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Construction Market Intelligence
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Halifax construction market

What residential construction currently looks like in Halifax: activity relative to population, the building pipeline, nominal and real growth, and market mix — measured against 15 other Canadian markets.

Trailing 12 months ending June 2026 Nova Scotia · census metropolitan area · population 544,834 (2025)

  • Apartment-heavy
  • High construction intensity
  • Declining real permit growth

Key metrics

Housing starts per 1,000 residents
10.78
5,871 starts in 12 months
4th of 16
Housing completions per 1,000 residents
5.54
3,016 completions
12th of 16
Units under construction per 1,000 residents
26.46
14,414 units at period end
1st of 16
Pending starts per 1,000 residents
5.88
3,206 units · secondary indicator
4th of 16
Residential permit value growth (constant dollars)
−14.3%
Nominal −10.9%
13th of 16
Residential construction price growth
+4.4%
Year over year
8th of 14
Renovation share of residential investment
38.6%
of residential investment
10th of 16
Apartment share of housing starts
78.2%
of housing starts
8th of 16

Current observations

  • Halifax recorded 5,871 housing starts over the trailing 12 months ending June 2026 — 10.78 per 1,000 residents, 4th of 16 tracked markets (median 8.33).
  • 26.46 units per 1,000 residents were under construction at period end (1st of 16 tracked markets), 4.8 times the 5.54 per 1,000 completed over the past 12 months.
  • Residential permit value fell 10.9% nominally and approximately 14.3% after adjusting for construction prices. The segments differ: in constant dollars, single-dwelling permit value changed −2.4% and multiple-dwelling −18.3%.
  • Renovation accounts for 38.6% of residential investment (10th of 16 tracked markets by renovation share). Apartments were 78.2% of housing starts and single-detached homes 13.3%.
  • Residential construction prices changed +4.4% year over year (8th of 14 tracked markets by price growth).
  • Pending starts — permits issued but not yet started — stood at 5.88 per 1,000 residents (4th of 16 tracked markets). This is a secondary indicator of the current backlog, not a forecast.

Generated from the published values on this page using fixed rules. They describe current measured conditions and are not forecasts.

Historical context

Monthly, as trailing 12-month totals (except units under construction, a month-end stock), 2019 to June 2026.

Housing starts by dwelling type

Trailing 12-month starts. Multi-unit = semi-detached, row and apartment.

  • Single-detached
  • Multi-unit
Housing starts by dwelling type, Jan 2019 to Jun 2026. Latest: Single-detached 779; Multi-unit 5,092. Full values in the table below the chart.02,0004,0006,0008,00020192020202120222023202420252026
Show all monthly values as a table
Housing starts by dwelling type
Period endingSingle-detachedMulti-unit
January 20197352,179
February 20197322,224
March 20197302,507
April 20197332,483
May 20197642,471
June 20197622,650
July 20197692,468
August 20198132,404
September 20198302,210
October 20198852,181
November 20198592,214
December 20198722,271
January 20208782,157
February 20209102,349
March 20209292,060
April 20209621,944
May 20209701,956
June 20209571,553
July 20209771,878
August 20209421,781
September 20209691,985
October 20209471,998
November 20201,0202,271
December 20201,0192,230
January 20211,0442,494
February 20211,0522,264
March 20211,0332,411
April 20219862,489
May 20219152,906
June 20218242,860
July 20217992,611
August 20217472,516
September 20217912,269
October 20219832,642
November 20219242,617
December 20219352,859
January 20228992,990
February 20228712,937
March 20228732,836
April 20229262,766
May 20221,0102,929
June 20221,1253,189
July 20221,1273,382
August 20221,1423,590
September 20221,0503,511
October 20228203,145
November 20228052,911
December 20227752,612
January 20237402,277
February 20237142,358
March 20237142,425
April 20236732,587
May 20236052,014
June 20235842,630
July 20235822,422
August 20235592,292
September 20235572,778
October 20235753,337
November 20235813,997
December 20236194,186
January 20246534,388
February 20246775,054
March 20246865,376
April 20247215,614
May 20247525,936
June 20247515,744
July 20247675,772
August 20248185,812
September 20248045,470
October 20248104,976
November 20248324,400
December 20248164,265
January 20258254,427
February 20258164,000
March 20258293,901
April 20258104,343
May 20258064,365
June 20258084,071
July 20257944,949
August 20258005,191
September 20258215,315
October 20258445,679
November 20258365,783
December 20258176,183
January 20268145,953
February 20268035,926
March 20267805,762
April 20267735,049
May 20267835,254
June 20267795,092

