An Alberta city bucks downward rent trends with a rare price jump
Rent prices seem to be cooling for cities across Canada, but one Alberta city is an outlier, recording a yearly price increase.
According to the March 2026 national rent report from Rentals.ca, the average asking rent in Canada fell to $2,030 in February, down 2.8 per cent year-over-year to a 33-month low.
North Vancouver topped the list, with a total average rent price coming in at $2,969. A one-bedroom average rent price sat at $2,465.
Rentals.ca
While year-over-year rent prices in Edmonton and Calgary for a one-bedroom slipped by 2.1 and 3.3 per cent, respectively, the City of Medicine Hat bucked that downward trend, rising by 2.9 per cent to sit at $1,240.
It’s just one of a handful of cities in the country seeing a year-over-year rent price increase for a one-bedroom, and just four other spots in the ranking saw a larger price increase than Medicine Hat.
Average rents for all unit types continued to fall across the most populous provinces, down 4.9 per cent in B.C., 4.7 per cent in Ontario, 4.6 per cent in Alberta, and 3.1 per cent in Quebec.
The data used in this analysis is based on monthly listings from Rentals.ca’s Network of Internet Listings Services (ILS). This data differs from the numbers collected and published by the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation (CMHC).
Properties listed for greater than $5,000 per month and less than $500 per month are removed from the sample. Similarly, short-term rentals, single-room rentals, and furnished suites are removed from the sample when identifiable.
You can view the full report online.