The Rent Report

In this episode of The Rent Report by Urbanation, Shaun Hildebrand, President of Urbanation, breaks down the Q1 2026 market reports covering the full arc from national rental trends down to individual submarkets across the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area and the Outer Greater Golden Horseshoe. The headlines are striking: new condo sales in the GTHA hit a 35-year low. Canada posted its first-ever annual population decline. Purpose-built rental vacancy jumped to a post-pandemic high. And in the Outer GGH, new condo months of supply crossed 100, meaning at current absorption rates it would take over eight years to clear existing inventory. But the picture isn't entirely bleak. Condo lease transactions hit a Q1 record. Purpose-built rental construction starts reached a multi-decade high. And a major supply cliff on the horizon, with condo completions projected to fall dramatically through 2027 and beyond, could set the stage for a sharp reversal in market conditions within a few years. Shaun digs into what all of it means for renters, buyers, developers, and investors navigating one of the most complex housing markets in recent Canadian history. Urbanation subscribers can access the full versions of all reports on the Urbanation data portal.

It's often said that homeownership is one of the best investments you can make, while renting is simply "throwing your money away," but what does the actual data say? In this episode of The Rent Report, we sit down with Ben Felix (Chief Investment Officer at PWL Capital) to break down the numbers behind renting vs buying in Canada. Using data from 12 major cities over nearly two decades, Ben's research explores how renting and investing can match or even outperform homeownership and why the analysis isn't as straightforward as most people think. Ben Felix: https://www.youtube.com/@UCDXTQ8nWmx_EhZ2v-kp7QxA Renting vs Owning a Home in Canada, 2005-2024: https://pwlcapital.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/PWL-Capital-Renting-vs.-Owning-a-Home-in-Canada-2005-2024.pdf Rational Reminder Podcast: https://rationalreminder.ca/podcast-directory PWL Capital: https://pwlcapital.com/

Max Steinman, CEO of Rentsync, and Shaun Hildebrand, President of Urbanation, discuss the recent acquisition of Urbanation by Rentsync and what the partnership means for the future of rental data and market analysis in Canada. By combining Rentsync's extensive rental listing data with Urbanation's research and analytics expertise, the two organizations aim to bring greater transparency and deeper insights to Canada's evolving rental housing market. In this episode, we also explore the current state of the rental and condo markets in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. The conversation covers the recent surge of condo completions entering the rental market, why rents have softened in some markets despite strong absorption levels, and how investor-owned condo units are influencing pricing dynamics. They also discuss shifting demand patterns, the debate around micro-units versus larger family-friendly layouts, and what recent declines in condo sales and construction starts could mean for future housing supply. Finally, the discussion turns to policy and development challenges, including rising development charges, construction costs, and the broader structural supply issues facing Canada's housing market. Looking ahead, Max and Shaun share their perspectives on where the market may be headed and what developers, policymakers, and property owners should be watching in the years to come.