Under construction and completions

Units under construction (month-end) and trailing 12-month completions.

  • Under construction
  • Completions (12 mo)
Under construction and completions, Jan 2019 to Jun 2026. Latest: Under construction 14,414; Completions (12 mo) 3,016. Full values in the table below the chart.05,00010,00015,00020192020202120222023202420252026
Show all monthly values as a table
Under construction and completions
Period endingUnder constructionCompletions (12 mo)
January 20194,8022,046
February 20194,8472,140
March 20195,0022,194
April 20194,8282,397
May 20194,9362,329
June 20195,1662,235
July 20195,2432,294
August 20195,5442,218
September 20195,5652,234
October 20195,2092,635
November 20195,1592,804
December 20195,2602,668
January 20205,2492,588
February 20205,5742,533
March 20205,3592,625
April 20205,3662,361
May 20205,4802,373
June 20205,0662,602
July 20205,3962,693
August 20205,4632,795
September 20205,5872,923
October 20205,5122,633
November 20205,9342,507
December 20205,7242,776
January 20216,0572,721
February 20215,9272,953
March 20215,8512,951
April 20215,6613,180
May 20215,9793,323
June 20215,6933,058
July 20215,8592,949
August 20215,6883,041
September 20215,7042,946
October 20216,2652,874
November 20216,5012,975
December 20216,5692,950
January 20226,8292,977
February 20226,6272,968
March 20226,6472,772
April 20226,5842,626
May 20227,3222,450
June 20227,5222,338
July 20227,6202,599
August 20227,7652,505
September 20227,3472,768
October 20227,1662,914
November 20226,5943,474
December 20226,7463,061
January 20237,0353,052
February 20236,6493,290
March 20236,7323,296
April 20236,8873,200
May 20236,7213,465
June 20237,4013,581
July 20237,5483,324
August 20237,2083,656
September 20237,6193,311
October 20238,1203,207
November 20238,7332,688
December 20238,6693,131
January 20248,9323,144
February 20249,6172,764
March 20249,8842,909
April 202410,3272,894
May 202410,7782,630
June 202411,1172,778
July 202410,9703,116
August 202410,9372,899
September 202410,5323,357
October 202410,3723,528
November 202410,4403,518
December 202410,3003,443
January 202510,7593,418
February 202510,9663,460
March 202511,2513,357
April 202511,5823,807
May 202511,5274,326
June 202511,5804,317
July 202512,5714,040
August 202512,8323,995
September 202512,9303,640
October 202513,2063,593
November 202513,4293,538
December 202513,9973,208
January 202613,9493,673
February 202613,7383,949
March 202613,4684,199
April 202613,5493,826
May 202614,2243,316
June 202614,4143,016

Residential permit value: nominal and constant dollars

Trailing 12-month value, $ millions. Constant dollars are Statistics Canada’s price-adjusted series.

