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March 17, 2026HOUSING STARTS, FEBRUARY 2026 Monthly (February 2026 vs January 2026, seasonally adjusted annualized rate)
Nova Scotia’s housing starts amounted to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate if 6,966 units in February 2026. This was a 27.1% increase from the previous month's revised value of 5,482 starts.
Housing starts in Halifax rose to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 5,137 units in February 2026. This was a 46.6% increase from 3,504 units in January 2026.
Outside of Halifax, housing starts declined to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 1,829 units in February 2026, down 7.5% from 1,978 units in January 2026.
Across Canada, housing starts increased to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 250,900 units in February 2026, up 4.5% from 240,148 units reported in January 2026.
Housing starts were down in five provinces from January to February. Newfoundland and Labrador reported the steepest monthly decline in housing starts while Manitoba had the fastest growth rate.
Note: monthly changes in seasonally adjusted annualized housing starts are often volatile.
Year-over-year (February 2026 vs February 2025)
Nova Scotia's housing starts were down 8.6% compared with the 7,624 unit pace set in February 2025. Halifax housing starts were down 9.5% from their rate in February 2025 (5,674). Housing starts outside the city were down 6.2% year-over-year from their pace in February 2025 (1,950). Across Canada, housing starts were up 12.8% year-over-year in February 2026 with gains in six provinces, led by Manitoba. Alberta reported the steepest year-over-year decline in housing starts.
In unadjusted results for Halifax in February 2026, there were 403 housing starts and 510 completions. With completions outpacing starts, the stock of units under construction fell to 13,738 units in Halifax, though this was still up 25.3% from units under construction in the same month last year (10,966).
Year-to-date (January-February 2026 vs January-February 2025)
Nova Scotia's housing starts were down 22.8% compared with the first two months of 2025. Halifax housing starts were down 28.4% while starts outside the city were down 6.0%. Across Canada, housing starts were up 7.6% year-to-date through February with gains in five provinces, led by British Columbia. Prince Edward Island reported the steepest year-to-date decline in housing starts (followed by Nova Scotia).
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 34-10-0158-01 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, housing starts, all areas, Canada and provinces, seasonally adjusted at annual rates, monthly (x 1,000) ; Table 34-10-0156-01 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, housing starts in all centres 10,000 and over, Canada, provinces, and census metropolitan areas, seasonally adjusted at annual rates, monthly (x 1,000)
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