According to data released by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), urban housing starts in Newfoundland and Labrador totalled 92 units in May 2026, a decrease of 8.0% (or eight units) compared with May 2025.
Urban housing starts in the St. John’s Census Metropolitan Area (CMA) decreased by 7.6% (or seven units), and housing starts in other urban areas decreased by one unit in May 2026 compared with May 2025.
On a year-to-date basis, urban housing starts in the province totalled 462 units over the January to May 2026 period, an increase of 38.3% (or 128 units) compared with the corresponding period in 2025.
At the national level, urban housing starts decreased by 5.2% (or 1,231 units) in May 2026 compared with May 2025 and increased by 2.8% (or 2,513 units) over the January to May 2026 period compared with the same period in 2025.
| Preliminary Housing Starts, Urban Areas Newfoundland and Labrador |
||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 2025 | May 2026 | % Change | Jan-May 2025 | Jan-May 2026 | % Change | |
| St. John’s CMA | ||||||
| Single | 62 | 60 | -3.2 | 183 | 154 | -15.8 |
| Multiple | 30 | 25 | -16.7 | 135 | 243 | 80.0 |
| Total | 92 | 85 | -7.6 | 318 | 397 | 24.8 |
| Other Urban Areas | ||||||
| Single | 5 | 6 | 20.0 | 11 | 25 | 127.3 |
| Multiple | 3 | 1 | -66.7 | 5 | 40 | 700.0 |
| Total | 8 | 7 | -12.5 | 16 | 65 | 306.3 |
| Total Urban Areas | ||||||
| Single | 67 | 66 | -1.5 | 194 | 179 | -7.7 |
| Multiple | 33 | 26 | -21.2 | 140 | 283 | 102.1 |
| Total | 100 | 92 | -8.0 | 334 | 462 | 38.3 |
| Source: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation | ||||||
Economics Division, Department of Finance – (709) 729-3255 – infoera@gov.nl.ca