Canadian Housing Starts Up 4.5% in February

Published Friday, March 20, 2026 · Rates, market figures and outlooks in this article reflect its publication date and may differ today. Ask us for the latest picture. Translated from the Korean original.

Canada's housing starts rose slightly in February compared with January, showing that construction activity in the market is continuing. It is a sign that residential construction is holding a steady course despite seasonal changes.

Key Points

1. February housing starts rose to an annualized 250,900 units

2. Up about 4.5% from January's annualized 240,148 units

3. The increase is small, but given month-to-month volatility, the trend is stable

4. A sign that demand for new home construction is holding up

5. Multi-unit and urban starts were also major contributors

What It Means

The rise in February starts indicates that construction activity is moving out of its seasonal slowdown and shows consistency on the housing supply side. However, long-term expansion is still needed to resolve the overall housing shortage, and future changes in interest rates and construction costs could affect the trend in starts.