CALGARY - The price of new homes in the Calgary census metropolitan area rose at a higher rate in March than the Canadian average, according to Statistics Canada.

In releasing its New Housing Price Index today, the federal agency said prices were up 0.4 per cent in Calgary from the previous month and 2.0 per cent from March 2009.

The national increase in the NHPI was 0.3 per cent on a monthly basis and 1.6 per cent year-over-year.

The federal agency said the national index has been advancing since July 2009.

Between February and March, prices rose the most in London (1.7 per cent), followed by Montreal and Kitchener (both up 1.0 per cent).

Charlottetown (0.5 per cent) registered the largest monthly decline in March, followed by Hamilton and Edmonton (both down 0.3 per cent).

The largest year-over-year rise was recorded in St. John’s (5.1 per cent), followed by Winnipeg (4.5 per cent) and Vancouver (4.3 per cent).

Among the 21 metropolitan regions, three registered 12-month declines in March: Victoria (4.6 per cent), Edmonton (2.4 per cent) and Charlottetown (1.2 per cent).