One-third of Canada’s social and affordable rental units rated in fair or poor condition
About one-third of Canada’s social and affordable rental units were rated in fair or poor condition in 2025, according to Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s latest Social and Affordable Housing Survey.
Of the 591,259 units covered by the survey, 59,648 were assessed as being in fair condition and 137,572 were rated poor. Together, they accounted for 33.4% of the surveyed stock.
Another 125,529 units were rated average, while 266,000, or 45%, were considered to be in good or excellent condition.
CMHC’s figures also show that 298,277 units, or 50.4% of the total, were built before 1980. Another 93,149 were constructed between 1980 and 1986.
By comparison, 21,037 units, or 3.6%, were built in 2020 or later. Ontario and British Columbia each accounted for roughly 7,000 of those newer units.
Conditions vary by province
Ontario had the largest number of units rated poor, at 90,999, although CMHC assigned that estimate a lower data-quality rating and advised that it be used with caution.
In Saskatchewan, 17,631 of the 21,407 surveyed units were rated fair or poor. In Alberta, the two categories accounted for 19,447 of the province’s 39,468 units.
The survey also recorded a national vacancy rate of 2.9%. Provincial rates ranged from 0.3% in Newfoundland and Labrador and 1.2% in Alberta to 8.6% in Manitoba.
The results provide a snapshot of the stock in 2025 and do not indicate how its condition has changed over time. CMHC also noted that the Quebec results exclude administrative data for structures managed by the provincial government through the Société d’habitation du Québec, limiting direct comparisons with other provinces.
Visited 24 times, 24 visit(s) today
affordable housing Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation CMHC rental units report social housing
Last modified: August 12, 2026
