According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, single family housing starts declined in the first quarter of 2009 for all three of New Brunswick's major urban centres.

Last year single detached starts in the Moncton CMA were also the lowest in the first quarter. However by the end of 2008 single detached starts in the Moncton CMA easily surpassed starts in the Saint John CMA and the Fredericton CA. Will this scenario repeat itself in 2009? I predict it will.

(Preliminary single family detached housing starts data supplied by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation)