Source: The Canadian Press

The annual rate of housing starts was 201,700 units in April, up slightly from a revised 199,200 units in March.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. reports a higher number of multiple starts were nearly offset by a decline in single starts and rural area starts in April.

Urban starts increased by 5.1% to 182,500 units in April.

Urban multiple starts increased 27.2% to 98,600 units, while single urban starts decreased by 12.7% to 83,900 units.

April’s seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts increased 16.4% in British Columbia, 6.7% in the Prairie region, 4.5% in Ontario, and 1.1% in Quebec.

Urban starts decreased 3.3% in Atlantic Canada.

Rural starts were estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 19,200 units in April.