Rental housing culture in Canada

After living in Canada for some time, you inevitably encounter rental housing, and in this regard, there are quite a few differences from the familiar post-Soviet real estate market.

The first major difference is rental buildings. Unlike the usual setup where individuals own apartments in a building and some rent out one or two units, which also exists here (called a condominium or condo in Canada), there are entire buildings where all units are owned by a rental company.

In Canada, as well as in the U.S., they construct entire apartment buildings where private ownership of units is not expected—every apartment belongs to the landlord company.

Many of these are 2-4 story buildings made from inexpensive materials:

However, there are also high-rise concrete buildings and even entire residential complexes:

These buildings often have over 300 apartments of various sizes. On the ground floors, there is usually a company office where staff handle lease agreements and offer tours for prospective tenants.

To become a tenant in such buildings, especially those managed by large companies, you need to go through several steps:

• Fill out an application and pay a deposit. The deposit is usually equivalent to half or a full month's rent. It may be used to cover damages upon move-out or during the lease term.
• Undergo a credit check. The company will request your credit report to verify your payment history on credit cards.
• Provide references. Many companies contact your previous landlord to assess your reliability as a tenant.
• Submit proof of income and employment.

After living in Canada for a while, you will inevitably encounter rental housing, and in this regard, there are quite a few differences from the familiar post-Soviet real estate market.

The first major difference is rental buildings. Unlike the usual scenario where someone owns an apartment in a building and rents out one or two units, which also exists here, in Canada, this is called a condo (condominium).

In Canada, and in the U.S. as well, entire apartment buildings are constructed with no privately owned units—meaning all apartments belong to a property management company.

Many 2–4-story buildings are built using inexpensive materials:

However, there are also high-rise concrete buildings and even entire housing complexes.

These buildings often have 300 or more apartments of various sizes. The ground floors typically house the company’s office, where staff handle lease agreements and conduct tours for prospective tenants.

To become a tenant in such buildings, especially with large companies, you need to go through several procedures:

• Fill out an application and pay a deposit. The deposit is usually between half a month’s rent and a full month’s rent, and it may be used to cover damages when you move out or during your stay.
• Undergo a credit check. The company will request and review your credit history to see how you manage your credit card payments.
• Provide references. Often, companies call previous landlords to assess your reliability.
• Submit proof of income and employment.

These strict procedures are due to local laws, which make it difficult to evict tenants, even if they fail to pay rent for an extended period. Court cases can take months or even years, and during this time, the tenant can continue living there legally, with the company having no immediate recourse.

Additionally, evictions are prohibited during winter.

However, once you pass all these checks, you often gain access not only to an apartment but also to additional amenities—parking, a swimming pool, a gym, common rooms and theaters, outdoor patios, and floor lounges.

Another aspect to consider is the financial viability of renting versus buying a home. In many cases, purchasing a property may not be a sensible investment.

Why is that? As mentioned earlier, besides dedicated rental buildings, people also rent out individual apartments—condos.

However, condos come with complications.

When you buy a condo, you automatically become a member of a homeowners' association (similar to a Russian housing cooperative). This association is responsible for building maintenance, performing the functions of Russian property management companies—but at a significantly higher cost.

For example, let's take an average listing for a condo.

The listing states that a one-bedroom apartment costs $169,500.

Scrolling down, we see the maintenance cost, i.e., the condo fee.

In this example, it’s not too bad. The $512 fee includes electricity, insurance, water, and heating.

Sometimes, this amount can be over $800, and it may cover almost nothing! You can’t avoid paying it, and it can increase, usually going up rather than down. There’s no way around it.

There’s also the risk of fee hikes, and selling the apartment may become impossible, as potential buyers might check the maintenance costs and decide not to purchase.

In the end, if you bought an apartment with a mortgage, you’re paying $1,500 per month for the loan plus $512 in fees. It’s technically your property, but renting doesn’t seem so bad anymore.

At this point, many people start thinking that buying a house might not be such a bad idea after all.

After all, if you buy a house, you won’t have to pay condo fees or deal with a homeowners’ association.

But then, other problems arise.

Besides the fact that houses are made of cardboard, have poor insulation, are built from cheap materials, and are simply ugly.

There’s also a land tax, which essentially replaces the condo fee—so once again, you’re in a kind of perpetual "rental" of your own home.

The tax is high and depends on the size of the house, its area, and how much the city values it.

Heating and electricity bills for houses are huge because they are not energy-efficient.

People who move from a rental apartment are often shocked by their first month’s utility bills.

In the end, renting in Canada eliminates all these problems:

• No need to spend a lot on utilities
• No need to shovel snow, rake leaves, or mow the lawn (this is a real hassle—I’ve experienced it myself)
• Repairs and other household issues are not your problem
• Many additional amenities in good apartment complexes
• You can always move to a bigger/smaller apartment or a different neighborhood/city

That’s why the "American dream" people often talk about is simply meaningless (except for status), unaffordable for most, and not environmentally friendly in 2025.