Migration News - Immigration news and information on how to emigrate to Canada.

Buying Or Renting A Home

On arrival in Canada, you will start the important task of finding somewhere permanent to reside.

Canada offers a wide range of types of houses across an array of price ranges.

Giving a complete picture of Canadian housing is difficult, because housing in each of the 10 provinces and three territories is different. There are differences in housing types, largely because of different climate conditions. Prices are different. They depend on local economic and employment conditions and the number of houses and apartments available.

You may find Canadian housing customs and practices different. For instance, Canadians consider a family with three or four children quite large. That means that there are not many four-bedroom apartments.

There are no overall rules or laws about leasing or buyig a home in Canada, each region has its own separate laws. But here are some general guidelines.

• It is against the law to refuse to rent to people on the basis or race, creed, religion, colour, family status or age.
• In most provinces it is against the rules to refuse rental if you have children
• You are responsible for damage to your rental if it is beyond normal wear and tear

You will find that land is quite costly in Canada and most large cities have a lot of high-rise apartments. Apartments in the cities give new migrants the convenience of many amenities being close by. Land of course is cheaper in the outer suburbs and has the advantage of having larger homes and apartments available for big families. Some surrounding suburbs can be quite remote and you may require a car for transportation.

There are many types of housing in Canada. Most houses have basements which are either finished or unfinished. The difference being in that one is insulated and the other is not. Many people may use their basement as the main living area during winter periods as there are less windows so less opportunity for heat to escape. There are also basement apartments, High-rise apartments, semi-detached houses and townhouses. There is a lot to choose from, you just need to decide which best suits you.

Canadians like to keep their gardens and yards tidy and presentable. In most areas there are laws which require you to keep your section tidy, and in some cases you must shovel the footpath in front of your home during winter. This is the landlords responsibility if you are leasing.

Tenure is the word in Canadian law that means the legal rights you have over your house.

The three most common types of tenure in Canada are freehold ownership, condominium ownership and rental.

Ownership means you can sell your house any time you want. Detached and semi-detached homes, duplexes and townhouses are usually owned freehold.

Freehold means that one person (or two, such as joint ownership by spouses) owns the land and house outright. There is no space co-owned or co-managed with owners of other units.

Freehold owners can do what they want with their property—up to a point. They must obey municipal bylaws, subdivision agreements, building codes and federal and provincial laws, such as those protecting the environment.

Condominium ownership is ownership of a unit, usually in a high-rise. Condominiums can also be townhouses or low-rise.

Condominium ownership means you own the unit you live in and share ownership rights for the common space of the building. Common space includes areas such as corridors, the grounds around the building, and facilities such as a swimming pool and recreation rooms.

Condominium owners together control the common areas through an owners’ association. The association makes decisions about using and maintaining the

common space.

Rental gives you the right to live in—but not sell— an apartment or a house. It is possible to rent any type of housing, but most rental units are apartments. When you rent, you are a tenant. The person or the company you rent from is the landlord. Every province has laws setting out the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords.

There other types of housing also which are funded through the government and other charitable organisations. As a new immigrant these may not be relevant to you at this stage.

Quick tips for finding rental housing

• ask friends or family already living inthe community

• search the classified ads in ethnic newspapers, community newspapers, and daily and weekly newspapers

• make sure to buy a newspaper first thing in the morning; apartments are often rented by 9 a.m. on the first day of advertising

• check bulletin boards in grocery stores, laundromats, health clinics, thrift stores, community centres and service clubs

• ask for help from the immigrant aid agency or cultural association that welcomed you to Canada

• put up your own notice asking for an apartment or house to rent in an area you like

• go from building to building and ask building superintendents if there are apartments to rent now or soon; fill out an application to go on the waiting list

• ask about apartments and houses to rent at the local library and at the local school—especially if they offer language classes

• call a local church, mosque or synagogue or other place of worship—they often have programs to help newcomers

• find out from the public library or community agencies if there is a registry of rooms and apartments for rent—check the registry often

• check the phone book Yellow Pages™ for housing help agencies and central referral agencies—they may be listed as Housing Sharing Services

• Universities and community colleges list rooms and apartments for rent for students and there may be inexpensive apartments available in summer while students are away

Every province has different laws about renting, and landlord and tenant rights and responsibilities. These are general guidelines that apply in most provinces. Contact your local tenant office to get the exact rules.

• the landlord will ask for a security deposit in case you damage the apartment. Damage is more than normal wear and tear—the landlord is responsible for repairing normal wear and tear.

• in some provinces, landlords can ask for the first and last months’ rent, before you move in. The last month’s rent is the security deposit.

• in other provinces, the security deposit cannot be more than one half of one month’s rent

• make a list of repairs needed before you move in and go over the list with the landlord and ask for a written promise that the repairs will be done before you move in

• always get a receipt when you pay the landlord

• if you are asked to sign something and you aren’t sure what it is, don’t sign. Always be sure that you understand what you are signing.

• get everything in writing

• the landlord can ask for letters of reference

• the landlord has the right to do a credit check to determine if you are able to pay the rent

• landlords cannot refuse to rent to you if you receive social assistance—as long as the amount you receive is enough to pay the rent

• landlords are not allowed to ask personal questions, such as how long you have been in Canada, whether relatives will be visiting or whether you plan to have (more) children. In most provinces a landlord cannot refuse to rent to you because you have children living with you

• it is legal for the landlord of a building for senior citizens to refuse to rent to you if you have children living with you

• the landlord cannot charge “key money”—money other than the first and last months’ rent

• you cannot be charged for extras, such as

- paying for a new paint job

- buying the fridge and stove (if they really don’t come with the apartment, you might be better buying your own new ones, so you can take them with you)

- paying to clean the carpets

- paying a fee for getting the apartment when there’s a waiting list (this is also called key money)