The timing helps: downtown posted the steepest month-over-month drop in furnished one-bedroom rent of any Edmonton sector in September 2026, according to liv.rent’s September 2026 Calgary and Edmonton rent report. This list gathers seven buildings near the station, using each building’s own published starting rent where one is available.

Is MacEwan LRT Station only for MacEwan University students?

No. MacEwan Station serves MacEwan University’s downtown campus, which sits directly across 105 Avenue from the platform, but it also carries office workers, government staff and Ice District employees to and from downtown’s core every day. Renters who are current MacEwan or NorQuest students should look for liv.rent’s dedicated student housing guide to this stop; this piece covers the same station for the much larger group of renters who work downtown and never set foot on campus.

Why is downtown Edmonton rent falling in September 2026?

Downtown was the Edmonton sector with the largest month-over-month decrease in furnished one-bedroom rent of any sector in the city in September 2026, according to liv.rent’s September 2026 Calgary and Edmonton rent report. Edmonton’s city-wide furnished one-bedroom average was $1,398 (down 3.9% year over year) and its unfurnished one-bedroom average was $1,254 (down 3.0% year over year), per the same source. Vacancy across the wider metro area also loosened, with Edmonton’s overall apartment vacancy rate at 3.8% in 2025, within the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s own definition of a balanced market, according to its 2026 Mid-Year Rental Market Update, published June 9, 2026. New downtown housing supply is part of that story: office vacancy in the core approached 20%, and street-level commercial vacancy sat near 33%, as reported by Storeys in May 2025 on Edmonton’s proposed Downtown Action Plan, a backdrop that has pushed landlords across the core to compete harder for tenants.

What is MacEwan LRT Station on Edmonton’s Metro Line?

MacEwan Station is a below-grade stop on the Metro Line of the Edmonton LRT system, on 105 Avenue between 103 and 104 Street NW, directly across from MacEwan University’s downtown campus. It opened in September 2015 as part of the original Metro Line extension from Churchill to NAIT, and today it sits one stop from Kingsway/Royal Alexandra and one stop from Churchill, where the Metro Line meets the Capital Line toward Bay/Enterprise Square, Health Sciences/Jubilee and the University of Alberta, according to the City of Edmonton’s own LRT station listing. The station is fully accessible and has bike facilities, and it puts riders a short walk from Rogers Place and the rest of the Ice District.

Which rental buildings near MacEwan LRT Station are the best value?

These seven buildings sit near MacEwan Station, using each building’s own published starting rent as of September 2026 where available. Two, at 10136 104 Street NW and 10152 104 Street NW, are listed on liv.rent, drawn from liv.rent’s buildings list dated October 2024; the other five come from this run’s own research into current downtown Edmonton listings. A liv.rent building page or an October 2024 buildings-list entry does not confirm a unit is currently available; contact the building directly to confirm current openings and pricing.

1. Arcade Heritage Apartments: the most affordable option near MacEwan Station

Arcade Heritage Apartments, at 9711 104 Street NW, is a low-density heritage rental building with bachelor suites listed from $729 a month as of September 2026, with water, electricity and heat included, according to property manager Mainstreet Equity. It sits several blocks south of MacEwan Station on the same street as the two liv.rent-listed buildings later on this list, near downtown’s higher-priced core without its highest price tags. It fits a professional who wants a no-frills, budget downtown base near the river valley rather than a full amenity building.

2. Mainstreet Tower: budget suites in the Ice District

Mainstreet Tower, at 10020 103 Avenue NW, lists bachelor suites from $1,075, one-bedrooms from $1,149 and two-bedrooms from $1,399 a month as of September 2026, with water and heat included, according to Mainstreet Equity. The building sits inside the Ice District a few blocks from MacEwan Station, putting Rogers Place, the Royal Alberta Museum and downtown’s office towers within walking distance. It suits a professional who wants Ice District proximity without paying for a newly built tower’s amenities.

3. e11even: a converted office building with utilities included

e11even, at 10045 111 Street NW, is an office-to-residential conversion with studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom suites listed from $1,399 a month as of September 2026, with gas, heat and water included, according to the building’s own site. It sits near MacEwan Station off Jasper Avenue, and its conversion is part of a wider pattern in downtown Edmonton, where underused office towers, including the Financial Building’s 100 House project, have been adding rental units to the core since 2025. It fits a professional who wants downtown access with utilities bundled into one predictable rent cheque.

4. ICON Tower I: a 104 Street high-rise listed on liv.rent

ICON Tower I, at 10136 104 Street NW, is a newer high-rise tower with in-suite laundry, air conditioning, underground parking and onsite security, a block from Jasper Avenue and near MacEwan Station. It is one of two liv.rent-listed buildings on this block of 104 Street, drawn from liv.rent’s buildings list dated October 2024. It suits a professional who wants a full-amenity tower rather than a walk-up rental.

5. ICON Tower II: ICON Tower I’s twin building

ICON Tower II, at 10152 104 Street NW, sits next to ICON Tower I on the same block of 104 Street, one of the nearest addresses on this list to the platform. It shares the same access to Jasper Avenue, the Ice District and downtown’s office core. It is the second of the two liv.rent-listed buildings on this stretch of 104 Street.

6. Square 104: on the same avenue as the station

Square 104, at 10411 105 Avenue NW, sits directly on the same avenue as MacEwan Station, close enough that its own marketing describes direct LRT access from the building. It markets itself to both students and working professionals, with in-suite laundry, a fitness centre and an enclosed courtyard. For a non-student renter, the draw is proximity: a sheltered route to the platform through Edmonton’s winter months rather than a longer route from farther blocks.

7. Falcon One: the newest, highest-amenity building on this list

Falcon One, at 10023 104 Street NW, opened for move-ins in August 2024 with one-bedroom, one-bedroom-plus-den, two-bedroom and three-bedroom suites, a rooftop lounge, dedicated workspaces and a dog wash station, according to the building’s own site. It markets itself on connecting downtown to the river valley with nearby LRT access, and its amenity list is the most extensive of the seven buildings here. It fits a professional who wants new construction and full building amenities, and is willing to pay for them.

What does Alberta law say about rent increases for downtown Edmonton renters?

Alberta sets no cap on how much a landlord can raise rent, but timing is regulated under the province’s Residential Tenancies Act. Rent cannot be increased during a fixed-term tenancy, and for any tenancy, at least 365 days must pass since the tenancy began or since the last increase before a new one can take effect, according to the Government of Alberta’s own guidance on rent increases. For a month-to-month tenancy, the landlord must also give at least three full tenancy months of written notice before an increase takes effect. This is general information, not legal advice; a renter or landlord with a specific dispute should contact Alberta’s Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS).

Is downtown Edmonton walkable for working professionals near MacEwan Station?

Downtown Edmonton’s core around MacEwan Station is walkable by design, with Jasper Avenue’s shops and restaurants a block or two from every building on this list and Rogers Place anchoring the Ice District a short walk east. The city’s proposed Downtown Action Plan, reported by Storeys in May 2025, was built around raising the area’s residential population and cutting commercial vacancy, which sat near 33% at the street level at the time. For a renter comparing neighbourhoods, that points to more foot traffic and continued residential conversions around the station, not fewer.

Renters comparing options across the city can browse more Edmonton neighbourhood guides on liv.rent, including upcoming building roundups for rentals near Health Sciences/Jubilee Station and near NAIT/Blatchford Market Station. For broader rent trends, see liv.rent’s Rent Reports hub, and for tenancy rules beyond rent increases, see liv.rent’s Rental Laws section.

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Health Sciences/Jubilee Station sits on Edmonton’s Capital Line at 114 Street and 83 Avenue, on the University of Alberta’s main campus, and it puts University of Alberta Hospital staff, Cross Cancer Institute staff and Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium staff and performers within a short, direct ride or walk of work, along with the Garneau, Belgravia and McKernan neighbourhoods around it. This guide covers the best rental buildings near Health Sciences/Jubilee Station for that group specifically, the people working the hospital’s shifts rather than attending classes on the campus next door; a separate liv.rent guide covers general student housing near the University of Alberta.

First time renting in Edmonton? liv.rent’s user guide for renters walks through searching, verifying a listing and applying safely before you sign anything.

Where is Health Sciences/Jubilee Station and what does it connect to?

Health Sciences/Jubilee Station is a ground-level stop on Edmonton’s Capital Line, at 114 Street and 83 Avenue, and it also serves as the southern terminus of the Metro Line toward NAIT/Blatchford Market, according to the City of Edmonton’s own LRT station listing. An enclosed pedway, which opened in June 2013, connects the platform directly to the Walter C. Mackenzie Health Sciences Centre and University of Alberta Hospital, so staff and patients can skip the outdoor walk through a Prairie winter.

