Housing starts jump

Another positive sign on the local home construction beat.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation has released the figures for January housing starts in Waterloo Region.

CMHC reports construction was started on 221 homes, up from 90 during the same month last year.

It says starts were up right across the board, including for single and semi-detached homes as well as for townhouses and apartments.

In fact, apartment starts surged to 95 units last month up from just four in January, 2009.

It marks the 4th straight month starts increased, and CMHC Senior Market Analyst Erica McLerie credits a tightening resale market as well as favourable weather for the uptick in starts.