Skip Ribbon Commands
Skip to main content
Sign In
Careers Board Meetings Contact Live Chat

Housing Starts

​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​


Housing starts in the region reflect economic patterns and the cyclical nature of the housing market — providing an indication of the housing supply that will become available soon. Housing is considered "​started" once construction work on a building has begun, which is typically when concrete has been poured for the entire footing around the structure, or an equivalent stage where a basement will not be part of the structure.

Housing starts by structure type

The composition of the housing stock in Metro Vancouver has evolved​ over the past decade, with multi-unit developments (i.e., apartments, secondary suites, semi-detached, and row houses) now accounting for an increasing proportion of total housing starts. As population and housing demand continue to grow, a more efficient use of the region's limited land base is essential. ​Higher density developments are one way to achieve this efficie​ncy.​​​

Trends in housing starts by structure type

​

Municipal housing starts by structure type in the region

​​​

​Housing starts by tenure

A key priority outlined in Metro 2050 is to expand the supply of rental housing, including new purpose-built market rental housing. During the early 2000s, there were very few rental unit housing starts across the region. However, since 2016, rental starts have increased.

Housing starts by structure type in the region​

Trends in housing starts by tenure​

​
​​

Key observations

  • Metro Vancouver housing starts have continued to decline, falling from 33,244 in 2023, to 28,112 in 2024, and 27,185 in 2025.
  • Apartments remain the largest housing category and are becoming increasingly dominant. Over the past decade, apartments starts consistently accounted for 60% to 80% of all new housing starts, increasing from 16,899 units (60.5%) in 2016 to 21,844 units (80.4%) in 2025.
  • In contrast, single-detached starts have declined sharply and steadily, from 5,169 units in 2016 to 2,138 units in 2025 — a decrease of about 60%.
  • Over the past five years (2021 – 2025), rental housing starts increased by 44% (+2,947 units). Rental starts have increased by 41% since 2016.

Housing starts by tenure in the region

Some 2025 housing starts data is pending a custom data request and will be available in fall 2026.

Notes

  • The glossary​ rovid​es definitions of each technical term, ensuring consistent interpretation. However, we recognize that the data on this page is from sources who use definitions that may not reflect First Nations preferred terminology. CMHC defines Indigenous Peoples as a collective name for the original peoples of North America and their descendants. CMHC's housing data uses Statistics Canada's census geography to define the First Nations data label For Metro Vancouver jurisdictions, this includes scəw̓aθən məsteyəxʷ (Tsawwassen First Nation).
  • Jurisdiction and Metro Vancouver totals may not equal the sum of individual values due to rounding, data suppression, or the omission of smaller data points to maintain visual readability. If a geography is not listed or appears missing, the associated data was either unavailable or did not meet reporting thresholds.
  • Proportion percentages are calculated using available data and may exclude instances of missed or suppressed data.
  • Electoral Area A includes UBC/UEL (University of British Columbia / University Endowment Lands).
  • ​Seniors' independent/assisted living units are included in the count if units are self-contained with full kitchen. Units where there is only a microwave and bar fridge are excluded.
  • Until 2013, secondary suite data was included in the apartment category.
  • Effective January 2013, single-detached houses with an attached accessory suite are recorded as one unit "ownership, single" and the accessory suite as one unit "rental, apt + other". In 2012 and prior years, these structures were recorded as two units, "ownership, apt + other" in some markets, including the Vancouver Census Metropolitan Area.
  • Not all municipalities record accessory suite permits.
  • Freehold is a residence where the owner owns the dwelling and the lot outright.
  • Condominium is an individual dwelling which is privately owned, but the building and/or land are owned collectively by all dwelling unit owners.​
  • Total includes ownership (freehold and condominium), rental, and co-op units.
  • There were zero co-operative housing unit starts in 2018 to 2019, 2021 to 2024, and 27 co-op unit starts in 2020 (all in the City of North Vancouver).
  • Rental is a dwelling constructed for rental purposes regardless of who finances the structure.
  • Purpose-built rental units in mixed-tenure structures are included in the data if they were indicated as rental at the time of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) Starts and Completions survey.
  • Since 2015, total rental data includes secondary suites and laneway rental housing (single-detached rental).
  • Single-detached rental is usually laneway/ coach house rental housing that is non-subsidized.​​
  • Housing start is defined as the beginning of construction work on a building. This is usually when the concrete has been poured for the whole of the footing around the structure or an equivalent stage where a basement will not be part of the structure.​

Source
This information is from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) Starts ​and Completions Survey, as well as a custom data request.

​

Contact Us

Other Metro Vancouver Sites

© Metro Vancouver | Copyright and Disclaimer | Privacy Statement

This website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience. By continuing to use this site, you accept our use of cookies. View our privacy statement.