Quebec Housing Starts in September


MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwire - Oct. 11, 2011) - According to the results of the latest monthly survey conducted by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), residential construction increased this past month in Quebec's centres with 10,000 or more inhabitants. In all, 4,616 dwellings were started in September 2011, compared to 3,623 a year earlier. As well, the seasonally adjusted annual rate of starts for this same month (50,700) was higher than for the month of August (38,400).

The result for September brought year-to-date urban starts to 30,420 units, for a decrease of 6 per cent from the first nine months of 2010. This decline was due to the single-detached home segment (-17 per cent), as multiple-unit housing starts barely declined (-1 per cent).

"The notable increase in activity recorded in September was exceptional and resulted from the simultaneous start of construction on a number of new condominium projects in Montréal. Elsewhere across Quebec, housing starts were essentially on the decline. Given the sustained pace observed in recent years and the potential demand, we still expect that the downward trend will resume in the short term," said Kevin Hughes, Senior Economist at CMHC for Quebec.

An increase in activity was registered in the multiple-unit (semi-detached, row and apartment) housing segment, where starts rose from 2,558 units in September 2010 to 3,590 units a year later, for a gain of 40 per cent. Moreover, the seasonally adjusted annual rate was 39,300 for September, compared to 27,200 for the previous month. The result for September was attributable to the major hike recorded in the Montréal market.

Single-detached home starts fell by 4 per cent in September 2011 from the same month in 2010. As well, the seasonally adjusted annual rate was 11,400 for September, up from 11,200 for August. With the exception of Sherbrooke and Trois-Rivières, all census metropolitan areas (CMAs) in the province sustained decreases (see table).

As Canada's national housing agency, CMHC draws on more than 65 years of experience to help Canadians access a variety of quality, environmentally sustainable and affordable homes. CMHC also provides reliable, impartial and up-to-date housing market reports, analysis and knowledge to support and assist consumers and the housing industry in making vital decisions. For more information, call 1-800-668-2642.

