Housing starts lag behind so far, but recover in September

LETHBRIDGE – Housing starts were up in September in the Lethbridge Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) compared to the previous year.

According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC) data, work began during the month on 70 homes, up from 64 the previous year. 57 were single-family dwellings, with apartments making up the rest.

Year-to-date, the area has seen 450 housing starts, a decrease of 17 per cent from last year’s 540. The average price for a new single-detached home was $396,948 in September, down from $408,617 one year earlier.

Starts are up so far this year in Medicine Hat and Calgary, while they are down in Edmonton, Red Deer, Grande Prairie, and Wood Buffalo.