Statistics Canada says during a crisis, people often refrain from buying big-ticket items. During the financial crisis of 2008 and 2009, new house prices fell 3.1 per cent year over year in August 2009. However, during the first six months of the current pandemic, new house prices have risen. Prices were up 1.3 per cent six months into the pandemic. The new housing market in Saskatchewan, remains weak. Three of the four housing markets reporting declines six months into the pandemic were in the harder-hit resource-based economies. Regina was down 1 per cent. Calgary was down 1.1 per cent. Edmonton was down 0.3 per cent. Saskatoon bucked the trend, inching up 0.1 per cent between February and August.