1135 ET - Something more than weather was behind the weak start this year for Canada's housing market. Toronto Regional Real Estate Board data indicates a 4.9% drop on-month in Greater Toronto Area home sales, seasonally adjusted, following the 10.9% decline in January that was attributed at the time to poor weather conditions. If the vagaries of Mother Nature were behind January's slump then transactions would have rebounded in February, National Bank Capital Markets' Daren King says. King says the deterioration in trade relations between Canada and the U.S. and significant affordability challenges clearly inhibit the housing market. Worryingly, the economist says a lack of momentum in Toronto's market seems to be weighing on the supply side, too, with new listings down 11.5%. (robb.stewart@wsj.com; @RobbMStewart)

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 05, 2026 11:35 ET (16:35 GMT)

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