Moncton, NB, tops our Canada renter interest ranking for the fourth consecutive quarter, cementing its status as the country’s most in-demand rental market. The Q2 Canada Renter Interest Report also captures a significant milestone: For the first time since our ranking began, none of Canada’s largest cities made the top 10, as mid-sized markets — led by several surging Ontario locations — took over the leaderboard.

The spring quarter brought renewed movement to the rental market. According to Yardi data, the national vacancy rate declined after more than two years of steady increases as renters absorbed new supply. At the same time, renter engagement remained concentrated in smaller and mid-sized cities, where availability is tightening fast and affordability remains within reach.

To determine which rental markets attracted the most attention, we reviewed millions of renter interactions on RentCafe.com during the second quarter of 2026. We ranked cities based on four main indicators of renter activity:

• available listings
• listing views
• apartments saved as favourites
• saved personalized searches

The second quarter of 2026 rewrote the upper half of the list of Canada’s most in-demand rental markets. Moncton, NB, ranked #1 nationally, maintaining its lead in our Canada Renter Interest Report. Hamilton, ON, held #2, while Victoria, BC, climbed three positions to #3.

Elsewhere, Windsor, ON, continued its ascent — up six places to #4 after last quarter’s record-setting jump — and Winnipeg, MB, held steady at #5 to round out the top five.

This points to renter demand consolidating outside Canada’s largest cities in the second quarter, with mid-sized markets in Ontario and on Vancouver Island seeing the strongest apartment search activity.

Moncton, NB, claims top spot for 4th quarter running

Moncton, NB, held onto its position as Canada’s top rental market in Q2 2026, leading the ranking for the fourth straight quarter with a perfect score of 100.00. Three indicators help explain this momentum:

• Page views climbed 18% year-over-year, once again bucking the national trend of declining browsing activity across most major markets.
• Availability dropped 25% compared to the same quarter last year as renters continued to lease units faster than property managers could relist them.
• Favourited listings rose 26%, ranking Moncton #1 nationally for favourites — a sign that apartment-hunters are taking action when they find listings they like.

These trends highlight Moncton’s ongoing appeal, supported by its relative affordability, quality of life and economic growth. The city has now spent a full year at the top of the ranking, outlasting every challenger.

Aside from locals, the most interest in apartments in Moncton comes from renters in Halifax, NS; Montréal; and Toronto.

Canada’s largest cities exit the top 10

Renter activity across Canada’s largest cities declined broadly in Q2 2026. While Toronto, Vancouver, Montréal, Edmonton and Calgary remain heavily searched markets, engagement fell across the board and none of Canada’s largest rental markets placed in the national top 10 — a first in the history of our ranking. Instead, renters seeking affordability and available units are increasingly directing their attention to smaller and mid-sized cities.

Vancouver, BC

Vancouver slipped five positions to rank #13 nationally with a score of 47.21, exiting the top 10 after two consecutive quarters. Even so, it remains the highest-ranked of Canada’s largest cities.

• Availability fell 23% compared to the prior year, pointing to continued tightening in rental supply.
• Page views declined 60%, with renters making far fewer browsing visits.
• Favourited listings decreased 51% and saved searches fell 52%, a broad pullback across all engagement metrics.

The pattern suggests Vancouver’s market is still tightening on the supply side, but softer engagement — consistent with slowing migration of young adults reported by Statistics Canada and cited in the latest Yardi Canadian National Multifamily Report — pulled the city out of the top tier.

Edmonton, AB

Edmonton dropped four spots to #16 nationally with a score of 44.43, marking its second consecutive quarter outside the top 10 after a lengthy run among Canada’s highest-ranked rental markets.

• Page views declined 67% from the prior year as renters browsed far fewer listings.
• Saved searches dropped 76%, marking the steepest decline in this metric among all cities tracked.

The cooldown mirrors conditions on the ground: According to Yardi data, Edmonton has added more than 20,000 apartments since 2024 and its 5.8% vacancy rate is now the second-highest among Canada’s major markets. With more options available, renters have less incentive to act quickly.

Besides locals, most renter interest in apartments in Edmonton comes from Calgary and Vancouver.

Calgary, AB

Calgary recovered three positions to rank #17 nationally with a score of 43.94, though it remains well outside the top 10.

• Availability declined 8% year-over-year, an early sign that supply may be beginning to stabilize following a wave of new deliveries.
• Page views fell 73%, reflecting a much slower pace of apartment searching.

