Artificial intelligence has officially entered the Canadian rental search, according to a recent survey from Rentals.ca. Of the 1,194 respondents, 28.5 per cent said they have used AI tools such as ChatGPT or Google Gemini to help them find an apartment, marking the first time the platform has tracked this behaviour in its national renter survey.
Conducted between May 5 and June 14, 2026, the survey findings show that AI has moved well beyond early adopters. Among renters who used these tools, 72.6 per cent described the experience as helpful, citing faster searches, clearer comparisons, and easier-to-understand explanations of rental rules.
The most common uses reflect the pain points of today’s rental market:
- Finding listings and neighbourhoods — 57.7%
- Comparing rental prices — 45.5%
- Understanding lease terms — 40.2%
- Getting budgeting advice — 38.1%
- Writing messages to landlords — 33.3%
The new data suggests renters are increasingly comfortable using AI as a research assistant—one that can summarize neighbourhood pros and cons, flag price anomalies, or help decode legal language that often feels opaque. Adoption is highest among renters aged 25 to 34, at 35.5 per cent though renters 65 and over reported adoption at 22.8 per cent, nearly matching the 45 to 54 cohort.
Higher-income renters are more likely to use AI, with adoption reaching 37.9 per cent among those earning $125,000 or more, compared to 23.8 per cent among those earning under $25,000. Higher-income renters appear more likely to experiment with digital tools, but the generational spread shows AI is no longer a niche technology.
Regional adoption
AI use varies across the country, with Canada’s largest markets leading the way:
- Toronto/Ontario: 29.9%
- BC/Vancouver: 27.2%
- Alberta: 25.4%
- Atlantic Canada: 25.0%
- Manitoba/Winnipeg: 23.0%
- Quebec/Montreal: 22.7%
“Still limitations”
While most users found AI helpful, 21.2 per cent said it wasn’t—a reminder that the technology has still has real limitations, with renters citing issues such as: outdated or inaccurate listing data, missed local nuance in neighbourhood descriptions, and lease guidance that felt too general or not legally reliable. In short, AI can streamline the search, but it can’t replace professional advice or real-time market expertise.
For the full picture, click here: More Than One in Four Canadian Renters Are Now Using AI to Find a Home – Here’s What They’re Doing With It
