TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - March 8, 2011) - Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) released February preliminary housing starts data for the Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo Census Metropolitan Area¹ (CMA) today. Construction began on 133 homes, down from the 142 units started in the same month last year. 

Builders poured foundations for 84 single-detached homes in February, down slightly from the 87 units started in February 2010. Townhome starts declined to 11 units, down from 29 units last February, but apartment construction strengthened to 36 units from the 24 units started a year ago.

To view a graph of "Kitchener CMA Housing Starts", please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/kitchener308g.pdf

"Starts were unusually strong in early 2010, as buyers rushed to avoid the HST and higher mortgage rates anticipated later in the year, so some decline this year was expected," said Erica McLerie, Senior Market Analyst for the Kitchener CMA. "Cambridge continues to buck the trend, with higher starts in both January and February," added McLerie. 

As Canada's national housing agency, CMHC draws on 65 years of experience to help Canadians access a variety of high quality, environmentally sustainable and affordable homes. CMHC also provides reliable, impartial and up-to-date housing market reports, analysis and knowledge to support and assist consumers and the housing industry in making informed decisions.

To view the table "Housing Starts-Kitchener CMA" please visit the following link: http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/kitchener308t.pdf

For more information, visit www.cmhc.ca or call 1 800 668-2642.

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¹Statistics Canada defines a census metropolitan area (CMA) as one or more adjacent municipalities integrated with an urban core. A CMA must have a total population of at least 100,000 of which 50,000 or more must live in the urban core.