Construction on new B.C. homes saw small dip in 2024 [Video]

B.C. saw nine per cent fewer houses begin construction in 2024 than in 2023, but a lead housing economist says it was still a strong year. 

The drop was steeper in certain major centres, such as Vancouver and Victoria, while other urban areas, such as Kelowna, swung in the opposite direction.

The data, released this week by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), comes amid a backdrop of a nationwide housing crisis.

In B.C., the provincial government has sought to address the problem with specific policies. This includes mandating that 30 different municipalities build a certain number of new rental units each year and legislating increased housing density.

A “housing start” is logged on the day that construction begins on a home, according to CMHC. Its data shows there were 47,894 housing starts in 2023, and 43,573 in 2024.

B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said the number of housing …