One stop south on the same line, McKernan/Belgravia Station serves the McKernan and Belgravia neighbourhoods at 114 Street and 76 Avenue, a direct, no-transfer ride from Health Sciences/Jubilee. The Northern Alberta Jubilee Auditorium sits a few blocks north at 87 Avenue and 114 Street, and the Cross Cancer Institute is a short walk east on University Avenue, at 11560 University Avenue, according to Alberta Health Services, so schedules built around any of the three sites still line up with this same stretch of track.

For more on how Edmonton’s inner neighbourhoods compare, see liv.rent’s neighbourhood guides.

What does it cost to rent near Health Sciences/Jubilee Station right now?

Edmonton’s Southwest sector, which covers Garneau, Belgravia, McKernan and the blocks around Health Sciences/Jubilee Station, had the highest average unfurnished one-bedroom rent of any Edmonton sector in September 2026, at $1,345, against a city-wide average of $1,254, according to liv.rent’s September 2026 Calgary and Edmonton rent report. The Southwest sector averaged more than Edmonton overall, though rents for individual buildings near the station vary.

Edmonton’s overall rental vacancy rate was 3.8% in 2025, within the market’s estimated balanced range of 3.5% to 6.0%, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s 2026 Mid-Year Rental Market Update, published June 9, 2026. A vacancy rate in that range generally leaves renters some room to compare buildings and negotiate, even in a premium sector like the Southwest.

What are the best rental buildings near Health Sciences/Jubilee Station?

liv.rent currently lists four rental buildings within walking distance of Health Sciences/Jubilee Station, and three are strong enough matches to make this list on their own merits: University Tower Apartments, Windsor Park Plaza Lofts and Garneau Towers. The four buildings after them are established options in Garneau, Belgravia and McKernan that are not yet on liv.rent’s platform. Together, the seven split into the three groups of renters this station actually serves: overnight hospital staff who want the shortest possible walk, daytime hospital and Cross Cancer Institute staff who want an established neighbourhood, and anyone willing to trade one LRT stop for more space or a lower rent.

Best for night shift and on-call staff: steps from the hospital doors

University Tower Apartments, at 8515 112 Street NW, sits one block north of University of Alberta Hospital’s own 112 Street address, 8440 112 Street NW, according to Alberta Health Services’ facility listing, making it about as close as a rental building gets to a 24/7 emergency department. It is featured from liv.rent’s buildings list dated October 2024; liv.rent’s individual building pages currently return an automated-access error on fetch, so this listing was not re-checked live this run. See its liv.rent building page for current availability.

Windsor Park Plaza Lofts, at 11135 83 Avenue NW, sits on the same avenue as the Health Sciences/Jubilee Station platform, three street blocks west of 114 Street. Its liv.rent building page, verified live September 2026, lists bachelor, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units with a gym, pool and elevator, and describes the building as “minutes from the University of Alberta campus and downtown Edmonton” (the property’s own description; it does not specify whether that means walking, driving or transit). For a renter walking home after a night shift, the short, direct route down 83 Avenue is the whole appeal. See its liv.rent building page for current availability.

Best for daytime hospital, clinic and Cross Cancer Institute staff who want an established neighbourhood

Garneau Towers, at 8510 111 Street NW, sits one block south of the University of Alberta’s south campus, according to its liv.rent building page, verified live September 2026, and offers wheelchair-accessible units, a fitness centre, a dog park and covered parking, a few blocks from the station platform. It suits day-shift staff heading to the Cross Cancer Institute or the Edmonton Clinic Health Academy who want on-site amenities over a bare-bones walk-up. See its liv.rent building page for current availability.

Two more established buildings, neither currently listed on liv.rent, round out this group. Garneau Place, at 11121 82 Avenue NW, is managed by Morguard, whose own building page, checked September 2026, describes it as “close proximity to the University of Alberta” and near University Hospital, with all three of Edmonton’s LRT lines a short walk away. West Garneau Apartments, at 11041 86 Avenue NW, advertises two-bedroom suites from $1,830 to $2,000 a month as of September 2026 on its own site, and describes itself as “steps from the University of Alberta” with easy access to LRT and transit.

Best for shift workers who want more space, one LRT stop south

Parkview Apartments, at 7603 112 Street NW in McKernan, advertises bachelor units from $995 a month and one-bedrooms from $1,250 a month as of September 2026 on its property manager’s own site, with heat, water and one energized parking stall included, and describes itself as within walking distance of both the University of Alberta and University of Alberta Hospital. It is not on liv.rent, and it sits closer to McKernan/Belgravia Station, one stop south of Health Sciences/Jubilee on the Capital Line, than to the Health Sciences/Jubilee platform itself.

Belgravia Heights, at 11414 76 Avenue NW in Belgravia, is not on liv.rent either. Its own site, checked September 2026, advertises one-bedroom suites from $1,400 a month, with in-suite laundry, air conditioning, underground parking and bicycle storage, and describes the building as a 9-minute walk from the University of Alberta, close to University of Alberta Hospital and “steps from the McKernan/Belgravia LRT Station.” It suits shift workers who want a quieter residential street and do not mind trading a few extra minutes for it.

Do shift workers need a car near Health Sciences/Jubilee Station?

Some renters living near the station may be able to walk or take the LRT to work, depending on their address and shift hours, since Health Sciences/Jubilee Station sits on both the Capital Line, running from Clareview to Century Park, and the Metro Line, running toward NAIT/Blatchford Market, according to the City of Edmonton’s LRT station listing. The enclosed pedway to the hospital also means staff working overnight do not have to wait outside for a bus or cross an unlit lot in January.

A car still earns its keep for anything off the two LRT lines, for grocery runs beyond Garneau’s smaller shops, or for a shift that starts or ends outside Edmonton’s LRT operating hours, since the Capital Line does not run 24 hours.

What should Alberta renters near the hospital know about rent increases?

In Alberta, rent cannot be increased during a fixed-term tenancy, and for a periodic tenancy a landlord cannot raise the rent again until at least 365 days have passed since the tenancy began or since the last increase, whichever is later, under the province’s Residential Tenancies Act. For a month-to-month tenancy, the landlord must also give at least three full tenancy months of written notice before any increase takes effect, according to the Government of Alberta’s own guidance on rent increases. Alberta sets no cap on how much rent can rise; the notice period and the 365-day rule are the only limits in place. This is general information, not legal advice; a renter or landlord with a specific dispute should contact Alberta’s Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service (RTDRS).

Landlords weighing a new lease near a hospital-adjacent station like this one can use liv.rent’s landlord dashboard to track notice periods and rent history automatically, while renters can find a plain-language walkthrough of their rights in liv.rent’s rental laws section.

Featured on liv.rent

A fourth liv.rent-listed building sits in the same few blocks: an apartment building at 8619 111 Street NW, in Garneau, a short walk from Garneau Towers and from Health Sciences/Jubilee Station. It is featured from liv.rent’s buildings list dated October 2024; its liv.rent building page returned an automated-access error on fetch this run, which is not evidence the listing is inaccurate, so treat the address as current per the list rather than independently re-verified. See its liv.rent building page for details.

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Does a modern-looking Mississauga building mean lower rent-control protection?

No, and Absolute World is the clearest local example of why. Under the Residential Tenancies Act, Ontario’s annual rent increase guideline, set at 2.1% for 2026 and 1.9% for 2027, generally applies to most private residential units first occupied for the first time for residential purposes on or before November 15, 2018, according to the Ontario government’s guideline page. A unit first occupied after that date is exempt from the guideline entirely. A glass tower finished in 2012 is well on the capped side of that line; a genuinely new occupancy after 2018 is not, no matter how much older a nearby low-rise looks by comparison.

What separates a pre-cutoff Mississauga building from a post-cutoff one, in practice?

Once a tenant moves in, a pre-cutoff building’s rent can only rise by the guideline each year, or by more only if the landlord applies to the Landlord and Tenant Board for an above-guideline increase (Form L5) for specific, approved costs. A post-cutoff building has no such ceiling once a tenancy is underway. Neither type is protected at the point a new tenant moves in; vacancy decontrol lets a landlord reset the asking rent to market value at turnover in both, which is why Mississauga’s asking rents can still climb sharply even in a guideline-covered building between one tenant and the next.

Two Mississauga examples

Absolute Vision and Absolute World on Absolute Avenue, completed between 2007 and 2012 according to public building records, are subject to the guideline for any tenancy that started before a given increase. M1 Condos at M City on Confederation Parkway, completed in 2023 according to public building records, is genuinely exempt from the annual guideline, having been first occupied years after the November 2018 cutoff, although the required notice period and minimum time between increases still apply. Looking at the two side by side, the newer-looking Absolute towers are the ones with a guideline attached, and the truly exempt building is the one that opened a decade later.

Mississauga rent this month

Mississauga’s rent movement was notable this month. According to liv.rent’s September 2026 Ontario rent report, Mississauga posted the largest month-over-month increase among furnished one-bedroom units in the report’s entire Ontario coverage area, up 8.35% from August 2026. For a longer-run anchor figure, the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s October 2025 Rental Market Survey put the average one-bedroom rent in the Mississauga Centre and Streetsville zone at $1,721 as of that survey; the two figures reflect different periods and data sources and should not be read as directly comparable.

