Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. says the annual pace of housing starts in April rose 22% compared with March, powered by an increase in starts of multi-unit urban homes.

The national housing agency says the seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing starts in April came in at 261,559 units, up from 213,780 in March.

The overall increase came as the annual pace of urban starts rose 26% to 241,585 units in April, while the annual rate of multi-unit urban starts rose 33% to 201,621 units. The annual rate of single-detached urban starts fell 2% to 39,964.

The annual pace of housing starts in Vancouver was up 36%, while Toronto’s climbed 54%. Starts in Montreal gained 43%.

The annual rate of rural starts was estimated at 19,974 units.

The six-month moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rate was 240,403 units in April, down 0.2% from 240,876 units in March.

CMHC : Annual Pace of Metro Vancouver Housing Starts Up 36% in April by The Canadian Press | BIV