Top 10 best cities for renters ranked in Canada

A new list of the top 10 best places for renters in Canada doesn’t include any Ontario cities or towns but some GTA communities rate high for quality of life.

The list, from the online real estate site Point2, found the best places to rent are mostly in Quebec.

Given the high rents in the GTA area in particular, it may not come as a surprise that other cities ranked on top. The average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Mississauga was $2,371 in June.

But there are other factors to consider besides cost.

Point2 analysts looked at 24 metrics spanning three categories — housing and economy; quality of life; and community.

The report ranks Canada’s 100 largest cities. The top cities have perfected the recipe for a well-balanced rental experience, the report notes.

“In these renter hotspots, tenants don’t have to live in limbo until they get to buy a home, but are actually free to enjoy the renter life,” Point2 suggests.

The report found St. John’s, N.L., is the best city for renters, followed by Sherbrooke, Que. and Québec City, Que.

Seven cities in the top 10 best places for renters are in Quebec, the report found. When it comes to housing and economy, Québec is undefeated with affordability, a low unemployment rate and good rental inventory.

The cities in the top 10 all have rents around $1,000 a month.

No Ontario city cracks the top 10 but Whitby is number 25, followed by North Bay at 27 and Guelph at 29.

In the quality of life category, Whitby, Oshawa, and Sherbrooke, Que. offer a balanced, well-rounded lifestyle. This category also looked at factors such as safety, air quality, walkability, commute time and access to nature and green spaces.

B.C. cities have the highest walk scores of all the cities in the analysis. Vancouver, North Vancouver City, Victoria and New Westminster all have walk scores above 70.

But one city in Ontario has the highest score for its closeness to nature  — Caledon is the only city on the list that boasts a perfect score of 100.

Analyzing metrics like life satisfaction and perceived life stress found Québec City and Lévis, Que. have the highest levels of life satisfaction, with near-perfect scores. The top three is rounded out by St. John's, N.L., the city that also leads the overall ranking.

The least stressed residents are found in St. John's, N.L.; Saskatoon, Sask., and Oshawa.

Victoria, B.C. leads in the community category followed by St. John’s and Vancouver. These cities boast the strongest sense of belonging to the community. Ontario cities in the top 10 of this list include North Bay, Aurora and Kingston.

A strong sense of community includes fostering connections, support, and well-being. It creates a network of mutual trust and cooperation, enhancing the quality of life for everyone involved, according to the report.

See the full report here.

Lead photo of St. John's: Erikallen920