Why does a glass tower from 2012 still count as older stock?

Because the guideline’s cutoff was written into the Residential Tenancies Act in 2018, years after Absolute World’s towers were already occupied; a building’s age relative to that date, not its architectural style or condition, is what the law looks at. A landlord at Absolute World cannot point to the building’s modern amenities to justify exceeding the guideline; a landlord at M1 Condos at M City does not need to, because no guideline applies there in the first place. Renters comparing the two on price alone can end up assuming the taller, glassier building carries fewer restrictions, when in Mississauga’s case it is the opposite.

So which is actually worth paying more for in Mississauga?

For a tenant planning to stay put for years, a pre-cutoff building like Absolute World offers real, guideline-limited protection against steep in-tenancy increases, despite its glossy exterior. A post-cutoff building like M1 Condos at M City offers newer finishes and systems but no ceiling if a landlord raises rent aggressively mid-tenancy. Given how sharply Mississauga’s asking rents moved this month, a renter weighing the two should ask when the building was first occupied, not just what it looks like. Landlords should note the same: a 2012 tower’s glass facade does not exempt it from the guideline, and for a guideline-exempt unit like a genuinely new 2023 building, an increase is not limited to the annual guideline, though the landlord must still follow Ontario’s notice and timing requirements.

Related reading

For more on how the guideline and its cutoff date work, see liv.rent’s guide to Ontario rent increases and explainer on the Ontario standard lease. Renters weighing a pre-cutoff building against a post-cutoff one can also read liv.rent’s guide to Ontario’s standard rental application, and landlords can review the complete liv.rent user guide for landlords and property managers.

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What actually decides whether an Ottawa rental is rent-controlled?

Not the building’s age in the everyday sense, and not how new it looks. Under the Residential Tenancies Act, the test is the date the unit was first occupied for residential use. A unit occupied on or before November 15, 2018 falls under Ontario’s annual rent increase guideline, set at 2.1% for 2026 and 1.9% for 2027 according to the Ontario government. A unit occupied for the first time after that date is exempt from the guideline for as long as the current tenancy continues, no matter how many decades pass.

That single date, not the decade a building was constructed in, is what separates an Ottawa rental that is capped from one that is not.

What the guideline does not touch, in an older building or a new one

Vacancy decontrol applies across Ontario regardless of a unit’s occupancy date: once a tenant moves out, the landlord can reset the rent to whatever the market supports for the next tenant, in a 1973 building or a 2022 one alike. The guideline only limits increases during an existing tenancy. A prospective renter comparing an older Ottawa building to a new build is therefore comparing two different questions: what the next tenant will pay at move-in (uncapped everywhere), and how much rent can rise once they are living there (capped only in pre-cutoff buildings).

Two Ottawa examples

Claridge Icon on Carling Avenue, a 45-storey tower completed in 2022 according to public building records, falls entirely outside Ontario’s rent increase guideline for as long as its current tenancies run, since it was first occupied years after the cutoff. Chateau Vanier on McArthur Avenue in Vanier was registered in 1973, per condo registry records, decades before the cutoff, so an existing tenant there is protected by the 2.1% guideline this year. The building’s age happens to line up with the legal answer here, but it is the 2018 date doing the work, not the building’s appearance or the decade it was built in.

Ottawa rent this month

Ottawa’s asking rents remain well below Toronto’s. According to liv.rent’s September 2026 Ontario rent report, Ottawa’s average unfurnished one-bedroom asking rent was $1,817 in September 2026, among the more affordable markets in the province’s coverage area alongside Kitchener at $1,666 and Hamilton at $1,612.

Does an Ottawa landlord have any way around the guideline in an older building?

Yes, on a limited basis. A landlord in a pre-cutoff Ottawa building can apply for an above-guideline increase through Ontario’s Form N2, generally tied to specific circumstances like a capital expenditure or a municipal tax increase, rather than a blanket increase of the landlord’s choosing. This route does not exist for a post-cutoff building because there is no guideline to seek an exception from in the first place; a new build’s rent during an existing tenancy is already unrestricted.

So which is actually worth paying more for in Ottawa?

The honest answer depends on the tenancy horizon. A renter planning to stay for years gets real, government-set protection against steep in-tenancy increases in a pre-cutoff building like Chateau Vanier, at the cost of older systems and a smaller footprint per dollar. A renter in a post-cutoff building like Claridge Icon gets newer construction and amenities, but no guideline ceiling if the landlord raises rent aggressively while the tenant stays. Landlords weighing a purchase should note that a pre-2018 building carries the guideline as a real constraint on in-tenancy pricing, while a post-2018 build carries none, a genuine cost difference that has nothing to do with a unit’s physical condition.

Related reading

For more on how Ontario’s guideline works and when it does not apply, see liv.rent’s guide to Ontario rent increases and frequently asked questions on eviction in Ontario. Renters comparing an older Ottawa building to a new build can also read liv.rent’s explainer on the Ontario standard lease, and landlords can review the complete liv.rent user guide for landlords and property managers.

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Is it worth paying more to rent in a new build in Toronto?

In an older building vs new build Toronto comparison, the honest starting point is Ontario’s rent increase guideline, and what it does and doesn’t cover. The guideline caps increases during an existing tenancy; it does not cap the rent a landlord and a new tenant agree to when a unit turns over, whether the building is older or newer, according to Ontario’s rent increase rules. Where the two building types actually diverge is what happens after a tenant moves in: a unit first occupied for residential use before November 15, 2018 is subject to the annual guideline for later increases, while a unit first occupied after that date may be exempt from the annual guideline.

What rent control protections do older Toronto buildings have that new builds don’t?

Most private residential units first occupied for residential purposes on or before November 15, 2018, are subject to Ontario’s annual rent increase guideline: 2.1% for increases taking effect in 2026, moving to 1.9% for increases taking effect in 2027. In most cases, at least 12 months must pass after the tenancy begins or since the last rent increase, whichever is later, and a landlord needs at least 90 days’ written notice before an increase takes effect, according to the province’s own guidance. A building occupied for the first time after that date, the new build in this comparison, is generally exempt from the guideline altogether: the landlord still gives at least 90 days’ written notice, using Form N2, the Landlord and Tenant Board notice used for units exempt from the guideline, but the increase itself is not limited to the annual percentage.

What are Toronto rents doing in September 2026?

Per liv.rent’s September 2026 Ontario Rent Report, the City of Toronto’s average unfurnished one-bedroom asking rent was $1,973 in September 2026, up 1.33% from August but still down 3.73% from $2,050 in September 2025. The furnished one-bedroom average moved the other way, falling 1.64% month over month to $1,898, leaving unfurnished units renting for $75 more than furnished ones on average, a reversal of the usual furnished premium.

That citywide softening isn’t about which building type can charge more at turnover: Ontario’s guideline doesn’t cap the rent a landlord and a new tenant agree to either way. Where the building types actually diverge is supply. More of Toronto’s new rental stock is arriving in exempt, post-2018 form: CMHC’s Fall 2026 Housing Supply Report, published September 10, 2026, found that purpose-built rental apartment starts in Toronto rose 82% in the first half of 2026 compared with 2025, while only 156 condominium units were started in the City of Toronto over the same period, the first time rental starts have outpaced condo starts since 1994.

What can older Toronto buildings offer?

Older Toronto buildings can offer larger layouts, but space, sound insulation and finishes vary by property, and building age alone doesn’t guarantee a bigger unit. Crescent Town’s 1 Massey Sq in East York, first occupied in 1971 according to the Skyscraper Center, is a well known older example in Toronto’s rental market. Older buildings are also more likely to sit in established, transit-connected neighbourhoods, and for a sitting tenant, the annual guideline generally limits the next permitted in-tenancy increase, something a new build’s tenant doesn’t get once the initial rent is set.

What can newer Toronto buildings offer?

New builds can offer updated mechanical systems and larger amenity packages, though the specifics vary by property. Minto Westside at 576 Front St W, completed in 2020 according to Minto’s own project page, is one example of the exempt new supply reshaping the west harbour: its amenities include a rooftop pool, a gym, landscaped courtyards, heat recovery ventilation, and individual suite meters for water and electricity. The tradeoff is often unit size: suites in new towers can be smaller and more uniform than in older buildings, built to fit more units per floor.

Are utilities cheaper in a new build or an older Toronto building?

Not reliably either way: it depends on the lease and how the building meters utilities, not on the building’s age. Some older high-rises bundle heat or water into the rent, while some newer buildings individually meter more utilities separately; Minto Westside, for example, uses individual suite meters for both water and electricity, so a new-build tenant there pays those directly rather than seeing them folded into rent. The only reliable way to compare is to check what a specific lease includes and ask to see recent bills before signing.

How should Toronto landlords price an older unit against new-build competition?

