The Economics and Statistics Division maintains archives of previous publications for accountability purposes, but makes no updates to keep these documents current with the latest data revisions from Statistics Canada. As a result, information in older documents may not be accurate. Please exercise caution when referring to older documents. For the latest information and historical data, please contact the individual listed to the right.
<--- Return to Archive
For additional information relating to this article, please contact:
April 10, 2017CMHC PRELIMINARY HOUSING STARTS, MARCH 2017 
Nova Scotia's housing starts (seasonally adjusted annualized rate) decreased 70.3 per cent to 1,804 in March compared to February, with the Halifax market down 88.5 per cent, to 456.
Compared to March 2016, Nova Scotia housing starts were down 4.9 per cent while Halifax starts were down 36.2 per cent.
Through the first three months of 2017, Nova Scotia housing starts were up 39.8 per cent compared to the same period in 2016. That growth was driven by increases in both single and multiple-unit starts in January and February, followed by a slump in both categories in March.
Across the country, the pace of housing starts increased by 18.4 per cent to 253,720 in March compared to February. Housing starts were 24.7 per cent higher than in March 2016.
Housing starts for January-March 2017 were up in all but two provinces compared to first three months of 2016. Newfoundland and Labrador and British Columbia had lower housing starts than January-March 2016.
The six month average of housing starts increased through most of 2016, starting the year at around 2,500 and rising to around 4,000 by the end of the year. Similarly, the Halifax trend also increased over the past year.
Note: Urban areas are defined as areas over 10,000 people
Statistics Canada: CANSIM table 027-0054, CANSIM table 027-0051
CHMC Housing Market Information Portal
<--- Return to Archive