Yardi data helps explain the muted renter interest: Calgary is the only major Canadian market where in-place rents are lower than a year ago (down 1.9%) and its 6.8% vacancy rate is the highest in the country. Since the start of 2024, the city has welcomed about 23,000 apartments — more than were added during the entire previous decade. For renters, that means abundant choice and little pressure to make a quick decision.

Toronto, ON

Toronto fell six positions to rank #22 nationally with a score of 32.99, its lowest position on record.

• Availability rose 46% compared to the prior year, significantly adding to available inventory.
• Page views declined 70%, favourited listings fell 60% and saved searches dropped 62% as engagement retreated across every metric.

Toronto’s slide is consistent with the national picture: In-place rents in the city grew just 2.0% compared to the same quarter last year according to Yardi data, while new lease rates fell 2.8%, and renter mobility remains limited. The city’s 17.2% annual turnover rate is the country’s lowest and its 51-month average length of stay the longest — the most settled renter base in the country. Fewer move-outs mean fewer renters searching.

Montréal, QC

Montréal ranked #25 with a score of 15.90, remaining at the bottom of the national ranking for the second consecutive quarter.

• Availability rose 74% from the prior year, giving apartment-hunters far more options.
• Page views fell 71%, signalling a sharp decline in browsing activity.

Much of the softer engagement reflects Montréal’s relatively stable rental market, where many renters continue to stay in place rather than move. As a result, overall engagement remains lower than in most other major Canadian cities, despite Montréal posting the third-highest in-place rent growth among major Canadian markets, according to Yardi data.

Taking over: Smaller cities claim the entire top 10

Smaller and mid-sized cities posted the strongest results this quarter, sweeping the entire top 10. With tight availability and comparatively resilient renter engagement, these markets remain strong alternatives to Canada’s largest urban centres for renters who prioritize affordability and a quicker path from search to lease signing.

Hamilton, ON

Hamilton ranks #2 nationally with a score of 83.40, holding the position for the third consecutive quarter. Renter activity in Hamilton remains anchored by spillover demand from the Greater Toronto-Hamilton Area (GTHA).

• Favourited listings surged more than 400% from the prior year, signalling exceptionally strong renter intent.
• Availability declined 66% as competition intensified for a shrinking pool of listings.
• Page views held steady compared to the same quarter last year — a standout result at a time when most major markets recorded double-digit declines in renter engagement.

Hamilton’s staying power is also reflected by Yardi data: It is one of the few Canadian cities where asking rents for new leases rose year-over-year in Q2 2026 (up 1.3%). It is also one of only two markets — alongside Winnipeg — where new lease rent growth improved compared to a year ago.

Interest in apartments in Hamilton comes from renters in Toronto; Brampton, ON; and Mississauga, ON.

Victoria, BC

Victoria climbed three positions to rank #3 nationally with a score of 75.02 — its highest placement since Q4 2024.

• Availability fell 59% from the prior year, one of the sharpest supply contractions in the country.
• Favourited listings rose 78%, pointing to renters actively shortlisting the units that remain.

Renters continue to be drawn to Victoria’s climate and proximity to Vancouver, and the sharp drop in available listings suggests demand is once again outpacing supply on the island. Aside from locals, the most interest in apartments in Victoria comes from renters in Vancouver; Oak Bay, BC; and Surrey, BC.

Winnipeg, MB

Winnipeg held steady at #5 nationally with a score of 63.84, extending its streak as a fixture of the top 10.

• Availability was flat year-over-year, keeping supply among the tightest of major Canadian cities.
• Winnipeg ranked #3 nationally for favourites and #4 for saved searches, showing renters remain committed even as browsing volumes normalized.

Yardi data reinforces the picture: Winnipeg’s 2.8% vacancy rate is the second-lowest among major markets and its 3.6% in-place rent growth trails only Halifax. Winnipeg attracts strong interest from local renters and apartment-seekers in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver.

Halifax, NS

Halifax slipped two positions to rank #6 nationally with a score of 59.75, staying comfortably within the top 10 it has occupied for over two years.

• Availability rose 9% compared to the same quarter last year, a modest loosening from extremely tight levels.
• Page views declined 51% even as renters faced one of the country’s most competitive markets.

