The six-month trend in housing starts was flat (0.8%) in May (243,407 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. The total monthly SAAR of housing starts for all areas in Canada was also flat (-0.2%) in May (279,510 units) compared to April (280,181 units). Actual housing starts were up 9% year-over-year in centres with a population of 10,000 or greater, with 23,745 units recorded in May, compared to 21,814 units in May 2024. The year-to-date total was 90,767 up 1% from the same period in 2024. “Growth in actual starts activity in May was once again driven by increases of single-detached homes and purpose-built rentals in Québec. By contrast, weak condominium market conditions in Toronto and Vancouver have contributed to declines in overall housing starts in these regions,” said Tania Bourassa-Ochoa, CMHC’s Deputy Chief Economist.