The average rental apartment vacancy rate in Canadas thirty five major centres has increased marginally by +0.2% in April 2010 from the 2.7% recorded in April 2009, according to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).

The CMHC survey revealed that in April 2010 the areas with the lowest vacancy rates were Québec City (0.4%), Regina (0.8%), Winnipeg (1.0%), and St. John’s (1.1%). Whilst at a provincial level, Manitoba and Newfoundland and Labrador posted the lowest vacancy rates at 1.0% and 1.1% respectively.

The areas with the highest vacancy rates were Windsor (12.4%), Peterborough and Abbotsford (6.6% each). The provincial vacancy rate was on the rise in Alberta at 6.0% compared with 4.6% in April 2009.

Bob Dugan, chief economist at CMHCs Market Analysis Centre, said: “Rental construction and competition from the condominium market added upward pressure on vacancy rates and historically low mortgage rates have attracted more renter households towards homeownership over the last year.”

The highest average monthly rents for two-bedroom apartments in new and existing structures were in Vancouver ($1,150), Toronto ($1,134), Calgary ($1,082), and Ottawa ($1,061). These four centres had average rents at or above $1,000pm, however Victoria and Edmonton were similar at $999 and $994 respectively. The areas with the lowest average monthly rents for two-bedroom apartments in new and existing structures were in Saguenay ($522), Trois-Rivières ($531), and Sherbrooke ($556).