Preliminary Results - Monthly Starts Survey - Province of Quebec
(centres with 10,000+ inhab.)
September
Singles Multiples Total
2010 2011 % 2010 2011 % 2010 2011 %
Centres with 100,000+ inhab. (September)
GATINEAU 92 60 -35 165 66 -60 257 126 -51
MONTRÉAL 423 368 -13 1,340 2,339 75 1,763 2,707 54
QUÉBEC 134 125 -7 450 389 -14 584 514 -12
SAGUENAY 51 38 -25 22 24 9 73 62 -15
SHERBROOKE 38 56 47 50 53 6 88 109 24
TROIS-RIVIÈRES 18 55 *** 237 50 -79 255 105 -59
Subtotal (100,000+) 756 702 -7 2,264 2,921 29 3,020 3,623 20
Centres with 50,000 to 99,999 inhab. (Septembre)
DRUMMONDVILLE 25 37 48 14 30 *** 39 67 72
GRANBY 20 13 -35 31 6 -81 51 19 -63
SAINT-HYACINTHE 3 4 33 12 5 -58 15 9 -40
SHAWINIGAN 11 15 36 0 4 *** 11 19 73
SAINT-JEAN-SUR-RICHELIEU 15 12 -20 3 290 *** 18 302 ***
Subtotal (50,000 to 99,999) 74 81 9 60 335 *** 134 416 ***
Centres with 10,000 to 49,999 inhab. (3rd Quart.)
ALMA 13 19 46 18 18 0 31 37 19
AMOS 21 11 -48 3 2 -33 24 13 -46
BAIE-COMEAU 5 1 -80 0 50 *** 5 51 ***
COWANSVILLE 15 24 60 18 12 -33 33 36 9
DOLBEAU-MISTASSINI 9 14 56 2 0 -100 11 14 27
GASPÉ 23 24 4 0 0 0 23 24 4
GRENVILLE 3 3 0 27 0 -100 30 3 -90
JOLIETTE 41 46 12 38 12 -68 79 58 -27
LA TUQUE 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0
LACHUTE 10 5 -50 10 19 90 20 24 20
LES-ÎLES-DE-LA-MADELEINE 17 18 6 4 12 *** 21 30 43
MATANE 9 1 -89 0 0 0 9 1 -89
MONT-LAURIER 16 15 -6 4 3 -25 20 18 -10
MONTMAGNY 6 7 17 6 0 -100 12 7 -42
PRÉVOST 50 27 -46 6 22 *** 56 49 -13
RAWDON 24 19 -21 8 5 -38 32 24 -25
RIMOUSKI 49 52 6 34 364 *** 83 416 ***
RIVIÈRE-DU-LOUP 20 19 -5 42 14 -67 62 33 -47
ROBERVAL 3 4 33 0 0 0 3 4 33
ROUYN-NORANDA 43 45 5 0 6 *** 43 51 19
SAINTE-ADÈLE 22 19 -14 12 8 -33 34 27 -21
SAINTE-MARIE 12 13 8 4 20 *** 16 33 ***
SAINTE-SOPHIE 58 65 12 23 46 *** 81 111 37
SAINT-FÉLICIEN 4 4 0 0 33 *** 4 37 ***
SAINT-GEORGES 34 26 -24 0 4 *** 34 30 -12
SAINT-LIN-LAURENTIDES 91 42 -54 60 40 -33 151 82 -46
SALABERRY-DE-VALLEYFIELD 17 25 47 50 5 -90 67 30 -55
SEPT-ÎLES 15 31 *** 6 10 67 21 41 95
SOREL-TRACY 36 37 3 17 44 *** 53 81 53
THETFORD MINES 12 12 0 0 32 *** 12 44 ***
VAL-D'OR 32 53 66 2 203 *** 34 256 ***
VICTORIAVILLE 43 60 40 298 90 -70 341 150 -56
Subtotal (10,000 to 49,999)* 754 742 -2 692 1,074 55 1,446 1,816 26
Quebec (estimate 10,000+) 1,065 1,026 -4 2,558 3,590 40 3,623 4,616 27
* Data adjusted to reflect geographical definitions of the 2006 Census. Les-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Mont-Laurier, Prévost, Rawdon, Sainte-Adèle and Sainte-Sophie now belong to the 10,000 to 49,999 population category.
*** Absolute value greater than 100%
Preliminary Results - Monthly Starts Survey - Province of Quebec
(centres with 10,000+ inhab.)
January to September
Singles Multiples Total
2010 2011 % 2010 2011 % 2010 2011 %
Centres with 100,000+ inhab.
GATINEAU 725 589 -19 1,404 1,126 -20 2,129 1,715 -19
MONTRÉAL 4,502 3,530 -22 11,869 12,634 6 16,371 16,164 -1
QUÉBEC 1,456 1,064 -27 3,407 3,002 -12 4,863 4,066 -16
