From January to April 2010, housing starts in Quebec’s centres with 10,000 or more inhabitants were up by 37 per cent over the same period last year (rising to 12,578 units in 2010, from 9,148 in 2009). This result reflected the increases in both multiple-family housing construction (+39 per cent) and single-detached home building (+34 per cent).