Quebec housing starts in September

MONTREAL , Oct. 8 /CNW Telbec/ - According to the results of the latest monthly survey conducted by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), residential construction fell this past month in Quebec's centres with 10,000 or more inhabitants. In all, 3,169 dwellings were started in September, compared to 3,575 a year earlier. As well, the seasonally adjusted annual rate of starts for this same month (34,800) was slower than the pace recorded in August (43,600). Nationally, the seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts was 131,500 units in September.

"We were anticipating a slowdown in September, as the pace observed in July and August was not sustainable in the current conditions," said Kevin Hughes , Senior Economist at CMHC.

The decline in residential construction registered in September in Quebec was due to a decrease in activity in the multiple-unit (semi-detached, row and apartment) housing segment, which particularly affected the Gatineau and Saguenay areas, where starts of this type fell by 63 per cent and 88 per cent, respectively.

For all census metropolitan areas (CMAs) across Quebec , single-detached home starts posted a gain of 7 per cent this past month, while multiple-family housing starts declined by 20 per cent, compared to the same period in 2008. That said, on a disaggregated basis, the survey data revealed very mixed results (see table). In all, foundations were laid for 2,586 dwellings in the CMAs during September, for a decrease of 12 per cent from the 2,947 units started a year earlier.

In the larger census agglomerations (with 50,000 to 99,999 inhabitants), the starts volume remained stable in September (209 units). The decrease in single-detached housing starts (-21 per cent) was offset by a significant increase in activity in the multi-family housing segment (+29 per cent).

Still according to the survey results, there were more freehold home starts but far fewer new rental and condominium housing units compared to September 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-homes that will continue to create vibrant and healthy communities and cities across the country. For more information, visit www.cmhc.ca or call 1-800-668-2642.

    
       Preliminary Results - Monthly Starts Survey - Province of Quebec
                        (centres with 10,000+ inhab.)

                                  September

                        Single-
                      Detached            Others                Total
                  2008   2009    %    2008    2009    %    2008    2009    %
                ------------------  -------------------  -------------------

    Centres with
     100,000+
     inhab.
     (September)

    GATINEAU       106    101   -5     434     160  -63     540     261  -52
    MONTRÉAL       496    575   16   1,174   1,150   -2   1,670   1,725    3
    QUÉBEC         167    148  -11     161     213   32     328     361   10
    SAGUENAY        29     40   38     241      29  -88     270      69  -74
    SHERBROOKE      58     44  -24      36      82 (xxx)     94     126   34
    TROIS-
     RIVIÈRES       17     26   53      28      18  -36      45      44   -2

    Subtotal
     (100,000+)    873    934    7   2,074   1,652  -20   2,947   2,586  -12

    Centres with
     50,000 to
     99,999 inhab.
     (September)

    DRUMMONDVILLE   35     32   -9      16      21   31      51      53    4
    GRANBY          44     15  -66      47      24  -49      91      39  -57
    SAINT-
     HYACINTHE*    6      8   33       6      44 (xxx)     12      52 (xxx)
    SHAWINIGAN       9     17   89       0      10 (xxx)      9      27 (xxx)
    SAINT-JEAN-
     SUR-
     RICHELIEU      19     17  -11      24      21  -13      43      38  -12

    Subtotal
     (50,000
     to 99,999)    113     89  -21      93     120   29     206     209    1

    Centres with
     10,000 to
     49,999 inhab.
     (3rd Quart.)