SAGUENAY 307 385 25 324 284 -12 631 669 6
SHERBROOKE 457 416 -9 926 781 -16 1,383 1,197 -13
TROIS-RIVIÈRES 262 231 -12 1,026 470 -54 1,288 701 -46
Subtotal (100,000+) 7,709 6,215 -19 18,956 18,297 -3 26,665 24,512 -8
Centres with 50,000 to 99,999 inhab.
DRUMMONDVILLE 330 265 -20 275 169 -39 605 434 -28
GRANBY 213 163 -23 453 327 -28 666 490 -26
SAINT-HYACINTHE 49 54 10 122 126 3 171 180 5
SHAWINIGAN 94 80 -15 28 58 *** 122 138 13
SAINT-JEAN-SUR-RICHELIEU 213 194 -9 43 377 *** 256 571 ***
Subtotal (50,000 to 99,999) 899 756 -16 921 1,057 15 1,820 1,813 0
Centres with 10,000 to 49,999 inhab.
ALMA 57 61 7 148 76 -49 205 137 -33
AMOS 42 32 -24 3 2 -33 45 34 -24
BAIE-COMEAU 11 2 -82 25 50 *** 36 52 44
COWANSVILLE 42 36 -14 26 63 *** 68 99 46
DOLBEAU-MISTASSINI 16 29 81 2 29 *** 18 58 ***
GASPÉ 38 41 8 0 0 0 38 41 8
GRENVILLE 7 4 -43 27 0 -100 34 4 -88
JOLIETTE 164 160 -2 145 138 -5 309 298 -4
LA TUQUE 11 5 -55 0 0 0 11 5 -55
LACHUTE 25 27 8 34 38 12 59 65 10
LES-ÎLES-DE-LA-MADELEINE 31 24 -23 4 12 *** 35 36 3
MATANE 21 14 -33 8 0 -100 29 14 -52
MONT-LAURIER 41 45 10 74 3 -96 115 48 -58
MONTMAGNY 17 16 -6 8 2 -75 25 18 -28
PRÉVOST 129 86 -33 48 55 15 177 141 -20
RAWDON 61 59 -3 14 25 79 75 84 12
RIMOUSKI 137 123 -10 116 452 *** 253 575 ***
RIVIÈRE-DU-LOUP 53 50 -6 75 36 -52 128 86 -33
ROBERVAL 15 12 -20 6 4 -33 21 16 -24
ROUYN-NORANDA 98 91 -7 7 6 -14 105 97 -8
SAINTE-ADÈLE 60 51 -15 33 20 -39 93 71 -24
SAINTE-MARIE 26 33 27 28 48 71 54 81 50
SAINTE-SOPHIE 157 160 2 65 94 45 222 254 14
SAINT-FÉLICIEN 11 9 -18 0 44 *** 11 53 ***
SAINT-GEORGES 92 78 -15 60 16 -73 152 94 -38
SAINT-LIN-LAURENTIDES 143 114 -20 90 163 81 233 277 19
SALABERRY-DE-VALLEYFIELD 49 48 -2 166 56 -66 215 104 -52
SEPT-ÎLES 43 52 21 12 28 *** 55 80 45
SOREL-TRACY 92 100 9 144 233 62 236 333 41
THETFORD MINES 25 25 0 39 34 -13 64 59 -8
VAL-D'OR 69 95 38 67 315 *** 136 410 ***
VICTORIAVILLE 130 122 -6 413 249 -40 543 371 -32
Subtotal (10,000 to 49,999)* 1,913 1,804 -6 1,887 2,291 21 3,800 4,095 8
Quebec (estimate 10,000+) 10,521 8,775 -17 21,764 21,645 -1 32,285 30,420 -6
* Data adjusted to reflect geographical definitions of the 2006 Census. Les-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Mont-Laurier, Prévost, Rawdon, Sainte-Adèle and Sainte-Sophie now belong to the 10,000 to 49,999 population category.
*** Absolute value greater than 100%

Contact Information:

Province
Kevin Hughes
Regional Economist
514-283-4488
khughes@cmhc.ca

Montreal
Bertrand Recher
Senior Market Analyst
514-283-2758
brecher@cmhc.ca

Sherbrooke (Estrie)
Lydia Yakonowsky
Market Analyst
514-283-2203
lyakonow@cmhc.ca

Trois-Rivieres (Mauricie)
Marie-Elaine Denis
Market Analyst
418-649-8100
medenis@cmhc.ca

Gatineau (Outaouais, Abitibi)
Francis Cortellino
Senior Market Analyst
514-283-8391
fcortell@cmhc.ca

Saguenay
Sebastien Paquet-Poirier
Market Analyst
418-649-8102
spaquetp@cmhc.ca

Quebec
Elisabeth Koulouris
Senior Market Analyst
418-649-8098
ekoulour@cmhc.ca