When an older, guideline-capped unit turns over, the landlord and the new tenant are free to agree on a market starting rent, the same as in an exempt new build; the guideline only limits increases once that tenancy is underway. The stronger move for either type of building is pricing to its real, specific advantages, space, condition, location, rather than assuming one building type automatically commands more; liv.rent’s guide to writing an attractive rental ad covers how to make that case in a listing. Screening matters just as much in a 1970s low-rise as it does in a brand-new tower: checking an applicant’s Trust Score through liv.rent’s tenant screening guide works the same way in both, and a listing that clearly explains the building’s age, features and utilities gives renters useful context for comparing options.

So, which is worth paying more for: an older building or a new build in Toronto?

There is no single building type that is automatically worth paying more for. If a predictable rent during an ongoing tenancy matters most, an older, guideline-capped unit offers that: 2.1% for 2026, 1.9% for 2027. If newer systems and amenities matter more, some recently completed buildings may offer them, but budget for increases that aren’t limited by the guideline once the initial term is up. Either way, the starting rent at turnover is negotiated fresh in both building types, so compare the actual unit, its utilities and its lease terms rather than assuming the building’s age settles the question. liv.rent’s rental laws hub and liv.rent’s rent reports are worth checking before the next renewal, whichever side of this comparison a reader is on.

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Does building age change what a landlord can charge in Calgary?

No. Alberta’s Residential Tenancies Act does not set a maximum percentage or dollar amount for a rent increase, in any building, regardless of when it was built or first occupied. That is the single biggest difference between Calgary and a province like Ontario, where a building’s first occupancy date decides whether annual increases are capped. In Alberta, the cap simply does not exist, for old stock or new.

What Alberta regulates instead is process, not price: how much notice a landlord must give, and how often an increase can happen. The Community Legal Education Association of Alberta (CPLEA) confirms landlords must give tenants on a monthly periodic tenancy at least three full tenancy months’ written notice of an increase, and cannot raise the rent again until 365 days have passed since the tenant moved in or since the last increase, whichever is later.

What actually differs between an older Calgary rental and a new build?

If price protection is not the difference, condition and cost structure are. A newer building may offer in-suite laundry, a builder’s warranty, tighter building envelopes and lower heating losses, or amenities like a gym or a parcel room, though features vary by property. An older building may offer a larger unit for the same asking rent, established landscaping, or a walkable, already-built-out neighbourhood, and sometimes has utilities folded into the rent instead of separately metered, but renters should confirm features for each property.

Neither factor is legally protected in Alberta the way it would be in Ontario. A brand-new Calgary tower is not exempt from anything, because there is nothing to be exempt from; an older Calgary walk-up is not shielded from a steep increase either, once the 365-day and notice rules are satisfied.

Two Calgary examples

Keynote Two in East Village, completed in 2013 according to the Skyscraper Center’s building database, is a good example of the new-build case: taller, amenity-heavy, and priced for its condition rather than its age. Bankview 1737 Apartments, on 26 Avenue SW in Bankview, sits among the neighbourhood’s characteristic four-storey walk-ups, a building type the Calgary Real Estate Board’s community profile dates to the 1960s. Both are generally subject to the same provincial rent-increase rules described above; what actually separates their price is unit size, finish and amenities, not a legal ceiling attached to one and not the other.

Calgary rent by building type this month

Calgary’s asking rents eased again this month. The rent report provides a citywide average and does not break out figures by building age. According to liv.rent’s September 2026 Calgary and Edmonton rent report, Calgary’s average unfurnished one-bedroom asking rent fell 5.3% year over year to $1,442, down from $1,465 in August 2026. The average furnished one-bedroom fell further, down 13.5% year over year to $1,539, down from $1,576 in August.

What Alberta’s notice rules mean for tenants in either type of building

Because there is no rent-increase cap, the notice and timing rules are the only real guardrails a Calgary tenant has, in a new tower or an old walk-up. For a monthly periodic tenancy, a landlord must deliver written notice at least three full tenancy months before the increase takes effect, and cannot raise it again inside 365 days of the tenant’s move-in date or the last increase, per CPLEA’s guide to rent increase notices. Rent cannot be increased during a fixed-term tenancy. If the parties enter a new agreement after the fixed term ends, the rent may change, provided at least 365 days have passed since the tenancy began or the last increase, whichever is later.

CPLEA also notes that Alberta’s common law does not allow a landlord to effectively evict a tenant through an unfairly large rent increase, sometimes called economic eviction, and a notice used that way can be challenged. None of this changes with the building’s age. A tenant in a 2013 tower and a tenant in a 1960s walk-up read the exact same notice requirements.

So which is actually worth paying more for in Calgary?

Since Alberta does not tie any legal protection to a building’s age, the honest answer is that paying more for a new build may provide newer finishes, modern amenities, or more predictable maintenance, depending on the property. Paying less for an older building buys space and location, often a larger unit in an established, walkable neighbourhood, with the same notice and 365-day protections a brand-new tower carries. Renters who prioritize predictable maintenance and efficiency should lean newer; renters who prioritize square footage and a lower asking rent should not assume an older building is a legal or financial risk simply because of its age. Landlords weighing a purchase should note the same thing works in reverse: a new build does not buy extra pricing freedom in Alberta, because there was never a cap to be exempt from.

Related reading

For the notice and increase rules covered above in more detail, see liv.rent’s FAQ on landlord and tenant responsibilities in Alberta and FAQ on rent deposits in Alberta. Landlords comparing an older building to a new-build purchase can also read the complete liv.rent user guide for landlords and property managers, and renters weighing the same choice can use liv.rent’s renter’s guide to screen listings, verify a landlord and sign digitally, whichever building type they choose.

The post Renting in an older building vs. a new build: what’s worth paying more for in Calgary? appeared first on liv.rent blog.

Is an older Edmonton rental legally riskier on rent increases than a new build?

No. Alberta’s rent-increase rules generally apply regardless of a building’s age. Alberta’s Residential Tenancies Act does not set a maximum percentage or dollar amount for a rent increase, in a building first occupied last year or 50 years ago. The only legal protections are procedural, and they apply the same way regardless of a building’s age: a landlord on a monthly periodic tenancy must give at least three full tenancy months’ written notice before an increase takes effect, and cannot raise the rent again until 365 days have passed since the tenant moved in or since the last increase, per the Community Legal Education Association of Alberta (CPLEA).

Rent cannot be increased during a fixed-term tenancy. If the parties enter a new agreement after the term ends, the rent may change, provided at least 365 days have passed since the tenancy began or the last increase, whichever is later.

What genuinely differs between an older Edmonton building and a new one?

Condition, layout, and running costs, not legal standing. A newer Edmonton building may offer better insulation and windows, in-suite laundry, an elevator, or amenities like a fitness room, though features vary by property. An older Edmonton building may offer a larger unit for the asking rent, mature landscaping, or an established, walkable inner-city location, and sometimes has heat or water included in the rent rather than metered separately, but renters should confirm features for each property.

Two Edmonton examples

Encore Tower, at 103 Street and 102 Avenue downtown, was completed in 2020 according to its architect’s project page, a 44-storey tower with a three-storey residential lobby and stepped-back penthouse levels. Aberdeen Apartments, on 116 Street in Oliver, belongs to the wave of low-rise walk-ups that Canadian Architect says replaced single-family lots across Oliver between the 1950s and the 1970s as the neighbourhood grew. Both buildings are generally subject to the same provincial rent-increase rules; nothing about Aberdeen’s age gives it, or takes from it, a legal advantage Encore Tower does not have.

Edmonton rent by building type this month

Edmonton’s asking rents softened again this month. The rent report provides citywide averages and does not break out figures by building age. According to liv.rent’s September 2026 Calgary and Edmonton rent report, Edmonton’s average unfurnished one-bedroom asking rent fell 3.0% year over year to $1,254, down from $1,264 in August 2026. The average furnished one-bedroom fell 3.9% year over year to $1,398, down from $1,413 in August.

What the notice rules actually protect, in a 2020 tower or a 1960s walk-up

Because Alberta sets no cap, the three-month notice period and the 365-day gap between increases are the real protection a tenant has, and they read identically no matter which of the two buildings above a person lives in. CPLEA notes that Alberta’s common law does not allow a landlord to effectively evict a tenant through an unfairly large rent increase, sometimes called economic eviction; a notice used that way can be challenged regardless of the building’s age or size, according to the Government of Alberta’s guidance as summarized by CPLEA.

So which is worth paying more for in Edmonton?

Since no legal protection in Alberta attaches to a building’s age, paying more for a new build like Encore Tower may provide lower utility bills, in-suite convenience, or modern systems, depending on the property, while an older building like Aberdeen Apartments typically buys more square footage per dollar and an established, transit-connected location, backed by the identical notice and 365-day rules. Renters who value predictable maintenance costs should lean newer; renters chasing space per dollar should not treat an older Edmonton building as legally exposed, because Alberta’s rules do not distinguish between the two. Landlords should read this the same way: a new Edmonton build does not come with extra pricing freedom, since Alberta never capped pricing to begin with.

