November Housing Starts in Halifax

HALIFAX , Dec. 8 /CNW/ - Residential construction activity in Halifax decreased last month compared to November 2008 . According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's (CMHC's) preliminary data(1) released today for Halifax , there were 96 total housing starts last month, compared with 118 in November 2008 .

"After three months of increased apartment construction activity, November saw no new apartment projects break ground," said Matthew Gilmore , senior market analyst with CMHC's Atlantic Business Centre. "The overall monthly decline of 18.6 per cent was in line with the current year-to-date decrease of 18.1 per cent," Gilmore added.

Single-detached starts decreased from 97 to 68 units last month while multiple starts were up slightly from 21 to 28 units.

In urban centres across Canada , total housing starts in November were virtually unchanged at 13,507 units compared to last year's monthly total of 13,500. Single-detached starts were up 15 per cent to 6,671 units, while multiple starts were down 11 per cent in November to 6,836 units compared to 7,718 units during the same period last year. In the Atlantic region, 641 new units were started last month compared to 734 units in November 2008 .

As Canada's national housing agency, CMHC draws on more than 60 years of experience to help Canadians access a variety of quality, environmentally sustainable and affordable homes. CMHC also provides reliable, impartial and up-to-date housing market reports, analysis and knowledge to support and assist consumers and the housing industry in making vital decisions.

    
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    (1) Figures for the most recent month are preliminary and subject to
        revisions due to corrections or updates from quarterly enumeration or
        sampling results.
    

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                   PRELIMINARY URBAN MONTHLY HOUSING STARTS
                             NOVA SCOTIA SUMMARY
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                     2009      2008                 YEAR-TO-DATE
                    -----------------  % Change  ------------------ % Change
                      NOV       NOV                 2009     2008
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           ALL URBAN CENTRES WITH POPULATIONS GREATER THAN 50,000
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    HALIFAX CMA
    Single             68        97      -29.9%      783    1,115     -29.8%
    Multiple           28        21       33.3%      844      872      -3.2%
    TOTAL              96       118      -18.6%    1,627    1,987     -18.1%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    CAPE BRETON RGM
    Single             21        10      110.0%      131      143      -8.4%
    Multiple            6         6        0.0%       76       71       7.0%
    TOTAL              27        16       68.8%      207      214      -3.3%
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            ALL URBAN CENTRES WITH POPULATION GREATER THAN 10,000
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    ALL CENTRES*
    Single            105       190      -44.7%    1,405     1,967    -28.6%
    Multiple           36        50      -28.0%    1,066     1,177     -9.4%
    TOTAL             141       240      -41.3%    2,471     3,144    -21.4%
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    Figures for the most recent month are preliminary and subject to
    revisions due to corrections or updates from quarterly enumeration or
    sampling results.

    *  Includes all centres with a total population of more than 10,000
         (Halifax CMA, Cape Breton RGM, Truro CA, Kentville CA and New
         Glasgow CA, Chester MD CA, East Hants MD CA, Kings Subd. A SC CA,
         Lunenburg MD CA, Queens RGM CA, West Hants MD CA, Yarmouth MD CA).
    (XX) Indicates changes in excess of 100% which are not reported due to
         volatility resulting from small absolute numbers.
    

For further information: on this release: Matthew Gilmore, Senior Market Analyst, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, [phone], [email protected]; visit www.cmhc.ca or call 1 800 668-2642