The Canadian Housing Survey, conducted by CMHC and Statistics Canada, provides insights into a wide range of housing-related topics. This article highlights new observations on core housing need and housing affordability from the 2022 results.
Highlights
- Core housing need rates remained relatively stable between 2018 and 2022, with renters continuing to face greater challenges, compared to homeowners.
- Racialized households and Indigenous households were more likely to be in core housing need, compared to all households.
- The percentage of Canadians reporting they often or sometimes experience financial difficulty because of increased rent or mortgage payments has nearly doubled from 2018 to 2022.
Affordability challenges persist for Canadians
Core housing need rates returned to pre-pandemic levels for Canadians across the 10 provinces covered by the Canadian Housing Survey.1 Households in core housing need live in housing that is unaffordable, inadequate or unsuitable. They also couldn’t afford alternative suitable and adequate housing in their community.
In both 2018 and 2022, core housing need rates were roughly stable at around 11% (11.3% and 11.6%, respectively), although the rate briefly dipped to 9.8% in 2021. This was influenced by the distribution of Covid-19-related benefits. The Canada Emergency Response Benefit provided temporary financial support to those whose employment was directly affected by the pandemic.
In 2022, renters overall faced higher rates of core housing need compared to homeowners, with 22.1% of renters in core housing need versus 6.1% of homeowners. Core housing need rates were highest for renters living in social and affordable housing, at 30.8%, or nearly a third of households.
| 2018 | 2021 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All households | 11.3% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Renters | 22.5% | 19.7% | 22.1% |
| Renters living in social and affordable housing | 31.9% | 26.5% | 30.8% |
| Renters living in market rental housing | 21.0% | 18.7% | 20.9% |
| Owners | 6.1% | 5.1% | 6.1% |
Source:CMHC, adapted from Canadian Housing Survey, 2018, 2021 and 2022 (Statistics Canada).
Affordability issues main reason for households in core housing need
Housing is considered unaffordable when 30% or more of before-tax household income goes towards shelter costs.
Housing is considered inadequate when it needs major repairs.
Housing is considered unsuitable when there aren’t enough rooms for the size and composition of households.
In 2022, households in core housing need faced various challenges:
- 88.4% were in core housing need where affordability was a factor.
- 16.8% were in core housing need where inadequate housing was a factor.
- 9.7% were in core housing need where unsuitable housing was a factor.
| Housing standard(s) not met | % of households in core housing need |
|---|---|
| Affordability only | 74.8% |
| Affordability and adequacy | 8.6% |
| Adequacy only | 7.0% |
| Affordability and suitability | 4.4% |
| Suitability only | 4.1% |
| Suitability and adequacy | 0.6% |
| Affordability, adequacy and suitability | 0.6% |
Source:CMHC, adapted from Canadian Housing Survey, 2022 (Statistics Canada).
Total may not add to 100 due to rounding.
Racialized households are more likely to be in core housing need
Racialized households2 are more likely to experience core housing need compared to all households. In 2022, 14.1% of racialized households were in core housing need, compared to 11.6% of all households. However, the rate of core housing need varies by identity.
| Household Type | Percentage |
|---|---|
| All households | 11.6% |
| Racialized households3 | 14.1% |
| South Asian | 12.8% |
| Chinese | 14.6% |
| Black | 18.3% |
| Filipino | 6.3% |
| Latin American | 8.4% |
| Arab | 13.2% |
| Southeast Asian | 15.4% |
| West Asian | 27.7% |
| Korean | 26.9% |
| Japanese | X |
| Racialized group, not included elsewhere* | X |
| Multiple racialized groups | 19.1% |
| Not a racialized household | 10.7% |
Source:CMHC, adapted from Canadian Housing Survey, 2022 (Statistics Canada).
X indicates where data have been suppressed to meet the confidentiality requirements of the Statistics Act.
*Includes respondents who reported a write-in response that is designated as a visible minority but cannot be classified elsewhere.
Indigenous households are more likely to be in core housing need
Households that self-identified as Indigenous in the survey were also more likely to be in core housing need, compared to all households. In 2022, 17.9% of Indigenous households were in core housing need, compared to 11.6% of all households.
| 2018 | 2021 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| All households | 11.3% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Indigenous identity4 | 16.2% | 15.1% | 17.9% |
| Non-Indigenous identity | 11.1% | 9.6% | 11.3% |
Source:CMHC, adapted from Canadian Housing Survey, 2018, 2021 and 2022 (Statistics Canada).
Highest rates of core housing need are found in British Columbia and Ontario
In 2022, British Columbia and Ontario had the highest rates of households in core housing at 16.0% and 14.5%. Québec experienced the lowest at 5.5%. In cities, Toronto and Vancouver had the highest core housing need rates at 17.4% and 17.3%. Conversely, those living in Québec City had the lowest rates, with 4.1% of households in core housing need.
