Business

Average rent price up 9.6 per cent to $2,002 in Canada

Published

1 year ago

May 16, 2023

Rents in Canada are up 9.6 per cent over 2022, with the average monthly asking price for a residential unit now $2,002. That’s also up 20 per cent from a pandemic low of $1,662 in April 2021, according to data from Rentals.ca.

The apartment search website says Vancouver and Toronto continue to be the most expensive cities to find a rental in, with the average asking price for a one-bedroom apartment reaching $2,787 in Vancouver and $2,526 in Toronto in April 2023, and two-bedrooms going for $3,741 in Vancouver and $3,290 in Toronto. From pandemic lows in April 2021, condo and apartment prices have increased 47 per cent in in Vancouver and 41 per cent in Toronto.

“Going forward, the annual rate of rent growth should remain elevated due to record high population growth and low home ownership affordability, but should also moderate as rents are compared to fully recovered levels a year ago,” a release from Rentals.ca said. “Compared to the pandemic low in April 2021, rents have increased the most for two-bedroom apartments with 20 per cent growth.”

Cities and suburbs in and around Vancouver and Toronto filled out the rest of the top the ten most expensive places to rent in Canada, with one-bedroom units being advertised for an average of $2,330 in Burnaby, $2,260 in Mississauga, $2,239 in Etobicoke, $2,216 in Vaughan, $2,171 in Burlington, $2,144 in North York, $2,075 in Brampton and $2,067 in Scarborough. Etobicoke, North York and Scarborough are all former municipalities that have been part of Toronto since 1998.

The most expensive place to rent outside of B.C. and Ontario was Halifax, ranked number 18 in Canada at $1,862 per month for a one-bedroom. Across the river from Ottawa, Gatineau was number 21 and the most expensive in Quebec at $1,745, ahead of Montreal at $1,655 and ranked number 25. Ottawa itself was ranked number 14 at $1,940. In Alberta, Calgary was ahead in 27th place at $1,607, compared to Edmonton in 32nd place at $1,163 for a one-bedroom.

The average for a one-bedroom apartment or condo unit nationwide was $1,753, which was up 10 per cent over the previous year. The average for a two-bedroom was $2,120, also up 10 per cent.

Overall, average rent asking prices for all types of apartment and condo listings increased the most in Ontario to $2,421 (17 per cent increase since 2022), Alberta to $1,500 (15 per cent) and Quebec to $1,850 (11 per cent). Month to month, Alberta saw the largest increase at 2.7 per cent. The most affordable province to find a rental in was Saskatchewan at an average of $1,098 per month.

The data is based on monthly listings on Rentals.ca, and differs from the rental analysis published annually by the Canada Mortgage Housing Corporation.

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Business

Carry On Canadian Business. Carry On!

Published

20 hours ago

October 22, 2024

Steven Kaszab

Human Resources Officers must be very busy these days what with the general turnover of employees in our retail and business sectors. It is hard enough to find skilled people let alone potential employees willing to be trained. Then after the training, a few weeks go by then they come to you and ask for a raise. You refuse as there simply is no excess money in the budget and away they fly to wherever they come from, trained but not willing to put in the time to achieve that wanted raise.

I have had potentials come in and we give them a test to see if they do indeed know how to weld, polish or work with wood. 2-10 we hire, and one of those is gone in a week or two. Ask that they want overtime, and their laughter leaving the building is loud and unsettling. Housing starts are doing well but way behind because those trades needed to finish a project simply don’t come to the site, with delay after delay. Some people’s attitudes are just too funny. A recent graduate from a Ivy League university came in for an interview. The position was mid-management potential, but when we told them a three month period was needed and then they would make the big bucks they disappeared as fast as they arrived.

Government agencies are really no help, sending us people unsuited or unwilling to carry out the jobs we offer. Handing money over to staffing firms whose referrals are weak and ineffectual. Perhaps with the Fall and Winter upon us, these folks will have to find work and stop playing on the golf course or cottaging away. Tried to hire new arrivals in Canada but it is truly difficult to find someone who has a real identity card and is approved to live and work here. Who do we hire? Several years ago my father’s firm was rocking and rolling with all sorts of work. It was a summer day when the immigration officers arrived and 30+ employees hit the bricks almost immediately. The investigation that followed had threats of fines thrown at us by the officials. Good thing we kept excellent records, photos and digital copies. We had to prove the illegal documents given to us were as good as the real McCoy.

