Housing starts in Canada’s largest markets reached a record high in April.

Actual starts rose 17% from April 2024 with 21,720 units recorded, says the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.

“The increased starts activity in April was driven by increases across all housing types in Quebec and the Prairie provinces, while starts in Ontario and British Columbia declined on a year-over-year basis again [in April],” said Kevin Hughes, a CMHC deputy chief economist.

Montreal experienced a staggering 64% increase year-over-year as multi-unit starts drove activity. Vancouver also gained from multi-unit starts as they spurred a 6% overall increase.

But a decrease in multi-unit starts led to a 25% overall drop from April 2024.

On a seasonally adjusted basis, housing starts in the country’s largest markets rose 30%.

Hughes warned that the current economic uncertainty affecting all real estate markets “will have consequences for the supply and demand of new housing.

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