PEI Housing Starts in March

CHARLOTTETOWN, April 12 /CNW/ - Residential construction in urban centres of the province was unchanged last month compared to March 2009, according to figures released today by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). Preliminary data(1) indicate that a total of six units were started in March 2010, the same figure as last year.

"The only slight difference from last year was the configuration of new construction in Charlottetown," said Ralph Freeze, market analyst with CMHC in Prince Edward Island. "Charlottetown had three single-detached starts and two semi-detached units this year, which is the reverse of last March. Summerside recorded one single-detached start, which is the same level reported last year. On a year-to-date basis, urban starts remain ahead of last year's pace primarily due to semi-detached unit construction," said Freeze.

In urban centres across Canada, total housing starts recorded in March increased to 11,371 compared to last year's total of 8,605. Single-detached starts increased to 5,536 units from 2,550 units, while multiple unit starts declined slightly to 5,835 units this year from 6,055 units. In the Atlantic region, 311 new units were started in March 2010 compared to 244 units during the same period in 2009.

As Canada's national housing agency, CMHC draws on more than 60 years of experience to help Canadians access a variety of quality, environmentally sustainable, and affordable homes - homes that will continue to create vibrant and healthy communities and cities across the country.

    
    1 Figures for the most recent month are preliminary and subject to
      revisions due to corrections or updates from quarterly enumeration or
      sampling results.
    

For more information, visit www.cmhc.ca or call 1 800 668-2642.

(Ce document existe également en français)

    
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                   PRELIMINARY URBAN MONTHLY HOUSING STARTS
                         PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND SUMMARY
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              2010    2009            YEAR-TO-DATE
                              ------------  % Change  ------------  % Change
                               MAR     MAR            2010    2009
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
            ALL URBAN CENTRES WITH POPULATION GREATER THAN 10,000
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    CHARLOTTETOWN CA
    Single                       3       2     50.0%    18      17      5.9%
    Multiple                     2       3    -33.3%     4       3     33.3%
    TOTAL                        5       5      0.0%    22      20     10.0%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    SUMMERSIDE CA
    Single                       1       1      0.0%     3       3      0.0%
    Multiple                     0       0        -      4       0        -
    TOTAL                        1       1      0.0%     7       3      (XX)
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    ALL CENTRES(X)
    Single                       4       3     33.3%    21      20      5.0%
    Multiple                     2       3    -33.3%     8       3      (XX)
    TOTAL                        6       6      0.0%    29      23     26.1%
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    (XX) Indicates changes in excess of 100% which are not reported due to
         volatility resulting from small absolute numbers.
    

For further information: Ralph Freeze, Market Analyst, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, [phone], [email protected]