December housing starts down

OTTAWA —  Housing starts reached 189,672 units seasonally adjusted in December, down from 197,797 in November, according to the latest data released by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. The SAAR of urban starts decreased by 5.1% in December to 168,214 units. Multiple urban starts decreased by 4.1% to 108,910 units in December while the single-detached urban starts segment decreased by 6.7% to 59,304 units. In December, the seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts increased in British Columbia and Quebec while decreasing in the Prairies, Atlantic Canada and Ontario. Rural starts were estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 21,458 units. Actual starts year over year declined from 16,348 to 15,450.