Restauranteurs, builders, manufacturers, finishers, trades-based firms, and warehousing are all suspect in hiring illegals, yet that becomes secondary as Toronto increases its minimum wage again bringing our payroll up another $120,000. Survival in Canada’s financial and business sectors is questionable for many. Good luck Chuck!. at least your carbon tax refund check should be arriving soon.

Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario
skaszab@yahoo.ca

Business

Imperial to cut prices in NWT community after low river prevented resupply by barges

Published

23 hours ago

October 22, 2024

Anne Joseph

NORMAN WELLS, N.W.T. – Imperial Oil says it will temporarily reduce its fuel prices in a Northwest Territories community that has seen costs skyrocket due to low water on the Mackenzie River forcing the cancellation of the summer barge resupply season.

Imperial says in a Facebook post it will cut the air transportation portion that’s included in its wholesale price in Norman Wells for diesel fuel, or heating oil, from $3.38 per litre to $1.69 per litre, starting Tuesday.

The air transportation increase, it further states, will be implemented over a longer period.

It says Imperial is closely monitoring how much fuel needs to be airlifted to the Norman Wells area to prevent runouts until the winter road season begins and supplies can be replenished.

Gasoline and heating fuel prices approached $5 a litre at the start of this month.

Norman Wells’ town council declared a local emergency on humanitarian grounds last week as some of its 700 residents said they were facing monthly fuel bills coming to more than $5,000.

“The wholesale price increase that Imperial has applied is strictly to cover the air transportation costs. There is no Imperial profit margin included on the wholesale price. Imperial does not set prices at the retail level,” Imperial’s statement on Monday said.

The statement further said Imperial is working closely with the Northwest Territories government on ways to help residents in the near term.

“Imperial Oil’s decision to lower the price of home heating fuel offers immediate relief to residents facing financial pressures. This step reflects a swift response by Imperial Oil to discussions with the GNWT and will help ease short-term financial burdens on residents,” Caroline Wawzonek, Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance and Infrastructure, said in a news release Monday.

Wawzonek also noted the Territories government has supported the community with implementation of a fund supporting businesses and communities impacted by barge cancellations. She said there have also been increases to the Senior Home Heating Subsidy in Norman Wells, and continued support for heating costs for eligible Income Assistance recipients.

Additionally, she said the government has donated $150,000 to the Norman Wells food bank.

In its declaration of a state of emergency, the town said the mayor and council recognized the recent hike in fuel prices has strained household budgets, raised transportation costs, and affected local businesses.

It added that for the next three months, water and sewer service fees will be waived for all residents and businesses.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.

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Business

U.S. vote has Canadian business leaders worried about protectionist policies: KPMG

Published

23 hours ago

October 22, 2024

Anne Joseph

TORONTO – A new report says many Canadian business leaders are worried about economic uncertainties related to the looming U.S. election.

The survey by KPMG in Canada of 735 small- and medium-sized businesses says 87 per cent fear the Canadian economy could become “collateral damage” from American protectionist policies that lead to less favourable trade deals and increased tariffs

It says that due to those concerns, 85 per cent of business leaders in Canada polled are reviewing their business strategies to prepare for a change in leadership.

The concerns are primarily being felt by larger Canadian companies and sectors that are highly integrated with the U.S. economy, such as manufacturing, automotive, transportation and warehousing, energy and natural resources, as well as technology, media and telecommunications.

Shaira Nanji, a KPMG Law partner in its tax practice, says the prospect of further changes to economic and trade policies in the U.S. means some Canadian firms will need to look for ways to mitigate added costs and take advantage of potential trade relief provisions to remain competitive.

Both presidential candidates have campaigned on protectionist policies that could cause uncertainty for Canadian trade, and whoever takes the White House will be in charge during the review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement in 2026.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.

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