Why is rent so expensive in Canada?
Rent is expensive in Canada. What’s contributing to high and ever-increasing rent prices? Find out and see how you can save money on housing.
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Rent is expensive in Canada. What’s contributing to high and ever-increasing rent prices? Find out and see how you can save money on housing.
Rent is expensive in Canada, and there’s no sign that it’s going to get cheaper any time soon. According to recent data, rent prices have been on the rise, outpacing wage growth and making it increasingly difficult for people to afford suitable housing. In fact, CBC’s The Fifth Estate found that between 2014 and 2019, rents across Canada increased almost 20% while incomes remained relatively stagnant. In this article, we examine why rents are so high and what you can do to curb your rental costs.
According to the July 2024 Consumer Price Index report from Statistics Canada, the shelter factor of the CPI rose by 5.7% year-over-year, outpacing the overall inflation rate of 2.5%. This is an ongoing trend—shelter costs have continually been one of the key drivers of inflation. Within the shelter category, rent prices have been particularly strong, increasing by 8.5% year-over-year in July. These persistent pressures from housing costs have made it more difficult for the Bank of Canada to bring overall inflation back to its 2% target, despite the price decreases seen in other categories.
So, why is housing so expensive in Canada? A variety of factors have contributed to the high cost of housing, particularly rentals. Here are a few of the main factors:
It’s a cycle. As a result, the demand for rental properties has outpaced supply, driving up prices and making it harder for both new arrivals and existing residents to find affordable housing.
Statistics Canada showed signs of rent prices slowing, but both rent and mortgages remain the largest contributors to inflation right now. For August 2024, rent was 8.9% year over year, but only 1% month over month.
And according to a report from Kijiji Canada, August 2024 saw rent prices in fewer big cities climbing in price month over month: “Quebec City was one of the rare cities that saw a monthly median rent increase—1.89% to be exact, which translates to a $25 increase. The only other major city that saw a price increase was Edmonton at 0.6%. Montreal and Halifax median rent stayed stable at $1,650 and $2,200 respectively. Meanwhile, Vancouver saw the biggest month over month dip of -2.95%, followed by Calgary and Ottawa, both at -2.28%.”
Based on interest rates dropping, and landlords having cheaper mortgage interest, we might see rent prices drop, too. But the supply and demand could put pressure to keep rent prices relatively high.
In Canada, each province and territory has its own rules for what someone can charge for rent, so it’s crucial to check what rules relate to your regional living situation. For example, in Ontario, rents are controlled by the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA), which sets the maximum limits by which landlords can increase the rent every year. For 2025, landlords are limited to rent increases of no more than 2.5%. Note, however, there are exceptions for when a landlord can charge a higher rent, such as when an old tenant moves out of the rental or when the property is newly built.
Regardless of where you live, there are generally protections in place that prevent landlords from demanding an unreasonable rent or from arbitrarily raising rent. Again, using Ontario as the example, if a tenant believes their rent has been unfairly increased, they can file an application with the Landlord and Tenant Board (LTB) to dispute the increase.
So, where are the top places to look for affordable housing in Canada? Well, you’ll definitely want to avoid Vancouver, Burnaby and Surrey in British Columbia, and Toronto and Mississauga in Ontario. Those are the five most expensive cities to rent in Canada, according to the September 2024 Rentals.ca Rent Report.
More from the report: British Columbia remains the most expensive province for renters, with an average asking rent of $2,481 as of September 2024. Alberta, once considered one of Canada’s most affordable places to live, had the fastest-growing rents, up 20% annually. It also notes that the five least expensive cities for renting are Edmonton, Winnipeg, Regina, Fort McMurray and Saskatoon.
To keep housing costs affordable, the CMHC suggests that rent (including utilities) should be no more than 30% of a household’s annual income as a rule of thumb. (Make use of this rent affordability calculator to determine what rent is realistic for your situation.) But if you’re like many renters in Canada, you’re likely paying more than 30% of your income on housing, so here are some tips on how to cut costs.
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