Even with softer engagement metrics, the fundamentals remain the tightest in Canada: Halifax has the country’s lowest vacancy rate (2.4%), its highest in-place rent growth (up 5.7% from the prior year) and its strongest new lease rent growth (2.5%) per Yardi data. Aside from locals, the most interest in apartments in Halifax comes from renters in Toronto; Montréal; and Bedford, NS.

Stepping up: Cities making biggest leaps this quarter

Ontario’s mid-sized markets powered this quarter’s biggest gains, with Kitchener, London and Windsor posting significant jumps alongside Vancouver Island’s Nanaimo.

Kitchener, ON

Kitchener recorded the largest jump by climbing 12 positions to #7 overall with a score of 57.76 and thus marking its debut in the national top 10.

• Availability declined 43% year-over-year, a sharp reversal from the supply expansion that had cooled the market in recent quarters.
• Favourited listings more than doubled, up 104% compared to the same quarter last year, pointing to heightened competition for available units.

Kitchener’s breakthrough reflects the Tri-Cities’ strong job base and proximity to the GTHA. After new supply briefly rebalanced the market, renters appear to have absorbed the extra inventory — bringing a renewed sense of urgency to the market. Renter interest in Kitchener comes primarily from local searches, along with renters from Toronto; Waterloo, ON; and Cambridge, ON.

London, ON

London climbed eight positions to #9 overall with a score of 53.53, returning to the top 10 for the first time since Q1 2025.

• Saved searches slipped just 9% year-over-year — one of the most resilient readings in the country — and London ranked #3 nationally for this metric.
• Availability rose 18%, yet demand indicators held comparatively firm as renters kept tracking the market.

London’s rebound points to steady underlying demand in southwestern Ontario, where renters priced out of the GTHA continue to seek affordable housing options. Most interest in London comes from local apartment-hunters and renters in Toronto.

Windsor, ON

Windsor climbed six positions to reach #4 overall with a score of 65.09 — its highest rank on record and its second consecutive quarterly surge after last quarter’s 13-position leap.

• Availability declined 83% from the prior year — by far the steepest supply tightening among all cities tracked for the second quarter in a row.
• Page views fell 17%, a far milder pullback than in most markets, suggesting renters remained highly engaged despite a rapidly shrinking supply of listings.

Windsor’s rise confirms that last quarter’s breakout was no anomaly: Relatively low rents continue to anchor demand in Canada’s southernmost market in our ranking, while the shrinking pool of listings is pushing apartment-hunters to act fast.

A decline in availability this steep may also reflect some listings being pulled off the market. Even so, the modest drop in page views suggests genuine renter attention — not fewer listings — is helping drive Windsor’s rise.

Renter interest in Windsor comes primarily from local searches and Toronto.

Nanaimo, BC

Nanaimo climbed five positions to #8 overall with a score of 54.75, returning to the top 10 after an absence of five quarters.

• Nanaimo posted the lowest availability rate of all 25 cities tracked — the fewest listings relative to the size of its rental market — with listings down a further 7% year-over-year.
• Page views declined 37%, a moderate pullback compared to many other markets this quarter.

Along with Victoria’s #3 finish, Nanaimo’s return puts two Vancouver Island markets in the top 10 — a sign that renters looking beyond Vancouver’s pricier housing keep fuelling demand across the Island. Besides local searches, interest in Nanaimo comes primarily from renters in Vancouver.

Cooling off: Where renter interest softened

The second quarter also saw steep declines for several markets that had posted strong gains over the winter. Kingston and Gatineau gave up some of their recent momentum, while Saskatoon slipped just outside the top 10, finishing at #11, as availability rose 43% compared to the same quarter last year.

These changes in renter behaviour reflect broader market conditions outlined in the latest Yardi Canadian National Multifamily Report. The national vacancy rate fell 40 basis points to 4.7% in Q2 2026 — the first decline after nine consecutive quarters of increases — while annual turnover rose to 26.2%, up from 24.2% a year earlier. In-place rents grew just 2.2% from the prior year to $1,774 — the slowest pace since late 2021 — and rent growth on newly signed leases was negative for a second straight quarter.

Overall, the market is beginning to tighten again, but renters are increasingly gravitating toward cities that offer the best value for money.

Kingston, ON

Kingston dropped nine positions to rank #12 nationally with a score of 47.64, surrendering the #3 spot it claimed just last quarter.

