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September 11, 2018CMHC PRELIMINARY HOUSING STARTS, AUGUST 2018 
Nova Scotia's housing starts (seasonally adjusted annualized rate) decreased 14.4 per cent in August to 5,245 compared to 6,128 in July. Housing starts were down 13.5 per cent in Halifax to 4,018 compared to 4,643 in July.
Compared to August 2017, Nova Scotia housing starts were up 47.6 per cent, and Halifax starts were up 68.9 per cent.
Year-to-date, housing starts are up 15.6 per cent compared to the same period in 2017. So far in 2018 there have been increases for both singles and multiples in urban areas.
The six-month average of housing starts in both Halifax and Nova Scotia has risen in recent months after being flat over 2017.
In urban areas, housing starts for multiples are generally higher than for singles with greater variability month-to-month. Starts for singles remained steady through 2017 and were elevated in the first half 2018. Multiple starts have been stronger for the past three months compared to the start of 2018.
Nationally, housing starts are down 2.3 per cent in August to 200,986 compared to 205,751 in July. Compared to August 2017, housing starts were down 10.9 per cent.
On a year-to-date basis, national housing starts were unchanged compared to the first eight months of 2017. Housing starts were up in five provinces compared to January through August 2017. Newfoundland and Labrador reported the largest increase (+39.2 per cent), while Saskatchewan posted the largest decline (-33.6 per cent).
Note: Urban areas are defined as areas over 10,000 people
Statistics Canada. Table 34-10-0158-01 and Table 34-10-0156-01
CHMC Housing Market Information Portal
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