Finding accommodation in Canada

Depending on where you’re moving from, renting an apartment or a room in Canada may or may not involve as much red tape as you’re used to. Be prepared to show you can afford the first and last months of rent and references, but at least there’s no need to provide a cosigner who makes millions or your complete family/work history.

There are several key points you should be aware of before starting to look for your home sweet home and signing a lease in Canada.

For more information about rental prices, don’t miss How expensive is life in Canada? A cost of living review by province and territory.

How to decipher rental ads

Semi-furnished and fully-furnished apartments

The expression “semi-furnished” can be used to describe apartments from nearly bare to almost fully furnished (if nothing is mentioned in the ad, expect the place to be unfurnished, i.e. completely empty). Generally speaking, a semi-furnished apartment comes with basic big pieces of furniture, e.g. sofa, bed, dresser, table and chairs.

A fully furnished apartment is equipped with furniture, basic kitchen appliances and tableware, bathroom necessities (e.g. a shower curtain), a washer/dryer set, etc.

Utilities included (or “all inclusive”)

If heating and hot water are included in the rent (advertised as “utilities included” or “all inclusive”), you’ve probably got a good deal. It’s expensive to stay warm in winter, especially if the place is poorly insulated.

Note that “hydro” refers to electricity, so the “hydro bill” is your electricity bill. This term originates from when electricity was completely generated by water, and Canada remains a large hydropower producer.

Apartments with utilities included (especially heating) aren’t that common. On the other hand, water rates and fees are pretty reasonable in Canada and the landlord often pays the bill.

Apartments vs. condos

The market for “condos” (short for “condominiums”) has boomed in several cities, including Toronto and Vancouver. In terms of physical attributes, condos look like apartments. However, while apartment complexes are usually owned by a single entity (e.g. a corporation) and then leased out to individual tenants, condo units are owned by individuals and usually then managed by a homeowner association (HOA). So, when you rent a condo, the individual condo owner is your landlord.

Condo buildings often offer fancy amenities like a gym, a swimming pool or a 24/7 front desk. However, rent tends to be much higher. Consider this option if you’re just renting a room.

Basement and semi-basement apartments (“demi-sous-sol” in Quebec)

Basement apartments are very common in Canada, and they tend to be cheaper. Don’t picture a basement from a horror movie—they are “finished”, which means they are painted and come with floor coverings, moulding, doors and windows, heating, etc.

However, lack of light can be an issue, especially in winter, when there’s snow on windows. Humidity in a basement is also higher than in the upper floors—consider investing in a dehumidifier.

Consider this option as a temporary solution or if you know you won’t spend too much time at home…

Floor numbering

In most of Europe and in many former British colonies, the “first storey” or “first floor” is the first level above ground level. However, Canada generally follows the American convention, where the “first” floor is the floor at the ground level and the floor above it is the “second” floor.

Canada still uses the British spelling, though—it’s “storey,” not “story”!

Apartment sizes in Quebec—what on earth is a “2 ½,” a “3 ½” or a “4 ½”?

In Quebec, this cryptic way of describing apartments refers to the number of rooms. The “½” is the bathroom, which counts as half a room. The kitchen, the living room, and the bedroom each count as one room.

Note that this unique terminology has nothing to do with the total size of the apartment in square feet or metres. For instance, a “2 ½” (i.e. a bedroom and a living room, plus a kitchenette and bathroom) may be bigger than a “3 ½” (i.e. a bathroom plus a distinct living room, bedroom, and kitchen)! As a matter of fact, the size of an apartment in square feet or metres is rarely specified, but you can always ask the landlord for the info.

To translate “1 + 1” or “2 + 1,” the first number is the number of rooms and the “+1” (not always mentioned) refers to a small office (or “den”) that can double as a guest room.

Terminology is more straightforward in the rest of Canada where self-descriptive terms such as “one-bedroom apartment” or “two-bedroom apartment” are used. A “bachelor apartment” is the term for a single large room serving as the bedroom and living room, with a separate bathroom (known as a studio in other countries).