Tags: Atlantic

25 Jun 2009, Comments Off

Moncton VISION EQuilibrium™ Demonstration Home Starts Construction in Moncton, New Brunswick

Author: admin

The Government of Canada marked the start of construction of the Moncton VISION demonstration home, an energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly home to be built in Moncton, New Brunswick. The home will be constructed by AlternaHome Solutions Inc. in partnership with VISION Land Development Ltd., as part of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC’s) EQuilibrium™ Sustainable Housing Demonstration Initiative, which encourages builders and developers to build the next generation of sustainable housing in Canada.

Rob Moore, Member of Parliament for Fundy Royal, on behalf of the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and Minister Responsible for CMHC, was joined today by Paul Arsenault of AlternaHome Solutions Inc., and Ken McPhee of VISION Land Development Ltd., along with sponsors and supporters, in the groundbreaking of the first demonstration home of its kind in Atlantic Canada.

“The Government of Canada is pleased to work with the private sector to develop such innovative homes. We congratulate AlternaHome Solutions Inc. on its winning design/concept and its commitment to environmental responsibility,” said MP Moore. “The Moncton VISION Home gives people in this region an opportunity to see first-hand how we can create beautiful, healthy homes, conserve energy and resources, and reduce pollutant emissions.”

EQuilibrium™ housing integrates a wide range of innovative technologies and practices to reduce a home’s environmental impact to a minimum. The Moncton VISION Home will integrate optimal solar orientation, energy efficiency and renewable energy systems into its design and construction to reduce energy use. Additional Moncton VISION Home features include extensive natural lighting, an energy management system, natural and mechanical ventilation, and the use of natural materials with low levels of pollutants. Rainwater will be captured to reduce water use.

“We are very pleased to work with CMHC. They, together with each and every member of the Moncton VISION Home team, have been working tirelessly to ensure the success of this project. The Moncton VISION Home has the potential to help people discover new ways of doing things, which in the long run, will help reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, and consequently reduce our negative impact on the environment. The Moncton VISION Home will lead, teach and inspire people to take charge of their own energy,” said Mr. Arsenault.

The Moncton VISION Home is one of 15 projects that won CMHC’s national EQuilibrium™ sustainable housing competitions since the initiative was launched in 2006. All EQuilibrium™ projects will be open to both the general public and professional audiences for tours, and then monitored for performance by CMHC for one year, once occupied.

CMHC’s EQuilibrium™ Sustainable Housing Demonstration Initiative provides a new approach to housing in Canada, representing a fundamental change in the way Canadians think about their homes. It strives to balance our housing needs with those of the environment. It brings together — under one roof — the principles of occupant health and comfort, energy efficiency, renewable energy production, resource and water conservation, and reduced environmental impact.

CMHC has worked closely with many stakeholders to develop and deploy EQuilibrium™. In particular, CMHC has collaborated closely with Natural Resources Canada which has contributed substantial research and development expertise and resources to advancing the initiative.

As Canada’s national housing agency, CMHC draws on more than 60 years of experience to help Canadians access a variety of quality, environmentally sustainable, and affordable homes — homes that will continue to create vibrant, healthy communities and cities across the country.

http://www.cmhc.ca/en/corp/nero/nere/2009/2009-06-25-0900.cfm

brought to you by Moishe Alexander, CFC CEO

15 Jun 2009, Comments Off

Housing starts rebound to top forecast in May

Author: admin

Canada’s housing construction sector had a better-than-expected May as the seasonally adjusted, annualized rate of starts rose to 128,400 for the month.
Moishe Alexander reviews the trends:

That was ahead of the 126,000 annualized rate that economists had forecast.

In April, the seasonally adjusted annualized rate was 117,600.

“This morning’s housing starts data for May from CMHC provided us with the first sign that a bottom might be forming in Canadian homebuilding activity,” said TD Bank economist Pascal Gauthier.

“Nation-wide homebuilding activity recorded its first broadly based increase since October 2008, both in terms of unit types (singles and multiples) and regions of the country,” he said.

The federal government agency said urban single-home starts increased by 11.1 per cent to 46,900 units last month, while urban multiple-units starts, such as condominiums, rose by a similar percentage to 60,900.

May’s seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts increased 22.0 per cent in Ontario, 16.8 per cent in the Prairies, 7.3 per cent in Atlantic Canada, and 3.3 per cent in Quebec. Urban starts declined 5.0 per cent in British Columbia.

Showing how much housing has retreated since last year, the overall seasonally adjusted, annualized rate of construction starts stood at 221,300 units in May 2008.

CMHC said housing starts are expected to improve throughout 2009 and over the next several years “to gradually become more closely aligned to demographic demand, which is currently estimated at about 175,000 units per year.”

Gauthier said starts are expected to remain around 120,000 on average through the remainder of this year.

“The good news part [in that forecast] is that homebuilding activity would cease to be a drag on economic growth and employment heading into next year,” he said.

“The bad news part, assuming our forecast unfolds, is that we do not expect the level of starts to head back above 150,000 units before 2011.” Posted by Thaddeus Warchol

15 Jun 2009, Comments Off

Housing Starts Are Up

Author: admin

Moishe Alexander brings to attention:

Canadian housing starts rose 9.2 percent in May, slightly better than expected, and was broadly based and encompassed both single and multiple segments, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp (CMHC) said on Monday. New home construction rose to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 128,400 units in May from 117,600 units units in April, CMHC said.

The number of starts in May beat analysts’ consensus expectations of 125,300 starts.

The seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts rose 11.1 percent to 107,800 units in May. Urban multiple starts rose to 60,900 units, while urban single starts climbed to 46,900 units in May.

The seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts in May rose 22 percent in Ontario, 16.8 percent in the Prairies, 7.3 percent in Atlantic Canada and 3.3 percent in Quebec.

This Month In Real Estate (Canada): April 2009

Urban starts declined 5 percent in British Columbia.

CMHC said housing starts are expected to improve throughout 2009 and over the next several years to “become more closely aligned to demographic demand,” which is currently estimated at about 175,000 units per year.

Ryan Roberts,

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

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