Rental rates fall in Ottawa, rise in Gatineau since the start of the pandemic

OTTAWA -- The cost to rent a one or two-bedroom apartment in Ottawa is cheaper today than it was before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But across the river in Gatineau, rental rates increased in February compared to the same month in 2020.

A new report from Rentals.ca finds the average asking rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Ottawa was $1,527 in February, down 5.3 per cent from February 2020.

In Gatineau, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment increased 1.9 per cent to $1,159 dollars a month in February.

The cost to rent a two-bedroom apartment in Ottawa was down 7.1 per cent in February from February 2020 to $1,963. In Gatineau, the average cost to rent a two-bedroom apartment has increased 26 per cent to $1,577 a month.

Across Canada, Rentals.ca says the average asking rent for all Canadian properties listed in February was $1,714 per month, down six per cent from $1,823 in February of last year.

Vancouver is the most expensive city for renters looking for one and two-bedroom homes, with average monthly rents of $1,891 and $2,568.

Toronto is the second most expensive city for renters, with the average one-bedroom renting for $1,808 and a two-bedroom costing $2,388.

Ottawa is ranked 15^th for the cost of a one-bedroom apartment, while Gatineau is 25^th on the list of Canadian cities.

In Kingston, the cost to rent a one-bedroom apartment was down 7.8 per cent to $1,311 a month in February.