While the vacancy rate for rental housing in Canada is 1.5%, a record in itself, one type of housing has space to rent: seniors’ residences.
According to a 2021 survey (New window) from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, the national retirement home vacancy rate is 15.6%, the highest rate is in Alberta at 26.8% and the lowest rate in Nova Scotia. Scotland with 6.3%. It is 12.8% in Quebec.
The evolution of the vacancy rate is uniform throughout Quebec. Increases are recorded in almost all regions. In metropolitan regions, the vacancy rate oscillated between 11.2% (Trois-Rivières) and 16.0% (Gatineau), which represents a sharp increase compared to 2020.
[Au Québec]the vacancy rate for standard spaces reached a peak of 12.8% in 2021. It was 6.9% in 2020.
Although 2021 data reflects the situation during the pandemic, private sector figures appear to indicate that the trend is continuing.
In its February press release, Chartwell, the largest retirement home operator in Canada, forecast a vacancy rate of around 15% for March 2024.
Many older people prefer to age in their own home, supports a CMHC report (New window) dating from 2023.
With a very high vacancy rate, retirement homes are taking steps to attract older people, and some are going so far as to offer three months of free rent.
However, others are targeting a younger clientele. Particularly in Calgary where the vacancy rate is 1.4% for the traditional rental market and 1% for the apartment and condominium market, according to the latest CMHC report.about this (New window).
Intergenerational cohabitation
Brett Sargon and two teammates from his New Zealand curling squad chose to come to Calgary to train and compete for a few months, but had difficulty finding affordable housing.
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Brett Sagan, left, and Pat Larson, right, spend time together at the senior living community where they live.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Ellis Choe
After sharing their situation on social networks, the curler says that the Colonel Belcher retirement home in Chartwell contacted them to make them an offer: a rental without having to sign a one-year lease and their presence would bring life of the residence.
We really like [vivre ici], he said. I was very close to my grandparents back home, so spending time here is very special. I met a lot of interesting people.
Since the pandemic, many efforts have been made to open the doors to other young people across the country, particularly in Quebec and Alberta.
Bonita Paquette founded the Canadian Alliance for Intergenerational Living to facilitate intergenerational cohabitation, after noting that there was a lack of affordable housing for students and that older people suffered from social isolation. in retirement homes.
I found out that there were intergenerational living projects in other countries, like the Netherlands and the United States, and I tried to find something in Canada, but I couldn’t find anything viable, she remembers.
The Calgary-based organization launched a pilot project in which two post-secondary students moved into a retirement home. They pay affordable rent in exchange for 30 hours of socializing with elderly people, she adds.
I believe it is beneficial for students and seniors. They both have different perspectives on life and can learn from each other.
With information from Brandie Weikle
2024-03-10 20:41:23
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