St. Albert ranked last on list of 100 best cities for renters: Report
On a list of the 100 best Canadian cities for renters, St. Albert comes in dead last.
The report from online real estate marketplace company Point2 used data from Statistics Canada and other sources to compare the country’s largest cities on 24 different metrics in three categories: economy and housing, quality of life, and community. The metrics were weighted to determine the final score.
St. John’s, NL tops the list, owing to its strong economy, housing affordability, vibrant arts and culture scene, and a shared sense of community among residents.
Two other east coast cities — Saint John, NB and Fredericton, NB — ranked in the top 10, alongside St. John’s and seven cities in Québec.
"St. Albert ranked lower on the list mainly due to its lower rentership rate and limited rental options compared to other cities. Although it scores well in life satisfaction, it ranked lower in areas like average greenness and walkability, which impacted its overall ranking," Sabina Marincean from Point2 said.
For renters in St. Albert, housing is both expensive and hard to find. The average cost of rent is $1,450, and the rental availability rate per 10,000 people sits at zero, according to the report.
The number of rental units in St. Albert has nearly tripled in the last decade, but rentership is still low compared to the rest of the province, said Lory Scott, affordable housing liaison with the city.
"Historically, St. Albert has been a community where home ownership has been the preferred housing type, particularly for single-family dwellings," Scott said.
"But in 2021, the Canada census showed that the home ownership rate declined, and now 17.1 per cent of our households are renters, but you can compare that to Alberta, where 28 per cent of households are renters," Scott said.
Scott also noted there is a very low overall vacancy rate of 0.9 per cent in St. Albert, compared to 2.6 per cent in neighbouring Edmonton.
Though the city now has 2,087 purpose-built rental units, up from just 754 in 2012, they have filled up as quickly as they’ve come on to the market.
"With the vacancy rate difference from Edmonton to St Albert, it illustrates that there's a high demand in St. Albert for rental units, and people want to live in St. Albert, if you’re a renter or an owner," Scott said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Federal government to further limit number of international students
The federal government will be further limiting the number of international students permitted to enter Canada next year. It’s the government’s latest immigration-related measure to address Canadians' ongoing housing and affordability concerns.
BREAKING Bloc MPs will vote confidence in Liberal government next week: Blanchet
The Conservatives' first shot at toppling the Liberal government is doomed to fail, after Bloc Quebecois Leader Yves-François Blanchet told reporters his MPs will vote confidence in the government.
DEVELOPING Exploding electronic devices kill 14, wound 450 in second day of explosions in Lebanon
Lebanon's health ministry said Wednesday that at least 14 people were killed and 450 others wounded by exploding electronic devices in multiple regions of the country. The explosions came a day after an apparent Israeli attack targeting pagers used by Hezbollah killed at least 12 and wounded nearly 3,000. Here are the latest updates.
What to know about the deadly electronic explosions targeting Hezbollah
Just one day after pagers used by hundreds of members of the militant group Hezbollah exploded, more electronic devices detonated in Lebanon Wednesday in what appeared to be a second wave of sophisticated, deadly attacks that targeted an extraordinary number of people. Here's what we know so far.
Canada abstains from UN motion calling on Israel to end occupation of Gaza, West Bank
Canada abstained today from a high-profile United Nations vote demanding that Israel end its 'unlawful presence' in the Gaza Strip and the occupied West Bank within a year.
Record-breaking Lotto Max jackpot tickets sold in Ontario, Quebec
Two lucky people in Ontario and Quebec will split Tuesday’s record-breaking $80-million Lotto Max jackpot.
Rogers Communications to buy out Bell's share of MLSE for $4.7 billion
Rogers Communications Inc. is buying out Bell's 37.5 per cent share of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment for $4.7 billion, giving it 75 per cent ownership of the sports conglomerate.
'I'm here for the Porsche': Video shows brazen car theft in Mississauga
Video of a brazen daylight auto theft which shows a suspect running over a victim in a stolen luxury SUV has been released by police west of Toronto.
'Unsightly' under-construction home must be finished or demolished, B.C. court rules
A B.C couple has been ordered to stop living in a motorhome on the property where their under-construction home – which they were first given a permit to build more than six years ago – has become an “eyesore,” according to a recent court decision.