Vacancy Rates
Definition:
The vacancy rate of row structures and apartments with 3+ units. A unit is considered vacant if, at the time of the survey, the unit is physically unoccupied and available for immediate rental. Available for immediate rental means a new lease has not been signed or the unit is not undergoing major renovations.
Methods and Limitations:
Data is collect as part of the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s (CMHC) Rental Market Survey. CMHC conducts the annual Rental Market Survey in October to estimate the relative strengths in the rental market. The survey is conducted on a sample basis in all urban areas with populations of 10,000 or more. It targets only privately initiated structures with at least 3 rental units, which have been on the market for at least 3 months.
The survey collects market rent levels, availability, turnover and vacancy unit data for all sampled structures. Data is collected using a combination of telephone interviews and site visits. Information is obtained from the owner, manager or building superintendent. The survey is conducted during the first 2 weeks of October and the results reflect market conditions at that time.
Data is collected for row (townhouse) and Apartment structures in the primary rental market universe, and provided for all bedroom types (Bachelor, 1 Bedroom, 2 Bedroom and 3+ Bedroom)
Rental Apartment Structure: Any building containing 3 or more rental units, of which at least 1 unit is not ground oriented. Owner-occupied units are not included in the rental building unit count.
Rental row (townhouse) structure: Any building containing 3 or more rental units, all of which are ground oriented, side-by-side, with common walls dividing each rental unit. Owner-occupied units are not included in the rental building unit count. These row units in some centres are commonly referred to as townhouses.
Provincial data is only reflective of urban areas within the province with populations of 10,000 or more.
CMHC does not publish a statistic if its reliability is too low or if publication of a statistic would violate confidentiality rules.
Geographical areas modified every 5 years to reflect most recent census definitions, therefore, data are not strictly comparable historically.
These data are obtained from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) and are provided subject to CMHC Licence Agreement for the Use of Data.
Source:
Canadian Housing Market Corporation. 2024. Housing Market Information Portal
Vacancy Rates in the Sustainable Development Goals
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11. Make cities inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Cities are hubs for ideas, commerce, culture, science, productivity, social development and much more. At their best, cities have enabled people to advance socially and economically.
However, many challenges exist to maintaining cities in a way that continues to create jobs and prosperity while not straining land and resources. Common urban challenges include congestion, lack of funds to provide basic services, a shortage of adequate housing and declining infrastructure.
The challenges cities face can be overcome in ways that allow them to continue to thrive and grow, while improving resource use and reducing pollution and poverty. The future we want includes cities of opportunities for all, with access to basic services, energy, housing, transportation and more.