Between 2018 and 2022, core housing need rates increased in most provinces except Prince Edward Island, Québec and Saskatchewan. Nova Scotia and New Brunswick saw the largest increases, both rising by 1.9%. At the city-level, Kitchener and Hamilton saw the largest percentage point increases at 3.1% and 2.7%, respectively.
| 2018 | 2021 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canada (provinces only) | 11.3% | 9.8% | 11.6% |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 8.9% | 7.4% | 9.4% |
| St. John’s | 9.6% | 7.1% | 9.5% |
| Prince Edward Island | 8.9% | 7.2% | 6.5% |
| Nova Scotia | 11.0% | 9.9% | 12.9% |
| Halifax | 12.7% | 10.6% | 13.1% |
| New Brunswick | 7.3% | 5.9% | 9.2% |
| Moncton | 8.5% | 6.3% | 10.9% |
| Québec | 7.2% | 6.0% | 5.5% |
| Montréal | 9.1% | 7.3% | 6.7% |
| Québec | 5.2% | 5.0% | 4.1% |
| Ontario | 13.4% | 11.9% | 14.5% |
| Toronto | 18.2% | 15.3% | 17.4% |
| Ottawa | 9.5% | 10.0% | 11.7% |
| Hamilton | 10.8% | 11.5% | 13.5% |
| Kitchener | 9.3% | 9.7% | 12.4% |
| Manitoba | 10.9% | 10.3% | 12.0% |
| Winnipeg | 11.7% | 11.6% | 12.4% |
| Saskatchewan | 11.7% | 10.3% | 9.5% |
| Saskatoon | 10.3% | 9.3% | 8.3% |
| Regina | 11.3% | 9.5% | 10.2% |
| Alberta | 10.2% | 9.0% | 11.3% |
| Calgary | 9.9% | 8.2% | 10.0% |
| Edmonton | 11.4% | 9.5% | 12.1% |
| British Columbia | 14.8% | 12.5% | 16.0% |
| Vancouver | 17.9% | 15.0% | 17.3% |
Source:CMHC, adapted from Canadian Housing Survey, 2018, 2021 and 2022 (Statistics Canada).
Households experiencing significant financial hardship due to housing costs is on the rise
The Canadian Housing Survey collects information on whether Canadians are facing financial difficulties, including whether they report having the means to afford housing costs and other essential expenses, and the impact this has on their lives.
In 2022, most Canadians reported that their households haven’t experienced significant financial difficulty over the past 12 months due to increases in rent or mortgage payments. This was true for 87.7% of households in 2018 and 77.2% in 2022.
However, the percentage of Canadians reporting they often or sometimes experience financial difficulty because of increased rent or mortgage payments nearly doubled from 2018 to 2022. It increased from 12.2% to 22.6%. This change occurred during a period of rising costs of living, including elevated housing costs, in many areas of the country.5 6 7
| 2018 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Yes, often | 2.8% | 6.1% |
| Yes, sometimes | 9.4% | 16.5% |
| No | 87.7% | 77.2% |
Source: CMHC, adapted from Canadian Housing Survey, 2018 and 2022 (Statistics Canada).
Total may not add to 100 due to rounding.
About the Canadian Housing Survey
The Canadian Housing Survey is jointly produced between CMHC and Statistics Canada to report on the housing needs, conditions and experiences of Canadians. It was implemented in 2018 as part of the National Housing Strategy to address important data gaps relating to those living in social and affordable housing and certain vulnerable groups having trouble meeting their housing needs.
This survey is a unique source of information on many topics, including waitlists for non-market housing, experience of evictions and housing’s impact on wellbeing. It also provides estimates of core housing need between Census cycles, which helps identify trends and emerging patterns on a timelier basis. The third cycle (2022) of the survey continues to provide researchers, policymakers, housing sector professionals and the public with relevant data for housing decisions.
Learn more about the Canadian Housing Survey results
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1 Note that the 2022 CHS Canada-level estimates cover only the 10 provinces.
2 ‘Racialized households’ refers to households where the survey respondent (person most knowledgeable about housing decisions) self-identifies as a visible minority. Visible minority refers to whether a person is a visible minority or not, as defined by the Employment Equity Act.
3 These estimates capture the identity of the respondent. Indigenous households are not included in the racialized households category.
4 ‘Indigenous households’ refers to households where the survey respondent (person most knowledgeable about housing decisions) self-identifies as an First Nations (off-reserve), Métis or Inuit, living in the ten provinces.
5 https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-631-x/11-631-x2023003-eng.htm
6 https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/blog/2024/homeowners-turn-to-savings-financial-pressure-mounts
7 https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/blog/2024/canadas-rental-landscape-2023-show-record-low-vacancies-affordability-concerns
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