Housing starts in Canada were largely flat month-over-month at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 229 thousand units in August 2026, the lowest since March 2025 and below market forecasts of 240 thousand units. Rural starts were estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 11,224 units. Actual monthly housing starts were down 2% year-over-year in centres with populations of 10,000 or more, with a total of 17,691 units recorded in August 2026. Montreal’s six-month trend rose 6% month-to-month, driven by higher starts across all housing types. Vancouver also recorded a 6% increase, supported by stronger multi-unit starts. In Toronto, the trend was unchanged, as both single-detached and multi-unit starts remained flat.