New home prices in Canada crept up in July for the first time in almost a year.

Statistics Canada said Friday the prices contractors could get rose 0.3 per cent from the previous month. It was the first countrywide increase since last September. On average, the average prices of new homes in Canada rose slightly in July. (Gerry Broome/AP)

Prices increased the most in Vancouver — by 1.2 per cent — as consumer interest improved. Hamilton followed at 1.1 per cent and Windsor and Calgary rose 0.5 per cent each, the agency reported.

In Victoria, where builders cut prices in order to move their stock, prices saw their largest monthly drop, at 3.5 per cent.

Monthly declines were also recorded in St. Catharines and Niagara (down 0.3 per cent) and Quebec City (down 0.1 per cent).

Over the last year, the New Housing Price Index has dropped 3.2 per cent nationally. Western Canada had the largest declines as prices continued to fall from previous highs.