Ontario Construction News staff writer
Ontario’s housing starts trended upward in June, with a 3.6 per cent increase over the previous month, according to new data from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
The six-month trend measure rose to 253,081 units in June, marking a modest but continued increase in residential construction across the country. The trend is based on a moving average of seasonally adjusted annual rates (SAAR) and provides a clearer picture of long-term building activity by smoothing out monthly volatility.
The actual number of housing starts in urban centres with populations of 10,000 or more rose 14 per cent year-over-year, reaching 23,282 units in June compared to 20,509 in the same month last year. Year-to-date, housing starts are up four per cent from the first half of 2024, with a total of 114,411 units.
“Through the first six months of the year, national housing starts have increased marginally compared to 2024,” said Kevin Hughes, CMHC’s deputy chief economist. “However, new home construction varies significantly across Canada. Québec and the Prairie provinces have accelerated the pace of construction for single-detached homes and purpose-built rentals. By contrast, weak condo market conditions in Toronto and Vancouver have contributed to declines in overall housing starts in these regions.”
Despite the weak conditions cited, Vancouver bucked the trend in June, reporting a 74 per cent increase in starts over June 2024, driven by a surge in multi-unit residential projects. Toronto, on the other hand, saw a 40 per cent year-over-year drop, while Montreal recorded an 8 per cent decline — both attributed to fewer multi-unit starts.
Nationally, the total SAAR of housing starts remained largely flat in June, increasing just 0.4 per cent to 283,734 units from 282,705 units in May. In urban centres alone, the monthly SAAR was 261,705 units, while rural starts were estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 22,029 units.
CMHC notes that the trend measure is especially useful when interpreting new housing supply data because the multi-unit segment—such as condos and apartments—can fluctuate significantly month to month.
For detailed data and methodology, visit the CMHC Housing Market Information Portal.