Ajax cracks top ten most expensive rental average in Canadian communities

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Published January 21, 2022 at 12:12 pm

Ajax ranked as the tenth most expensive community in Canada to rent a home according to a new report from Rentals.ca which compared 35 major centres in a ranking dominated by GTA cities.

Ajax ranks between Ottawa (9) and Vaughan (11), with  average monthly rent of $1,617 for a one-bedroom and $1,956 for a two-bedroom. In Ajax the cost of a one-bedroom has fallen by .92 per cent over the last year, while two-bedrooms fell more by about 1.01 per cent.

This remains below the $1,789 national average across all rentals. However, the overall average is inflated by the wild outliers of Vancouver ($2,176 / $2,983) and Toronto ($2,013 / $2,715), both of which are far above lower ranked cities.

Canada-wide rental rates have climbed throughout the year from April on, but began to fall in November as, “Rental rates tend to fall in December as prospective tenants are concentrating on the holidays and not looking for apartments,” according to the report.

The report says the emergence of the Omicron COVID-19 variant was not likely to blame for the drop as rates fell over the 2019 and 2020 holiday seasons as well. Rates fell 3.3 percent in winter 2019 just prior to the onset of the pandemic.

However, rental rates in Ajax bucked that trend climbing 5.89 per cent month-over-month, two-bedrooms rose more slowly by about .15 per cent.

Ajax and Durham Region have taken numerous steps of late to increase rental supply as the population is expected to double by 2050. Ajax is pursuing higher density through mixed-use zoning in its downtown. Oshawa meanwhile is looking to build new apartment buildings throughout the city, including repurposing a plaza near the Oshawa Centre.

While not ranked on the Rentals.ca list, rent tracker Zumper pegged one bedroom average in Pickering at $1,845 (no yearly change) Oshawa at $1,611 (a 19 per cent yearly jump), and Whitby at $1,595 (up 6 per cent).

If included these averages would place Pickering at number 4, Oshawa at 11 and Whitby at 12. These positions are respectively held by Mississauga, Vaughan, and Halifax on the Rental.ca list.

The Greater Toronto Area dominated the Rental.ca rankings holding nine of the top ten positions, with Vancouver ranking at number one.

 

 

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