Housing starts fall in January

OTTAWA — Housing starts in Canada were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 180,248 units in January, a decrease from 187,144 in December. The SAAR of urban starts decreased by 2.7% in January to 163,158 units. Multiple urban starts decreased by 6.0% to 102,289 units in January while the single-detached urban starts segment increased by 3.4 % to 60,869 units. The seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts increased in the Prairies and in Ontario while decreasing in Atlantic Canada, Quebec and British Columbia. Rural starts were estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 17,090 units.