What’s Canada’s Housing Market like?
When moving, finding a place is usually the first thing you try to think about. How much is it gonna cost? Where is the location? How is my commute? These are super important, but before one can even consider these things, one must decide WHERE we will move. What country? What province? What city? These are all crucial factors to consider before making any decision. I would love to share with you some ideas and some things to consider before deciding to move to Canada. As an international student or traveler, you are most likely choosing a location based on opportunities such as jobs or education. More often than not, multiple options are floating around in one’s head. With a few of those options in mind, I want to touch upon a few other important considerations to keep in mind, because life is not always black and white, you have to weigh the pros and cons as a whole. Feasibility and livability are vital for a successful life here in Canada. Knowing the labor market and housing market in the area you are interested in is a great way to increase economic success. By this, I mean, knowing what jobs, careers, or education in the area, as well as the cost of living in that area, are major factors in decision-making for a move. Despite some of the great city life, a place like Vancouver or Toronto may offer, it also could cost WAY more than a smaller area like Sault Ste. Marie or Sudbury (just random examples I can come up with on the top of my head). Let me explain using the example of Toronto, Ontario versus Sudbury, Ontario (since I am familiar with these cities). Toronto, Ontario, is the largest city in Canada, having around 2.7 million people living there. This city has multitudes of areas surrounding it with many ethnic and culturally rich communities within. Toronto is rich in cuisine, nightlife, and museums, you name it! There are large shopping centers, and lovely schools such as the University of Toronto, Centennial College, George Brown College, Western University, York University, and Humber College. Most universities or colleges offer residence options for students for the convenience of being right on campus, however, spots are limited and not always available. Living in Toronto off-campus costs an average of $2100 per month for a 1 bedroom (often not all-inclusive and one has to pay utilities and internet separately). Living within the city core would be even more expensive but offers less commute and easy amenities nearby, but living more in the suburbs would be less costly but have a much larger commute with amenities further away. Depending on what you fancy, this may or may not be the best choice for you.
Now, let's compare Sudbury, Ontario. Sudbury is home to around 167, 000 individuals. There is a multicultural feel with many different types of people living here. The city can be reached easily through public transportation (for the most part), and the average 1 bedroom apartment costs around $1350 per month (with some being all-inclusive or partially inclusive). There are few educational institutions including Laurentian University, Huntington University, Thorneloe University, University of Sudbury, College Boreal, Modern Career College, Trillium College, and Cambrian College. Some of these places have residences (some have guaranteed spots for first-year students, such as Laurentian).
Sudbury has some lovely activities such as local museums, parks, and educational fun such as Science North and Dynamic Earth. Sudbury is located in Northern Ontario and has many outdoor activities and many freshwater lakes to explore.
When we compare both these places, each has its pros and cons. Depending on your interests, educational preferences, and lifestyles, each may have stronger pros than cons or vice versa. No matter what, all these factors come into play when choosing where you want to land and settle down within Canada.
Now that you may understand a bit more about the bigger picture of choosing a place to call home in Canada, now I want to touch on some specifics. Housing availability in specific locations can vary. It is very important to do your research before landing in Canada. Being informed and having your information is the best way to be prepared. Knowledge is power. Comparing programs at schools, as well as living costs, are a great way to make the best decision possible.
I am not sure, but it is possible that some of you are interested in purchasing a home. Even as a born and raised Canadian, this can be a difficult venture. The housing market is crazy right now, and the cost of home ownership is crazy high. I am not a mortgage advisor by any means, so do take my thoughts with a grain of salt. It is always in good practice, however, to do your research and talk to someone trained in the profession before making any big decisions. Houses are in high demand and the supply cannot always meet the demand for housing. This is why many Canadians already prefer to rent over purchasing a home.
This brings us to an important topic of finding somewhere to rent or live while in Canada (I understand, this is a tad long, but all important). I have done some research to assist you in places to start when thinking about renting or finding accommodations while studying and living in Canada. Let us just pretend you know exactly where you want to attend or live. Now that is out of the way, we have to find accommodations.
