The six-month trend in housing starts increased (4.1%) in September (277,147 units), according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Actual housing starts were up 19% year-over-year in centres with a population of 10,000 or greater, with 22,375 units recorded in September, compared to 18,806 units in September 2024. The year-to-date total was 178,033, up 5% from the same period in 2024. The total monthly SAAR of housing starts for all areas in Canada was up 14% in September (279,234 units) compared to August (244,543 units). “The six-month trend in housing starts was pushed higher in September, driven by significantly higher monthly starts in Ontario, Québec, and the Prairie provinces. Notably, Montréal and Toronto were responsible for more than a quarter of the total monthly starts nationally, primarily due to increased rental apartments starts,” said Tania Bourassa-Ochoa, CMHC’s Deputy Chief Economist.