Real-estate agents, brokers, appraisers and other real-estate industries reported total operating revenues of $10.6 billion for 2006, an 8.1 per cent increase from 2005. Statistics Canada says high demand for real estate has boosted both sales and prices despite a slight increase in mortgage rates. The agency's New Housing Price Index grew 9.7 per cent in 2006, close to five times the rate of inflation.

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