    ALMA            34     21  -38      22       8  -64      56      29  -48
    AMOS            10     14   40       0       0    0      10      14   40
    BAIE-COMEAU      9      5  -44       0       0    0       9       5  -44
    COWANSVILLE      8      7  -13      25      24   -4      33      31   -6
    DOLBEAU-
     MISTASSINI     12      7  -42       0       0    0      12       7  -42
    GASPÉ           59     20  -66       0      10 (xxx)     59      30  -49
    JOLIETTE        46     37  -20      71      34  -52     117      71  -39
    LA TUQUE         1      3 (xxx)      0       0    0       1       3 (xxx)
    LACHUTE         18     10  -44      17      28   65      35      38    9
    LES-ÎLES-
     DE-LA-
     MADELEINE       0      7 (xxx)      0       6 (xxx)      0      13 (xxx)
    MATANE           9     18  100       0       0    0       9      18  100
    MONT-LAURIER    15     14   -7       2       0 -100      17      14  -18
    MONTMAGNY        7      5  -29       0       0    0       7       5  -29
    PRÉVOST         25     42   68       0       5 (xxx)     25      47   88
    RAWDON          20     23   15       2       6 (xxx)     22      29   32
    RIMOUSKI        45     53   18      46      38  -17      91      91    0
    RIVIÈRE-
     DU-LOUP        27     14  -48      36      36    0      63      50  -21
    ROBERVAL        15      1  -93       2       0 -100      17       1  -94
    ROUYN-NORANDA   31     31    0       2      44 (xxx)     33      75 (xxx)
    SAINTE-ADÈLE    28     24  -14      13      17   31      41      41    0
    SAINTE-MARIE    11     15   36      88       6  -93      99      21  -79
    SAINTE-SOPHIE   46     47   2       18      14  -22      64      61   -5
    SAINT-FÉLICIEN  5       3  -40       0       0    0       5       3  -40
    SAINT-GEORGES   27     19  -30      24       4  -83      51      23  -55
    SAINT-LIN-
     LAURENTIDES    70     44  -37      10      13   30      80      57  -29
    SALABERRY-DE-
     VALLEYFIELD    21     17  -19      45      44   -2      66      61   -8
    SEPT-ÎLES       18     17   -6      11       0 -100      29      17  -41
    SOREL-TRACY     29     37   28      22      26   18      51      63   24
    THETFORD MINES  22     17  -23      15      32 (xxx)     37      49   32
    VAL-D'OR        31     53   71       0      11 (xxx)     31      64 (xxx)
    VICTORIAVILLE   52     37  -29      76      85   12     128     122   -5

    Subtotal
     (10,000 to
     49,999)*    751    662  -12     547     491  -10   1,298   1,153  -11

    Quebec
     (estimate
     10,000+)    1,213  1,251    3   2,362   1,918  -19   3,575   3,169  -11

    (xxx) Absolute value greater than 100%

    * Data adjusted to reflect geographical definitions of the 2006 census.
        Les-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Mont-Laurier, Prévost, Rawdon,
        Sainte-Adèle, and Sainte-Sophie now belong to the 10 000 to 49 999
        population category.


                             January to September

                       Single-
                      Detached            Others                Total
                  2008   2009    %    2008    2009    %    2008    2009    %
                ------------------  -------------------  -------------------

    Centres with
     100,000+
     inhab.

    GATINEAU       769    777    1   1,554   1,600    3   2,323   2,377    2
    MONTRÉAL     5,225  3,786  -28  11,371   9,702  -15  16,596  13,488  -19
    QUÉBEC       1,561  1,307  -16   2,468   2,478    0   4,029   3,785   -6
    SAGUENAY       317    244  -23     382     159  -58     699     403  -42
    SHERBROOKE     580    526   -9     445     675   52   1,025   1,201   17
    TROIS-
     RIVIÈRES      286    266   -7     488     399  -18     774     665  -14

    Subtotal
     (100,000+)  8,738  6,906  -21  16,708  15,013  -10  25,446  21,919  -14

    Centres with
     50,000 to
     99,999 inhab.

    DRUMMONDVILLE  247    250    1     212     123  -42     459     373  -19
    GRANBY         252    181  -28     303     294   -3     555     475  -14
    SAINT-
     HYACINTHE*   91     51  -44     109     150   38     200     201    1
    SHAWINIGAN      88     60  -32      30      60  100     118     120    2
    SAINT-JEAN-
     SUR-
     RICHELIEU     208    170  -18     207     120  -42     415     290  -30

    Subtotal
     (50,000
     to 99,999)    886    712  -20     861     747  -13   1,747   1,459  -16

    Centres with
     10,000 to
     49,999 inhab.

