An Alberta city is seeing the largest rent increase in Canada

May 7 2026, 4:30 pm

If you’re looking to rent in Alberta, one city is becoming a much pricier option for renters, after recording the largest year-over-year rent increase in Canada.

Rentals.ca recently released its national rent report, which analyzed rental trends across Canada’s major housing markets in April, and it revealed that Red Deer saw the largest year-over-year rent increase for one-bedroom apartments in the country.

Red Deer recorded a 7.6 per cent increase in one-bedroom rent, bringing the average to $1,340. However, on a month-over-month basis, one-bedroom rent is down 1.7 per cent. 

Rentals.ca

Regina, Sask., recorded the second largest rent increase, with one-bedroom rents rising 5.8 per cent year-over-year, bringing the average price to $1,301.

As for Alberta’s other major housing markets, Calgary was the most expensive spot, with an average one-bedroom rent of $1,522, down 3.6 per cent year-over-year. Airdrie followed at $1,501, a 2.4 per cent increase. 

While Red Deer saw steep increases in year-over-year prices, Alberta as a whole moved in the other direction, with average rent prices across all property types down 3.2 per cent year-over-year. 

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 $1,164, and Medicine Hat at $1,240

The data shows that rent prices cooled across much of the country. The average asking rent for purpose-built and condominium apartments fell 3,9 per cent year-over-year to $2,033 in April 2026. 

Out of all the provinces, British Columbia recorded the steepest annual rent decline, down 5.9 per cent.

You can view the full report online.

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