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February 15, 2022HOUSING STARTS, JANUARY 2022 
Nova Scotia’s housing starts (seasonally adjusted annualized rate) totalled 7,369 units in January 2022, down 23.2% from December 2021.
Housing starts in Halifax decreased 16.7% to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 5,760 units in January 2022. Outside of Halifax, housing starts were down 40.1% to a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 1,609 units.
Since 2018, Nova Scotia's housing starts have reported periods of elevated activity: summer and fall of 2018, summer and fall of 2019, summer 2020 through spring 2021, and in the fall of 2021. These increases in the 6 month moving average of housing starts largely reflect activity in the Halifax market. Outside Halifax, there have been three different periods of elevated housing starts: spring through fall of 2018, fall 2019 through spring 2020 and winter through fall 2021. In recent months housing starts are increasing in Halifax while decreasing in outside of Halifax.
In urban areas, housing starts for multiples are generally higher than for singles with greater variability in the six-month moving average of seasonally adjusted annualized rates. The six-month moving average for both singles and multiples increased in early 2021 and then slowed over the summer. In the fall of 2021, there has been renewed growth in starts for both single dwelling and multiple units.
In Canada, housing starts declined 3.2% from December 2021 to 230,754 units in January 2022 (seasonally adjusted annualized rate). Housing starts were down in seven provinces with the largest decline reported in New Brunswick (-52.9%). Housing starts were up in three provinces in January 2022, led by Quebec (+49.8%).
Housing starts were up 12.6% in Nova Scotia in January 2022 compared with January 2021. Housing starts were down 26.9% across Canada in January 2022. All provinces reported declines except Nova Scotia and British Columbia compared to January 2021, with the largest decreases in Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan.
Note: Urban areas are defined as areas over 10,000 people
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 34-10-0135-01 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, housing starts, under construction and completions, all areas, quarterly; 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)
Annual table: Statistics Canada, Table 34-10-0126-01 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, housing starts, under construction and completions, all areas, annual
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