  • Nominal
  • Constant dollars
Residential permit value: nominal and constant dollars, Jan 2019 to Jun 2026. Latest: Nominal $1,423M; Constant dollars $1,283M. Full values in the table below the chart.$0M$500M$1,000M$1,500M$2,000M20192020202120222023202420252026
Show all monthly values as a table
Residential permit value: nominal and constant dollars
Period endingNominalConstant dollars
January 2019$732M$1,087M
February 2019$720M$1,068M
March 2019$719M$1,065M
April 2019$753M$1,105M
May 2019$736M$1,074M
June 2019$836M$1,210M
July 2019$819M$1,186M
August 2019$812M$1,175M
September 2019$851M$1,229M
October 2019$895M$1,290M
November 2019$856M$1,234M
December 2019$855M$1,234M
January 2020$771M$1,121M
February 2020$761M$1,107M
March 2020$793M$1,149M
April 2020$762M$1,109M
May 2020$758M$1,102M
June 2020$698M$1,018M
July 2020$712M$1,030M
August 2020$707M$1,020M
September 2020$678M$978M
October 2020$689M$987M
November 2020$707M$1,008M
December 2020$786M$1,112M
January 2021$790M$1,113M
February 2021$802M$1,127M
March 2021$856M$1,189M
April 2021$819M$1,132M
May 2021$840M$1,152M
June 2021$918M$1,231M
July 2021$887M$1,179M
August 2021$886M$1,168M
September 2021$911M$1,186M
October 2021$899M$1,149M
November 2021$1,049M$1,310M
December 2021$1,043M$1,283M
January 2022$1,049M$1,278M
February 2022$1,058M$1,278M
March 2022$1,035M$1,231M
April 2022$1,164M$1,371M
May 2022$1,256M$1,455M
June 2022$1,275M$1,454M
July 2022$1,292M$1,465M
August 2022$1,323M$1,491M
September 2022$1,468M$1,636M
October 2022$1,455M$1,610M
November 2022$1,342M$1,466M
December 2022$1,329M$1,443M
January 2023$1,292M$1,399M
February 2023$1,289M$1,392M
March 2023$1,318M$1,414M
April 2023$1,214M$1,296M
May 2023$1,118M$1,186M
June 2023$1,065M$1,118M
July 2023$1,149M$1,197M
August 2023$1,153M$1,194M
September 2023$1,127M$1,152M
October 2023$1,155M$1,172M
November 2023$1,271M$1,277M
December 2023$1,224M$1,224M
January 2024$1,321M$1,315M
February 2024$1,361M$1,351M
March 2024$1,326M$1,309M
April 2024$1,465M$1,439M
May 2024$1,573M$1,537M
June 2024$1,528M$1,488M
July 2024$1,490M$1,445M
August 2024$1,479M$1,430M
September 2024$1,466M$1,410M
October 2024$1,524M$1,460M
November 2024$1,482M$1,413M
December 2024$1,560M$1,485M
January 2025$1,556M$1,477M
February 2025$1,586M$1,503M
March 2025$1,568M$1,483M
April 2025$1,468M$1,385M
May 2025$1,482M$1,393M
June 2025$1,597M$1,497M
July 2025$1,647M$1,540M
August 2025$1,662M$1,551M
September 2025$1,628M$1,515M
October 2025$1,581M$1,465M
November 2025$1,565M$1,445M
December 2025$1,538M$1,416M
January 2026$1,577M$1,448M
February 2026$1,499M$1,373M
March 2026$1,528M$1,397M
April 2026$1,632M$1,486M
May 2026$1,505M$1,365M
June 2026$1,423M$1,283M

Market mix

Housing starts by dwelling type, 12 months

Housing starts by dwelling type in Halifax
Dwelling typeStartsShare
Single-detached77913.3%
Semi-detached1642.8%
Row3355.7%
Apartment and other4,59378.2%

Rental-intended starts: 74.9% of all starts.

Renovation vs. new construction

Renovation 38.6% New construction 61.4%

Share of residential building investment. Alterations are 4.2% of residential permit value (a separate source).

Growth: nominal and constant dollars

Nominal and constant-dollar growth, trailing 12 months ending June 2026 versus the prior 12 months
SeriesNominalConstant $
All residential permits−10.9%−14.3%
Single-dwelling buildings+1.8%−2.4%
Multiple-dwelling buildings−15.3%−18.3%
Residential building investment−0.8%−4.7%

Nominal growth includes construction-price change; constant-dollar growth is Statistics Canada’s price-adjusted series. They are shown side by side rather than subtracted.

