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March 08, 2019HOUSING STARTS, FEBRUARY 2019 
Nova Scotia's housing starts (seasonally adjusted annualized rate) increased 11.3 per cent to 4,546 in February compared to 4,084 in January. Compared to February 2018, housing starts were down 13.9 per cent.
Housing starts increased 10.6 per cent in Halifax to 2,972 in February compared to 2,686 in January. Halifax starts are up 22.1 per cent compared to February 2018.
The six-month moving average of housing starts in Nova Scotia and Halifax was relatively flat through 2017. During 2018, the six-month moving average rose due to higher starts for multiples and has declined since reaching a peak in September.
In urban areas, housing starts for multiples are generally higher than for singles with greater variability month-to-month. The six-month moving average for singles is at levels similar to 2017, with a period in the first half of 2018 when it rose gradually before declining. The six-month moving average for multiples rose during the summer months of 2018 and has declined since September 2018.
Nationally, housing starts are down 16.3 per cent in February to 173,153 compared to 206,809 in January. National housing starts are 24.6 per cent lower than in February 2018.
Comparing the first two months of 2019 with the same period in 2018, housing starts were down in seven provinces, with the largest declines in Saskatchewan (-52.8 per cent) and Newfoundland and Labrador (-48.4 per cent). Manitoba (+20.1 per cent) reported the largest increase in housing starts over January-February 2018.
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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