Renting This Week in Canada: How Fast Is Rental Demand Falling?

Rental demand appears to be falling, what happens when your landlord locks you out and are short-term rental properties actually motels?

With December rapidly approaching, catch up on these rental trends and issues with Renting in Canada This Week:

Multitudes of immigrants and students have passed through Toronto's old bus terminal, which will soon be converted to rental housing, according to Alex Bozikovic of the Globe and Mail. Perhaps the new name should reflect this?

What city is considered to be Canada's most ideal spot for renters? Hint - it's in Ontario and on the lake. Read what Madeline Forsyth wrote for Narcity.

What can happen when your landlord locks you out? Brady Strachan of CBC News reports that this B.C. tenant is trying to reclaim her rental suite, and it isn't easy.

Rentsync's David Aizikov states, "Canada’s rental landscape is characterized by fewer active renters who have become increasingly more selective in their housing decisions." What does this mean for renters in 2025?

According to a new survey from Rentals.ca, prospective renters are now finding rentals faster. Is this another indication that demand in down?

Short-term rentals in Canada, so crucial to newcomers when they arrive, have "skyrocketed." But are they rental properties or motels? Michelle Fong and Darian Smigorowsky explain.

According to Sean Irvine of CTV news, St. Thomas, Ontario, has adopted a "take charge" approach to affordable rental housing.

How does a tenant go 16 months without paying rent? That seems like a long wait for a landlord to get their money, right?

What do newcomers to Canada need to know about renting? It's all here.

**Are Airbnbs rental properties or motels?**

Shauna MacKinnon, a professor in Urban and Inner-City Studies at the University of Winnipeg, explains in the Winnipeg Free Press why Canada is not creating the affordable rental housing that is needed most.

Jacques Poitras of CBC News reports that as part of its promise to make life more affordable for renters, the Holt government in New Brunswick has introduced legislation limiting residential rent increases to three percent a year starting on Feb. 1, 2025.

Fredericton, Moncton Ranked High for Housing Starts

Looking for the cheapest rents among Canada's mid-sized cities. Fort McMurray in Alberta is the most affordable, but is it right for you?

Finally, our latest monthly Housing Newsletter for Newcomers and International Students has news, tips, trends, and housing solutions. Check it out.

PWHL Returns Saturday, Nov. 30

Oh, and just so you don't think Canadian renters are alone regarding high rent prices and affordability.: Tens of thousands marched in Barcelona to protest skyrocketing rents, as the average rental price in Spain has doubled in the past decade. Protesters blame high prices on stagnant incomes, tourist rentals, and limited public housing. Organizers push for stronger tenant action, including potential rent strikes, to force landlords to reduce rents.

Steve Tustin is the Content Editor for Rentals for Newcomers and a contributing editor for Prepare for Canada. He is also the former managing editor of Storeys.com and a former senior editor at the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star.

*No AI-generated content was used in the writing of this story, and all sources are cited and credited where possible.