New data from the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) shows that total housing starts in Alberta reached 9,722 from January to March, representing a 50 per cent increase from the 6,200 starts over the same period in 2023. This growth puts Alberta well ahead of the rest of Canada, which averaged a 16 per cent growth rate since January.

“Our province is leading the way in getting more homes built,” said Jason Nixon, Minister of Seniors, Community and Social Services. “We will continue to support our partners in the residential construction industry to help increase housing options available for all Albertans. Our construction industry is making strong progress addressing our market housing shortage through these new builds.”

Alberta has seen considerable growth in rental homes in the last three years, with 25,477 units constructed; this amounts to more new rental housing starts than the previous 15 years combined (25,285).

“The government has prioritized removing red tape while adding critical elements of predictability,” said Scott Fash, CEO, BILD Alberta Association. “This has supported Alberta’s residential construction industry in achieving record levels of housing construction, including purpose-built rental units. The industry is building at a historic pace to meet rising demand, and through continued collaboration with the government, we can help secure Alberta’s housing advantage for generations to come.”

Alberta’s government is also making progress on its Stronger Foundations affordable housing strategy to make sure its vulnerable citizens have a safe, stable and affordable place to live. The province says it is on track to support a total of 82,000 low-income households by 2031.

For more on Canada’s housing starts, click here: Housing starts for March 2024 | CMHC (cmhc-schl.gc.ca)