Calgary 
Affordability pressures for renters in Canada appear to be easing, according to a new analysis from Rentals.ca based on its latest National Rent Report with Urbanation.
Credit: Rentals.ca
Using the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s 30 per cent affordability benchmark, meaning no more than 30 per cent of pre-tax household income spent on rent, the data show the rent-to-income ratio has declined in many markets since peaking in 2023.
By October 2025, average asking rents accounted for 30.6 per cent of median renter income in British Columbia and 30.5 per cent in Ontario. Alberta stood lower at 23.4 per cent, while Nova Scotia remained higher at 37.0 per cent.
Some of the most notable shifts were in major cities. In Vancouver, rents consumed 42.4 per cent of renter income at their June 2023 peak. By October 2025, that share had fallen to 32.3 per cent, alongside a $566 monthly drop in average asking rent, from $3,304 to $2,738.
Credit: Rentals.ca
Toronto followed a similar path. After reaching 38.1 per cent in November 2022, the figure declined to 29.8 per cent by October 2025. Average asking rents decreased by $337 over that stretch, settling at $2,559.
Montreal improved from 34.2 per cent in October 2023 to 30.3 per cent in October 2025. Ottawa reached 28.2 per cent, with rents easing by $95 to $1,957. In Calgary and Edmonton, rents represented 23.2 per cent of renter income.
The shift reflects moderating rent growth, new supply entering the market, and steady income gains. Statistics Canada reports nominal average weekly earnings rose 11.7 per cent between October 2022 and October 2025.
Per the news release, the median renter household income is drawn from Statistics Canada’s Canadian Income Survey and reported by CMHC, using 2023 data adjusted by provincial average weekly earnings. Rent figures reflect average asking rents from the Rentals.ca Network of Internet Listings Services, excluding listings above $5,000 or below $500, as well as short-term and single-room rentals where identifiable.