• Availability rose 22% year-over-year, widening the listing pool.
• Page views declined 59% and favourites fell 38%, while the saved-search momentum that powered last quarter’s comeback faded.

After one of the strongest rebounds of the past year, renter activity in Kingston normalized quickly — a reminder of how fast conditions can shift in smaller markets where a single quarter of new listings changes the balance.

Gatineau, QC

Gatineau matched Kingston’s decline, dropping nine positions to rank #24 nationally with a score of 22.93.

• Availability more than doubled, up 133% compared to the same quarter last year — the largest supply expansion among all cities tracked — placing Gatineau last for this metric.
• Page views declined 44% as renters faced far less competition for units.

Gatineau’s drop was driven primarily by a sharp increase in supply rather than weaker renter engagement. A wave of new listings dissolved the urgency that had pushed the city up the rankings alongside Ottawa-area demand in recent quarters.

Oshawa, ON

Oshawa fell five positions to #19 nationally with a score of 37.42, giving up the gains it made last quarter.

• Availability rose 23% from the prior year, offering renters a broader selection of apartments.
• Favourited listings declined 63%, suggesting far more renters are exploring options elsewhere in the GTA’s commuter belt.

Oshawa’s drop is consistent with a more balanced market east of Toronto as new supply catches up with commuter demand.

Regina, SK

Regina slipped three positions to rank #10 nationally with a score of 48.79, cooling slightly but holding onto the top 10 for a sixth consecutive quarter.

• Availability rose 7% year-over-year, gently loosening one of the Prairies’ tighter rental markets.
• Page views declined 54% and favourites fell 12% as renters browsed more selectively.

Regina’s pullback is mild compared with its Saskatchewan neighbour: While Saskatoon slid out of the top 10, Regina’s comparatively steady availability kept it in the ranking’s top tier — though well below the #3 peak it reached in Q3 2025.

Provincial overview: Ontario extends its lead

Looking at the provincial breakdown, Ontario takes the lead in Q2 2026 with four cities in the top 10 — Hamilton (#2), Windsor (#4), Kitchener (#7) and London (#9) — marking its strongest showing in the history of our ranking. British Columbia placed two cities (Victoria and Nanaimo), while New Brunswick, Manitoba, Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan each contributed one (Moncton, Winnipeg, Halifax and Regina, respectively).

Notably, Alberta completely missed the top 10 for the second consecutive quarter as Edmonton (#16) and Calgary (#17) continued to absorb record levels of new apartment supply. The two cities have Canada’s highest apartment vacancy rates, giving local renters little reason to rush.

FAQ

Methodology

RentCafe.com is a nationwide apartment search website that enables renters to easily find apartments and houses for rent throughout Canada.

To compile this report, the research team analysed RentCafe.com’s rental listing data across 25 Canadian cities with a relevant listing inventory sample. The regions are defined according to Statistics Canada.

The cities were ranked based on a city-level rental interest score. Full points were awarded to the most desirable city for a particular metric, while the zero-point level was set slightly below the lowest-ranking city’s value. Cities that lacked sufficient information regarding specific metrics were awarded zero points.

The city with the highest total score was awarded 100 points and all other cities’ total scores were adjusted accordingly.

To score each city, we tracked year-over-year changes across four metrics, ranked the cities based on those results and tracked how each city’s position changed from the previous quarter.

1. Availability rate (Maximum score: 40 points)

The availability rate score was calculated by dividing the total vacant units at the city level for the second quarter of 2026 by the total units and adding a quarter-over-quarter comparison of the same. The lowest rate received maximum points.

2. Page views (Maximum score: 30 points)

The page views score was calculated as the total number of page views during the second quarter of 2026 at the city level divided by the total renter population in the city and adding a quarter-over-quarter comparison of the same. Page views are defined as a unique visitor interaction on a specific page in a 30-minute window.

3. Favourites (Maximum score: 15 points)

The favourites score was calculated as the total rental listings added to favourites at the city level for the second quarter of 2026 divided by the total renter population in the city and adding a quarter-over-quarter comparison of the same. A favourite is defined as a rental listing saved to favourites by a website visitor.

4. Saved searches (Maximum score: 15 points)

The saved searches score was calculated as the total number of saved searches at the city level for the second quarter of 2026 divided by the total renter population in the city and adding a quarter-over-quarter comparison of the same. A saved search is defined as a filtered/personalized apartment search saved by a website visitor.

Fair use & redistribution

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