All published metrics

All published construction metrics for Halifax, trailing 12 months ending June 2026
MetricHalifaxDefinition
Population544,834July 1 population estimate for the census metropolitan area.
Housing starts, trailing 12 months5,871Dwelling units started over the trailing 12 months (CMHC Starts and Completions Survey).
Housing starts per 1,000 residents10.78Housing starts (all dwelling types) over the trailing 12 months divided by the CMA population estimate, per 1,000 residents.
Housing starts, change vs prior 12 months+20.3%Change in trailing-12-month housing starts compared with the 12 months before.
Housing completions, trailing 12 months3,016Dwelling units completed over the trailing 12 months.
Housing completions per 1,000 residents5.54Dwelling units completed over the trailing 12 months divided by the CMA population estimate, per 1,000 residents.
Completions, change vs prior 12 months−30.1%Change in trailing-12-month completions compared with the 12 months before.
Units under construction14,414Dwelling units under construction at the end of the reference period.
Units under construction per 1,000 residents26.46Dwelling units under construction at the end of the reference period (a stock, not a 12-month flow) per 1,000 residents.
Under construction, change vs a year earlier+24.5%Change in units under construction compared with the same month a year earlier.
Pending starts3,206Units with a building permit issued but not yet started, at the end of the reference period.
Pending starts per 1,000 residents5.88Units with a building permit issued but not yet started, at the end of the reference period, per 1,000 residents. A secondary indicator of the current pipeline, not a forecast of starts.
Pending starts, change vs a year earlier−21.4%Change in pending starts compared with the same month a year earlier.
Dwelling units authorized per 1,000 residents10.97Dwelling units created by building permits issued over the trailing 12 months, per 1,000 residents.
Authorized units, change vs prior 12 months−2.6%Change in dwelling units authorized by building permits compared with the prior 12 months.
Residential permit value, trailing 12 months$1.42BValue of residential building permits, current dollars.
Residential permit value growth (nominal)−10.9%Change in the value of residential building permits over the trailing 12 months versus the prior 12 months, in current dollars.
Residential permit value growth (constant dollars)−14.3%The same change measured with Statistics Canada’s constant-dollar permit values, which remove construction-price change.
Residential investment growth (nominal)−0.8%Change in residential building investment over the trailing 12 months versus the prior 12 months, current dollars.
Residential investment growth (constant dollars)−4.7%The same change measured in Statistics Canada’s constant-dollar investment series.
Residential construction price index (2023 = 100)111.9Average of the four latest quarterly index values, 2023 = 100. Each market is indexed to its own 2023 prices, so index levels show price change within a market and cannot be compared across markets.
Residential construction price growth+4.4%Change in the residential building construction price index (average of the four latest quarters versus the four before). Not published for every CMA.
Renovation share of residential investment38.6%Renovation spending as a share of total residential building investment over the trailing 12 months.
Alterations share of residential permit value4.2%Permit value for alterations and improvements as a share of all residential permit value — an independent view of renovation activity.
Apartment share of housing starts78.2%Apartment and other unit types as a share of all housing starts over the trailing 12 months.
Single-detached share of housing starts13.3%Single-detached units as a share of all housing starts over the trailing 12 months.
Rental share of housing starts74.9%Starts intended for the rental market as a share of all starts over the trailing 12 months.

Compare Halifax

Where Halifax ranks

Analysis of this market

These articles retain their original data periods; the tables on this page show current figures.

Sources and data period

Figures cover the trailing 12 months ending June 2026, the latest period published for all 16 markets. Source data retrieved through September 12, 2026. This page was built on November 8, 2026; the build date is not the data period. Values not published by the source are shown as “Not published”, never estimated.

Methodology, definitions and limitations

Dataset generated September 13, 2026.

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    Construction Market Intelligence

    An independent publication built from official Statistics Canada and CMHC data. Current data: trailing 12 months ending June 2026.

    Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Canada. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Statistics Canada or CMHC.