One of the first steps to take as an international student is to contact your school of choice. Every school more often than not has an international student service or office. They are there to assist in all aspects of the process of attending their school. They will often have local resources and connections to assist in finding living accommodations. These services can also put you in contact with other international students coming to school or that are already attending. These students can give invaluable information and advice for the entire process of moving to Canada. This often helps since a Canadian credit score or references in your community may be few and far between. In Canada, credit scores and personal references are key indicators of good tenants. By going through a school's international office, the school or new friends can be a reference for you to assist you in finding a place to stay. I have more to say about references and strategies but that will be more towards the end of this blog. Another place to start looking for accommodations is through your school of choice’s residences. Each post secondary institution should have its residence options for students. This can sometimes be competitive to obtain, and can often be expensive, especially for international students. However, they do have their benefits; on-campus locations, access to 24hr security, and assistance. It is often easier to make friends and participate in classmate bonding activities! Each school is different and contacting your specific school is important. Some schools have specific housing options for international students, so it is worth investigating. Always remember to keep your budget in mind and weigh the pros and cons before making a final decision. Maybe living on your right away in a new country is too much to think about. Hey, my first time living alone was scary, and my parents were only a 2 hour drive away. I can only imagine how strange it would be to be miles away from home! There are some programs in Canada where a family hosts you and helps by giving you a family-style environment. They can assist you in your transition to Canada. This can give you some peace of mind, and also help you build yourself a community spirit. One such program is called a “HomeStay” Program. This program is designed to have international students feel less stress by living/staying with a host family. They assist with the transition to Canadian life. These programs have policies in place to protect you and your hosts. Our company (HY Voyagers) can assist you in finding these programs and assisting you in your application process if this is a pathway you are strongly considering. We are here to help! This kind of support and program sounds amazing! However, I mentioned there is an application process. It is not a guaranteed spot but is still a nice alternative to look into if you want some extra assistance on your first arrival to Canada.
A lot of individuals make postings on local marketplaces for places available for rent. This can sometimes be difficult if you are not yet in Canada (and I know some countries do not have Facebook, so this may not be your best option). It can also be expensive, depending on the renter and the location. Making sure you are within your budget is important. Living alone can seem ideal for some, so this can be an option. If you plan on making more permanent living arrangements down the line and just need somewhere to stay temporarily, subletting a room or place for a short term can also be a beneficial option for you. This often gives you a fully furnished place to stay so it is less to worry about when you first arrive. Please, always compare and weigh the pros and cons before making a decision. It is possible to make accommodation changes once you have been established in Canada for a while. Living arrangements can change and the first decision you make does not have to be the only choice. It may also be wise to try and have someone living in Canada check out a listing for you in person. Some people are not nice and try to take advantage of international students. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. So always cover your bases. As we all know (or I hope considering you are probably reading this via a smart device or computer), we live in a very tech-rich world. There are now apps for your smart devices to help you with almost everything you can think of. One of these things includes finding roommates. These apps work like online dating, however, instead of finding love, it helps you find a roommate! There are many to choose from. Some of these include but are not limited to Roomster; Roomi; Diggz; and RoomEasy. These apps all work relatively similarly (as far as I am aware). They ask a few questions to get to know what you are looking for and whom you would be compatible living with. Using some fancy algorithms and data analyzing (me attempting to be cool with words), they pop out some roommate options for you to look into. Remember, science and technology cannot always match you perfectly, so make sure you try to communicate with these said individuals before agreeing to anything. Roommates can be a great way to save money, split expenses, and even make friends! The five apps listed above were highly rated so I suggest you maybe give them a go and explore them. I have never needed to use them, but everyone's situation is different and I want to give you all some options to think about. You can explore these options on your own or visit our YouTube channel soon to see mini-tutorials on these styles of apps.
Last but not least, I promised I would discuss references for housing applications. Many landlords want to rent to people they feel are trustworthy and are not going to skip out on rent or things like that. I am not being discriminatory in any way, I am just stating facts. In Canada, many landlords do this through interviews and applications. In the applications, they will often ask to do a credit check and ask for references. If you are new to Canada, you will likely have no credit history in Canada, thus, the landlord has no clue as to your financial stability and situation. Despite this, sometimes having a good social media presence and even a good LinkedIn professional profile can help (we will be hosting webinars shortly on these topics). This gives potential landlords the ability to look into you as a person. Know what you are like the family and friends you keep. With a LinkedIn profile, you can have a living resume of all the places you have worked, the skills you have, and the connections you have created around the world. These connections can also act as references. Your skills can also be endorsed by those connections, giving you trustability to potential landlords. LinkedIn can be a vital asset to you when living in Canada. Having a long history of using LinkedIn can be a positive. It shows a solid growing history and is viewed in Canada as a ‘Green Flag’ to employers and landlords, alike. Well, there are always so many things to consider when moving to a new country, but making sure you have a safe roof over your head is one of the most important. No one wants to live in poverty or be taken advantage of. I hope you gained some valuable information on some of the topics regarding housing here in Canada, and things to consider when making your decisions. I know it is a lot to absorb so please, feel free to read this blog over and over (ha ha just a joke!). If I haven’t answered all your questions or you have more questions about anything you have read about here, please leave us a comment or contact us. We want nothing more than to assist you in your Canada journey. Us Captains want you to have the best route for your situation and your success here in Canada is our success in Canada. On that note, have fun and we look forward to hearing from you all!
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Safe travels!
Your Captain, Amelia <3
