Urban housing starts in Saskatchewan rose 123.5 per cent in January 2018 when compared with January 2017, the highest percentage increase among the provinces according to Statistics Canada. Nationally, housing starts were up only 4.8 per cent. Urban housing starts totaled 409 in January 2018, up from 183 in January 2017. “These are exceptional figures for urban housing starts,” Export and Trade Development Minister Jeremy Harrison said. “Compared to what is happening in the rest of the country, Saskatchewan’s home building industry is starting the year off in great shape.” Five provinces had decreases in housing starts, while the western provinces were the only ones to see gains on a year-over-year percentage basis. In Regina, housing starts were up 169.0 per cent year-over-year, while Saskatoon had an increase of 54.2 per cent.
Multiple dwellings were up 344 per cent year-over-year.