    ALMA            92     58  -37      47      28  -40     139      86  -38
    AMOS            28     24  -14       4       0 -100      32      24  -25
    BAIE-COMEAU     17     29   71       0       0    0      17      29   71
    COWANSVILLE     32     19  -41      29      56   93      61      75   23
    DOLBEAU-
     MISTASSINI     31     15  -52      12       0 -100      43      15  -65
    GASPÉ           85     51  -40      26      14  -46     111      65  -41
    JOLIETTE       197    179   -9     115      88  -23     312     267  -14
    LA TUQUE         4      5   25      17       2  -88      21       7  -67
    LACHUTE         59     25  -58      50      38  -24     109      63  -42
    LES-ÎLES-
     DE-LA-
     MADELEINE       7     36 (xxx)      0      18 (xxx)      7      54 (xxx)
    MATANE          21     28   33       2       2    0      23      30   30
    MONT-LAURIER    34     26  -24       2       0 -100      36      26  -28
    MONTMAGNY       12     13    8       6       8   33      18      21   17
    PRÉVOST         98    116   18       0       7 (xxx)     98     123   26
    RAWDON          51     50   -2       8      26 (xxx)     59      76   29
    RIMOUSKI       112    100  -11     132     113  -14     244     213  -13
    RIVIÈRE-
     DU-LOUP        58     45  -22      46      46    0     104      91  -13
    ROBERVAL        16     10  -38       4       8  100      20      18  -10
    ROUYN-NORANDA   82     67  -18       4      46 (xxx)     86     113   31
    SAINTE-ADÈLE    66     46  -30      27      40   48      93      86   -8
    SAINTE-MARIE    27     30   11     108      28  -74     135      58  -57
    SAINTE-SOPHIE  115    109   -5      46      38  -17     161     147   -9
    SAINT-FÉLICIEN  23     10  -57       0       0    0      23      10  -57
    SAINT-GEORGES   79     65  -18      88      48  -45     167     113  -32
    SAINT-LIN-
     LAURENTIDES   161     79  -51      30      37   23     191     116  -39
    SALABERRY-DE-
     VALLEYFIELD    58     48  -17     194      71  -63     252     119  -53
    SEPT-ÎLES       33     32   -3      11       0 -100      44      32  -27
    SOREL-TRACY     73     71   -3      90      62  -31     163     133  -18
    THETFORD MINES  38     27  -29      17      36 (xxx)     55      63   15
    VAL-D'OR        64     78   22       3      11 (xxx)     67      89   33
    VICTORIAVILLE  120     99  -18     222     194  -13     342     293  -14

    Subtotal
     (10,000 to
     49,999)*  1,894  1,590  -16   1,340   1,065  -21   3,234   2,655  -18

    Quebec
     (estimate
     10,000+)   11,518  9,212  -20  18,909  16,825  -11  30,427  26,037  -14

    (xxx) Absolute value greater than 100%

    * Data adjusted to reflect geographical definitions of the 2006 census.
        Les-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Mont-Laurier, Prévost, Rawdon,
        Sainte-Adèle, and Sainte-Sophie now belong to the 10 000 to 49 999
        population category.
    

For further information: Province: Kevin Hughes, Senior Economist, [phone]; Montréal: Astrid Joseph, Market Analyst, [phone]; Sherbrooke (Estrie): Patrice Tardif, Senior Market Analyst, [phone]; Québec: Élisabeth Koulouris, Senior Market Analyst, [phone]; Trois-Rivières (Mauricie): Marie-Élaine Denis, Market Analyst, [phone]; Gatineau (Outaouais, Abitibi): Patrice Tardif Senior, Market Analyst, [phone]; Saguenay: Sébastien Paquet-Poirier, Market Analyst, [phone]