Rentals in Canada
Houses and Apartments for Rent in Canada: Where to Search
Rental sites, renter guides and local help for finding a house or apartment for rent in Canada, with tips on deposits, provincial rules and avoiding rental scams.
Written by BabbleSports Editorial Team · 4 min read
Each card opens our short guide to that resource, with tips on searching, deposits and staying safe from rental scams.
Rentals.ca: Search Apartments, Condos and Houses Across Canada
A national rental search site with a map view, filters and listing alerts for cities across Canada.
Rentals.ca brings apartments, condos, townhouses and houses for rent into one map-based search. You can filter by price, bedrooms, bathrooms, property type and pet-friendly options, and save alerts so new matches come to you.
- Map view shows asking rents at a glance
- Filters for price, beds, baths and pets
- Listing alerts for saved searches
- Monthly national rent report for context
Tenancy rules differ by province and territory, so check local rules before you sign a lease or pay any deposit.
Kijiji: Long-Term Rentals, Rooms and Short-Term Stays
Canada's well-known classifieds site has a For Rent section covering long-term rentals, rooms and short-term stays.
Kijiji's For Rent category mixes listings from property managers and private landlords. You can filter by price and bedrooms, show only verified results, and turn on notifications when new ads match your search.
- Long-term rentals, rooms and short-term stays
- Ads from private landlords and managers
- Verified filter and new-ad notifications
- Published scam-avoidance safety tips
RentFaster.ca: Apartments and Houses for Rent, Born in Calgary
A Canadian rental site that began in Calgary in 2003 and now lists rentals in cities across Canada.
RentFaster.ca lists apartments, houses, townhouses, condos and shared accommodation. It is especially active in Western Canada, shows whether pets are allowed, and offers a short rental application you can reuse with landlords.
- Strong coverage in Western Canada
- Houses, condos, townhouses and shared homes
- Pet policy shown on each listing
- Reusable mini rental application
PadMapper: Map-First Apartment Search in Canadian Cities
A map-based apartment search that covers major Canadian cities such as Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary.
PadMapper puts rental listings on a map so you can compare neighbourhoods quickly. Filter by price, bedrooms, lease length and pets, save searches and favourites, and check local rent trends. It is powered by Zumper.
- Map-first search by neighbourhood
- Filters for price, beds, lease length, pets
- Save searches and favourite listings
- Rent trend summaries by city
Zumper: Apartments, Houses and Rooms for Rent in Canada
A North American rental marketplace with listings in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Montréal and Ottawa.
Zumper lets you browse apartments, houses, rooms, condos and townhomes, filter by pets, laundry, utilities and price, and set alerts for new listings. Some listings carry a verified badge, and some properties accept digital applications.
- Apartments, houses, rooms, condos, townhomes
- Detailed filters incl. pets and utilities
- Email alerts for new matching listings
- Verified badges on some listings
REALTOR.ca: Rentals Listed by Real Estate Brokerages
The CREA-owned real estate site also shows homes for rent and lease, listed through real estate brokerages.
Best known for homes for sale, REALTOR.ca also has rental and lease listings, many of them condos and houses. Each listing names the brokerage involved, and you can search by map, price, beds and baths and save searches.
- Rental and lease listings from brokerages
- Brokerage named on every listing
- Map search with draw-your-boundary tool
- Save searches for new rentals
Facebook Marketplace Rentals: Local Listings with Extra Caution
Marketplace's property rental section shows local apartments, houses and rooms, but scams are common, so verify everything.
Facebook Marketplace has a property-for-rent category with apartments, houses, townhouses and rooms, plus filters and a notify option. It is popular for private rentals, which is why you need to view the place and verify the landlord before paying.
- Local private and managed rentals
- Apartments, houses, townhouses and rooms
- Filters and new-listing notifications
- See the poster's profile and ratings
CMHC Renting a Home: Free Federal Guides for Tenants
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation explains leases, deposits, credit checks and tenant responsibilities in plain language.
CMHC's Renting a Home section covers what to consider before renting, leases, credit checks, viewings, deposits and moving out. Its Rental Market Report also tracks vacancy rates and average rents in major centres.
- Plain-language guides from a federal agency
- Leases, deposits and credit checks explained
- Rental Market Report on rents and vacancy
- Covers renting and moving out
Your Province's Tenancy Board: Know the Rules Before You Sign
Each province and territory has its own rental authority, such as Ontario's Landlord and Tenant Board or BC's Residential Tenancy Branch.
Deposits, rent increases, entry notice and evictions are set by provincial and territorial law. This guide explains how to find your local rental authority. The link goes to Ontario's Landlord and Tenant Board as one example; rules elsewhere differ.
- Explains rights and responsibilities
- Resolves landlord and tenant disputes
- Deposit and rent increase rules
- Forms and guides from official sources
211 Canada: Free Help Finding Local Housing Services
Dial 2-1-1 or search online to reach community and government services, including housing help, near you.
211 is a free, confidential information and referral service for community, social and government services. Local 211 navigators can point you to housing help centres, rent assistance programs and shelters where they exist.
- Free and confidential
- Phone, chat, text and web
- Help in many languages
- Connects you to local housing services
Frequently asked questions
What documents do landlords in Canada usually ask for?
Landlords commonly ask for references from a past landlord or employer, proof of income and permission to check your credit. If you have little or no credit history, a landlord may ask for a guarantor.
Can a landlord run a credit check on me?
Landlords may review your credit, but under federal privacy law they need your consent before sharing your personal information with a credit reporting agency. The Privacy Commissioner of Canada says a landlord does not need your Social Insurance Number, even for a basic credit check.
How much deposit can a landlord ask for?
It depends on your province or territory. Ontario allows a last month's rent deposit and a refundable key deposit, BC caps a security deposit at half a month's rent, and CMHC notes deposits are not legally required in Quebec.
How can I avoid rental scams?
View the unit in person or on a live video call, confirm the landlord's identity and get a written lease before paying anything. Never send a deposit for a place you have not seen, and report fraud to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
Where can I get help finding affordable housing?
Dial 2-1-1 or visit your local 211 website to find housing help centres, rent assistance programs and shelters near you. Your municipality or province may also run subsidised housing programs with their own waiting lists.
Recommended for you
- 211 Canada: Getting Local Help With Affordable Housing and Rent
- CMHC Renting a Home: What Canadian Renters Can Learn Before Signing
- Finding Landlords Who Accept Section 8: Using AffordableHousing.com Safely
- Finding a Rental on Kijiji in Canada: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Finding a Rental on REALTOR.ca: Condos and Houses Listed by Brokerages
- HUD Income Limits Explained: How Section 8 Eligibility Is Measured
Disclaimer: This guide is general information only and may not fit your situation or country. Rules, prices and requirements change, so check the details with the official source or a qualified professional before you act. Read our full disclaimer.