An Alberta city just saw the largest rent price increase in Canada
If you’re looking to rent in Alberta, a new national rent report shows that one city is seeing the steepest month-over-month price increase in the country.
The report from Rentals.ca analyzed rental trends across Canada’s major housing markets for the month of March and found that Red Deer saw the largest monthly jump in one-bedroom rent prices.
Red Deer recorded a 6.2 per cent increase in one-bedroom rent prices on a month-over-month basis, bringing the average price of a one-bedroom unit in the city to $1,362.
Rentals.ca
Ajax, Ont., saw the second largest increase in March, with prices for a one-bedroom jumping 5.4 per cent month-over-month to $1,1909.
Seeing big rent increases on the national level isn’t new for Red Deer. Last month, it saw the second-highest jump in Canada, only being beaten out by Lloydminster.
Although it saw a jump in prices, the city remains one of the most affordable spots among the cities tracked nationwide, with a total average rent price of just $1,600.
As for Alberta’s other major housing markets, Calgary was the most expensive spot, with an average one-bedroom rent of $1,532, followed by Edmonton at $1,288, and Red Deer with its one-bedroom rent price of $1,362.
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At the other end of the scale, smaller Alberta markets remained the most affordable. Lloydminster, which Rentals.ca says includes listings from both the Alberta and Saskatchewan sides of the city, recorded the lowest average one-bedroom rent at $1,069, followed by Fort McMurray at $1,181, and Medicine Hat at $1,225.
The data shows that rent prices cooled across much of the country. The average asking rent for purpose-built and condominium apartments fell 4.3 per cent year-over-year to $2,011 in March 2026.
Out of all the provinces, British Columbia recorded the steepest annual rent decline, down 4.8 per cent. Alberta followed, seeing a decline of 4.6 per cent.
You can view the full report online.