WATCH ABOVE: Global News Online Producer Peter Meiszner on Downtown Vancouver’s expensive shared rentals.
TORONTO – Renting small spaces to reduce living costs may not be a new trend, but search online for some “rooms for lease” and you might just see what it means to live in certain Canadian cities on a budget.
According to a recent report from Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. (CMHC), the average rental apartment availability rate in Canada’s 35 major centres was 5 per cent in April 2014, meaning for all apartment units in those cities, 5 per cent were available to rent. This figure was relatively stable from the 4.9 per cent reported in April 2013.
Provincially, the highest average monthly rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Alberta was $1,190, while the lowest was in Quebec for $709 (Note: year-over-year comparisons of average rents can be slightly misleading because rents in newly built structures tend to be higher than in existing buildings).
In several cases, the small shared living spaces for rent were resembled a closet or required you to simply lease your own personal section of a living room (in most cases, a mattress and curtains around your “bedroom” were included).
Here’s a look at some of the small shared living spaces you can rent:
Vancouver
In this west-coast city, one bedroom apartments can reportedly go for $1,600 or more in the downtown core. In a recent ad posting, you can lease “part” of an apartment in downtown Vancouver.
The ad titled “Private Space, Great Apartment” was posted on Sunday and reads “I am renting a private space in the living room.”
READ MORE: Shared spaces taken to new extremes in downtown Vancouver rentals
The space includes mattress on the floor in the corner of the living room, sectioned off with some curtains.
And in this downtown Vancouver listing, another individual is looking to rent a living room. ” I want to make it clear that this is not a private bedroom but we can try to make it as private for you.”
Edmonton
This listing came with no images but with this simple description:
“We gotta big living room for rent. It comes with all utilities like- electricity, Internet, hydro…Can provide mattress and box spring …”
Toronto
In Toronto, you can share this apartment with two university students. For $725, a large living room space is available for you to rent. Furnished.
“Roof top pool with sauna and outdoor roof top patio. On the 21st floor, with a huge balcony to lounge on. The view is gorgeous.”
In another Toronto listing, two students are also seeking a roommate.
“The vacant space is in the living room and is shared with me the poster,” reads the ad, “Looking for at least 4 months agreement, and potentially available for longer. This posting is very popular, I usually get several replies a day until filled.”
With the average cost of a two-bedroom rental in Manhattan, New York, going for $4,042, it’s no surprise that similar small spaces can be found in cities outside of Canada.
This midtown west apartment is leasing this space below for $980.
“There is a floor to ceiling curtain wall that divides a 9x 15ft space.”
– with files from Peter Meiszner, Global News
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