According to data released by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), urban housing starts in Newfoundland and Labrador totalled 25 units in March 2026, a decrease of 19.4% (or six units) compared with March 2025.
Urban housing starts in the St. John’s Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) decreased by 64.5% (or 20 units), but housing starts in other urban areas increased by 14 units in March 2026 compared with March 2025.
Housing construction is generally limited in Newfoundland and Labrador between January and March. Caution is advised in interpreting percentage changes during this period.
On a year-to-date basis, urban housing starts in the province totalled 170 units over the January to March 2026 period, an increase of 37.1% (or 46 units) compared with the corresponding period in 2025.
At the national level, urban housing starts increased by 9.9% (or 1,474 units) in March 2026 compared to March 2025 and increased by 8.5% (or 3,867 units) over the January to March 2026 period compared to the same period in 2025.
| Preliminary Housing Starts, Urban Areas Newfoundland and Labrador |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2025 | Mar 2026 | % Change | Jan-Mar 2025 | Jan-Mar 2026 | % Change | |
| St. John’s CMA | ||||||
| Single | 21 | 10 | -52.4 | 71 | 68 | -4.2 |
| Multiple | 10 | 1 | -90.0 | 51 | 49 | -3.9 |
| Total | 31 | 11 | -64.5 | 122 | 117 | -4.1 |
| Other Urban Areas | ||||||
| Single | 0 | 5 | . | 2 | 15 | 650.0 |
| Multiple | 0 | 9 | . | 0 | 38 | . |
| Total | 0 | 14 | . | 2 | 53 | 2,550.0 |
| Total Urban Areas | ||||||
| Single | 21 | 15 | -28.6 | 73 | 83 | 13.7 |
| Multiple | 10 | 10 | 0.0 | 51 | 87 | 70.6 |
| Total | 31 | 25 | -19.4 | 124 | 170 | 37.1 |
| Source: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation | ||||||
Economics Division, Department of Finance – (709) 729-3255 – infoera@gov.nl.ca