US EditionRental Market Swings Back in Tenants’ Favour with Lower Prices and Move-in Incentives
Canada saw a 3.1% drop in average asking rents in 2025 as vacancy rates rose and landlords offered incentives like free rent and waived fees.
- On Jan. 25, 2026, national data show asking rents in Canada fell 2.3% in last month, down from a year earlier, with the average at $2,060, The Canadian Press reported.
- Developers pushed ahead as record rental starts in 2025 and about 180,000 units under construction add supply, while a trade dispute and an immigration cap slow demand, according to analysis from Rentals.ca and Urbanation.
- Landlords are dangling incentives like three months free rent and a $500 bonus as vacancy rose to 3.1% and 2025 rents fell.
- Renters now have more freedom to choose based on location or amenities, as competition among landlords has led property managers to offer concessions and focus on tenant relationships.
- However, analysts warn demand may not immediately absorb rising supply, leaving uncertainty whether renters will match new completions in 2026, despite CMHC's outlook.
30 Articles
30 Articles
Rental market swings back in tenants’ favour with lower prices and move-in incentives
The “new year’s special” advertising a two-bedroom unit at a midtown Toronto highrise might be what draws you in when searching for your next home — an offer for up to three months of free rent, plus a $500 “move-in bonus.”
Winnipeg Free Press
Rental market swings back in tenants' favour with lower prices and move-in incentives
Breaking News, Sports, Manitoba, Canada
Rental market swings back in tenants’ favour with lower prices and move-in incentives – 105.9 The Region
The “new year’s special” advertising a two-bedroom unit at a midtown Toronto highrise might be what draws you in when searching for your next home — an offer for up to three months of free rent, plus a $500 “move-in bonus.” Or perhaps a year of complementary internet, on top of two months’ free rent, sweetens the deal for those interested in a rental promoted in central Vancouver. Landlords across Canada are increasingly dangling such incentives…
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