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How to Find Accommodation in Canada
Written By
Steve Tustin
Jul 17, 2024
•Housing
Finding accommodation in Canada can be challenging for newcomers and international students amid a rental housing crisis. While finding a short-term rental before you arrive is an important first step, the hard work is finding your first long-term rental.
Of course, researching the rental market before you arrive will help you compete in Canada’s tight, low-vacancy rental markets. Get a helpful overview of Canada’s rental market and tips to prepare for a successful housing search!
Rental Prices in Canada
A recent 2024 National Rent Report from Rentals.ca showed that asking rents in Canada increased 9.3 percent year-over-year to an average of $2,188 in April.
Slower but steady rent increases are predicted throughout 2024 due to high demand and low supply. The demand stems from an influx of newcomers, and people who cannot enter the homeownership market despite falling prices and sales.
The competition for rental units will get tighter as newcomers continue to arrive.
How to Find Accommodation in Canada with Rental for Newcomers
To find accommodation in Canada, many newcomers turn to Rentals for Newcomers (RFN).
Why has this site become so popular with newcomers seeking their first rental home in Canada?
RFN helps people avoid the headaches, heartaches, and expenses of their rental search by promoting landlords who value newcomers.
Registration is Free
For immigrants arriving in Canada’s competitive rental market, sites like Rentals for Newcomers are invaluable. Plus, it’s FREE, but you must create an account!
Registering will allow you to interact with landlords behind the rental listings.
Rental Demand Makes Finding Accommodation in Canada Difficult
“We have unprecedented levels of demand that are met by low vacancy,” says Jesse Greenwell, Head of Communications Culture and Inclusivity at Mainstreet Equity Corp., a leading real estate company for mid-market rentals in Western Canada.
“Everything is outpaced by the demand,” he said.
“Rentals For Newcomers is a great example of a partner agency,” said Mainstreet’s Greenwell, which can help prepare newcomers for Canada’s rental market.
Researching Canada’s Rental Housing Market
Newcomers looking to find accommodation in Canada need to research before and after arriving. Canadian landlords won’t rent to you before you land, but knowing the rental landscape can help you find your first home more quickly.
Rentals for Newcomers is a great place to research and find that rental.
How Rentals for Newcomers Can Help You Find Accommodation in Canada
In addition to hosting rental listings from across Canada, Rentals for Newcomers provides:
- Information about the best neighbourhoods for renting in Canada’s most popular cities.
- Current rental prices in Canada’s major rental markets (for example, a Toronto one-bedroom apartment rented for $2,459 in April 2024, while a one-bedroom in Saskatoon costs $1,215 monthly – a difference of $1,244).
- Links to a monthly housing newsletter with the latest rental market trends and a comprehensive renter’s guide for newcomers.
- Information about how to get tenant insurance and why you need it.
- Tips for international students to find a rental.
- Tips to impress Canadian landlords, avoid rental scams, rent without a credit history, and much more!
Dave Frattini, managing partner of Prepare for Canada and Rentals for Newcomers, says RFN is an invaluable tool to give you a head start finding a rental.
Prepare to Find Accommodation in Canada
“Vacancy rates in most cities across Canada are now hovering around 1.5 percent,” said Frattini, “meaning landlords have all the power in choosing the tenant they want. Searching for accommodation in Canada is more difficult than ever for newcomers.”
Frattini advises newcomers to prepare to find accommodation in Canada and:
- Identify the type of accommodation they need.
- Understand rental prices in the city where they plan to settle.
- Gather important documents to provide to potential landlords.
Frattini emphasizes that when newcomers meet landlords “they need to prepare because landlords have the pick of the crop”.
Protect Yourself from Rental Scammers that Target Newcomers
Rentals for Newcomers also ensures that scam listings are not on its site to protect newcomers. The RFN site is part of the Rentsync rental technology software network, that verifies landlords.
Sites like Craigslist and Kijiji are vulnerable to rental scam artists targeting newcomers and students.
Get Verified Rental Listings
“Importantly, our listings are well managed,” said Frattini. “It’s both technologically and manually driven. Rentsync knows the landlords that are listing on Rentals for Newcomers.”
Frattini added, “We educate our audience about scam alerts. Through Rentals for Newcomers’ blog posts, we update our audience about scams in the rental market.”
Summary
Finding accommodation in Canada remains challenging for newcomers searching for their first long-term rental. Renters face fierce rental demand and competition. Using Rentals for Newcomers can help you overcome hurdles with resources and tools to make your search easier and faster!
Steve Tustin is the Editor for Rentals for Newcomers and a contributing editor for Prepare for Canada. He is also the former managing editor of Storeys.com and a former senior editor at the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star.
© Prepare for Canada 2024
WRITTEN BY
Steve Tustin
Senior Editor, Prepare for Canada
Steve Tustin is the Editor for Rentals for Newcomers and a contributing editor for Prepare for Canada. He is also the former managing editor of Storeys.com and a former senior editor at the Globe and Mail and the Toronto Star.
© Prepare for Canada 2025