According to data released by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), urban housing starts in Newfoundland and Labrador totalled 130 units in August 2026, an increase of 41.3% (or 38 units) compared with August 2025 (see Figure 1).
Urban housing starts in the St. John’s Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) increased by 45.9% (or 39 units), while the number of housing starts in other urban areas decreased by 14.3% (or 1 unit) in August 2026 compared with August 2025.
On a year-to-date basis, urban housing starts in the province totalled 874 units over the January to August 2026 period, an increase of 29.1% (or 197 units) compared with the corresponding period in 2025.
At the national level, urban housing starts decreased by 2.3% (or 421 units) in August 2026 compared with August 2025 and decreased by 3.9% (or 6,118 units) over the January to August 2026 period compared with the same period in 2025.
| Preliminary Housing Starts, Urban Areas Newfoundland and Labrador |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2025 | Aug 2026 | % Change | Jan-Aug 2025 | Jan-Aug 2026 | % Change | |
| St. John’s CMA | ||||||
| Single | 52 | 69 | 32.7 | 398 | 389 | -2.3 |
| Multiple | 33 | 55 | 66.7 | 238 | 406 | 70.6 |
| Total | 85 | 124 | 45.9 | 636 | 795 | 25.0 |
| Other Urban Areas | ||||||
| Single | 7 | 6 | -14.3 | 33 | 41 | 24.2 |
| Multiple | 0 | 0 | . | 8 | 38 | 375.0 |
| Total | 7 | 6 | -14.3 | 41 | 79 | 92.7 |
| Total Urban Areas | ||||||
| Single | 59 | 75 | 27.1 | 431 | 430 | -0.2 |
| Multiple | 33 | 55 | 66.7 | 246 | 444 | 80.5 |
| Total | 92 | 130 | 41.3 | 677 | 874 | 29.1 |
| Source: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation | ||||||
Economics Division, Department of Finance – (709) 729-3255 – infoera@gov.nl.ca