CALGARY - The housing construction industry in Calgary staged a strong rebound in January from last year’s 18-year depths but failed to recoup all the ground lost since the same month in 2008.

According to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp., total housing starts in the city reached 514 units last month, more than double the 243 in January 2009 but 28 per cent lower than the 711 units started in January 2008.

But Richard Cho, CMHC’s senior market analyst for the city, said the general direction for new housing is positive.

“The momentum in new construction experienced toward the end of 2009 has carried over into 2010 as homebuyers take advantage of low mortgage rates,” he said in a news release.

“Builders are continuing to be encouraged by improving economic conditions and lower inventories.”

Both single-detached and multi-family housing starts were up, with builders starting work on 413 homes in January, versus 204 units a year earlier, and 101 multi-family units breaking ground, up from 39 units in the previous year.

Provincially, housing starts in Alberta’s seven largest centres totalled 1,271 units in January, up 52 per cent from January 2009.

Nationally, the seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing starts reached 186,300 units in January, up from an annual rate of 176,100 units in December.

According to final figures, actual housing starts for 2009 totalled 149,081 units, with activity improving as the year progressed.

In the Prairie region, the seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts decreased by 4.8 per cent from the previous month