The overall vacancy rate for a standard space in a Saskatchewan senior’s home has dropped slightly.
Statistics Canada reported Wednesday in its senior’s housing report that the 2017 vacancy rate is 10.3 per cent, down from 10.6 per cent in 2016.
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Officials said the decline is due to a sharp drop in the Regina vacancy rate, which dropped to 6.8 per cent in 2017 from 11.2 per cent in 2016.
In Saskatoon, the rate increased slightly to 8.6 per cent from 8.2 per cent the previous year.
The vacancy rate was also up in the rest of Saskatchewan, from 12.7 per cent in 2016 to 14.4 per cent in 2017.
There were 6,866 people living in senior’s homes when the survey was taken, an increase of 1.7 per cent from 2016 when 6,751 people were living in seniors’ residences.
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The report also found that overall monthly rent increased to $2,880 from $2,768.
Officials said additional amenities and services provided in senior’s residences typically push rent costs higher than those in the purpose-built rental market.
They added that homes opened since 2000 generally have a higher average monthly rent.
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The report covered 176 senior’s homes in the province, one less than the 2016 survey, and only includes homes having at least 10 rental units and have at least 50 per cent of the people living there aged 65 or older.
The homes must also offer a meal plan, and not have high levels of health care, defined at 1.5 hours of care daily, to all its residents.
Nursing homes and long-term care homes were not included in the survey.
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