Housing starts in Canada between 2002 and 2008 were exceptionally strong. They averaged more than 220,000 units annually over the seven years. This compares with an annual average of 150,000 units during the 1990s. It is interesting to look at the nation’s six largest cities and see how they fared during the boom times. This story will also consider six second-tier cities, by population, and how they have done as well. Local economic factors and population shifts have played big roles in certain locales.