CALGARY - Spurred by sales in Calgary, Vancouver and Toronto, national resale housing activity climbed to the highest level of any third quarter on record this year, says the Canadian Real Estate Association.

The association said today that MLS home sales totalled 135,182 units in the third quarter of this year, the most ever for the period from July to September. The number of transactions was up 18 per cent from the third quarter of last year, which represented the biggest year-over-year increase since early 2002.

"Momentum for sales activity remained strong throughout the third quarter," said Dale Ripplinger, CREA's president. "Low interest rates, rebounding consumer confidence and an improving overall sense of economic security continue to draw homebuyers to the housing market."

The association said quarterly increases in Vancouver (34 per cent), Toronto (11 per cent) and Calgary (19 per cent) contributed most to the national increase in activity.

mtoneguzzi@theherald.canwest.com