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New home prices weaken in Canada9 T& @! b3 S, \8 j' y, k, o
Canwest News Service
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OTTAWA - Prices for new homes in Canada rose by 5.2 per cent in April from a year earlier, the slowest pace in more than two and a half years as a weakening Alberta market continued to pull down the national average, Statistics Canada said Wednesday.
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. G3 a: d3 f, l) Z: \" u MApril's rate was down from a 6.1 per cent year-on-year increase in March, the federal agency said. On a monthly basis, prices were unchanged in April from March.. i; D+ z4 [7 Y
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"This was the third consecutive month in which the increase has decelerated, and the slowest rate of growth since September 2005, when year-over-year prices rose by 4.9 per cent," it said.+ ~, @3 y- m0 o1 U4 ^& L
1 @# t6 e9 K. v( [( ?In contrast to strong markets in Saskatchewan and parts of Atlantic Canada, home prices in oil-rich Alberta showed more signs of cooling. + }; O2 T$ u* d
8 G/ M" k( `3 i"Edmonton and Calgary continued to experience slow market conditions," Statistics Canada said. "Competition among builders has resulted in lower prices being offered to prospective homebuyers."
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/ l4 z; ]; H7 k6 Y2 n. E# z) ZPrices in Calgary edged up 2.5 per cent in April from a year earlier, compared to a 5.3 per cent year-over-year increase in March.
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In Edmonton, the year-on-year rate slowed to 8.1 per cent - the ninth straight month of decelerated growth.
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Meanwhile, the Saskatchewan housing market continued to heat up in April. Prices in Saskatoon led the country for the 12th straight month, jumping 43.7 per cent from a year earlier - but down slightly from a 46.2 per cent year-on-year gain in March.% P8 Q1 |% [# ?. `/ h4 @8 R# w
9 b6 m( C. p# }. Q+ c) x0 oPrices in Regina were up 34 per cent in April from the same time in 2007, compared to a 27.8 per year-on-year increase in March.
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6 E! }7 `6 ?5 |6 l9 j: u9 ZIn Newfoundland and Labrador "a strengthening economy, coupled with increased material and labour costs, has contributed to record increases," Statistics Canada said.9 ]9 W$ s6 _/ k* }# {5 e
: X+ j/ E1 A8 q% ePrices in St. John's rose 16.3 per cent in April, up from the year-over-year increase of 12 per cent in March.
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Nova Scotia also saw strong gains, with prices in Halifax increasing 11.3 per cent from a year earlier, although that was down slightly from a record year-on-year gain 12.8 per cent in March.
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"The report adds to the growing body of evidence that indicates that the Canadian housing sector may be coming off the boil," said Millan Mulraine, economics strategist at TD Securities.; L9 l+ p8 |) \5 E( R l
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"Similar behaviour has also been observed in the price of existing homes. However, it is important to note that the Canadian housing sector remains in reasonable shape and a U.S.-style correction in home prices remains highly unlikely."5 u' q. q3 V& d2 G3 i! w
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© Canwest News Service 2008 |
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