Sudbury, Lakehead housing starts outpace 1989 totals.

Sudbury, Lakehead housing starts outpace 1989 totals

The provincial government's relocation effort is being credited with maintaining the strong home construction market in Sudbury, while an increase in single units pushed the number of April housing starts in Thunder Bay over 1989's level.

In its monthly survey, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) reported a total of 203 housing starts in the City of Sudbury. The total is almost four times the total registered during the same period last year. For the first four months of the year, construction began on 285 homes in the city.

Construction starts for the region almost doubled last year's figure, with 272 starts reported, compared to 149 last year.

While starts were up in Sudbury, totals were down for the neighboring communities of Nickel Centre, Onaping, Rayside-Balfour, Valley East and Walden.

Thunder Bay housing starts more than tripled last year's numbers, according to the Thunder Bay CMHC office.

Officials reported 23 starts for the month, compared to just seven recorded in April 1989. All 23 starts were single-family units.

The monthly figures pushed the year's total to 67 - a 31-percent increase over 1989.

The Neebing ward continued to claim the majority of the building activity, with 14 of the 31 single-family units being constructed in the south-end area. Seven of the single-family units were located in McIntrye ward and six in Red River.

Bert Fenlon, branch manager of the CMHC, says an expected decline in year-end single-family housing starts will be offset by increased construction in the condominium market.