According to the results of the latest monthly survey conducted by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), residential construction rose this past month in Quebec's centres with 10,000 or more inhabitants. In all, 2,911 dwellings were started in January, compared to 1,997 a year earlier. As well, the seasonally adjusted annual rate of starts for this same month (48,400) was stronger than the pace recorded in December (45,100). Nationally, the seasonally adjusted annual rate
of urban starts was 165,200 units in January.
The surge in residential construction registered in January in Quebec was attributable to increases in single-detached home building (+41 per cent) and multiple-unit housing activity (+47 per cent). At the regional level, the census metropolitan areas (CMAs) of Montréal and Québec posted major gains (see table).
“The significant increase in starts recorded in January resulted from a combination of
factors, as the resale market tightened over the past year—boosting demand for new
homes—and the weather conditions, which had been unfavourable for construction in
January of last year, were relatively favourable this year. We believe that this intense activity is not an indication of the vigour forecast for 2010,” said Kevin Hughes, Regional Economist at CMHC.
For all CMAs across Quebec, single-detached home starts rose by 48 per cent over January 2009, while multiple-family housing starts increased by 53 per cent. Foundations were laid for a total of 2,538 dwellings in the province’s CMAs in January 2010, for a hike of 52 per cent compared to a year earlier.
During this same period, housing activity in the census agglomerations with 50,000 to 99,999 inhabitants remained relatively stable (5 fewer starts than in January 2009). There were more single-detached home starts (+42 per cent) in these centres, but this gain was offset by a decline in multi-family housing construction (-23 per cent).
In the CMAs, the year-over-year increases in starts were particularly strong for freehold homes (+75 per cent) and condominiums (+93 per cent). During this same period, rental housing activity in the CMAs remained relatively stable (-2 per cent).
of urban starts was 165,200 units in January.
The surge in residential construction registered in January in Quebec was attributable to increases in single-detached home building (+41 per cent) and multiple-unit housing activity (+47 per cent). At the regional level, the census metropolitan areas (CMAs) of Montréal and Québec posted major gains (see table).
“The significant increase in starts recorded in January resulted from a combination of
factors, as the resale market tightened over the past year—boosting demand for new
homes—and the weather conditions, which had been unfavourable for construction in
January of last year, were relatively favourable this year. We believe that this intense activity is not an indication of the vigour forecast for 2010,” said Kevin Hughes, Regional Economist at CMHC.
For all CMAs across Quebec, single-detached home starts rose by 48 per cent over January 2009, while multiple-family housing starts increased by 53 per cent. Foundations were laid for a total of 2,538 dwellings in the province’s CMAs in January 2010, for a hike of 52 per cent compared to a year earlier.
During this same period, housing activity in the census agglomerations with 50,000 to 99,999 inhabitants remained relatively stable (5 fewer starts than in January 2009). There were more single-detached home starts (+42 per cent) in these centres, but this gain was offset by a decline in multi-family housing construction (-23 per cent).
In the CMAs, the year-over-year increases in starts were particularly strong for freehold homes (+75 per cent) and condominiums (+93 per cent). During this same period, rental housing activity in the CMAs remained relatively stable (-2 per cent).