A new report by online marketplace liv.rent shows that many Canadian cities are experiencing a rapidly changing rental landscape, and it’s affecting landlords and renters across the country.
The company’s 2025 Canada Rental Market Trend Report surveyed hundreds of Canadian landlords and discovered that nearly half feel their asking rent is lower than they prefer, as they aren’t able to cover the basic expenses of ownership.
However, almost the same percentage of renters responded that current rent prices are too high in Canada, which is indicative of what liv.rent describes as a growing divide in opinion.
“Despite many renters believing that landlords are making substantial profits, most landlords report little-to-no profit, with only a small fraction seeing significant financial gains,” said liv.rent in its report.
“While landlords see slower demand, rising costs and an adequate rental supply, renters report intense competition and difficulty securing housing.”
The survey of over 350 renters and landlords shows that 45 per cent of landlords say the rent they charge is too low, while 43 per cent of renters feel that the rent they pay is too high.
And while two-thirds of landlords state they are breaking even or even taking a loss from renting out their property, 57 per cent of renters somehow feel that their landlord is making a substantial profit.
The divide in opinion extends further into the rental market, with 67 per cent of renters saying that the rental market is extremely competitive and that they have difficulties finding a place.
However, 62 per cent of landlords shared that they experienced very few applications or received some applications, but not as many as they expected when looking for a new tenant.
“Canada’s rental market experienced notable shifts in 2024, with rental prices declining in major cities like Vancouver and Toronto, while Alberta’s urban centers experienced rising prices,” added liv.rent.
“As the market continues to evolve, several factors — including migration patterns, construction growth, and interest rates — will play a crucial role in shaping rental prices in the year ahead.”
Real estate matters continue to be top of mind for Canadians, with recent Statistics Canada data showing a staggering wealth gap between a particular group of homeowners and renters in the country.
The agency’s Survey of Financial Security report notes that age, homeownership status, and pensions were all significant factors in determining changes in net worth between 2019 and 2023.
Families with a main income earner closer to retirement (between 55 and 64), who both owned their home and had an employee-sponsored pension plan, fared much better than other Canadians. This group had a median net worth of $1.4 million in 2023.
Conversely, Canadians who were renters and did not have an employee-sponsored pension plan had a significantly lower median net worth of $11,900.
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