The average price of buying a home in Canada continued to climb in June, fuelled primarily by another bump in Toronto housing prices.

Canada's New Housing Price Index (NHPI) rose 0.3 per cent in June, following a 0.4 per cent advance the previous month, according to the latest survey by Statistics Canada.

The metropolitan region of Toronto and Oshawa was the top contributor to the national average cost increase. Between May and June, prices in the Toronto and Oshawa area increased by 0.8 per cent.

Statistics Canada said the Toronto area's housing increase was primarily a result of good market conditions.

Winnipeg saw the next highest increase of 0.7 per cent, due primarily to higher material costs, Statistics Canada said.

Housing costs across much of Canada were unchanged between May and June; 10 of the 21 metropolitan regions in the survey saw no movement.

The most significant monthly decline was recorded in Calgary (down 0.3 per cent), where some home builders were offering promotional pricing to generate sales.

Housing prices were up 2.1 per cent across the country from the same time last year, with the Toronto and Oshawa area (4.7 per cent) and Winnipeg (4.4 per cent) again leading the way.

Eight regions have seen year-over-year housing cost declines, led by Windsor (down 4.3 per cent) and Victoria (down 1.7 per cent).

Other year-over-year NHPI adjustments as of June:

  • St. John's (+4.3%)
  • Regina (+3.9%)
  • Kitchener–Cambridge–Waterloo (+3.6%)
  • Montreal (+3.4%).