--- source: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) url: https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/media-newsroom/news-releases/2026/housing-starts-march-2026 document_type: html date_retrieved: 2026-04-17 period: March 2026 parent_publication: Housing Starts News Release indicators_covered: ["Housing Starts (SAAR)", "Six-Month Trend", "Actual Housing Starts"] --- # Housing Starts for March 2026 **Ottawa, April 17, 2026** — The six-month trend in housing starts was lower in March, with a decrease of 2.9% to 248,378 units, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). The trend measure is a six-month moving average of the seasonally adjusted annual rate (SAAR) of total housing starts for all areas in Canada. Actual housing starts were up 10% year-over-year in centres with a population of 10,000 or greater, with 16,398 units recorded in March, compared to 14,935 units in March 2025. The year-to-date total was 49,206 units, up 9% from the same period in 2025, driven by higher starts to begin the year in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. The total monthly SAAR of housing starts for all areas in Canada decreased 6% in March (235,852 units) compared to February (250,961 units). > "March housing starts data point to a continued loss of momentum in housing construction, broadly in line with CMHC's housing market outlook. While actual starts increased compared to a year ago, this largely reflects the exceptionally low level of construction activity in the first quarter of last year. Monthly housing starts can be volatile and difficult to reconcile with conditions experienced by builders and developers on the ground. This is why we are providing new analysis this month on the relationship between building permits and housing starts, as well as the release of new data on non‑market housing starts." — Mathieu Laberge, CMHC's Chief Economist and Senior Vice President, Housing Insights ## Canada's Construction Pulse: Permits Lead, Starts Confirm This new analysis from CMHC's Chief Economist examines the roles of housing starts and building permits in the residential construction continuum. Housing starts are a key indicator of residential construction in Canada, showing the volume of construction in progress and how much new housing supply is expected in the coming years. Building permits signal where housing starts activity is headed, offering greater insight into current market conditions. Taken together, the two measures provide a more complete picture of the trajectory of the residential construction market. CMHC data now reports on **non-market housing starts** by intended market and by dwelling type. Data in this series is reported at the zone geography level for 18 Census Metropolitan Areas (CMAs) across Canada. Non-market starts include dwellings developed or operated by public, non‑profit, co‑operative, or other community‑based organizations under social, supportive, public, or non‑market affordable housing programs. Non-market starts data will be published on a quarterly basis. The rural starts monthly SAAR estimate was 11,846 units. Among Canada's three biggest CMAs: - One posted a 26% year-over-year increase in actual housing starts this month driven by higher multi-unit. - One recorded a 21% increase due to higher multi-unit and single-detached starts. - One increased 23% due to higher multi-unit starts. ## Data Tables Monthly housing starts data is available on the eleventh business day each month. CMHC uses the trend measure as a complement to the monthly SAAR of housing starts to account for considerable swings in monthly estimates and to obtain a clearer picture of upcoming new housing supply. Housing starts facilitate the analysis of monthly, quarterly, and year-over-year activity in the new home market.