Canada home resales slip from Jan, up from 2009

* Home resales in Feb edge down 1.5 pct from January

* Resales up 44 pct from year earlier

* Average price rises 18.2 pct from year ago to C$335,655

TORONTO, March 15 (Reuters) - Sales of existing homes in Canada in February dipped 1.5 percent from January, but remained high on a year-over-year basis, the Canadian Real Estate Association said on Monday.

The industry group said a total of 42,799 homes changed hands in February, down slightly from January, as a large gain in sales in Toronto were offset by declines in Vancouver and other British Columbia housing markets.

Sales rose 44 percent from the same month last year, a smaller gain in national activity from the previous three months.

CREA said the national average price in February rose 18.2 percent from a year earlier to C$335,655 ($329,074).

($1=$1.02 Canadian)

(Reporting by Ka Yan Ng; Editing by Frank McGurty)