Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials HomeReal EstateCanadians are searching for rentals away from big cities: reportSmaller and mid-sized cities are seeing demand in rental searches rise as renters seek affordability and vacanciesRentCafe said renter demand consolidated outside Canada’s largest cities in the second quarter. Photo by BRUNSWICK NEWS ARCHIVESSmaller and mid-sized Canadian cities are seeing demand in rental searches rise as renters seek affordability and vacancies, according to a report by apartment search website, RentCafe.com.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorIn an analysis of its rental listing data across 25 Canadian cities, RentCafe said renter demand consolidated outside Canada’s largest cities in the second quarter, with mid-sized markets in Ontario and on Vancouver Island seeing the strongest apartment search activity.“For the first time since we started tracking renter interest in Canada, none of the country’s largest cities appear in the top 10 rental markets for renter activity,” said Florin Petrut, writer and research analyst at RentCafe.com. “In fact, mid-sized markets are attracting more attention, combining relatively accessible rents with tighter availability.”SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE: FP West: Energy Insider brings you behind the oilpatch’s closed doors with exclusive insights from insiders every Wednesday morning.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of FP West: Energy Insider will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againThe report said mid-sized markets, led by several surging Ontario locations, took over the leaderboard.Moncton, N.B. was on top of its ranking for Canada renter interest for the fourth consecutive quarter. RentCafe said this cements Moncton’s status as the country’s most in-demand rental market.Kitchener, Ont., debuted in the top 10 with the biggest single-quarter jump on record, said RentCafe.Meanwhile, renter activity across Canada’s largest cities declined broadly in the second quarter.Toronto fell to 22nd — its lowest position ever, and it’s not the only major city losing ground. While Toronto, Vancouver, Montréal, Edmonton and Calgary remain heavily searched markets, engagement fell across the board.RentCafe said Toronto’s slide is consistent with the national picture. In-place rents in the city grew just two per cent compared to the same quarter last year according to data from real estate software vendor Yardi Systems Inc. Meanwhile, new lease rates fell 2.8 per cent, and renter mobility remains limited.For the first time in its rankings, none of Canada’s largest rental markets placed in RentCafe’s national top 10, it added.“Instead, renters seeking affordability and available units are increasingly directing their attention to smaller and mid-sized cities,” the report said.Windsor, Ont. climbed to 4th — its highest rank on record — as renters compete for a rapidly shrinking pool of apartments. Availability in Windsor, Ont. is down 83 per cent year-over-year, the steepest drop among all 25 cities tracked.Ontario now has four cities in the top 10 cities for renter interest, marking the province’s strongest showing in the history of the ranking.While page views on the website are up 18 per cent year-over-year, RentCafe most major markets posted double-digit declines.Renters, however, are finding far fewer listings on the site than a year ago, with availability being down 43 per cent — yet twice as many are “favouriting” the apartments they find. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.