Related reading

For more on the notice and increase rules covered above, see liv.rent’s FAQ on landlord and tenant responsibilities in Alberta and FAQ on rent deposits in Alberta. Renters comparing a new tower to an established walk-up can use liv.rent’s renter’s guide to verify a listing and a landlord before signing, and landlords managing either building type can read the complete liv.rent user guide for landlords and property managers.

The post Renting in an older building vs. a new build: what’s worth paying more for in Edmonton? appeared first on liv.rent blog.

What makes a rental truly pet-friendly in Edmonton?

A genuinely pet-friendly Edmonton rental is one where pet permission is written into the signed lease, not just implied because a landlord said yes over the phone. Getting that answer right in 2026 starts with a quick update: Edmonton’s 20-year-old Animal Licensing and Control Bylaw 13145 has been replaced by the current Animal Care and Control Bylaw 21244, which took effect May 19, 2026. The city’s maximum of six cats and three dogs per residence carries over unchanged from the old bylaw. What’s new is a four-rabbit cap, a category the previous bylaw didn’t cover at all. Puppies and kittens under six months old are exempt from those counts, and a Temporary Excess Animal Permit is available for households that need to go over the limit temporarily, such as for fostering.

The Edmonton Humane Society’s guide for renters is direct about the written part: a landlord’s verbal okay, or the fact that other tenants already have pets, doesn’t count as written permission, and a lease that says no pets means no pets until that clause is changed in writing. The same guide notes that landlords can still restrict the type, size, and number of pets even in a building that’s otherwise pet-friendly, per the Edmonton Humane Society’s guide to renting with pets.

There’s often a second layer worth knowing about too: the condominium corporation’s own pet bylaw. Condominium apartments made up 37% of Edmonton’s total rental apartment stock in 2025, according to CMHC’s 2025 Rental Market Report, so a meaningful number of Edmonton renters end up navigating both a landlord’s lease and a condo board’s bylaw, and the condo bylaw can be the stricter of the two.

Written permission versus a verbal yes

Ask for pet permission in the lease itself, spelled out by species, number, and any size or breed limit. On liv.rent, renters can filter Edmonton listings by pet policy, message landlords directly, and keep a written record of pet terms before signing a lease.

What a pet-ready building tends to look like

Ground-floor or walk-up access, nearby green space, durable flooring, and a landlord who is comfortable putting pet terms in writing are the practical signs of a building built with pet owners in mind, more than any marketing label on a listing.

Landlord permission versus condo corporation approval

In a condo rental, a landlord’s yes is not the final word. Ask to see the condo corporation’s current pet bylaw in writing before applying, since a condo board can set stricter limits than the city bylaw or the individual landlord’s lease allows. If a corporation later tightens its pet rules, a pet you already owned before the new bylaw passed is generally protected from being forced out, under section 32 of Alberta’s Condominium Property Act.

Seven Edmonton neighbourhoods to consider for a pet-friendly rental

Pet policies can change whenever a building changes management or a lease renews. Rather than naming specific addresses that could be outdated within months, here are seven Edmonton neighbourhoods with pet-friendly rental stock, nearby parks, and pet services worth having on your list, along with a couple of specific buildings we confirmed are currently active on liv.rent. Always confirm a building’s current pet policy directly with the landlord or property manager, and use liv.rent’s Edmonton rental search to see the full, current list of what’s available.

1. Terwillegar Towne (southwest)

Terwillegar Towne sits beside what the City of Edmonton calls its most expansive off-leash area, Terwillegar Park at 10 Rabbit Hill Road, according to the city’s River Valley Parks page. liv.rent currently lists active buildings right on South Terwillegar Drive itself, so it’s a good street to search directly if trail access matters to you.

2. Laurier Heights (west)

Laurier Heights backs onto Buena Vista Park, another off-leash area the city highlights on the same river valley parks page. The neighbourhood itself is almost entirely single-family homes, so rental stock here tends to be basement suites and secondary units rather than apartment buildings; check liv.rent’s house and suite listings for this area rather than expecting large complexes.

3. Riverdale (central river valley)

Riverdale runs along Edmonton’s river valley trail system, part of the more than 60 off-leash areas the city currently lists on its off-leash areas and dog parks directory. A short walk away in neighbouring Rossdale, Heritage Trail Apartments 1 at 9737 105 Street NW is a currently active, pet-friendly listing on liv.rent along the same river valley corridor.

4. Oliver (downtown-adjacent)

Oliver sits at the edge of downtown and the river valley, and its dense mix of condo towers and rental apartments means many renters here will need condo board sign-off on top of the landlord’s own pet policy. One confirmed example: Oliver 4 Apartments at 10315 116 Street NW, currently listed on liv.rent, is a pet-friendly, professionally managed building.

5. Strathcona and the Whyte Avenue area

Many walk-up rentals here sit within a short walk of the river valley trail system, plus a concentration of pet stores and vet clinics near Whyte Avenue, making day-to-day pet care straightforward without a car.

6. Glenridding (southwest edge)

Glenridding is one of Edmonton’s newest neighbourhoods, built out largely after 2011, with a mix of newer rental communities a short drive from Terwillegar Park. A good fit for renters looking for newer homes and a bit more space, though purpose-built rental inventory here is still limited compared to more established areas.

7. Callingwood (west end)

Callingwood offers low-rise apartments and townhomes near a cluster of pet stores and veterinary clinics, a practical, less central option for renters who prioritize pet services and value over a downtown commute.

For current pet-friendly listings, filter Edmonton rentals on liv.rent and confirm each pet policy in writing before applying. The Edmonton Humane Society also keeps a pet-friendly housing list covering companion, therapy, and support animals, though it doesn’t verify or endorse the properties on it.

What rent looks like in Edmonton’s pet-friendly neighbourhoods this month

Edmonton’s average asking rent for an unfurnished one-bedroom apartment was $1,254 in September 2026, down from $1,264 in August and down 3.0% from a year earlier, according to liv.rent’s September 2026 Calgary and Edmonton Rent Report. Furnished one-bedroom units averaged $1,398 that same month, $144 more than unfurnished units.

Rent varies a lot by sector. Edmonton’s southwest, home to Terwillegar Towne, posted the city’s highest average unfurnished one-bedroom rent this month at $1,345, while the northeast was the most affordable at $1,183, a $162 gap across the city, per the same September 2026 report. The search area is generous too: the City of Edmonton currently lists more than 60 off-leash areas citywide, so renters who don’t land in one of the seven neighbourhoods above still have options nearby.

Furnished versus unfurnished pricing

In September, furnished one-bedroom units in Edmonton averaged $144 more than unfurnished ones. Some renters lean furnished short term while confirming a longer-term building’s pet policy.

How Edmonton compares with Calgary this month

Calgary’s average unfurnished one-bedroom rent was $1,442 in September, down 5.3% from a year earlier, a steeper year-over-year decline than Edmonton’s 3.0%, according to the same report. For pet owners weighing either city, Edmonton currently offers the lower entry price on one-bedroom units.

What can Edmonton landlords legally charge you for having a pet in 2026?

Under Alberta’s Residential Tenancies Act, any refundable fee a landlord collects, including a pet deposit, counts toward the security deposit, and the combined total of all refundable fees cannot exceed one month’s rent, according to the Government of Alberta’s RTA security deposit handbook. So on a $1,254 unit, a landlord cannot collect more than $1,254 in combined refundable deposits, pet included. A separate, non-refundable pet fee, an example the handbook itself walks through, sits outside that cap as long as it’s clearly disclosed in the lease. A monthly pet-rent surcharge works differently again: since it isn’t a deposit at all, it’s simply treated as additional rent, and it follows Alberta’s normal rent rules rather than the deposit cap.

If a landlord doesn’t return a deposit, or doesn’t provide the required statement of account, tenants can apply to Alberta’s Residential Tenancy Dispute Resolution Service. The current filing fee is $75 for claims of $7,500 or less and $150 for larger claims, according to the Government of Alberta’s RTDRS page. Landlords, for their part, must return a deposit in full, with interest, within 10 days of the tenant giving up possession if there are no deductions, or provide an itemized statement within that same window if there are, per the province’s information for tenants guide.

The one-month deposit cap, explained

Add up every refundable charge, security deposit and pet deposit alike, and the total cannot exceed one month’s rent. If a landlord asks for more, point to this rule and request a written correction before signing.

Non-refundable pet fees and monthly pet rent

A one-time, non-refundable pet fee is common in Alberta rentals and sits outside the security-deposit cap as long as it’s spelled out in the lease. Monthly pet rent works a little differently: because it’s simply added to your rent rather than held as a deposit, it isn’t subject to the same one-month cap, though it should still be clearly stated in the lease before you sign.

If your pet deposit isn’t returned

Apply to the RTDRS for a fee of $75 or $150 depending on the claim size, and keep a written record of the unit’s condition at move-in and move-out to support your case.

Do Edmonton landlords have to accept service dogs and emotional support animals?

