Quebec's rental housing market: “a unique model that must be preserved,” say Quebec landlords
Quebec’s rental housing market stands out not only because of the composition of its buildings, but also because it is overwhelmingly owned by traditional small-scale landlords—families, workers, and retirees who invest in their communities. Quebec alone is home to 80% of Canada’s rental apartments located in buildings with three to five units. This reality fosters close relationships between landlords and tenants, with 88% of tenants reporting positive relationships with their landlord.
Quebec’s rental housing market stands out not only because of the composition of its buildings, but also because it is overwhelmingly owned by traditional small-scale landlords—families, workers, and retirees who invest in their communities. Quebec alone is home to 80% of Canada’s rental apartments located in buildings with three to five units. This reality fosters close relationships between landlords and tenants, with 88% of tenants reporting positive relationships with their landlord.
Significant economic value
Based on data and analysis from Aviseo Conseil, the report reveals that the rental housing sector generates $32.1 billion in added economic value annually, representing 5.6% of Quebec’s GDP.
The sector also supports nearly 135,000 direct and indirect jobs across the province. The maintenance of Quebec’s rental housing stock alone generates substantial local economic activity: since the last quarter of 2025, property owners have been investing more than $1.0 billion each month in Quebec’s real estate sector, supporting local economies through hardware stores, tradespeople, and regional suppliers.
“When a landlord invests in their building, they hire contractors, purchase materials, and support local businesses,” says Éric Sansoucy, CORPIQ spokesperson. “What this report demonstrates is that, beyond their essential role in housing Quebecers, property owners are an economic engine present in every region of the province.”
The challenges of an aging housing stock
The report also highlights that Quebec’s rental housing stock largely consists of buildings constructed decades ago. According to Statistics Canada, in 2021, 60.3% of housing units were located in buildings built in 1980 or earlier, requiring significant investments to ensure their maintenance, modernization, and adaptation to energy transition objectives.
CORPIQ therefore emphasizes that addressing housing challenges also means preserving and improving the existing housing stock.“Quebec’s housing model is a collective asset. It is built on a high proportion of renter households and a housing stock made up primarily of small buildings owned by local property owners who invest in their communities. This reality contributes to affordability, housing diversity, and locally rooted real estate investment. The challenge now is to preserve the strengths of this model while creating the conditions needed to modernize it and adapt it to today’s realities,” concludes Éric Sansoucy.
Read the report
(Please note that the report is available in French only)
