A new Statistics Canada study is challenging the common narrative that institutional investors, such as REITs, are solely to blame for the surge in Canadian rental costs. While the growing presence of large-scale firms often sparks fears of non-competitive markets, the data reveals a different reality: small-scale individual investors (those owning five or fewer properties) still dominate the rental market across every province except Nova Scotia. In 2022, these smaller players controlled between 35.9% and 57.1% of rental property value. Interestingly, the study found that large institutional investors remain largely absent from the single-family home market, with their ownership share in Ontario sitting at just 0.4%. While concerns about market concentration persist, current evidence suggests rental markets remain competitive. For a deeper look at these findings and what they mean for the future of housing affordability, read the full report at CTV News.
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