The seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing starts was 241,600 in April, compared with 252,900 in March, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) said today.

“Even though starts decreased slightly in April, housing construction remains at very high levels,” said Bob Dugan, chief economist at CMHC’s Market Analysis Centre, in a news release.

“Nationally, the housing market continues to benefit from positive economic factors, especially low mortgage rates and strong consumer confidence. This year, 208,500 starts are expected, down slightly from the 2003 level but still the second best year since 1989.”

The seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts fell 4.8% to 210,800 units in April. Urban multiple starts decreased 6% in April to 107,800 while urban single starts declined 3.6% to 103,000 on a seasonally adjusted annual basis.

In British Columbia, in April, the seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts jumped 39.4%, due mainly to multiple starts. In the other regions of Canada, the seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts declined 6.8% in Ontario, 9.4% in the Prairies and 12.6% in Quebec. Starts also continued to decline in the Atlantic region.

Rural starts in April were estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 30,800 units, a 1.9% decrease from March 2004.

Year to date actual urban starts were 7.1% higher through April than for the same period last year. Single starts were up 3.0% while multiple starts were up 11.4%.