Housing providers, including landlords and condominium corporations, cannot discriminate against a person with a disability who uses a qualified service dog or guide dog, and must accommodate them to the point of undue hardship, even in a building with a no-pets policy, according to the Alberta Human Rights Commission’s guidance on rental housing. Landlords who deny occupancy to, or discriminate against, a tenant because of a qualified service or guide dog are also guilty of an offence under Alberta’s Service Dogs Act and can be fined up to $3,000, according to legal information published by the Centre for Public Legal Education Alberta.

Other assistance and support animals, including emotional support animals, aren’t automatically covered the same way. The Alberta Human Rights Commission treats this kind of request as a case-by-case duty to accommodate, one that depends on the situation and on reliable medical information confirming the person’s disability and their need for the animal. In practice, a landlord with a strict no-pets policy isn’t necessarily free to refuse an emotional support animal outright, but the renter will typically need to provide that documentation to support the request.

Qualified service dogs and guide dogs: a duty to accommodate

A landlord or condo corporation must accommodate a tenant who uses a qualified service dog or guide dog to the point of undue hardship, whether or not the building otherwise allows pets, per Alberta Human Rights Commission guidance on rental housing.

Emotional support animals: a case-by-case duty, not a blanket rule

Bring reliable medical documentation of disability-related need when requesting accommodation, since Alberta assesses this individually rather than automatically.

Getting an owner-trained dog formally recognized

An owner-trained service dog may need to pass Alberta’s Service Dog Qualification Assessment to be formally recognized under the province’s service dog program, a status distinct from the housing accommodation rights covered above, according to the Government of Alberta’s upgrade training page.

Edmonton’s pet bylaw and other municipal rules renters need to know

Edmonton’s Animal Care and Control Bylaw 21244 took effect May 19, 2026, replacing the 20-year-old Bylaw 13145. The city’s maximum of six cats and three dogs per residence carries over unchanged from the old bylaw. What’s new is a four-rabbit cap, a category the previous bylaw didn’t address, according to the City of Edmonton. Puppies and kittens under six months old don’t count toward those limits, and a Temporary Excess Animal Permit is available for extraordinary circumstances, such as fostering through an approved rescue. This is a ceiling the city enforces, not a floor: a lease or a condo corporation’s bylaw can still set a stricter limit for your specific unit.

Every cat and dog over six months old in Edmonton, including indoor-only pets, must be licensed and the licence renewed every 12 months. As of 2026, the fee is $38 for a spayed or neutered animal and $78 for one that isn’t, with guide and service dogs licensed free of charge, per the City of Edmonton’s pet licence page. Expect a small annual increase over the next couple of years as the city phases in its new fee schedule.

Six cats, three dogs, four rabbits: what’s actually new

The cat and dog limits aren’t new for 2026, they carried straight over from the old bylaw. The four-rabbit cap is the genuinely new part. Either way, these are citywide maximums, and a lease or condo bylaw is free to be stricter.

Licensing: what every Edmonton pet owner must do annually

License every cat and dog over six months old each year, budgeting $38 or $78 depending on whether the animal is spayed or neutered, with no fee for guide or service dogs.

Condo bylaws: a second layer worth checking before you sign

A condo corporation can set its own, sometimes stricter, pet rules under its authority to manage the property, per Alberta’s Condominium Property Act. Ask for the current bylaw document in writing, and get any pet approval confirmed by the corporation itself, not just the unit’s landlord.

How to build a winning pet application for Edmonton landlords in 2026

With Alberta generally not requiring a private landlord to accept pets, except where a human rights accommodation applies, the application stage is where a renter has the most influence. A short pet resume, vaccination records, any obedience training certificates, and a reference from a past landlord, goes a long way toward reassuring a landlord who is on the fence. Offering a documented move-in condition inspection, ideally with photos, gives both sides a clear record and can make a landlord more comfortable saying yes.

Build a pet resume before you start touring

Include vaccination records, training certificates, a photo, and a reference or two so a landlord can evaluate your pet the way they would evaluate you as a tenant.

Negotiate deposits and fees with the rules on your side

Knowing the one-month combined deposit cap and the distinction between a refundable deposit and a non-refundable fee gives a renter a clear, factual basis for negotiating before signing, rather than after a dispute starts.

Search liv.rent for verified, pet-friendly Edmonton listings

Filter Edmonton listings on liv.rent by pet policy, message landlords directly to confirm pet terms in writing before a viewing, and set a listing alert for the neighbourhoods above so a new pet-friendly unit reaches your inbox as soon as it’s posted.

The post Top 7 pet-friendly Edmonton neighbourhoods for renters with pets in 2026 appeared first on liv.rent blog.

Why finding a pet-friendly rental in Calgary is still hard in 2026

If you’ve spent any time browsing Calgary rentals with a pet, you already know the pattern: half the listings you like disappear the moment you mention it. About 53% of Calgary households have a pet, according to a 2020 Leger survey commissioned for the City of Calgary’s Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw Review and cited by Calgary Humane Society. Yet in a one-day Calgary Humane Society snapshot of lower-cost rental listings priced at $1,600 or less on May 20, 2026, fewer than 10% allowed pets. That gap is why the City of Calgary and Calgary Humane Society launched a citywide Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative on May 27, 2026, and it’s the backdrop for everything in this guide, from the seven buildings below to the negotiating tactics near the end.

The 53% problem: common pets, uncommon pet policies

The 53% figure describes households, not necessarily individual renters, and the affordability figure reflects a one-day snapshot rather than the entire Calgary rental market. Still, it matches what anyone searching with a pet already suspects: owning a pet in Calgary is ordinary, but finding a landlord willing to work with you is not, especially at the lower end of the price range. Calgary Humane Society also reports that 60% of surveyed renters said they had been denied housing because of a pet. Treat that figure as directional rather than exact, since the source doesn’t disclose the survey’s sample size or field dates.

Why the City of Calgary and Calgary Humane Society’s initiative matters

The initiative gives renters pet resume templates and rental guidance, and gives landlords screening templates, risk-mitigation resources, behaviour support, and emergency boarding information. It’s voluntary. It does not change Alberta’s Residential Tenancies Act or require private landlords to accept pets. What it does do is give the City of Calgary a reason to factor pet policies into its own non-market housing grant evaluations, a program for publicly funded housing rather than private rental buildings. So if you’re renting privately, the initiative won’t force anyone’s hand, but it adds real tools to your side of the table.

How a loosening rental market is shifting the balance

Calgary’s rental vacancy rate rose from 4.6% in 2024 to 5.1% in 2025, according to the City of Calgary’s housing trends data, which draws on CMHC’s Rental Market Survey. CMHC projects the Calgary census metropolitan area’s vacancy rate will climb further, to about 5.7% in 2026, a forecast rather than a confirmed year-end figure, followed by 6.2% in 2027 and 5.9% in 2028. On the ground, that shows up in real numbers: liv.rent’s September 2026 Calgary and Edmonton Rent Report found Calgary’s average unfurnished one-bedroom asking rent at $1,442, down 5.3% year over year, while furnished one-bedroom rent fell 13.5% year over year to $1,539. That’s a market where a landlord has more reason to work with you, pet and all, than they did two or three years ago.

What Alberta law actually says about pet deposits and breed rules

Alberta’s Residential Tenancies Act doesn’t mention pets directly. What it does regulate closely is the security deposit a landlord can collect, usually the number renters care about most. Alberta tenant guidance says a security deposit cannot be more than one month’s rent at the time the tenancy starts, according to the Government of Alberta. If a landlord collects a pet-related deposit, keep the combined total at or below one month’s rent, and confirm with a tenancy professional if anything about the structure looks unusual.

The security deposit cap: how the one-month rule works in practice

In real terms, if monthly rent is $2,000, the maximum security deposit a landlord can require at the start of the tenancy is $2,000, whether it’s called a damage deposit, a pet deposit, or just the deposit on your lease. Alberta’s prescribed annual interest rate on residential tenancy security deposits is 0% from January 1 to December 31, 2026, according to the Government of Alberta, so renters shouldn’t expect interest to meaningfully grow that amount while it’s held.

Breed restrictions, pet fees, and pet rent: what’s actually settled law

Outside the security deposit cap, the rules get murkier. Current Alberta government guidance does not clearly confirm whether breed or size restrictions, non-refundable pet fees, or monthly pet rent surcharges are addressed by provincial law one way or the other. Before agreeing to any pet-related charge outside the security deposit, ask the landlord to put the term in writing, and consider confirming it with a tenancy professional if anything looks unusual. Calgary Humane Society’s own model pet addendum, part of the initiative’s landlord toolkit, encourages a different approach: basing pet decisions on an animal’s observed behaviour rather than its breed, size, or appearance. That’s a recommended practice, though, not a legal requirement, according to the Calgary Humane Society’s pet agreement and lease addendum template.

