OTTAWA, ON, June 15, 2026 /CNW/ - The six-month trend in housing starts was virtually flat in May, with a slight increase of 0.5% to 258,010 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.
Actual monthly housing starts were down 5.2% year-over-year in centres with a population of 10,000 or more, with 22,633 units recorded in May, compared to 23,879 units in May 2025. The year-to-date total was 93,644 units, up 3% from the same period in 2025, driven by higher starts in British Columbia and Ontario, outweighing year-over-year decreases in the Prairies.
The total monthly SAAR of housing starts for all areas in Canada decreased 6% in May (261,377 units) compared to April (278,380 units).
The number of units under construction in centres with a population of 50,000 or more rose 0.9% month-over-month to 374,662 units in May. Completions also increased, with construction finished on 16,880 units, up 10.6% compared to April. The number of units with approved building permits but not yet started fell 2.4% month-over-month to 138,842 units in May.