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Is Now a Good Time to Rent vs. Buy in Canada?

After years of brutal rent hikes that left many Canadians feeling priced out of their own cities, something has quietly shifted: rents are finally falling. But does that mean you should lock in a lease and wait out the housing market — or is this actually the window you've been waiting for to buy? The answer, as always, depends on your city, your finances, and your plans. Here's a clear-eyed breakdown of where things stand in 2026. What's Happening With Rents Right Now The Canadian rental market has undergone a dramatic reversal. After vacancy rates hit record lows in 2023 and rents surged by as much as 8% nationally in a single year, the tide has turned. According to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the national vacancy rate for purpose-built rental apartments rose to 3.1% in October 2025 — up from 2.2% in 2024 and a record low of just 1.5% in 2023. That 3.1% figure now sits above the 10-year historical average , marking a meaningful shift in the bal...
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Court Blocks Ontario’s Bike Lane Removal Plan, Citing Charter Violations

 

In a landmark decision, the Ontario Superior Court has ruled that the provincial government’s plan to remove protected bike lanes from three major Toronto streets—Bloor Street, Yonge Street, and University Avenue—is unconstitutional.

Justice Paul Schabas found that the removal would “put people at increased risk of harm and death,” violating Section 7 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which protects life, liberty, and security of the person. The court rejected the province’s argument that removing bike lanes would ease traffic congestion, calling the evidence “weak” and “unpersuasive”.

The legal challenge was brought by Cycle Toronto and individual cyclists who rely on the lanes for daily transportation. The court sided with them, stating that government actions that knowingly increase danger without justification breach fundamental Charter protections.

Premier Doug Ford’s government, which fast-tracked Bill 212 in late 2024 to override municipal cycling infrastructure decisions, has vowed to appeal the ruling. The revised version of the law, passed in 2025, shifted language from “removal” to “reconfiguration,” but the court found this change still unconstitutional.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow reaffirmed that decisions about city infrastructure should rest with municipal council, not the province.

This ruling is being hailed as a major victory for cycling advocates and urban safety proponents, reinforcing that public safety must be a paramount consideration in policymaking.


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