Housing supply
Are we building
enough homes?
0.7 people were added for every housing start. In the year to July 2026, Canada's population grew +0.5%.
Over time
People added per housing start, Canada
Rolling four quarters
Show the data as a table
| Month | People per housing start |
|---|---|
| July 2017 | 2.1 |
| July 2018 | 2.4 |
| July 2019 | 2.6 |
| July 2020 | 2.0 |
| July 2021 | 0.8 |
| July 2022 | 2.7 |
| July 2023 | 4.3 |
| July 2024 | 4.6 |
| July 2025 | 1.8 |
| July 2026 | 0.7 |
Each point compares population growth over a year with housing starts in the same four quarters. Higher means the population is growing faster than homes are being started; about 2 to 2.5 people per start roughly matches the average household size.
Latest data: July 2026Sources
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0009-01; Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation data via Statistics Canada, Table 34-10-0135-01Updated by CostWatch: September 27, 2026Calculated by CostWatch using Statistics Canada data.Adapted from Statistics Canada Table 17-10-0009-01, Table 34-10-0135-01, July 2026. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product. Data produced by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
Housing supply
Population growth vs housing starts, by province
July 2025 to July 2026
| Geography | People per start | Pop. change | Growth | Starts | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | 0.7 | +189,425 | +0.5% | 255,061 | 6.1 |
| Saskatchewan | 1.9 | +12,113 | +1.0% | 6,325 | 5.0 |
| Alberta | 1.6 | +76,419 | +1.5% | 48,994 | 9.8 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 1.3 | +2,260 | +0.4% | 1,681 | 3.1 |
| New Brunswick | 1.2 | +8,811 | +1.0% | 7,480 | 8.6 |
| Manitoba | 1.0 | +8,797 | +0.6% | 9,170 | 6.1 |
| Nova Scotia | 0.9 | +8,262 | +0.8% | 8,666 | 7.9 |
| Prince Edward Island | 0.7 | +1,395 | +0.8% | 1,954 | 10.8 |
| Ontario | 0.7 | +45,160 | +0.3% | 68,809 | 4.2 |
| Quebec | 0.3 | +16,092 | +0.2% | 58,245 | 6.4 |
| British Columbia | 0.2 | +8,054 | +0.1% | 43,737 | 7.7 |
People per start = population change from July 2025 to July 2026 ÷ housing starts in the four quarters from July 2025 (all areas, unadjusted). Around 2–2.5 people per new home roughly matches the average household size; much higher means building is falling behind population growth. Statistics Canada has not published national or provincial housing completions since 2023, so starts are used here.
Latest data: July 2026Sources
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0009-01; Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation data via Statistics Canada, Table 34-10-0135-01Updated by CostWatch: September 27, 2026Calculated by CostWatch using Statistics Canada data.Adapted from Statistics Canada Table 17-10-0009-01, Table 34-10-0135-01, July 2026. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product. Data produced by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
Cities
Population growth vs completed homes, by city
July 2024 to July 2025
| City | People per home | Pop. change | Completed | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regina | 6.0 | +6,148 | 1,031 | 3.6 |
| St. John's | 4.2 | +3,050 | 722 | 3.0 |
| Saskatoon | 3.4 | +8,709 | 2,588 | 7.0 |
| Edmonton | 3.0 | +50,717 | 16,879 | 10.3 |
| Ottawa–Gatineau | 2.9 | +38,048 | 12,982 | 7.8 |
| Winnipeg | 2.5 | +11,748 | 4,791 | 5.1 |
| Calgary | 2.1 | +52,351 | 24,736 | 13.9 |
| Halifax | 2.0 | +8,462 | 4,317 | 8.0 |
| Québec | 1.4 | +8,916 | 6,207 | 6.9 |
| Montréal | 1.2 | +25,024 | 21,579 | 4.7 |
| Victoria | 0.9 | +3,129 | 3,648 | 8.3 |
| Vancouver | 0.2 | +6,323 | 28,816 | 9.4 |
| Toronto | pop. fell | -992 | 35,648 | 5.0 |
City population (census metropolitan area, July 1 estimates) change divided by housing completions from July 2024 to June 2025.
Latest data: 2025Sources
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 17-10-0148-01; Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation data via Statistics Canada, Table 34-10-0154-01Updated by CostWatch: September 27, 2026Calculated by CostWatch using Statistics Canada data.Adapted from Statistics Canada Table 17-10-0148-01, Table 34-10-0154-01, 2025. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product. Data produced by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.