Why some Metro Vancouver renters are struggling to find a home

Despite progress on the supply front, Canadian renters, including in Metro Vancouver, are struggling to secure a home.

Canadian rental platform Rentals.ca has revealed the most significant challenges Canadian renters are facing as we approach what it calls “peak rental season.”

Rentals.ca surveyed renters across Canada. The survey revealed many glaring problems in the market. It also sheds some light on how residents interact with the market regarding how they search for rentals and the relationship status of renters.

Affordability, supply challenges and the tall task of actually securing a rental are among the key issues. We also touched base with Keaton Bessey, a Greater Vancouver managing broker, for some reaction to Rentals.ca’s findings.

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The most significant issues facing renters

Unsurprisingly, survey respondents said that affordability was still the biggest issue. A full 62 per cent of renters who responded to the survey said they struggled to find listings in their budget. Another reality that respondents shed light on is the fact that what is available isn’t that great.

Bessey suggests that affordability is getting better.

“From July to September 2024, we rejected 34 per cent of applications due to income requirements,” Bessey noted. He added that between October 2024 and February 2025, that dropped to 26 per cent.

“Only 27 per cent of renters are satisfied with the properties they’ve seen so far,” Rentals.ca notes.

The survey notes that finding a place is “widely seen” as difficult.

“56 per cent have already been searching for at least a month, and 14 per cent have been looking for more than six months. The challenges they face are significant: 72 per cent report finding it difficult or very difficult to secure a rental, which mirrors the experience of seasoned renters.”

On supply, Bessey said it’s a major issue.

“Weare nowhere near affordability levels in Metro Vancouver, and to achieve that, a ton more housing needs to be built.”

Other problematic renter realities

Rentals.ca revealed some other insights, including how people source potential homes. Digital rental websites are used by just over 75 per cent of those surveyed. Nearly half of renters don’t search for homes alone but with partners or roommates.

We’ve covered many stories reflecting this reality. Folks who don’t necessarily want to live with roommates are forced into shared accommodations strictly due to the cost. We’ve spoken to renters in Vancouver who have shared their experiences and have faced that reality.

We talked to a resident in 2023 who told Daily Hive Urbanized she didn’t want to live with her family forever. She said she was craving a private space with her husband and two dogs — and doesn’t know how she’ll afford that without leaving her job and moving to Chilliwack.

“You always want to have your privacy, even if it’s family,” she said.

Another renter told us that Vancouver was the city of broken dreams.

“I feel forced to live with other adults in the same situation when I’m already in my mid-30s,” the renter said.

She reflected that when her parents were that age, they had enough money to buy a house.

Bessey said that one of the problems, in his view, is how fractured the marketing for rentals is.

“Landlords and property managers have Facebook Marketplace, Facebook Groups, Zumper, Rentals.ca, Padmapper, Craigslist, Kijiji, Castanet, Rentfaster, liv.rent, REW, Zillow, Rentseeker, ViewIt, Toronto Rentals, etc. A better system would make things easier for everyone (where to go and what to do once you’re there”, Bessey said.

How much Vancouver renters are paying today

According to most Canadian rent reports, Vancouver is the most expensive city in Canada and has been for some time. Based on the Rentals.ca reports, we know that Vancouver has seen decreases in the average asking rent for many consecutive months. Still, it hasn’t dropped to a level many would consider affordable.

According to the most recent Rentals.ca report, the average asking rent for a one-bedroom hit $2,518 last month. A two-bedroom unit is out of reach for many middle-income renters. Last month, the average asking rent for a two-bedroom unit was $3,442.

Compare that to a city like Edmonton, where the average one-bedroom unit costs $1,330; the disparity speaks for itself.

If you’re a renter looking for a place, or even if you’ve found one, what were the biggest challenges in securing a home? Let us know in the comments.

With files from Megan Devlin