Homeownership has been on the decline in Canada after hitting its peak in 2011. The homeownership rate refers to the proportion of all households that are owner occupied.
Canadians overall were less likely to own their home in 2021 (66.5%) than they were a decade earlier, when a record high (69.0%) were homeowners.
Meanwhile, the growth in renter households was more than double that of owner households from 2011 to 2021. Renters were also more than twice as likely to live in unaffordable housing.
Having an affordable, suitable and secure home is essential to living a dignified life and building healthy and sustainable communities.
There are many factors that influence housing affordability in Canada and access to housing is different for everyone.
On February 1, Statistics Canada will be hosting a Q&A-style, “Ask Me Anything” event on Reddit. This event is an opportunity for you to ask questions and engage directly with our organization’s housing data experts on the factors behind the housing situation in Canada and the different experiences of Canadians related to housing, including rapidly changing market conditions, housing supply, availability and affordability, and more.
StatsCAN app
Did you know you can read StatsCAN Plus articles and more on the StatsCAN app? If you’re already using the app, let us know what you think by leaving a review in the App Store and Google Play.
Contact information
For more information, contact the Statistical Information Service (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).