Service animals: where landlords have the least discretion

The clearest legal line here involves disability accommodation. The Alberta Human Rights Commission says landlords and housing providers have a duty to accommodate tenants with disabilities to the point of undue hardship, including tenants who need a qualified guide dog or service dog. Other assistance-animal requests may need to be assessed case by case, based on the tenant’s circumstances and any supporting information they can provide. This isn’t a blanket exemption for every emotional support animal on request, but it is a genuine legal obligation for qualified service and guide dogs. Renters relying on an assistance animal should keep relevant documentation on hand either way.

liv.rent listings: seven Calgary rental buildings confirmed as pet-friendly

The seven buildings below are confirmed as currently listed on liv.rent and pet-friendly, cross-checked against liv.rent’s own pet-friendly Calgary search and public listing sources as of September 2026. Calgary has far more than seven pet-friendly buildings, but these are ones you can verify for yourself right now. Pricing, availability, and the exact pet policy, including fees, breed rules, and pet limits, can change at any time, so confirm current details directly with the leasing office, or check liv.rent’s live listings, before applying.

Sunalta and Beltline: a Mainstreet-managed pet-friendly cluster

Two of the strongest options sit within walking distance of each other in Sunalta, an inner-city neighbourhood bordering the west edge of downtown. Mainstreet Sunalta Apartments, at 1519 11 Avenue SW, describes itself on its own liv.rent listing as a pet-friendly community welcoming cats and dogs, minutes from the Sunalta LRT station and downtown. A few blocks away, Sunalta 19, at 1929 11 Avenue SW, is also confirmed pet-friendly and managed by the same landlord, Mainstreet Equity, which runs a large share of the pet-friendly inventory in this part of the city. Both sit within the same portfolio as Mainstreet Beltline Apartments at 1231 15 Avenue SW, a pet-friendly building steps from 17th Avenue SW’s restaurants and shops, currently listed on liv.rent’s pet-friendly Calgary search. If one Mainstreet building doesn’t have availability, it’s worth checking the others in the portfolio.

Bankview, Bowness, and Renfrew

In Bankview, just southwest of the Beltline, Yarmouth Apartments, at 2109 17 Street SW, welcomes pets, though breed restrictions, weight limits, and fees may apply, and it’s an eight-minute walk from Bankview Off-Leash Dog Park. In Bowness, along the Bow River, Bow River Townhomes, at 6347 Bowview Road NW, offers pet-friendly, townhome-style units with more space than a typical mid-rise. And in Renfrew, close to Bridgeland, Renfrew Corner Apartments, at 832 4a Street NE, is a low-density, pet-friendly building on a bike path.

Haysboro: London at Heritage Station’s Abbey Tower

South of downtown in Haysboro, London at Heritage Station’s Abbey Tower, at 8880 Horton Road SW, publishes one of the more detailed pet policies among these seven: up to two pets per suite, with dog breed restrictions and pet fees applying, according to the building’s own site. It’s also a 10-minute walk from Kingsland Off-Leash Dog Park.

Which Calgary neighbourhoods work best for renters with pets

Buildings come and go, but neighbourhoods have a longer shelf life. Calgary has 160 public off-leash areas in multi-use parks and does not operate dog-only parks, according to the City of Calgary, so most access comes through shared spaces rather than dedicated dog parks.

Beltline and Mission: walkable, but competitive for pet owners

The Beltline includes a fenced off-leash area at Connaught Park, close walking access to downtown, and a dense mix of purpose-built rental buildings, several of which advertise as pet-friendly, including Mainstreet Beltline Apartments above. Beltline and Mission both offer walkable access to parks and a wide range of rental options, but confirm each building’s weight, breed, and pet-limit rules directly before applying, since these vary widely even within the same neighbourhood.

Sage Hill and the northwest: more space, more of a drive

Northwest communities like Sage Hill tend to offer newer buildings with more indoor and outdoor space per unit, at the cost of a longer commute downtown, a trade-off that suits renters with larger dogs more than daily commuters. As with any neighbourhood, confirm each building’s specific pet policy before applying rather than assuming size or newness means more flexibility.

Southeast communities like Mahogany: room to grow, newer buildings

Southeast communities like Mahogany offer newer rental supply and access to nearby off-leash areas, including a fenced area in Auburn Bay, according to the City of Calgary’s off-leash area list. This part of the city has seen some of Calgary’s fastest residential growth in recent years, which often means newer purpose-built rental stock, though pet amenities still vary by building. Confirm specifics directly with the leasing office before applying.

How to get approved for a Calgary rental when you have a large or restricted breed

Finding a pet-friendly building solves half the problem. The other half is convincing a specific landlord to say yes to your specific animal, which matters most with a large dog or a restricted breed. Calgary Humane Society cites research conducted with the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business showing that landlord hesitation about pets often centres on risk concerns such as property damage, noise, and liability, rather than a blanket dislike of animals, according to Calgary Humane Society. That framing points to concrete ways renters can address a landlord’s actual concern instead of arguing against a breed label they can’t change.

Why breed and size restrictions exist in the first place

There isn’t a reliable, current dataset naming which specific breeds get rejected most often in Calgary, so this guide won’t guess at a list. What’s better documented is the underlying concern: potential damage to a unit, noise complaints from neighbours, and liability if an animal injures someone or damages shared property. Addressing those specific worries tends to be more productive than arguing against a breed policy directly.

Building a pet resume that actually helps your application

The Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative’s tenant toolkit includes a pet resume template. Calgary Humane Society’s model addendum recommends building a pet profile that covers your pet’s name, age, species, temperament, daily routine, training history, and prior rental history, according to the pet agreement and lease addendum template. Pairing that with a reference from a previous landlord or a veterinarian, where available, gives a property manager something concrete to evaluate beyond a breed label on an application form.

Free support through Calgary Humane Society’s Pets and Renters Program

Calgary Humane Society also lists behaviour consultations and training support through its community services, intended to help both the animal and the landlord feel more confident about a tenancy. A guaranteed landlord-facing certificate is not confirmed in the sources reviewed for this guide, so confirm directly with the humane society what documentation, if any, you’ll receive.

What Calgary landlords can charge for pets, and what happens to your deposit

Beyond the one-month security deposit cap, Alberta’s rules also cover deposit handling, interest, and the return process at the end of a tenancy, though they say less about what a landlord can label a separate pet-related charge while you’re renting.

The one-month deposit cap and what it covers

A landlord cannot require a security deposit of more than one month’s rent at the start of the tenancy, whatever it’s labelled, a general deposit, a pet deposit, or a damage deposit, and it cannot be increased once the tenancy starts. Alberta’s prescribed annual interest rate for 2026 security deposits is 0%.

Getting your deposit back after move-out

If there are no deductions, the landlord must return the security deposit, plus any interest owing, within 10 days after the tenant gives up possession, according to the Government of Alberta. If there are deductions, the landlord must provide the balance or an estimate within 10 days, then a final statement and any remaining amount within 30 days. Alberta guidance treats normal wear and tear as separate from damage a landlord can deduct for.

Service animals and the Alberta Human Rights Act

As covered earlier, qualified guide dogs and service dogs are protected under Alberta human rights guidance, and landlords must consider disability-related accommodation requests to the point of undue hardship, according to the Alberta Human Rights Commission. Other assistance-animal requests may need to be assessed case by case. A qualified service dog generally shouldn’t be treated as a pet for fee purposes at all.

How Calgary’s cooling rental market gives pet owners more room to negotiate

Everything above covers what’s fixed: the law, the deposit rules, and the buildings that exist right now. What’s not fixed is how much leverage you have in a given month, and right now that leverage is better than it’s been in years..

What the current vacancy and rent numbers actually mean

Calgary’s rental vacancy rate rose from 4.6% in 2024 to 5.1% in 2025. City of Calgary housing trends data also show 2025 vacancy at 6.7% in the highest rent quartile and 4.4% in the lowest, meaning the loosening has been more pronounced at the pricier end of the market. CMHC projects about 5.7% vacancy for the Calgary CMA in 2026, a forecast rather than a confirmed year-end number.

liv.rent’s September 2026 Calgary and Edmonton Rent Report lists Calgary’s average unfurnished one-bedroom rent at $1,442, down 5.3% year over year, and furnished one-bedroom rent at $1,539, down 13.5% year over year. That’s a market where a landlord is more likely to consider trade-offs to fill a vacant unit, and pet policy is one of the easiest trade-offs to offer without cutting the rent itself.

Using market data to negotiate pet terms, not just price

In a softer market, renters may have more room to ask for a written pet addendum, a reduced pet-related charge, or a documented exception backed by a strong pet resume. Calgary Humane Society frames pet-friendly policies as something that can expand a landlord’s applicant pool and shorten vacancy periods, which is part of why these conversations may go further now than during the tightest years of the last rental crunch.

Timing your search

There’s no reliable data confirming a specific month or season when Calgary landlords are most flexible on pet policy, so treat seasonal advice elsewhere with some skepticism. Compare several current listings side by side, ask about pet policy in writing before you apply, and check liv.rent’s Alberta rent reports to judge whether an asking rent, and any pet fee attached to it, is in line with the current market.

