The six-month trend in housing starts increased (3.7%) in July (263,088 units), according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). The trend measure is a six-month moving average of the seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of total housing starts for all areas in Canada. Actual housing starts were up 4% year-over-year in centres with a population of 10,000 or greater, with 23,464 units recorded in July, compared to 22,610 units in July 2024. The year-to-date total was 137,875, up 4% from the same period in 2024. The total monthly SAAR of housing starts for all areas in Canada was up 4% in July (294,085 units) compared to June (283,523 units). Through the first seven months of the year, actual housing starts have remained above 2024 levels, primarily driven by increased multi-unit starts in the Prairie Provinces and Québec,” said Tania Bourassa-Ochoa, CMHC’s Deputy Chief Economist.