OTTAWA - The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation says the seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing starts was 181,100 units in November, down from 208,800 in October.

Mathieu Laberge, deputy chief economist at CMHC's market analysis centre, says the decrease was due to a moderation in the multiples segment.

Urban starts decreased 14.4 per cent to an annual rate of 158,900 units in November.

Urban single starts increased 3.5 per cent in November to 63,600 units, while multiple urban starts dropped 23.3 per cent to 95,300.

November's seasonally adjusted annual rate of urban starts decreased 30.6 per cent in Ontario, 13.4 per cent in the Prairies and 3.6 per cent in British Columbia.

Urban starts increased 8.3 per cent in Atlantic Canada and 3.2 per cent in Quebec.

Rural starts were estimated at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 22,200 units in November.