The post Top 7 pet-friendly rental buildings in Calgary: what renters with pets need to know in 2026 appeared first on liv.rent blog.

What is the difference between liv.rent and rentals.ca?

rentals.ca is a national rental listing site with more than 20 years in the Canadian market, and part of a wider network of related rental sites. Its September 2026 National Rent Report, produced with Urbanation, put the national average asking rent for all residential property types at $2,035 a month in August 2026, down 4.8% year over year. liv.rent adds tools for what typically comes after finding a listing, including applications, tenant screening, digital lease contracts, and rent payment, from the same account. The clearest way to compare the two is what each lets a renter or landlord do without leaving the platform.

rentals.ca: listings, national rent data, and a credit-report tool

rentals.ca’s core strength is broad listing search and national rent data. Its September 2026 report put the average asking rent for apartments and condominiums nationally at $2,040 a month in August 2026. Landlords on rentals.ca can also request a tenant credit report directly through the platform, priced at $20 for a single report or less per report in bundles of three or five, run through screening partners including Equifax and Certn.

liv.rent: built to cover more of the rental process

liv.rent’s own materials describe a platform where landlords confirm their identity, renters apply using a reusable profile called the Renter Resume, and both sides can move to a digital lease and rent payment without switching services. Digital lease templates are currently confirmed for B.C. and Ontario; check liv.rent’s current lease page for coverage in other provinces before relying on it for a specific tenancy.

The real test: what happens after you message a landlord?

Whichever site you use, ask one practical question before a conversation goes too far: once you message a landlord, does the next step, an application, a lease, a payment, happen inside the platform, or are you sent somewhere else? That answer says more about fit than any feature list.

How do liv.rent and rentals.ca approach rental scam prevention?

Rental scams are a real risk in Canada regardless of which site you use. In March 2023, CBC News reported that a scammer had listed a former Vancouver police detective’s home for rent on rentals.ca without his knowledge, using photos pulled from an old real estate listing. That was more than three years ago, and both platforms have added verification tools since, so it is best read as an example of a risk that can affect any open listings marketplace rather than a verdict on either platform’s current practices.

How each platform approaches identity verification

On liv.rent, landlord and property manager profiles are manually checked against a government-issued photo ID and a matching selfie, and listings tied to an unverified profile are removed from public view after about a week. On rentals.ca, identity verification is optional and free: verified accounts have their listings go live instantly, while other listings are still reviewed by the rentals.ca team, typically within one business day. The two processes work differently rather than one simply being stricter, so check each platform’s current help pages if this matters for your decision.

What a verified badge actually means

On either platform, a verified badge means the account holder’s identification has been checked, not that the listing itself is guaranteed available, accurately priced, or dispute-free. Treat it as one useful signal alongside your own precautions.

How to protect yourself, on any platform

A few habits apply everywhere you search: view the unit in person or through a verified virtual tour, confirm that the person you are speaking with actually controls the property, and avoid sending money before you have viewed or verified the unit, confirmed the landlord’s authority, and reviewed the lease terms in writing. Scammers often push urgency around a deposit before you have even seen the unit; slowing down is one of the most effective precautions you can take.

Can you sign a lease and pay rent on rentals.ca or liv.rent?

This is one of the most common questions renters ask when comparing the two platforms, and the answer depends on both the platform and the province.

Signing and paying: what to expect on rentals.ca

Based on rentals.ca’s own landlord and pricing pages, its tools centre on listings, identity verification, and tenant credit reports. There is no in-platform lease-signing or rent-collection tool listed on those pages, so a lease and rent payment are arranged directly between landlord and tenant, however works best for them.

liv.rent’s digital lease and payment options

liv.rent offers digital lease agreements built on the standard tenancy forms for B.C. and Ontario, plus customizable addendums, and supports rent payment by credit card, UnionPay, and Bitcoin from within the platform, with pre-authorized debit listed as coming soon.

Where digital lease templates stand, province by province

Ontario has required a standard lease form for most private residential tenancies entered into on or after April 30, 2018. liv.rent’s own guidance says its digital contracts currently pull from the Ontario Tenancy Agreement or the B.C. Standardized Tenancy Agreement; coverage for other provinces is not listed on its current pages, so confirm directly with liv.rent before relying on it for a tenancy outside those two provinces. This is general information, not legal advice.

How does tenant screening work on liv.rent compared with rentals.ca?

Both platforms now offer a screening tool for landlords, but they are not quite the same product.

The liv.rent Trust Score

The Trust Score combines an Equifax-powered credit history covering the past four years, a risk assessment, a proprietary rating built from the applicant’s verified income, identity, and employment details, and a rent-to-income ratio. Landlords on liv.rent’s free Essentials plan can add a Trust Score report for a per-report fee (recently listed at $16.99, check liv.rent’s current screening page for the exact price), or get reports included through a paid plan.

rentals.ca’s credit-report tool

rentals.ca’s credit-report tool, built with screening partners including Equifax and Certn, runs a soft credit check that the platform says has no impact on the applicant’s score. Reports cost $20 individually, or less per report in bundles of three or five, and a credit is returned to the landlord’s account if a report cannot be completed. It is a straightforward credit check rather than the broader income, identity, and risk profile the Trust Score builds.

The Renter Resume

The Renter Resume lets a renter complete a profile once on liv.rent and reuse it across applications, which can save time compared with filling out a new form for every listing.

If your platform does not build in screening

If you are renting through a platform or workflow without built-in screening, you will typically need to arrange a credit check, reference calls, and income verification separately.

Which platform should you use in your province?

Rent-increase rules differ significantly across Canada, and they apply regardless of which platform you use. None of the figures below are legal advice; confirm current rules with the relevant provincial tenancy authority before acting on them.

BC and Ontario: where liv.rent’s digital lease coverage is deepest

liv.rent’s digital lease tools currently draw on the B.C. Standardized Tenancy Agreement and the Ontario Tenancy Agreement. Renters in either province can use the Renter Resume, while landlords can use liv.rent’s screening tools as well as the digital lease.

Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba: different rent-increase frameworks

Alberta places no limit on the size of a rent increase but generally requires landlords to wait at least 365 days between increases. Saskatchewan also sets no percentage limit, but standard landlords must give 12 months’ notice, while landlords in good standing with a prescribed landlord association can give 6 months’ notice instead. Manitoba’s 2026 guideline is 1.8%, though some higher-rent and newer units are exempt. In all three provinces, thorough tenant screening matters just as much as the rent-increase rule, since a landlord’s financial risk depends on more than one factor.

Quebec and Atlantic Canada: what renters and landlords need to know

Quebec calculates allowable rent adjustments through the Tribunal administratif du logement rather than applying one flat cap; for lease-modification notices given on or after January 1, 2026, the published base percentage is 3.1%, with separate components added for capital expenditures or personal services. New Brunswick caps standard increases at 3% a year, with an approval path up to 9% for justified renovation costs. Nova Scotia permits up to 5% annually through 2027, and Prince Edward Island’s 2026 limit is 2%. Newfoundland and Labrador sets no percentage limit but still requires proper written notice and timing. This section is general information, not legal advice.

How does liv.rent’s market data compare with the rentals.ca National Rent Report?

Both platforms publish rent data, but they measure different things.

What the rentals.ca National Rent Report shows

Produced with Urbanation, the report is one of Canada’s most widely cited national rent figures. In August 2026, the average asking rent across all residential property types was $2,035, down 4.8% year over year; for apartments and condominiums specifically, the average was $2,040.

What liv.rent’s city-level reports show

liv.rent publishes monthly rent reports by city and region rather than one national figure. Its August 2026 Metro Vancouver report put the average unfurnished one-bedroom at $2,098 a month, down 4.9% year over year, and its August 2026 Montreal report put the average unfurnished one-bedroom at $1,605 a month, down 5.2% year over year.

Using both together

A national report is useful for understanding the broad direction of the market. A city-level report is more useful when pricing a specific unit or judging whether a local asking rent is reasonable. Reading both gives a fuller picture than either one alone.

What does liv.rent cost, and is rentals.ca free?

Cost is often the deciding factor for landlords choosing between platforms.

liv.rent’s pricing structure

liv.rent’s free Essentials plan includes unlimited listings. Landlords who want more, additional screening reports, listing syndication, and lease-protection addendums, can move to the paid Growth plan, recently listed at around $56 a month; check liv.rent’s current pricing page before relying on this figure, since plan pricing can change over time.

rentals.ca’s pricing for landlords

Listing on rentals.ca is free for a landlord’s first three properties. Paid upgrades, Promoted listings and Featured listings, are priced separately for a 15-day period and increase a listing’s visibility, on top of the platform’s per-report credit-check pricing described above.

What renters pay

Both platforms are free for renters to search. Any cost a renter encounters, such as a screening report requested by a landlord, comes from the landlord’s plan rather than a fee charged to the renter directly.

The post liv.rent vs. rentals.ca: what renters and landlords should compare in 2026 appeared first on liv.rent blog.