Average, median monthly rents in Canada fell for the 2nd straight month: report

Rental rates declined for the second straight month in Canada following sharp monthly increases in late 2018 and early 2019, according to a new report.

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Produced by Rentals.ca and Bullpen Research & Consulting, the May national rent report found that the average property listed on Rentals.ca was offered for rent at $1,844 per month in April.

This figure, it noted, is a decrease of 1.1% month-over-month. The median asking rent of $1,700 per month is 2.9% lower than March ($1,750).

In April, there were 14,697 new housing completions in Canada, the highest total of the year, adding new rental supply and likely contributing to the cooler rental rates, the report said.

However, it also noted that the general consensus among economists is that there will be no mortgage rate increase in 2019.

This prospect “may spur some tenants to jump into the ownership housing market, freeing up units for other prospective tenants and easing upward rent inflation pressures,” the report said.

Other takeaways from the April national rent report include:

• Ontario had the highest rental rates in April, with landlords seeking $2,189 per month on average (all property types), an increase of 1.3% from March ($2,162).
• In British Columbia, the average asking rent was $1,682 per month, an increase of 4.4% month-over-month, the second highest monthly growth among the provinces in April (Manitoba: 5.1%);
• Asking rents in Alberta have decreased in April by 0.7% from March
• Quebec has the most studios as a percentage of all listings at 14%.
• British Columbia and Ontario have the highest share of one-bedroom units at 46% and 41% respectively.

The report also found that studio units were the only suite type to see a monthly increase in average rents in April, rising from $1,232 per month to $1,234 per month. One-bedroom rents declined by 1.8% monthly to $1,662 per month in April from $1,693 per month in March. Two-bedroom units declined by 1.3% monthly.

The National Rent Report charts and analyzes national, provincial and municipal monthly rental rates and market trends across all listings on Rentals.ca for Canada.

The Rentals.ca numbers show vacated properties that better reflect current values. The figures better represent the actual rents a potential tenant would encounter when seeking to rent an apartment.