Housing starts and construction data for June 2026

/CNW/ -- The six-month trend in housing starts was down in June compared to May, with a decrease of 2.8% to 248,123 units, according to Canada Mortgage and...

OTTAWA, ON, July 16, 2026 /CNW/ -- The six-month trend in housing starts was down in June compared to May, with a decrease of 2.8% to 248,123 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 13% year-over-year in centres with a population of 10,000 or more, with 20,265 units recorded in June, compared to 23,292 units in June 2025. The year-to-date total was 113,017 units, down 1% from the same period in 2025. The total monthly SAAR of housing starts for all areas in Canada decreased 6% in June (238,971 units) compared to May (253,083 units).

The number of units under construction in centres with a population of 50,000 or more was flat in June, up 0.2% month-over-month to 375,469 units compared to May. Completions increased as construction finished on 18,298 units, up 8.4% compared to May. The number of units with approved building permits but not yet started fell 1.1% month-to-month to 137,324 units in June.

Quote: "Through the first six months of the year, the rate of housing starts in Canada is lower than last year's rate, in line with our baseline forecast published in February. There is little doubt that the slowdown reflects rising uncertainty, higher development costs, weaker demand and more unsold homes. Looking forward, we expect that this environment will continue to hold back new housing construction in Canada over the short-to-medium term and drive 2026 actual housing starts below last year's levels," said Kevin Hughes, Deputy Chief Economist with CMHC.

Key Facts: - The rural starts monthly SAAR estimate was 11,141 units. - Among Canada's three biggest CMAs, Montreal posted a 10% year-over-year increase in actual housing starts this month driven by higher multi-unit. Vancouver recorded a 35% decrease due to lower multi-unit and single-detached starts while Toronto starts increased 25% due to higher multi-unit starts.

- Read more about what housing starts measure and why they matter on CMHC's Housing Observer. - Monthly Housing Starts and Other Construction Data are accessible in English and French on our website and the CMHC Housing Market Information Portal. - Housing starts data is available on the eleventh business day each month.

We will release the July housing starts data on August 18 at 8:15 AM ET. - CMHC uses the trend measure as a complement to the monthly SAAR of housing starts to account for considerable swings in monthly estimates and to obtain a clearer picture of upcoming new housing supply. In some situations, analyzing only SAAR data can be misleading, as the multi-unit segment largely drives the market and can vary significantly from one month to the next. - Read about CMHC's definitions and methodology to better understand the foundations of the Starts and Completions and Market Absorption surveys.

Housing starts data facilitates the analysis of monthly, quarterly, and year-over-year construction activity in the new home market. The data CMHC collects as part of the Starts and Completions and Market Absorption surveys helps us obtain a clearer picture of upcoming new housing supply and is used as part of our various housing reports. For 80 years, CMHC has been the foundation of Canada's housing system, promoting stability and sustainability.

CMHC's mortgage insurance products support access to home ownership and the creation and maintenance of rental supply. CMHC research and data help inform housing policy. By facilitating cooperation between all levels of government, private and non-profit sectors, CMHC contributes to advancing housing affordability, equity, and climate compatibility.

CMHC actively supports the Government of Canada in delivering on its commitment to make housing more affordable. Follow us on X, YouTube, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Related Links: - Housing starts for May 2026 - 2026 Mid-Year Rental Market Update

| CMHC - Supplying smarter: Learning to make housing supply more responsive | CMHC - Development charges: cities aren't created equally | CMHC - Spring 2026 Housing Supply Report Housing Construction Indicators, by Province for Centres 50,000 Population and Over | ||||||||| May 2026-June 2026 | ||||||||| Province/Centre | Approved Units* Awaiting | Under Construction (Units) | Completions (Units) | |||||| May 2026 | June 2026 | % | May 2026 | June 2026 | % | May 2026 | June 2026 | %

| | Provinces | ||||||||| N.L. | 331 | 533 | 61 | 836 | 914 | 9.3 | 97 | 73 | -24.7 | P.E.I. | 351 | 397 | 13.1 | 999

| 992 | -0.7 | 65 | 62 | -4.6 | N.S. | 3,061 | 3,309 | 8.1

| 14,388 | 14,609 | 1.5 | 102 | 151 | 48 | N.B. | 1,168 | 1,542 | 32 | 5,854 | 5,516 | -5.8

| 438 | 702 | 60.3 | Atlantic | 4,911 | 5,781 | 17.7 | 22,077 | 22,031 | -0.2 | 702 | 988 | 40.7 | Que.

