After spiking in October, monthly housing starts* in Alberta fell by 19.6 per cent in November. Starts were down by 3.3 per cent compared to November 2019.

The average number of starts over the first 11 months of the year was also down with the year-to-date average off by 10.2 per cent compared to the same period in 2019.

The stunted number of starts in 2020 reflects the weak economic conditions that prevailed in Alberta in last year.

While the drop has created significant pain for builders, suppliers and workers, the number of starts could have been even lower given the dampening effects of the pandemic and oil price crash.

The picture is better nationally with average housing starts over the first 11 months of 2020 up by 2.9 per cent compared to the same period in 2019.

The year-to-date average was higher in five provinces (Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario).

Average starts were down the most in British Columbia (-18.1 per cent).

*The monthly data have been adjusted to remove normal seasonal variation and multiplied by 12 to reflect annual levels.

Answer to the previous trivia question: As of January 4, 2021, the cumulative number of confirmed global cases of COVID-19 was 85,122,080. (Source: Our World in Data)

Today’s trivia question: What was the global population in 1800? (The global population currently sits at about 7.7 billion.)