According to CMHC's 2017 Rental Market Survey, the average vacancy rate for purpose-built rental apartment units across Canada decreased from 3.7 per cent in October 2016 to 3.0 per cent in October 2017.

Condominium apartment sales in the GTA climbed 22.3 per cent year-over-year to 6,831 in Q4-2016, according to the Toronto Real Estate Board.

With over 395,000 live listings currently in its real estate channel—of which, over 83,000 listings are apartments and condos for rent—Kijiji’s rental listing data provides a great window into Canadian rental trends.

A new report from Urbanation suggests rental market demand is hot given both condo rentals and purpose-built construction starts saw record numbers in 2015.

Preliminary data from the CMHC’s Fall Rental Market Survey show that average monthly rents are still rising in Calgary and Edmonton despite fewer Canadians moving there.

With low oil prices and slow housing starts predicted to take their toll on the economy, what effects will they have on Alberta's rental market? Amit Grover of Colliers, Edmonton, shares his insights.

A new initiative designed to encourage the development of affordable housing was recently unveiled by Toronto Mayor John Tory. Known as the City of Toronto’s Open Door Initiative, the approach includes a four-piece plan to unlock opportunities on private, public and non-profit land, accelerate the planning-approval process, reduce construction costs through expanded City financial incentives, and challenge the government and developers to increase their affordable housing development efforts.

A 62-unit affordable seniors housing facility in Innisfail, Alta. will be demolished to make way for a new and improved building, slated for completion in 2018. The $17.6-million development, known as Autumn Glen Lodge, will contain 60 affordable units, 30 of which will be reserved for seniors.

Gregor Robertson, Mayor of Vancouver, has asked the City’s Renters Advisory Committee to review the province’s Residential Tenancy Act in order evaluate what improvements would be favourable for renters. The recently established committee was developed to give renters, who comprise over half of Vancouver households, a voice at City Hall.

According to the 2014 Multi-Family Real Estate Report from Colliers International, the total number of sales transactions in Ottawa’s multi-family sector grew 61.54 per cent last year, making it one of the most attractive rental markets in Canada. At the same time, the total dollar value of multi-family asset transactions rose 33 per cent, year-over-year.

Vancouver-based architect Gregory Henriquez recently unveiled his vision for Toronto’s iconic Honest Ed’s site at Bloor St. and Bathurst St., which includes plans for 1,000 purpose-built rental housing units. In partnership with developer Westbank Corp., Henriquez revealed the conceptual Bloor & Bathurst community proposal for 55 buildings with residential, retail and restaurant space at a community meeting on March 3.

As of March 1, residents of southern Alberta will have access to the Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS), a quasi-judicial tribunal created in 2006 to help landlords and tenants resolve disputes quickly and affordably.

Launched in late October 2014, a new online platform seeks to ease the process of renting an apartment by protecting the rights of tenants and landlords and making rental information more accessible. Originally available exclusively in Waterloo, Ont., the map-based site, known as Apartmint, has recently expanded its services to Toronto and Windsor, Ont.

The Unité de travail pour l'implantation de logement étudiant (UTILE), a non-profit organization focused on student housing in Quebec, has launched a new trilingual website for students seeking housing information in Montréal. The site, Likehome.info, was developed after survey results from over 11,000 students revealed a need to improve the City’s ability to offer proper living conditions to students. Information is available in French, English and Mandarin.

The Canadian Apartment Properties Real Estate Investment Trust (CAPREIT) has acquired Grandin Tower, a 126-unit apartment property in Edmonton, Alta. At the same time, the company also sold four Toronto apartment buildings located on Wilson Ave.

According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), an increase in Ontario housing starts in the multi-family sector over the last several months can be attributed to low vacancy rates, growing prices in the detached housing market and increasing urban intensification.

According to the latest rental market survey from Urbanation Inc. (Urbanation), Toronto’s condo rental market broke records in 2014. Condominium apartments rented through the MLS system exceeded the previous year’s record, growing 15 per cent year-over-year, to 22,765 units.