Short-term rentals in Canada

In 2023, over 107,000 short-term rentals in Canada could have served as long-term housing, notably concentrated in British Columbia and Prince Edward Island. Meanwhile, the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in New Zealand reports a significant decline in affordable rentals for low-income families, with notable drops in regions like Southland and Hawke’s Bay, prompting calls for better housing stock monitoring and increased public housing builds. In British Columbia, the BC Real Estate Association expressed concerns regarding new Residential Tenancy Act changes that could hinder first-time homebuyers by extending eviction notice periods without clear distinctions for landlords. In Ontario, newcomers are being pressured to pay several months of rent upfront due to a competitive rental market, despite it being illegal for landlords to demand more than the first and last month’s rent. This situation highlights the strain on vulnerable groups, particularly refugees, amid systemic inefficiencies in the landlord-tenant dispute resolution process. Overall, these issues underscore a growing housing affordability crisis across Canada and New Zealand, impacting diverse demographics.