| 33,570 | 33,376 | -0.6 | 60,626 | 60,476 | -0.2 | 3,371 | 4,620 | 37.1 | Ont. | 28,558 | 29,595 | 3.6 | 150,477 | 151,342 | 0.6

| 4,133 | 4,305 | 4.2 | Man. | 4,175 | 3,647 | -12.6 | 9,646 | 9,350 | -3.1

| 200 | 1,157 | ## | Sask. | 1,894 | 1,756 | -7.3 | 6,271 | 6,657 | 6.2 | 248 | 399 | 60.9 | Alta.

| 23,799 | 22,303 | -6.3 | 43,793 | 44,509 | 1.6 | 4,065 | 3,525 |

-13.3 | Prairies | 29,868 | 27,706 | -7.2 | 59,710 | 60,516 | 1.3 | 4,513 | 5,081 | 12.6 | B.C.

| 41,935 | 40,866 | -2.5 | 81,772 | 81,104 | -0.8 | 4,161 | 3,304 |

-20.6 | Canada 50,000+ | 138,842 | 137,324 | -1.1 | 374,662

| 375,469 | 0.2 | 16,880 | 18,298 | 8.4 | Metropolitan Areas | ||||||||| Abbotsford-Mission | 2,042 | 2,061 | 0.9 | 3,044 | 3,036 | -0.3 | 189 | 48 | -74.6 | Barrie | 633 | 593

| -6.3 | 2,155 | 2,197 | 1.9 | 15 | 41 | 173.3 | Belleville - Quinte West | 150 | 83 | -44.7 | 817 | 886 | 8.4 | 17 | 25 | 47.1 | Brantford | 389 | 386 | -0.8 | 1,985 | 1,875 | -5.5 | 54

| 126 | 133.3 | Calgary | 17,849 | 16,177 | -9.4 | 24,375 | 24,924 | 2.3 | 2,432 | 1,852

| -23.8 | Chilliwack | 151 | 91

| -39.7 | 1,220 | 1,267 | 3.9 | 8 | 30 | ## | Drummondville | 240

| 316 | 31.7 | 1,022 | 984 | -3.7 | 122 | 69 | -43.4 | Edmonton | 5,240 | 5,503 | 5 | 17,440

| 17,878 | 2.5 | 1,413 | 1,195 | -15.4 | Fredericton | 162 | 384 | 137 | 1,403 | 1,540 | 9.8 | 162 | 72 | -55.6

| Greater/Grand Sudbury | 40 | 54 | 35 | 537 | 532 | -0.9

| 50 | 10 | -80 | Guelph | 115 | 132 | 14.8 | 423 | 436 | 3.1 | 128 | 4 | -96.9

| Halifax | 2,992 | 3,206 | 7.2 | 14,224 | 14,414 | 1.3 | 84 | 144 | 71.4 | Hamilton | 513 | 615 | 19.9 | 6,960 | 7,068 | 1.6 | 42 | 93 | 121.4 | Kamloops | 421 | 322

| -23.5 | 1,275 | 1,113 | -12.7 | 33 | 263 | ##

| Kelowna | 1,184 | 1,247 | 5.3 | 4,488 | 4,203 | -6.4 | 198 | 279 | 40.9 | Kingston | 402 | 447 | 11.2 | 2,039 | 1,880 | -7.8 | 13 | 180 | ## | Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo | 619 | 656 | 6 | 8,002 | 8,052 | 0.6 | 264 | 168 | -36.4 | Lethbridge | 492 | 449 | -8.7

