Saskatchewan is leading the country in urban housing starts, according to new figures from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation.
The agency reports urban housing starts in the province rose by 84.1 per cent in the first six months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. That was the highest increase among all provinces.
“For the last five months, Saskatchewan has been at the forefront of growth in Canada for urban housing starts, showing that our growth initiatives are leading to more and more people choosing to call our province home,” said Trade and Export Development Minister Warren Kaeding in a news release. “The unprecedented growth we are experiencing is helping to create more jobs, opportunities and greater affordability for the citizens of Saskatchewan.”
Both Saskatoon and Regina saw increases. Saskatoon recorded a 112.9 per cent jump, while Regina posted a 40.4 per cent increase. Housing starts in rural areas saw an even greater rise, climbing 247.2 per cent during the same period.
In Estevan, six building permits were issued in June, bringing the total so far in 2025 to 22. The value of those permits is just over $4.7 million.
Three permits have been issued this year for single-family dwellings, with a total value of $457,000. One institutional permit, valued at $2.5 million, has also been issued.
Five permits for garages have been issued so far in 2025, including two in June. The total value is $735,000. There have also been 13 miscellaneous permits issued this year, three of them in June, worth a combined $1.03 million.
Housing starts measure the number of new residential construction projects that begin during a specific period.
Saskatchewan’s broader economy continues to grow. Statistics Canada says the province’s real gross domestic product reached a record high of $80.5 billion in 2024. That is a $2.6 billion increase, or 3.4 per cent, over the previous year. Saskatchewan ranked second in the country for real GDP growth and came in above the national average of 1.6 per cent.