March monthly housing starts key highlights:

• The trend in housing starts decreased by 2.9% in March with 248,378 units.
• The trend measure is a 6-month moving average of the monthly 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. 16,398 units were recorded in March 2026, compared to 14,935 units in March 2025.
• Montréal posted an 26% year-over-year increase in actual housing starts driven by higher multi-unit starts.
• Vancouver recorded a 21% increase due to higher multi-unit and single-detached starts.
• Toronto starts increased 23% due to higher multi-unit starts.

March Standalone Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR):

• The total monthly standalone seasonally adjusted annualized rate of housing starts for all areas in Canada decreased 6% in March, at 235,852 units compared to 250,961 units in February. This highlights the volatility of month-over-month starts figures and the caution with which they should be interpreted.
• Rural starts were estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 11,846 units.