| 796 | 492 | -38.2 | 60 | 419 | ## | London | 1,684 | 1,619 | -3.9

| 6,763 | 6,556 | -3.1 | 99 | 606 | ## |

Moncton | 550 | 654 | 18.9 | 3,461 | 3,161 | -8.7 | 238 | 437 | 83.6 | Montréal

| 20,027 | 19,094 | -4.7 | 35,838 | 35,697 | -0.4 | 1,750 | 3,145 | 79.7 | Nanaimo | 314

| 228 | -27.4 | 1,136 | 1,153 | 1.5 | 13 | 238 | ## | Oshawa | 822 | 889 | 8.2 | 2,746 | 2,844 | 3.6 | 54 | 54 | 0

| Ottawa-Gatineau | 6,295 | 6,393 | 1.6 | 21,418 | 21,284 | -0.6 | 1,124 | 1,593 | 41.7 | Gatineau | 1,842 | 1,780 | -3.4

| 4,206 | 4,209 | 0.1 | 360 | 223 | -38.1 | Ottawa | 4,453 | 4,613 | 3.6

| 17,212 | 17,075 | -0.8 | 764 | 1,370 | 79.3 | Peterborough | 127

| 192 | 51.2 | 64 | 72 | 12.5 | 3 | 7 | 133.3 | Québec | 7,328 | 7,569 | 3.3 | 11,201 | 11,295 | 0.8 | 684 | 430 | -37.1

| Red Deer | 43 | 27 | -37.2 | 296 | 322 | 8.8 | 151 | 17 | -88.7

| Regina | 331 | 325 | -1.8 | 1,830 | 1,963 | 7.3 | 38 | 161 | ##

| Saguenay | 930 | 840

| -9.7 | 924 | 993 | 7.5 | 30 | 94 | ## | St. Catharines-Niagara | 1,219 | 1,200 | -1.6

| 4,391 | 4,610 | 5 | 124 | 49 | -60.5 | Saint John | 456 | 504 | 10.5 | 990 | 815 | -17.7

| 38 | 193 | ## | St. John's | 331 | 533 | 61 | 836 | 914 | 9.3 | 97 | 73 | -24.7

| Saskatoon | 1,563 | 1,431 | -8.4 | 4,441 | 4,694 | 5.7 | 210 | 238 | 13.3 | Sherbrooke | 610 | 668 | 9.5 | 2,094 | 2,025 |

-3.3 | 93 | 225 | 141.9 | Thunder Bay | 154 | 137 | -11

| 441 | 464 | 5.2 | 5 | 13 | 160 | Toronto | 16,195 | 16,992 | 4.9 | 91,382 | 92,217 | 0.9 | 2,224 | 1,329 | -40.2 | Trois-Rivières | 767 | 891 | 16.2 | 995 | 1,165 | 17.1 | 131 | 23

| -82.4 | Vancouver | 36,118 | 35,069 | -2.9 | 60,059 | 59,896 |

-0.3 | 3,354 | 2,171 | -35.3 | Victoria

| 1,538 | 1,742 | 13.3 | 9,148 | 9,015 | -1.5 | 347 | 204 | -41.2

| Windsor | 274 | 242 | -11.7 | 1,654 | 1,629 | -1.5

| 32 | 116 | ## | Winnipeg | 4,084 | 3,513 | -14

| 9,246 | 8,947 | -3.2 | 195 | 1,154 | ## | CMA Total | 135,394

| 133,474 | -1.4 | 363,559 | 364,508 | 0.3 | 16,318 | 17,588 | 7.8 | *Units with approved building permits (excluding conversions) that have not yet begun construction and are not yet counted as housing starts. These units, where no construction activity has yet been observed through CMHC's Starts and Completions Survey (SCS), may be indicative of future housing starts.

| ||||||||| ## not calculable / extreme value | |||||||||