Canadian Housing Starts Surge!

As posted in todays Toronto's Globe and Mail, new data out shows that housing starts in Canada jumped in January, yet another sign that the Canadian market continues strong while the U.S. market melts down.

Housing starts rose to 222,700 on a seasonally adjusted and annual basis, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. said Friday, up from 184,700 in December and more than economists had forecast.

“Historically low mortgage rates, solid employment and income growth, as well as a high level of consumer confidence, continue to underpin the high level of housing starts,” said Bob Dugan, chief economist at CMHC's Market Analysis Centre, adding that January's starts rebounded to a level more consistent with 2008 expectations of 211,700.That would mark the seventh consecutive year of starts above 200,000.

The Canadian housing market is expected to remain in fairly good shape in 2008 and to remain an important source of economic activity in Canada, says economics strategist Millan Mulraine of TD Securities. “Though we expect it to fall below the blistering pace recorded in 2007. This is on account of the favourable labour market conditions, the continued strong growth in labour income and the expected drop in mortgage rates, as the Bank of Canada continues to lower the policy rate.”