The Daily. Friday, May 11, 2001
The price of new homes in Canada continues to increase at a strong rate. The New Housing Price Index, an index of contractors' selling prices, rose 2.6% in March compared with March 2000. This was the highest annual increase since May 1990, when the index advanced 3.8%.
New Housing Price Index
(1992=100)
| March 2001 | March 2000 to March 2001 | Feb. to March 2001 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| % change | |||
| Canada total | 105.2 | 2.6 | 0.3 |
| House only | 107.7 | 3.4 | 0.4 |
| Land only | 103.3 | 0.9 | - |
| St. John's | 99.5 | 2.1 | - |
| Halifax | 117.7 | 3.5 | - |
| Charlottetown | 107.2 | 1.9 | 0.2 |
| Saint John-Moncton-Fredericton | 92.9 | -1.3 | 0.2 |
| Québec | 104.4 | 2.1 | - |
| Montréal | 112.5 | 5.2 | 0.3 |
| Ottawa-Hull | 118.5 | 14.6 | 0.3 |
| Toronto | 108.6 | 2.4 | 0.5 |
| Hamilton | 106.6 | 1.1 | - |
| St. Catharines-Niagara | 108.4 | 2.1 | 0.4 |
| Kitchener-Waterloo | 107.9 | 2.8 | 0.1 |
| London | 103.0 | 2.2 | 0.3 |
| Windsor | 106.3 | -0.2 | -0.1 |
| Sudbury-Thunder Bay | 97.1 | -1.5 | 0.1 |
| Winnipeg | 119.2 | 2.8 | 0.8 |
| Regina | 133.2 | 1.5 | - |
| Saskatoon | 119.7 | 3.3 | 1.7 |
| Calgary | 134.0 | 1.9 | 0.3 |
| Edmonton | 112.5 | 0.8 | - |
| Vancouver | 83.2 | -0.2 | 0.1 |
| Victoria | 72.3 | 0.1 | - |
| - | Nil or zero. |
From February to March, the index rose 0.3%.
Monthly increases occurred in 13 of the 21 urban centres. The largest increase was registered in the Saskatoon Census Metropolitan Area, where the index was 1.7% higher than in February. Higher prices for land, labour and building materials, such as cement and drywall, were among the reasons for the increase. Notable advances were also seen in Winnipeg, Toronto and St. Catharines-Niagara due, at least in part, to higher prices for building materials and labour.
Windsor registered a slight decrease (-0.1%) and seven urban centres registered no change from February to March.
On an annual basis, Ottawa-Hull posted the largest rise in prices (+14.6%) for new homes, followed by Montréal, Halifax and Saskatoon. Four urban centres registered decreases on a year-over-year basis; the largest drop was in Sudbury-Thunder Bay (-1.5%).
Available on CANSIM: table 3270005 and matrix 9921.
With the release of CANSIM II, users can now obtain the same data as in CANSIM, but in a table format that is easier to use and more clearly presented.
The first quarter 2001 issue of Construction price statistics (62-007-XPB, $24/$79) will be available in June. See How to order products.
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Louise Chaîné (613-951-9606,fax: 613-951-1539; infounit@statcan.gc.ca), Prices Division or Susan Morris (613-951-2035; morrsus@statcan.gc.ca), Prices Division.