CMHC Housing Starts Dashboard – Ottawa (2025)
TL;DR
In 2025, Ottawa saw a notable increase in housing starts — particularly multi-unit apartment construction — contributing to significantly higher overall starts and a substantial number of units under construction, reflecting a strong focus on new housing supply, especially apartments.
Key Points
- Total housing starts in Ottawa: ~10,864 units in 2025 (+37.6% year-over-year).
- Apartment starts: 7,299 units (+80.8%) — by far the dominant housing type in new construction.
- Row house (townhouse) starts: 1,897 units (↓14.1%).
- 14,020 apartment units currently under construction (+20.7% year-over-year).
- Growth in supply is heavily concentrated in multi-unit/apartment forms.
Full Analysis
New Housing Starts by Type (2025)
| Type of Housing | Units Started | Change vs Prior Year |
|---|---|---|
| Single detached | 1,397 | ↓ 7.8% |
| Semi-detached | 271 | ↑ 102.2% |
| Row houses (townhouses) | 1,897 | ↓ 14.1% |
| Apartment units | 7,299 | ↑ 80.8% |
| Total | ~10,864 | ↑ 37.6% |
Units Under Construction by Type (2025)
| Dwelling Type | Units Under Construction | Year-Over-Year Change |
|---|---|---|
| Single detached | 1,061 | ↓ 19.4% |
| Semi-detached | 241 | ↑ 67.4% |
| Row houses | 1,759 | ↓ 11.1% |
| Apartment units | 14,020 | ↑ 20.7% |
| Total | 17,081 | ↑ 13.5% |
What This Data Shows
- Apartment construction is driving growth. There were far more apartments started in 2025 than any other housing type (~7,299 units, +80.8%).
- Ground-oriented forms are declining or flat. Single-detached and row housing starts both fell. The only major increase among ground-oriented forms was in semi-detached starts — from a small base.
- Overall starts are up substantially (+37.6% year-over-year), suggesting Ottawa’s supply pipeline is active — but heavily weighted toward multi-unit apartment supply.
- Units under construction reinforce this trend. Apartments account for ~14,020 of the 17,081 units under construction, indicating sustained pipeline momentum in multi-family construction.