Housing under construction in Canada 2001-2022

The number of dwelling units that were under construction in Canada in December of 2022 was approximately 334,100 units. There was a general recovery of the construction market during the period considered, as there were less than 100,000 homes under construction in 2001.

Development of residential construction in Canada

Similarly, the number of housing starts overall has developed similarly, with cities with the largest populations, like Toronto and Montreal experiencing the highest number of starts. However, government policies that have aimed to slow housing markets can be seen in Vancouver and Toronto, although Toronto is expected to rebound quickly with measures to encourage new construction. The construction industry remains vital to Canada’s economy, providing employment to people across the country and billions in economic output.

Types of housing

Although many Canadians were living in single-detached houses, their cities have started to embrace multifamily starts quite early and are moving away from single family residential construction. The younger demographics in Canada, including new Canadians and young families are often striving towards homeownership but are also aware of climate change. High energy performance housing often comes with a higher price tag, but efforts are being made nationally in order to enshrine affordability as a core objective within national building codes.